Music Video Monday: Good News

Welcome Back to Music Video Monday. We haven't been able to keep a steady pace, getting waylaid by a few holidays, but we are making slow progress. We're doing much better in the behind the scenes stuff.

We begin our musical journey with a little rap. Eshon Burgundy came into the orbit of the Night Beat through his association with the Rap Group Rekonciled. They have been silent for the past 5 years. They need to make some noise. Anyway, Eshon has been releasing some singles in anticipation of a new album. This is the music video for Nothing Above You.
Next up we have Remedy Drive. They are lighting up the North searching for The North Star. This is Sunlight on Her Face. 
And finally we have a little free-form worship from Rend Collective. They are here to remind us that the Gospel that we preach is Good News. I think we should shout that from the rooftops.
That does it for this edition of Music Video Monday. Bumpy progress is still progress. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Lost Love Songs: A Coupleary Celebration

Well it is that time of year again. Coupleary. It is the 13th Month of The Year and spans from (Officially) January 15-February 14, but unofficially it lasts from December 26 (I checked, the stores had everything out on the shelves) until February 17. As a single guy, I usually do my best to ignore all the mushy ads. Valentines Day is one of the "holidays" that I opt-out of. I figure I save at least $500 every year. 

One of those things I try to avoid is love songs, at least the typical "I'd never trade a thing, you are so wonderful to me" songs. Written by someone who has the girl. Those of us who look at the situation and decide to try our luck at Foxwoods tend to like the other kind of "love song". The song where the girl says no or otherwise leaves. I call this playlist lost love songs, after "tis better to have loved and lost..." It is a work in progress and I will keep adding to it as I find them. For now, this is the list.

• Emery, The Ponytail Parades: "It scares me to think that you could find takers other than me, better than me." "Don't say that we can still be friends." With two cuts here, they are the king of the break up song.
• Emery, Can't Stop The Killer: One of the most disturbing songs in Christian Music. The chronicle of a Broken Marriage ending in Murder. You have to hear it to believe it.
• Color Theory, I Should Have Kissed You: "I told myself when you leaned in closer, this is my big chance but now it is over, and now I miss you. I should have kissed you." Honesty like this gets you the co-regency.
• Color Theory, A Safe Distance: "I will always love you, From a safe distance" Enough Said.
• Skillet, Say Goodbye: "Don't say anything tonight, if you're gonna say goodbye"
• NF, I Just Wanna Know: "I just wanna know, when did you get so cold, what happened to your soul."
• Sumerlin, Breaking Out: "It's my fault I gave my heart away with the key, I thought that she would be the one to stay here."
• The Ember Days, Darling: On first spin I felt it was about a spouse dying, I later discovered that it was about the death of a child. It works either way. "What shall be my hope without without my love without my love. Will I find heaven to be my only relief." I can not hear this song without tearing up. A short vocal song with a long instrumental end.
• The Quiet Science, The Things That Cannot Be: "If Only Every Word You Said Could be Removed From Me so that I didn't know you at all. If Only Every Line of your face didn't burn so deep into my memory the things that cannot be."

Despite the list I am not depressed, only realistic. The sayings end "than not to have loved at all" is true. You can't break up if you weren't together at one point. Get your tissues and give it a listen. Meanwhile I'll be practicing my poker skills. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
 

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Modern Worship

If you never knew which genre was going to win the quarter, you obviously are new to The Night Beat (and if you are, Welcome). It's pretty much a running joke here, as it is well known that Modern Worship is the most bloated genre in Christian Music. Of course this quarter the genre has produced an album which just might win Album of The Year. So there.

Modern Worship

• Cherry Hills Worship - Cherry Hills Worship
• Higher Vision - For Your Kingdom
• ICF Worship - The Journey: A Collection
• Kutless - Alpha Omega
• Light City Music - In Rivers
• Matt and Toby - I Quit Church
• Anabeth Morgan - A Place Your Glory Dwells
• Young Oceans - Suddenly (or The Nuclear Sunburst of The Truth Revealed)
• Pursue Worship - Let it Rise
• J. Reynolds - Fire and The Flood
• Jeremy Riddle - More
• Salt of The Sound - In Prayer
• Soul Survivor - The Promise
• Southville - Freedom's Tree
• Austin Stone Worship - Everflow
• Substance I.O. - Input Output
• Vineyard Worship - Wear The Crown: Anchor Studio Sessions

Count them up. That's 17 entries in a single quarter. That's almost three years worth of finals, and it's only the first quarter. Thee more to go. This is the toughest genre to judge. The Second Quarter awaits. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Rap

The Penultimate post is upon us. Rap Music (along with its sister genre Hip Hop), had a dozen entries this quarter, but still fell just short of winning it all. Let's get it all.

Rap/Hip Hop

• B-L'atitude - Elevated Love
• Benjah - Guidance
• The Knu Black(fka Out of The Blue) - Ohana
• Beautiful Eulogy - Worthy 
• GAWVI - 954 EP
• KB - Today We Rebel
• Kevi - Barnabas
• Byron Juane - Life in the Evening EP 
• NF - Perceptions
• Nerva - One Way 
• Parxx - Unchained
• Young Saint - Transition (Live)

You know which genre comes next. Modern Worship is again the big winner. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Metal

We turn up the volume on the 1st Quarter of 2018 for the Platinum Vinyl Awards. Hard Rock and Heavy Metal had a very good. Nine entries in this quarter is a good start.

Hard Rock/Heavy Metal

• August Burns Red - Phantom Anthem
• My Children, My Bride - Vicious World
• For All Eternity - The Will To Rebuild
• Your Memorial - Your Memorial
• Phinehas - Dark Flag
• Project 86 - Sheep Among Wolves
• Red - Gone 
• Sweet and Lynch - Unified
• War of Ages - Alpha

Only two more to go. Rap is next (so you already know the winner of the quarter). Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Rock

Rock Music is next as we count up the Pool Releases for the First Quarter of 2018. From now on we exceed the "Finals" every time.

Rock Music

• Ashes Remain - Let The Light In
• Boiling Point - Take Courage
• Carrollton - Everything or Nothing
• Emery - Revival: Emery Classics Re-Imagined
• Evanescence - Synthesis
• New Morrow - Ride On
• Skillet - Feel Invincible Remix
• Skillet - Unleashed Beyond

Metal is next. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply

Music Video Monday: Gone

We are beginning to get back to normal here at Night Beat HQ. One of the major parts in the return to normalcy is the return of Music Video Monday. And we get a January Thaw at the same time. A double bonus. Without further ado, the first Music Video Monday of 2018.

We begin with New Music from a New Artist. Brooke Robertson (of Duck Dynasty Fame) has thrown her hat into the CCM Ring. She released her debut EP entitled Have My Heart this past Friday and this is the video for the title cut.

Next up we have Plumb (aka Tiffany Arbuckle Lee). She put out an EP this past quarter entitled God Help Me. From the EP, this is the title cut as well.
In an all title cut edition of Music Video Monday we move on to RED. They released GONE. A band which, despite the lyrics of the song, will never "Fade Away". I think they will be here for a while, and when they do hang it up, which I hope is far away in the future, I have no doubt that they will go out with an orchestral bang.
That does it for this edition of Music Video Monday. 2018 is under way. Let's see if we can get a streak going. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Pop

Our three way tie wraps up with Pop Music. Once again Pop Music had a very good quarter. And, as you can see, it is a nice mix of veteran and newbie. On to the entrants.

Pop Music

• Adam Agee - Paper Planes EP
• Francesca Battistelli - Greatest Hits: The First 10 Years
• Julie Elias - A Girl Like Me
• Brandon Heath - Faith Hope Love Repeat
• Plumb - God Help Me EP 
• Alexis Slifer - Famous For EP 
• John Tibbs - Heartland

Next up is Rock Music with 8. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Adult Contemporary

The second genre in our three way tie is Adult Contemporary (which we pair with its twin sibling Inspirational). It was a good quarter for elevator music (sorry).

Adult Contemporary/Inspirational

• Anthem Lights - Painted Skies
• Jeremy Camp - The Answer
• John Ellis - Growing Silent
• Sara Groves - Abide With Me
• Matt Hammitt - Matt Hammitt
• Aaron Powell - My Heart Belongs
• Abigail Sloane - Reason and Rhyme

I am getting things together for auto pilot in case our office is impacted by snow. Next up is our final tie, Pop Music. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Live Recorded Album

A Three Way Tie Greets Us as we move into 2018. Our next genre is Live Recorded Album. I know, Live Album spans genres. But what else can I do with it, it's not General Field material. Let's get to it.

Live Recorded Album

• The Gray Havens - Ghost of a King Live
• Lifepoint Worship - Mountain/Valley (Live)
• Powerhouse Fellowship Soul Choir feat Shawn Cotterell - It's Not Over EP
• Pursue Worship - Let It Rise (Live)
• BJ Putnam - Love Like Fire (Live)
• Young Saint - Transition (Live)
• Tye Tribbet - The Bloody Win (Live)

Next up is the second of our Three-Way Tie. Adult Contemporary is next. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Gospel

Now that we are done with our multiple-genre posts as we reveal the 1st Quarter entrants into the #PlatVnyl9 Pool we move to the single genre. We go from least to greatest. The Minimum Bar Needed is Five Entrants. That bar was met by Gospel/R&B. All the others exceed it. Let's get to it.

Gospel/R&B

• Tomi Malm - Walking On Air
• Powerhouse Fellowship Soul Choir ft Shawn Cotrell - It's Not Over (Live)
• Tye Tribbett - The Bloody Win (Live) 
• The Walls Group - The Other Side
• C-West - Hide and Seek

Next up is a three way tie. Live Album, Adult Contemporary and Pop all had seven entrants. None Had Six. So there will be no beastly trio this time around. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Children's Folk Instrumental Compilation

We continue with our reveal of the 2018 1rst Quarter. This is our last multiple genre post. From this point onward it is all single genre posting. This post will combine Children's Music, Folk/Folk Rock, Instrumental Album, and Compilation Album.

Compilation Album

• Various Artists - The Star: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Children's Music

• Josh Lovelace and Friends Present - Young Folk
• Sojourn Music - Clap Your Hands, Stomp Your Feet
• Tommy and Me - What Every Child Should Know About God, Volume 1 - Joyful
• Tommy and Me - What Every Child Should Know About God, Volume 2 - Peaceful

Folk/Folk Rock

• The Gray Havens - Ghost of A King Live
• Sam and Samantha Mc Cabe - Through The Night
• The Welcome Wagon - Light Up The Stairs

 Instrumental Album

• Andy Hunter - Presence, Volume 2

We are done with the multi-genre posts. We go now from least to greatest in single genre posts. First up is Gospel (The Real Kind, not the Southern Version). Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Electronic Alternative Dance Remix

It's time for the First Quarter Wrap at the 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards. We begin with the genres which have not met a minimum threshold for a single post. We have set that bar at 5. Today we do Electronic-Industrial, Alternative, Dance-Synthpop, and Remix.

Alternative Rock

• U2 - Songs of Experience

Dance-Synthpop

• Manic Drive - Into The Wild
• Carmen Justice - Against The Odds
• Joshua Micah - 20xx
• Substance I.O. - Input Output

Electronic-Industrial

• Andy Hunter - Presence, Volume 2
• Narrow Skies - In Hibernation
• Salt Of The Sound - In Prayer 

Remix Album

• Emery - Revival: Emery Classics Re-Imagined
• Evanescence - Synthesis
• Skillet - Feel Invincible Remixes

We are underway. Sorry for the lack of links. We are looking for new affiliate opportunities. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.