Harbinger - Second Coming (1970) [Reissue 2009]

Dave Bixby's first LP Ode to Quetzalcoatl was the work of a man in search of himself. His second, released under the group name Harbinger, is the work of a man who thought he had found himself, but got "indoctrinated" in the process (his actual word, from the liner notes' interview). After the first LP, which was a brutally honest downer-folk album, Bixby met and joined Don DeGraaf's religious group. A charismatic Christian guru, DeGraaf quickly harnessed Bixby's talent and got him to write and perform uplifting, utopian songs about finding the light and understanding yourself -- which was what Bixby had written before, although this time the lyrics have lost their erstwhile aspect in favor of a more didactic style. The arrangements -- in which DeGraaf had a hand as the LP's producer and feature other musicians and singers from his group -- are interesting, and the songwriting, though clumsy, still has its moments (especially in "Time to Clear Your Mind" and "Ode to Elias"). However, whereas Ode to Quetzalcoatl simply chronicled a personal path to inner realization, Second Coming is more about collective salvation, communal bonding, and proselytism. In other words, it wears its ulterior motive on its sleeve, and the music suffers for it.