Release of an Oath

Infobox Album |
Name = Release of an Oath
Type = Album
Artist = The Electric Prunes


Released = November, 1968
Recorded = 1968
Genre = Rock
Length = 24:56
Label = Reprise Records
Producer = David Hassinger
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fzftxqt5ldae link]
Last album = "Mass in F Minor"
(1968)
This album = "Release of an Oath"
(1968)
Next album = "Just Good Old Rock and Roll"
(1969)

"Release of An Oath" is an album by the Electric Prunes. Following the musical pattern of their "Mass in F Minor", it is a rock music setting of a service intended to release a penitent from an oath "made under duress and in violation of his principles" (liner notes).

The album is subtitled "The Kol Nidre - a prayer of antiquity", and is often referred to simply as "The Kol Nidre". It should be noted that the Jewish Kol Nidre prayer, on which the first track is based, remains in current use as a central part of Jewish worship.

Despite the subtitle and popular name, the remaining tracks of the album are based on Christian rather than Jewish liturgy.

Personnel

Although credited to the Electric Prunes, the album is largely the work of composer and producer David Axelrod and a group of session musicians. Personnel included:

* Howard Roberts and Lou Morrell (guitar)
* Don Randi (keyboards)
* Carol Kaye (bass)
* Earl Palmer (drums)

Only the vocals appear to have been recorded by the band members.

Track listing

Side 1
# Kol Nidre (Axelrod) 4.14
# Holy Are You (Axelrod) 4.05
# General Confessional (Axelrod) 4.15

Side 2
# Individual Confessional (Axelrod) 2.10
# Our Father, Our King (Axelrod) 3.10
# The Adoration (Axelrod) 3.48
# Closing Hymn (Axelrod) 2.53

External links

* [http://members.tripod.com/~shadwell/oath.html Independent review] of the album.
* [http://www.piccadillyrecords.com/index.php?url=http://www.piccadillyrecords.com/ver2/genreFeature.php&ftcode=276&genre=0&pageno=1 David Axelrod] entry at Picadilly Records documents personnel.