The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads

The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads
Studio album by Lift to Experience
Released	June 26, 2001
Recorded	1999
Studio	70hrtz Studio, Argyle, Texas
Genre	Indie rock, shoegaze, post-rock [1]
Length	93:22
Label	Bella Union
Producer	Josh T. Pearson
Singles from The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads
"These Are the Days" Released: December 3, 2001

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Almost Cool	(8/10) [2]
The Austin Chronicle	[3]
The Guardian Unlimited	[4]
Pitchfork	(7.8/10) [5]

The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads is the debut studio album from Denton, Texas-based indie rock trio Lift to Experience. The double album was released on June 26, 2001, and is thus far the only full-length recording from the band. A concept album about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ ^[6] that "casts Texas as the Promised Land", ^[4] it was produced by guitarist/vocalist Josh T. Pearson, and mixing was handled by Simon Raymonde and Robin Guthrie, both of Cocteau Twins fame. ^{[5] [7]} The album was released on Guthrie and Raymonde's record label Bella Union. Receiving very little attention upon release, the album gradually found an audience via the internet and has developed a minor cult following.

The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads was described by AllMusic reviewer Tim DiGravina as "blend[ing] My Bloody Valentine's sonic feedback with Kitchens of Distinction's swirling atmosphere and the grace of Jeff Buckley", with DiGravina adding, "What could have been a tiresome exploration of awkward religious theories is instead a spellbinding journey into the heart of human emotion and guitar dynamics". ^[1] Although Lift to Experience never officially announced a disbandment, the band splintered shortly after the album's release, with Pearson re-emerging as a solo artist in the 2010s.

The album was remastered and reissued for its 15-year anniversary by Mute Records on February 3, 2017. ^[6] The album was reissued across three separate formats, all featuring revised artwork: a 2-CD set; a double vinyl LP set pressed on blue and red colored vinyl; and a deluxe 4-LP box set including the band's first demo EP and live recordings. The reissue coincides with the band's reunion and performance at Meltdown Festival 2016 curated by Elbow frontman Guy Garvey. ^[6]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Josh T. Pearson (words) and Lift to Experience (music).

Part one: Texas

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Just as Was Told"	6:43
2.	"Down Came the Angels"	5:40
3.	"Falling from Cloud 9"	4:33
4.	"With Crippled Wings"	9:58
5.	"Waiting to Hit"	5:20
6.	"The Ground So Soft"	7:06

Part two: Jerusalem

No.	Title	Length
7.	"These Are the Days"	8:41
8.	"When We Shall Touch"	4:20
9.	"Down with the Prophets"	6:41
10.	"To Guard and to Guide You"	5:24
11.	"Into the Storm"	10:14
12.	"The Hidden Song" (Included as a hidden track following 14:06 of silence after "Into the Storm" on CD editions; "Into the Storm" lasts 28:56 in total)	4:45

Credits

Musicians

• Josh T. Pearson – guitar, vocals
• Josh Browning – bass
• Andy Young – drums, cymbals
• Scott Danbom – fiddle

Production

• Josh T. Pearson – producer
• Dave Willingham – engineer, recording, mastering
• Simon Raymonde – mixing (at September Sound)
• Robin Guthrie – additional mixing (at September Sound)
• Breanne Trammell – photography
• Karen Raymonde – sleeve design (from an original concept by Lift to Experience) ^[8]

Remaster credits

• Mixed by Matt Pence at Echo Lab, Argyle, Texas
• Additional engineering by Dan Williams at Studio Mute, London, England
• Mastered by Dave McNair at Dave McNair Mastering, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
• Vinyl cut by Jeff Powell at Take Out Vinyl, Memphis, Tennessee
• Reissue design by Louise Hendy
• Art direction by Josh T. Pearson with Paul A. Taylor

References

1. DiGravina, Tim. "The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads - Lift to Experience". AllMusic . Retrieved February 20, 2017.
2. "Lift to Experience - The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads" . Retrieved February 20, 2017.
3. Chamy, Michael (March 15, 2002). "Review: Lift to Experience - Music - The Austin Chronicle" . Retrieved February 20, 2017.
4. Clarke, Betty (May 11, 2001). "Pop CD Releases - Culture". The Guardian. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
5. Sirota, Brent S. (June 21, 2001). "Lift to Experience: The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads: Album Reviews". Pitchfork . Retrieved February 20, 2017.
6. Lindsay, Cam (November 11, 2016). "The second (or first) coming of Lift to Experience" . Retrieved February 13, 2017.
7. Chamy, Michael (May 31, 2001). "Cloud 9 and Rising: Denton's Lift to Experience head for the promised land, with gun in hand" . Retrieved February 20, 2017.
8. Adapted from the liner notes of the original CD release