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.
Rap (and its sibling Hip-Hop) were third in the three way tie for third place in the first quarter of 2020. Two genres beat it. And when you have ten entries in a quarter and still aren't the winner, you know it's going to be a great year.
Rap/Hip-Hop
Beacon Light - Influential EP
Aaron Bucks - California, Volume 3
5ive - White Van EP
Xay Hill - Million EP
Manafest - This Is Not the End
Derek Minor - Nothing But A Word ft Propaganda
Social Club Misfits - MOOD/DOOM
Thi'sl - STTAG
Joey Vantes - The Season EP
Whosoever South - Backroads and Small Towns
To me Whosoever South and Manafest are at the top of the list, but this is a pretty good mix. The Penultimate Genre is Pop Music. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
The second genre in the Penultimate Tie is Rap and Hip Hop. Even though the genre had nine entries that does not get the top prize. That is reserved once again for Modern Worship, which had eighteen entries.
Rap/Hip-Hop
Beacon Light - Loud Drive Home
Flame - God Knows
GodzG - Grayscale
KJ-52 - Jonah, Part 2
Steven Malcolm - The Second City, Part 1 EP
Germaine Martel - Human 3: The Holy Trilogy
Social Club Misfits - Into The Night
Swoope - Sonshine
T-Bone - Broken English
A nice mix of established and newbies. Modern Worship wraps things up. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Welcome to an all new edition of Music Video Monday, the first for August 2017, We are really starting to pick up speed here. We have three great videos for your viewing and listening pleasure. We begin our journey in the rap genre. First up is Beacon Light. This is the music video for his new single I'm In It. Staying with the rap genre we now go to Reconcile and the music video for his new single Ain't No Way. Wrapping up (sorry) this edition of Music Video Monday, we go to gospel music. Gospel Music and Rock have led the way to embrace the Word of Faith Message into its music, which is great, since it is Biblical. Deitrick Haddon is singing of Favor (That's Grace To You, my friends) That does it for this edition of Music Video Monday. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Welcome back to our regularly scheduled edition of Music Video Monday. We have been able to keep up a fairly regular schedule, which is pretty amazing these days. Sometimes we have to stretch things with lyric videos, but hey, a video is a video. We are stretching things this week. We begin with a lyric video by To Speak of Wolves. From their just released album, this is Enemies to Everyone. Next up we go rap with Beacon Light. This is Lit. And finally we go rap and rock with Manafest. Again we go for a lyric video. This is the title cut from the just released Stones. That does it for this edition of Music Video Monday. Until Next time I am Awaiting Your Reply.
This is it. The #PlatVnyl7 Eligibility Pool is now closed and the judging process begins. August was light but we made up for it in September. And I was worried about going out with a whimper. No real time to pat ourselves on the back and take a well deserved rest. The #PlatVnyl8 pool has now opened. We begin our final post, as always, with the song releases, or, as we like to call it.
The Singles Scene
Canon - The Family 4.50 Emeralds
Eisley - Defeatist 5 Emeralds
Veridia - Still Breathing 5 Emeralds
Looks like the Song of The Year categories will have some heft to them this year. Now on to the albums. We begin with those left out of the pool.
Missing The Mark
Remedy Drive - Hopes Not Giving Up 3.75 Emeralds
This was sort of a Remix/Best Of Album, but the sound left me flat. Not this next group.
Pure Platinum Perfection
Crowder - American Prodigal 5 Emeralds
Fred Hammond - Worship Journal 5 Emeralds
Jonathan David and Melissa Helser - Beautiful Surrender 5 Emeralds
Andy Hunter - Presence 5 Emeralds
Love and The Outcome - These Are The Days 5 Emeralds
New Hope Oahu - Future + Hope 5 Emeralds
Paper Route - Real Emotion 5 Emeralds
Salt of The Sound - Meditations, Volume 2 5 Emeralds
Well it is October, so I guess I really shouldn't be surprised that the candy store is open for business. An 8-1 ratio between Perfect to Missing The Mark certainly seems that way.
Semi-Precious Metals
The Afters - Live On Forever 4.75 Emeralds
All Sons and Daughters - Poets and Saints 4.75 Emeralds
The Ambassador - When Sacred Meets Secular 4.75 Emeralds
ApologetiX - Quilt 4.50 Emeralds
Artifex Pereo - Passengers 4.75 Emeralds
Beacon Light - Lit 4.75 Emeralds
Casting Crowns - The Very Next Thing 4.75 Emeralds
Citizens and Saints - A Mirror Dimly 4.75 Emeralds
Dwell Worship - Dwell 4.75 Emeralds
Elevation Worship - Speak Revival EP 4.50 Emeralds
Joe Frey - Hoold Fast 4.50 Emeralds
GS - Committed 4.75 Emeralds
GAWVI - Holding Hue 4.75 Emeralds
Tanya Godsey - Love Lines The Last Horizon 4.75 Emeralds
The Incandescent - Undiscovered 4.50 Emeralds
Eddie James - Magnify 4.50 Emeralds
Hannah Kerr - Overflow 4.50 Emeralds
Royce Lovett - Love Wins 4.50 Emeralds
Tamela Mann - One Way 4.50 Emeralds
Sandra McCracken - God's Highway 4.50 Emeralds
Geoff Moore - The Next Thing 4.75 Emeralds
Mosaic MSC - Glory and Wonder 4.75 Emeralds
The Neverclaim - Encounter: A Live Worship Experience 4.75 Emeralds
Norma Jean - Polar Similar 4.75 Emeralds
Planetshakers - Overflow (Live) 4.75 Emeralds
Prestonwood Worship - Songs of The People 4.50 Emeralds
Rap and Hip Hop are next with 9 nominations this quarter. The genre is tied with Rock, which also had 9 nominees. We are now in the major genres, where each quarter produces a full final lineup. Needless to say there will be a lot of editing. Let's get to it.
Hip Hop/Rap
Beacon Light - Open Eyes
CJ Emulous - Light It Up
Fedel - Flaw
J Han - Tower Ivory
Illuminate - Charismata
KB - Tomorrow We Live
SPEC - Vacancy
Roy Tosh - Death Before Love
Various - Holy Hip Hop, Volume 19
There is only one other comment. The artist J Han belongs to a rising crop of Korean Rappers (stop laughing, at least it's not Swedish Polka Artists). Anyway I listened to the album and I thought it was more R&B than Hip Hop, but that is how the label wants it. Either way it's a good album. Rock Is Next. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
