Night Beat Rewind: April 2019

We are slightly behind schedule here at Night Beat HQ, but we have things under control. The April edition of Rewind is underway.

The Singles Scene

• Jared Anderson - Keep Your Eyes On Jesus 4.75 Emeralds
• Apollo LTD - On The Way Up 2.0 4.75 Emeralds
• Building 429 - Fear No More 4.75 Emeralds
• Landry Cantrell - Beyond 4.75 Emeralds
• Celldweller - A Matter of Time 5 Emeralds
• Celldweller - A Matter of Time (Instrumentals) 5 Emeralds
• Color Theory - Backwards 4.75 Emeralds
• Amanda Lindsey Cook - Still 5 Emeralds
• Elevation Worship - With You (Paradoxology) 5 Emeralds
• Lou Fellingham - Our God Is For Us (Live) 5 Emeralds
• Conor Flanagan - Steal My Joy (ft Ruslan) 4.50 Emeralds
• Foldinglights - American Jesus 4.75 Emeralds
• For All Seasons - Just For Today 4.75 Emeralds
• For King and Country - God Only Knows (R3HAB Remix) 4.75 Emeralds
  
• For King and Country - God Only Knows (Robin G Acoustic Mix) 4.75 Emeralds
• James Fortune - I am (Radio Edit) ft Deborah Carolina 5 Emeralds
• Danny Gokey - Love God Love People ft Michael W. Smith 5 Emeralds
• Goshen Sai - Neo Mass Exodus 5 Emeralds
• Jason Gray - I'm Gonna Let It Go 4.75 Emeralds
• Tori Harper - Revival 5 Emeralds
• The Gray Havens - Far Kingdom (Reimagined) 5 Emeralds
• Influencers Worship - Fathers Love 5 Emeralds
• P Lo Jetson - My Life Is In Your Hands ft Ed Williams 4.75 Emeralds
• KB - DNOU2 5 Emeralds
• KB - Hold Me Back 4.25 Emeralds
• Legin - Mad Luv ft Daniel Olsson of Citizen Way 4.75 Emeralds
• Elle Limebear - Find Me At Your Feet 5 Emeralds
• Steven Malcolm - Even Louder ft Natalie Grant 4.75 Emeralds
• Kevin Max - Be Love 4.75 Emeralds
• Memphis May Fire - Faint 5 Emeralds
• Leigh Nash - God Gave Me Horses 4.75 Emeralds
• Leigh Nash - Kiss Me (20th Anniversary Edition) 4.75 Emeralds
• Newsboys - Only The Son (Yeshua) 5 Emeralds
• Planetshakers - I Choose You (Live) 5 Emeralds
• Plassix and Puso - Holding Hands 4.75 Emeralds
• Bryan Popin - All Back 5 Emeralds
• Scott Ralley - He Rise Up 4.75 Emeralds
• Jon Reddick - You Keep Hope Alive 4.75 Emeralds
• Sanctus Real - Unstoppable God 5 Emeralds
• Allan Scott - Living Hope 5 Emeralds
• Beckah Shae - King 5 Emeralds
• Martin Smith - Iron Lung 5 Emeralds
• Stars Go Dim - Invisible 5 Emeralds
• Tenth Avenue North - Greater Than All My Regrets 5 Emeralds
• Terrian - God With Us 5 Emeralds
• Cade Thompson - Voices 4.75 Emeralds
• Roy Tosh - Like You Do (Ft V.Rose) 5 Emeralds
• Trinity - Anthem of Love 4.50 Emeralds
• 29:11 Worship - Roses 5 Emeralds
  
• Kim Walker-Smith - Just Be 5 Emeralds
• Wande - Blessed Up 4.75 Emeralds
• JJ Weeks - Choices 5 Emeralds
  
• Tauren Wells - God's Not Done With You 5 Emeralds
• Phil Wickham - You Cannot Be Stopped ft Chris Quilala 5 Emeralds
• Woodlands Worship - Maker 5 Emeralds

Now on to the Albums. We begin with those that will not make #PVX

Missing The Mark

• Brandtson - Letterbox (1998 Re-Issue) 4.25 Emeralds
• The Sinapi - Beyond the Stars 3.75 Emeralds
• Social Club Misfits - Mood EP 3.75 Emeralds
• Vineyard Worship - God You Reign (Vineyard Community Church Pomona) 4.25 Emeralds

Only four albums miss the mark. Must be feeling generous. The next group needs no help or generosity.

Pure Platinum Perfection

• Death Therapy - Voices 5 Emeralds
• Elevation Worship - Paradoxology 5 Emeralds
• Danny Gokey - Haven't Seen It Yet 5 Emeralds
• Hillsong United - People (Live) 5 Emeralds
• Hillsong Young and Free - III (Studio Sessions) 5 Emeralds
• Kings Kaleidoscope - Zeal 5 Emeralds
• Mike Mains and The Branches - When We Were In Love 5 Emeralds
• Starflyer 59 - Young In My Head 5 Emeralds
• TobyMac - Scars (Come With Livin Remixes EP) 5 Emeralds

Semi-Precious Metals

• After Grace - You Knew EP 4.75 Emeralds
• American Arson - Rise and Fall EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Erskin Anavitarte - Love Moves EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Anthem Lights - Hymns Medleys 4.50 Emeralds
• Antioch Music - Live At World Mandate 4.50 Emeralds
• Bright Ones - Bright Ones (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) 4.75 Emeralds
• Brinson - Reversing Tomorrow 4.75 Emeralds
• Caleb and Kelsey - Hymns 4.75 Emeralds
• Embassy - Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 1 4.75 Emeralds
• Lou Fellingham - Made For You (Live) 4.75 Emeralds
• Free Worship - Already Done 4.50 Emeralds
• Sara Groves - To The Dawn: Reimagined EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Mallory Hope - Out of My Hands 4.75 Emeralds
• Sarah Kroger - Bloom 4.75 Emeralds
• Local Sound - The Free World, Volume 1 EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Branan Murphy - Coming Home (Remixes) EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Dave Pettigrew - Faith and Gasoline 4.75 Emeralds
• Planetshakers - Rain Part 2 EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Red Rocks Worship - Spark (No Other Love) (Live EP) 4.75 Emeralds
• Lacey Sturm - Reflect Love Back Soundtrack, Volume 1 4.75 Emeralds
• Paul Wilbur - Roar From Zion: Recorded Live In Jerusalem 4.50 Emeralds

Finally. April is in the Bag. And Tomorrow is the last release day of May. The work is never done around here. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Happy Remission Day

It is Memorial Day today, or at least the day we celebrate the day. Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, was the day widows and families of fallen Civil War soldiers came to decorate the graves. The Actual Date of the Holiday is May 30. The Bible Says in Hebrews 9:22 that "Without The Shedding of Blood There is No Remission of Sins". That word is very important, because liberals are making quite a bit of noise about reparations. Let's look to the dictionary.

Reparation: The Making of AMENDS For a wrong ONE HAS DONE by paying money to or otherwise helping those who have been wronged.

There are many things wrong with the concept of Reparation's today for antebellum Slavery. First of all, it only makes AMENDS for wrong. Let's go back to the dictionary.

Amends: Compensate or make up for a wrongdoing

That sounds pretty fluid to me. Make up for doesn't mean you are discharged. It's only good until you feel it wasn't good enough. Then you need more compensation. In essence it is BLACKMAIL. That's why Democrats are all in favor of it. Never Ending Guilt Payments. But God doesn't talk about Reparations for Sin, or Amends for sin. Most of our translations use forgiveness, but the actual word is REMISSION. Back to the dictionary.

Remission: THE CANCELLATION OF A DEBT, CHARGE OR PENALTY.

When a debt is cancelled, it is gone. You cannot reinstate it justly. It is wiped off the books. And God Says to Wipe Out something requires not money but blood. Was blood ever shed? Ever hear about the Civil War. You know, that event that Democrats are trying to purge from our memory bay removing flags and statues. And rewriting History.

Let's Be Blunt, if the Blood of One Man, Jesus Christ, The Son of God, can remit the sins of everyone past present and future (At Least 10 Billion People) in God's Eyes (and they are cancelled. You will be condemned for Not Receiving The Gift of Jesus, not for your sins), then surely the blood of  620,000 American Soldiers can be counted as Full Cancelled Payment for Slavery. To want cash is an insult. Never let it be said that we despised the brave sacrifice of our troops. The payment is more than sufficient. We are The Land of The Free because of the price they paid. Let that be our Memorial to them. Happy Memorial Day. We will return to Music Tomorrow.

The Reckoning: The 2019 Platinum Vinyl Awards 2nd Qtr - Modern Worship

Modern Worship is once again the big winner for the quarter. Thirty Three entries for the quarter. That's almost 7 final entries. Let's get to it.

Modern Worship

• Meredith Andrews - Faith And Wonder (Live) EP
• Michael Bahn - Clean
• Bethel Music - Victory
• Mack Brock - Covered EP
• Catch The Fire Music - Presence: Live From Toronto
• CRC Music - Greater Than All (Deluxe)
• Cross Point Music - Cross Point Music
• Elias Dummer - The Work, Volume 1
• Jon Egan - Unveil (Live)
• Every Nation Music - Faithful EP
• London Gatch - New Stories 
• Luke and Anna Hellebronth - Motions of Mercy
• Highlands Worship - Jesus You Alone
• Life Center Worship - Debut EP
• Lindy and The Circuit Riders - Driven by Love
• Stephen Miller - Behold
• New Hope Oahu - Scripture Songs
• Passion - Follow You Anywhere
• Passion - Behold The Lamb/It is Finished
• People of The Earth - Victory EP
• Planetboom - Jesus Over Everything
• Planetshakers - Rain Part 1 EP
• Radiate Worship - Come Alive
• Reach City Worship - Nothing Else Matters (Live)
• Michael W. Smith - Awaken: The Surrounded Experience
• 29:11 Worship - Marble and Mortar, Volume 1
• Chris Tomlin - Holy Roar: Live From Church
• Chris Tomlin - Is He Worthy? EP
• Upperroom - Moments: Color 003
• Upperroom - To The One
• Vineyard UK - Legacy (Live From Ireland)
• Vineyard UK - Twelve: One (Dave Miller Live From Trent Vineyard)
• Cory Voss - Songs of The House
• Phil Wickham - Living Hope (The House Sessions)

Thirty-four entries. At seven final entries that would be almost 5 years of finals, in one quarter. We raised the cutoff from 4 to 4.5 to get the genres under control. It worked for everybody but Modern Worship. The wrap is done. The third quarter awaits. I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Reckoning: The 2019 Platinum Vinyl Awards 2nd Qtr - Live Recorded Album

Live Recorded Album had sixteen entries. Usually it's a pretty light genre, but I guess there was a rush to get a live album out this quarter.

Live Recorded Album

• Meredith Andrews - Faith And Wonder (Live) EP
• Bethel Music - Victory
• Catch The Fire Music - Presence: Live From Toronto
• Todd Dulaney - To Africa With Love
• Jon Egan - Unveil (Live)
• Keith and Kristen Getty - Sing! Psalms!: Ancient and Modern (Live at The Getty Music Worship Conference)
• Passion - Follow You Anywhere
• Reach City Worship - Nothing Else Matters
• Shane and Shane - Hymns Live
• Michael W. Smith - Awaken: The Surrounded Experience
• Chris Tomlin - Holy Roar: Live From Church
• The Tommies - The Tommies Reunion
• 29:11 Worship - Marble and Mortar, Volume 1
• Vineyard UK - Legacy (Live From Ireland)
• Vineyard UK - Twelve: One (Dave Miller Live From Trent Vineyard)
• Cory Voss - Songs of The House

Most of the Live Albums are Modern Worship, as is the norm, but there are two Gospel entries. The Biggie is next, and it is Modern Worship. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply

The Reckoning: The 2019 Platinum Vinyl Awards 2nd Qtr - Gospel

The three largest genres this quarter remain. First up is the REAL Gospel Music, not that Southern Pretender. A dozen entries mark the quarter. 

Gospel/R&B

• Casey J - The Gathering
• Beverly Crawford - The Essential Beverly Crawford, Volume 3
• Todd Dulaney - To Africa With Love
• Evan and Eris - Seasons
• Alex Holt and Free Worship - Grace. Mercy. Love
• Donald Lawrence - Goshen
• William Murphy - Settle Here
• The Recording Collective - Gospel Volume 3: Yes and Amen
• K-Ross - Son
• The Tommies - The Tommies Reunion
• Various - Lift Every Voice and Sing, Volume 1
• Various - WoW Gospel 2019

Except for Evan and Eris, this is a Veteran Heavy Quarter this time around. We hit a double quarter with our next genre. The Penultimate Post is Live Recorded Album with 16 entries. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Reckoning: The 2019 Platinum Vinyl Awards 2nd Qtr - Rock

Rock Music is next on our quarterly wrap. The volume may be a bit lower than metal, but that doesn't mean that the energy level is lacking.
Rock

Rock Music

• Adelaide - Strong + Brave
• David and The Giants - What Are You Waiting For?
• DaysEye - Victor EP
• Demon Hunter - Peace
• Brady Novotny - Passions Collide
• John Waller - Explosions of Light
• We Are Messengers - Honest

Three more posts remain and no more ties. Gospel Music is next. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Reckoning: The 2019 Platinum Vinyl Awards 2nd Qtr - Adult Contemporary

Adult Contemporary (and its Sibling Inspirational Music) is up next. Folk Music may be a catch all genre here at Night Beat HQ, but Inspirational seems to be a catch all industry wide. The short answer is it' not spiritual enough to be worship and it's too spiritual to be regular CCM. A lot of stuff gets dumped into Inspirational Music. 

Adult Contemporary/Inspirational

• Becca Bradley - Heaven Come Down
• The Cashmans - City of God
• Amanda Lindsey Cook - House on a Hill
• Chad Graham - First
• Rick Lee James - Thunder
• Robbie Seay Band - O Great Love (A Best of Collection)
• Shane and Shane - Hymns:Live

Chad Graham is part of Anthem Lights. It is a mashup cover album, and Amanda Cook is a crossover from Bethel. The second part of our tie, is Rock. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Reckoning: The 2019 Platinum Vinyl Awards 2nd Qtr - Folk

Folk Music (and Folk Rock) is first up among our single genre posts. Folk has turned into somewhat of a catch all genres, including bluegrass, reggae and even a bit of light country.

Folk/Folk Rock

• Steven Curtis Chapman - Deeper Roots: Where The Bluegrass Grows
• Heath McNease - Be Clean Again
• Cindy Morgan - Autumn and Eve: Old Testaments, Volume 1
• Ripp + Rice - Songs We Wrote on Tuesday
• Wild Harbors - Monument

Kind of a diverse grouping. Like I said, it's somewhat of a smorgasboard of a genre, and this proves it. What would a wrap be without a tie. We have one next. Adult Contemporary is first, next. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Reckoning: The 2019 Platinum Vinyl Awards 2nd Qtr - Metal Rap

Rap/Hip-Hop and Hard Rock/Heavy Metal finish off our three megaposts. From here on in it is all one genre per post.

Rap/Hip-Hop

• Heesun Lee - Flying Cars EP
• Steven Malcolm - The Second City
• Tedashii - Never Fold

Hard Rock/Metal

• August Burns Red - Phantom Sessions EP
• Demon Hunter - War
• The Persuaded - Dawn of Destruction
• Within Temptation - Resist

Those who are solely familiar with the CCM Market may be unfamiliar with Within Temptation. They are a mainstream symphonic metal band from The Netherlands. They belong to the fringe. Their lyrics are full of Spiritual meaning, like LEAH, U2, Evanescence and others. And if you are wondering what happened to Demon Hunter's other album Peace, wait for the Rock section. Our first single genre post is Folk Music. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Reckoning: The 2019 Platinum Vinyl Awards 2nd Qtr - Children's Compilation Dance

Our second megapost awaits us. This is the second of three posts this quarter. Children's Music, Compilation Album, and Dance-Synthpop are in this post. Let's get to it.

Children's Music

• Jetty Rae - Stardust

Compilation Album

• Various - Lift Every Voice and Sing
• Various - WoW Gospel 2019

Dance - Synthpop

• Planetboom - Jesus Over Everything
• Switch - Symphony
• Joel Vaughn - Control, Volume 2
• Ian Yates - Deconstruction, Volume 1

We have a pretty veteran group this quarter. Even Planetboom is descended from Planetshakers, which is no stranger to the PVA's. Our final megapost takes Rap and Metal on. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Reckoning: The 2019 Platinum Vinyl Awards 2nd Qtr - Alternative Instrumental Pop

We begin our Wrap of The 2nd Quarter Entries for PVX (or Platinum Vinyl 10 for those new to abbreviations). We begin, as always, with at least one megapost for those genres which fail to attain the minimum bar of 5 entries to get their own blog post. We will have three such posts this quarter. We begin with Alternative Rock, Instrumental Music, and Pop Music.

Alternative Rock

• Switchfoot - Native Tongue

Instrumental Music

• The Creak Music - Still, Volume 3
• Brady Novotny - Passions Collide

Pop Music

• Matt Hammit - Living Room Sessions
• David Leonard - The Wait
• Natasha Owens - Warrior
• Dave Pittman - Different Kind of Love

The Wrap Has Begun. Our next megapost awaits. I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The History of CCM: A Tale of Two Amy's

It was the Best of Times, It was The Worst of Times...Sorry, but with all due respect to Charles Dickens, it has become obvious to me that Contemporary Christian Music can be bookended by two women who defined their era. It is A Tale of Two Amy's.

The Modern Era of Christian Music began with the Jesus Music Era which some have pegged as a twenty year era from 1969-1989. I would take one entire decade off because if you're honest, 1979 marked a era change in Christian Music. That was the year that a Tennessee Gal by the name of Amy Grant sang about her fathers eyes. Before then Christian Music toiled in a sort of exclusive obscurity. Yes, we have our Nancy Honeytree, our Larry Norman,  and a host of others, but except for those who experienced them, most of us learned about them long after their era passed, and they became famous by reputation.

Amy Lee Grant (you can't get more political ambivalence in one name, trust me), who was born six years before I was (and is the same age as my brother) was a country girl from Georgia (dare I say a Georgia Peach) who moved to Nashville at a Child. That one song spawned a host of imitators. Suddenly everyone wanted to be Amy (at least the ladies. Guys wanted to Marry Amy and be Smitty). Thanks to Youtube, we have a live performance of My Father's Eyes from 1981.

Like I said, that launched Amy, and along with it, something called Contemporary Christian Music or CCM, and in so doing brought about the Death of The Jesus Music Era. And when you get a Dove Award for breathing (yes, Sarcasm, but when you win just about every year from 1983 on, one wonders about the integrity of the award process). Yes, I know there is Sandi Patti and Darlene Zschech out there for imitators, but it is extremely hard to do Opera. And the Zschechies? They're just creepy.

Either way CCM was in search of another savior before it disappeared into obscurity. And proof that there is a God and he has a sense of humor -- He gave the industry another Amy. This Amy didn't suit them. 

Amy Lynn Lee was a 22 year old girl from Little Rock, Arkansas with a penchant for white makeup, goth clothing, and a lyrical obsession with love and death. And, worst of all, she wasn't a perfect little Christian Girl. Still, the Debut Label Release entitled Fallen (2003), was pre - ordered by Christian Bookstores everywhere. And it did fairly well. And then came the Entertainment Weekly interview, and they (I think it was Amy, but I don't know) that dropped the F-bomb and said "they weren't a Christian Band" (a Statement made by innumerable Christian Artists before and since with no repercussions). The Christian Music Industry went apoplectic and not surprisingly, went on a witch hunt. I had fallen on order with a Christian Music Mail Order Company, and it was delayed an embarrassing long time until it was finally withdrawn. I got it from Target. It was withdrawn from Christian shelves everywhere.

Amy and Evanescence laughed all the way to the bank. Christian Music Fans stayed loyal, even if the industry didn't. The Album is multiple platinum, and they introduced an obscure Christian Band from Arkansas to Mainstream Superstardom. 

Christian Music has its savior, want her or not. If we are to believe Wikipedia one of her first side projects was a song on a Summit Church Worship Album. Plus she has mentored Deena Jakoub of Veridia. And Evanescence has inspired most of the Christian Rock industry today, Eowyn and LEAH immediately come to mind, but the "Evanescence Sound" of as I call it, Machine Gun Guitars, has come into bands like Demon Hunter and Red.

It really is that simple. Christian Music had its solution and missed it. But they way Christian Radio is organized, even if the industry had rallied around Amy Lee, the Radio industry is still stuck in the 80's, and that's a shame. Agree? Disagree? I am Awaiting Your Reply.