The Home of the Platinum Vinyl Awards. Reviews of New CD releases, mostly CCM but also mainstream releases that may interest the Christian Music listener. Music News and Commentary, especially when there's a CCM connection.
Aces and Eights don't scare me, nor black cats. I break the chain letter many many times. I happen to know for a fact that there were at least 83 people at the last supper. Color Theory takes a break from the usual relationship based 80's Synthpop to address the subject of Superstition with Lucky Ago. Brian Hazard is a musical genius. How do I know? How else can you explain putting out an album on Superstition which is happy and danceable. The phobias are abundant.
Chain Letters (Unsigned)
The Dead Mans Hand of Wild Bill Hickock (Hand)
Singular Magpies as harbingers of bad luck (Avian)
Graveyards (Dismembered)
The Number 13 (Phobiac)
There are 10 in all, broken up by the lovely instrumental piece Lore. It's hard to pick a favorite when reviewing these albums. This time I think it's Feral, the final track, which addresses Witches and Black Cats, which kind of Reminds Me of Bugs Bunny "Aren't they all witches inside." Which (sorry) brings me to the Cover. She's either a Witch or Lady Luck. Either Way she is absolutely alluring and gorgeous. The cover draws you in, the album seals the deal. I think its a safe bet that you will enjoy Lucky Ago by Color Theory. I did and I think it fits into my description of Therapy Music. While you wont conquer your phobias with a single listen, they say acknowledging your problems is the first step. This is the first step. And it is a 5 Emerald Step.
Walk Backward if you must, but you will play this at least 13 times. Wear it out, just don't wear out your welcome. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
From now on all of our genres exceed the final bar of 7 entries. Adult Contemporary and its sister genre Inspirational accounted for 8 entries.
Adult Contemporary/Inspirational
Danny Gokey - Wanted EP
Jason Gray - Order EP
Paul and Hannah McClure - The Way Home (Deluxe)
Allan Scott - The Story
Greg Sykes - No Greater Love
Lauren Talley - Glorious God: Songs of Worship
Lauren Talley - Loudest Praise: Hymns of Mercy, Love and Grace
Big Daddy Weave - When The Light Comes
Don't get to nervous, the Talley albums are not Southern Gospel. Definitely inspo material here. I wouldn't do that to you or me. Another tie awaits and we begin with Pop. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Alternative had six entries this quarter. A very good showing, and nearly enough for its own finals if we had not other judging process.
Alternative Rock
Josh Garrels - Chrysaline
The Rocket Summer - Sweet Shivers
Strangeher - A Marginal Sea
Tenth Avenue North - No Shame
John Van Deusen - (I Am) Origami pt 3: A Catacomb Hymn
Wilder Woods - Wilder Woods
A pretty much veteran lineup (Wilder Woods is a side-project of Needtobreathe's Bear Rinehart). Next up is Adult Contemporary with 8 entries. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Time to Crank it Up. Heavy Metal and Hard Rock had five entries this quarter. That's a good showing for a quarter.
Hard Rock/Heavy Metal
As I Lay Dying - Shaped by Fire
Narnia - From Darkness to Light
Oh Sleeper - Bloodied/Unbowed
War of Ages - Void
Wolves at the Gate - Eclipse
It's good to have As I Lay Dying back in the fold. Forgiveness is at the root of Christianity. I am not making any predictions, but I wouldn't be surprised if the eventual winner comes from this quarter. It is that loaded. Rap is the final of the tie trio (that sounds like a bad Southern Gospel Group). Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Compilation Album is the first up among a three way tie for last place among the single genre posts. They make the minimum bar of 5 entries to avoid the shame of getting grouped together in a megapost.
Compilation Album
Convoy of Hope: Hope Has A Name
Hitsville: A Motown Gospel Celebration EP
Overcomer: Music From and Inspired By The Original Motion Picture
Simple Hymns: Songs of Redemption
Sozo Playlists: Top Christian Hits
You know the artists on these. They are created by "Various Artists", so I have omitted that part of the listing. Next up is the second genre in the tie: Heavy Metal and Hard Rock. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Welcome to the final quarter wrap for #PVX (aka Platinum Vinyl 10). Ten Years of Excellence is in the books. Sounds like I could make a book of it. We begin our quarterly wrap with a or several megaposts. These are multiple genre posts for those genres which fail to make the minimum bar of 5 entries in this case. Electronic-Industrial Had no entries this quarter and Instrumental, Children's Music, Folk Music, Dance-Synthpop, and Remix all failed to meet the minimum bar. Altogether they account for 9 entries. Let's get to it.
Instrumental Music
Dear Gravity - The Pilgrimage Series: Wayfaring
Children's Music
Caleb and Kelsey - Sing Over Me: Songs for Parents and their Little Ones
Rend Collective Kids - Sparkle Pop Rampage
Dance-Synthpop
Attaboy - Wild
Transform - Jericho
Folk/Folk Rock
Foldinglights - Subterranean Hum
Reflect Love Back (ft Lacey Sturm) - Soundtrack, Volume 1
Remix
Meredith Andrews - Faith and Wonder Alternate Versions
TobyMac - The St Nemele Collab Sessions
That does it for the Megaposts for this quarter. We begin our single genre posts with a three way tie. Compilation is up first. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Spencer Kane - If I Can't Have You ft Levi Mitchell (Shawn Mendes Cover) 4.75 Emeralds
KB - Lincoln 4.75 Emeralds
KJ-52 - Summertime ft AJ Jenkins 4.75 Emeralds
Rachael Lampa - He's Good 5 Emeralds
LEAH - Redemption 5 Emeralds
Mark Lee - How To Feel Alive 4.75 Emeralds
Toby Mac - Edge of My Seat (Radio Version) ft Cochren and Co 5 Emeralds
Manafest - Plan for Me ft Melanie Greenwood 5 Emeralds
Chris McClarney - Valley (Live) 4.75 Emeralds
Brea Miles - God Culture (Remix) 4.75 Emeralds
Leigh Nash - My Love, My Drug 4.75 Emeralds
Neon Feather - Safe (ft Chris Chron) 5 Emeralds
Northlander - Occulus 4.75 Emeralds
Planetboom - Saints 5 Emeralds
The Porter's Gate - The Earth Shall Know ft Casey J, Leslie Jordan and Urban Doxology 5 Emeralds
Sidewalk Prophets - Smile 5 Emeralds
Seth and Nirva Ready - Turning Over Tables ft Michael Tait 5 Emeralds
RED - The Evening Hate (Alternative Version) 5 Emeralds
Righteous Vendetta - Kill The Lights 4.75 Emeralds
Apollo Rojas - Popular Mechanix 3.50 Emeralds
Angie Rose - Fight Like A Man 4.75 Emeralds
Roy3ls - Souls 4.75 Emeralds
Scandroid - New York City Nights (Tommy '86 Remix) 5 Emeralds
Scandroid - New York City Nights (Tommy '86 Remix Instrumentals) 5 Emeralds
7eventh Time Down - Trust (CMC Remix) 4.50 Emeralds
Beckah Shae - So Will I (100 Billion X) 4.75 Emeralds
Stillman - Draw Near 4.75 Emeralds
Laura Story - You Cannot Be Stopped 4.75 Emeralds
Michael Sweet - Son of Man ft Todd La Torre (Queensryche) and Andy James 5 Emeralds
John Tibbs - Wild Things 4.75 Emeralds
Bryan and Katie Torwalt - Remember 4.75 Emeralds
Roy Tosh - Ghost ft Wes Writer and Beacon Light 5 Emeralds
JSteph - Fake Me Out ft Moflo Music 4.75 Emeralds
Verses - Letting Go (Re-Imagined) 5 Emeralds
Vineyard Worship - Jesus Beautiful 5 Emeralds
Kim Walker-Smith - Insatiable 5 Emeralds
We The Kingdom - Holy Water 4.75 Emeralds
Tauren Wells - Miracle 5 Emeralds
Matthew West - What If 4.75 Emeralds
Josh Wilson - OK 5 Emeralds
Zauntee - Fanatic 4.75 Emeralds
The Song Judging is going to be really difficult for #PVX. On to the final group of albums which will not make the finals.
Missing The Mark
The Belonging Co. - Awe + Wonder (Live) 4.25 Emeralds
Social Club Misfits - Doom EP 4.25 Emeralds
These releases are at the High End of the cutoff, so it's not that these are bad albums. They are just not award worthy here at Night Beat HQ. Maybe at the Doves, where the standards are more lenient. On to the final standards of perfection for #PVX.
Pure Platinum Perfection
As I Lay Dying - Shaped by Fire 5 Emeralds
Jeremy Camp - The Story's Not Over 5 Emeralds
Circle of Dust - Circle of Dust (Remixes and Rarities)(Deluxe Edition) 5 Emeralds
Welcome Back. It's been a while since we had a Music Video Monday (It has been over a month). We will give you a little therapy to help with your withdrawal symptoms. We Begin with Sarah Reeves. She has also had to deal with the loss of Music Video Mondays and isn't ashamed to confess that it made her Anxious. The Loss also affected Ariel Bloomer of Icon For Hire, though she didn't seem to take things as well as Sarah. I guess she's more into Gestalt Therapy. She started wrecking the therapists office. Not cool. Sometimes you need to let it all hang out so you don't feel Hollow. I think that the best Therapy is rooted in Identity. And nowhere is identity more important than in Christianity. Religion (Christendumb) tells us "We Are Sinners Saved By Grace". You either are a Sinner or You Have Been Saved By Grace. You cannot be both or Jesus Death meant absolutely nothing. If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord you aren't a Sinner, You are a Saint. I'll let Planetboom explain it. That does it for this long awaited therapy session. We are in a really intense period right now, so we will do our best to continue this into a trend. Until next we meet, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
We are late, we are late for a very important date. It's almost October and I'm just getting the August Posts settled. Tomorrow Platinum Vinyl 11 Begins, and from what I have heard is coming it is going to bust down all the doors. Let's get to it. We start with the songs.
The Singles Scene
The Afters - Well Done (Acoustic) 5 Emeralds
Pat Barrett - Canvas and Clay (Live) (ft Ben Smith) 4.50 Emeralds
Mack Brock - Greater Things(Live)/I Am Loved + Do It Again (Live) 5 Emeralds
Aaron Bucks - I Got You 4.75 Emeralds
Jeremy Camp - Father 5 Emeralds
Casting Crowns - Lifesong (New York Sessions) 4.75 Emeralds
Casting Crowns - Voice of Truth (New York Sessions) 4.50 Emeralds
Riley Clemmons - Free 5 Emeralds
Noah Cleveland - Warriors 4.75 Emeralds
Marci Coleman - How You Love (Dan Pruzina Remix) 4.75 Emeralds
Color Theory - Avian 4.75 Emeralds
J. Crum - Unfamiliar 4.75 Emeralds
Disciple - Play To Win 5 Emeralds
Disciple - Reanimate 4.75 Emeralds
Elevation Worship - See A Victory 4.75 Emeralds
Embassy - Make A Way 4.75 Emeralds
For King and Country - God Only Knows (ft Dolly Parton) 5 Emeralds
For King and Country - God Only Knows (Ruslan Remix) 4.75 Emeralds
Travis Green - Won't Let Go 5 Emeralds
Hillsong Worship - King of Kings (Live) 5 Emeralds
Chris Howland - Live and Move (ft Aaron Cole, Mr. Talkbox and Phil J) 5 Emeralds
Tommy Iceland - Impact 5 Emeralds
Hillary Jane - God of Always 5 Emeralds
Judah Band - I Believe 5 Emeralds
Rachael Lampa - Side of My Heart 5 Emeralds
Leeland - Waymaker (Live) 5 Emeralds
Legin - Add A Blessing 4.50 Emeralds
We Are Leo - Dance + You 5 Emeralds
Lifepoint Worship - Change to Good 4.75 Emeralds
Elle Limebear - Call On Your Name (BCee Remix) 4.75 Emeralds
Anna Ly - I'm Walking With You 4.75 Emeralds
LZ7 - Forever Young 5 Emeralds
Derek Minor - Whole Team Winning ft Byron Juane and Canon 3.25 Emeralds
Plassix and Puso - Let's Go 4.75 Emeralds
Chris Quilala - Nothing But Good 4.75 Emeralds
Courtney Ramirez - Perfectly Loved 4.75 Emeralds
Reach City Worship - Lost In Your Love 5 Emeralds
Reclaimers - Already Over 4.50 Emeralds
Red - From The Ashes 4.75 Emeralds
Charlie Rey - Now 4.50 Emeralds
Salt of The Sound - Peace In The Storm ft Jameson Nathan Jones 5 Emeralds
Shane and Shane - Power of The Cross 4.75 Emeralds
Kierra Sheard - Don't Judge Me 4.75 Emeralds
Kierra Sheard - Don't Judge Me ft Missy Elliot 4.75 Emeralds
Social Club Misfits - Believe 4.50 Emeralds
Holly Starr - Talk It Out (Laudr8 Remix) 5 Emeralds
Stillman - Shook 4.50 Emeralds
JSteph - Waiting For You ft Moflo Music 4.75 Emeralds
Terrian - In The Arms 5 Emeralds
Thrive Worship - I Still Believe (faithful always) 4.75 Emeralds
Roy Tosh - Look at Me Now (ft Stephen Malcolm and Nobigdyl) 4.75 Emeralds
Vineyard Worship - Everything 4.75 Emeralds
We The Kingdom - Dancing on the waves (Live) 5 Emeralds
White Collar Sideshow - Break on Through (To The Other Side) [Doors Cover] 5 Emeralds
Zach Williams - Walk With You 4.75 Emeralds
59 Entries in a month. WOW. On to the albums, and we begin with those that don't make the cut.
Missing The Mark
Ghost Ship - To The End 4.25 Emeralds
House, Bethel Church Worship - House 4.25 Emeralds
Andy Mineo - Work In Progress 4.25 Emeralds
Sanctus Real - Untoppable God 4.25 Emeralds
Shane and Shane - Hymns Volume 2 4.25 Emeralds
Pure Platinum Perfection
Caleb and Kelsey - Sing Over Me: Songs for Parents and Their Little Ones 5 Emeralds
Elevation Worship - At Midnight EP 5 Emeralds
James Fortune - Dream Again 5 Emeralds
Josh Garrells - Chrysaline 5 Emeralds
Dear Gravity - The Pilgrimage Series: Wayfaring EP 5 Emeralds
Travis Green - Setlist, Volume 1 (Live) 5 Emeralds
Vashawn Mitchell - Elements 5 Emeralds
Planetshakers - Rain Part 3 (Live) EP 5 Emeralds
Red Rocks Worship - Spark (You Will Be My Song) (Live) 5 Emeralds
Rend Collective Kids - Sparkle Pop Rampage 5 Emeralds
Skillet - Victorious 5 Emeralds
StrangeHer - A Marginal Sea 5 Emeralds
Various - Hitsville: A Motown Gospel Celebration EP 5 Emeralds
Various - Overcomer: Music From and Inspired by The Original Motion Picture 5 Emeralds
Matthew West - Hello My Name Is: Greatest Hits 5 Emeralds
Wilder Woods - Wilder Woods 5 Emeralds
BeBe Winans - Need You 5 Emeralds
Seventeen Pure Platinum to finish off the year. This is year 10.
Semi Precious Metal
Pat Barrett - Canvs and Clay (Live) 4.75 Emeralds
Building 429 - Fear No More EP 4.75 Emeralds
Catch The Fire Music - Revival 25 (Live) EP 4.75 Emeralds
Aaron Cole - Not By Chance 4.75 Emeralds
E58 Worship - Make Way (Live) 4.75 Emeralds
Jason Gray - Order EP 4.75 Emeralds
Hannah Kerr - Listen More EP 4.75 Emeralds
David Leonard - The Wait: Silence The Noise (Live) 4.50 Emeralds
Maranatha Music - Heart of Worship - Tremble 4.75 Emeralds
Paul and Hannah McClure - The Way Home (Deluxe) 4.75 Emeralds
Gene Moore - Tunnel Vision 4.50 Emeralds
Narnia - From Darkness to Light 4.75 Emeralds
North Point Inside Out - Abundantly More EP 4.75 Emeralds
Random Hero - Tension 4.75 Emeralds
The Rocket Summer - Sweet Shivers 4.75 Emeralds
V.Rose - Forth 4.75 Emeralds
Lauren Talley - Glorious God: Songs of Worship 4.75 Emeralds
Lauren Talley - Loudest Praise: Hymns of Mercy Love and Grace 4.75 Emeralds
Tenth Avenue North - No Shame 4.75 Emeralds
TobyMac - The St Nemele Collab Sessions 4.75 Emeralds
Various - Simple Hymns: Songs of Redemption 4.75 Emeralds
Various - Sozo Playlists: Top Christian Hits 4.75 Emeralds
That does it. August is in the Books. On to September, and October is beginning. Never a Dull moment at Night Beat HQ. Until next time I am Awaiting Your Reply.
