The 2016 2nd Quarter - Rap

We are quickly approaching the end of our 2nd Quarter 2016 Pool Entry Announcements. We are actually down to the final two. Rap is the penultimate post. They had a very good quarter with 17 entries. That would be enough for 2 plus years of finals if they all made it. A lot of "snubs" will be made. Here we go.

Rap/Hip-Hop

• Jor'dan Armstrong - Confident
• Beautiful Eulogy - Selected Songs
• CTZN Collective - Almost Home EP
• D-Will - Project #M.O.G.
• Datin - The Roar
• Mr Del - Love Noize
• Deraj & B. Cooper - For The People
• 5ive - Flight 393
• Canton Jones - I Am Justice
• K-Drama - The 8th
• Lecrae - Church Clothes 3
• Young Noah - Young Forever
• Prodigal Son - Way Up EP
• Propaganda - Selected Songs
• S.O.C.O.M. - The Experience
• Tedashii - This Time Around
• Thi'sl - Against All Odds

If you haven't figured it out already, our last genre and big winner is Modern Worship, which had a whopping 26 entrants this past quarter, enough for almost four years. I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Best of 2014: Gospel

We usually go from low to high during our quarterly wraps, but this time we are reversing that order. Tied* with Rap with three entries is Gospel. That asterisk is there for a purpose. One of the three entries is also on the rap wrap.

That double dipper is CaJo and Lust, Drugs & Gospel . As I said, he does all things well.

White Men Can't Jump, but it isn't true that they can't do Gospel. No, I don't mean Southern Gospel. I'm still not convinced that that qualifies as music. When I first heard some music by +Wess Morgan , I was sure he was black. He most definitely wasn't, and that was quite a surprise. He certainly is Livin' the high life.

Here at the Night Beat we reward groups that sound differently, to borrow an Apple phrase and use it for our own. Forever Jones made us take notice. This year has had us banging against the walls. +TheWallsGroupVEVO to be exact. I love it when a small group can have the vocals and harmonies of a full choir, and being "discovered" by Kirk Franklin. You know that man knows talent. This former DJ would definitely give this group some "love on the radio". You will not Fast Forward through any of these songs

Two albums were left off the list, both deserving of a mention here. First up is +Christon Gray and School of Roses , which is more on the R&B side, and then Anthony Evans with Real Life / Real Worship . Both were worthy, but you got to edit somewhere, even among perfect albums.

Two more posts remain. First up we go with Hard Rock and Metal, and then, our widows and orphans post (genres represented by a single entry). Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Best of 2014: Rap

"He Does All Things Well" (Mark 7:34). Maybe our first artist and his album shouldn't be compared to Jesus, but I liked the phrase. In a limited sense it applies. His name is CaJo (not Cujo) and is more accurately known as +Canton Jones. Forget Fresh Aire, with CaJo we are talking about Dominionaire, and there is definitely a window of blessing over his head. Mister Jones is one of those rare talents that can carry off a tune in whatever genre he feels led to sing in. Of course that makes it a little difficult to pigeonhole the album for award purposes, which, incidentally, is why you rarely see his albums up for award. A "typical" CaJo album mixes Rap, R&B, Hip Hop, and Gospel. Thankfully those 4 genres are combined into two at Night Beat HQ, or there would be 4 nominations given to an album. This year we had two albums to consider: Lust, Drugs & Gospel , which was given a 5 Emerald rating and was put on this list, and God City USA , which fell just short of perfect.

Who woulda thunk that rap would be saved by crunk. I have no knowledge if that was spelled correctly, but I liked the rhyme pattern. #PlatVnyl4's New Artist of The Year and the winner of the Rap/Hip-Hop Album of The Year +WHOSOEVER SOUTH has, in this bloggers humble opinion, breathed new life into a stale if not dying genre. They did it by infusing Rap with Bluegrass, a combination I had not hitherto thought of. Goin' Home and All The Time were but two songs on a debut album that I almost missed because one early reviewer called them "country", and that is something that will not stand here at Night Beat HQ. All I can say is if this is country, then the CMA's need to start singing this instead of the junk that passes for Country these days. Thankfully we had a breather during #PlatVnyl5, but the eligibility year for #PlatVnyl6 began this October with the group inviting everyone to Come on In . No Sophomore Slump here. Actually they raised the bar. The title cut, sounds like home, country crunk. Maybe the reason liberals make fun of rednecks and Southerners is because they can't appreciate good music. Just sayin.

Rap has always been known as an individual effort, but sometimes it helps to go to the symphony. LA Symphony is a rap quintet at current, and the membership has gone as high as eight. They've been on silent since 2005, so when they make a comeback in 2014 they name their album You Still on Earth? Most of the original lineup made a guest appearance on the album, which has a good rhythm to it. I guess with Rap, more is better.

Two albums, though perfect, failed to make the list. I had over 40, so I had to edit somewhere. Both Mental by KJ-52 and Below Paradise by Tedashii had to be cut. They were perfect albums, so look for them in the Platinum Vinyl Awards this year. Next up is Gospel. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Bad Moon Rising: The 2014 Platinum Vinyl Awards 4th Qtr - Gospel

Gospel Music tied with Alternative this quarter with a whopping fifteen entries into the pool, and a nice mix of new and established artists to boot. That's just the way I like things. Now things can get back to normal, though Normal is Overrated. Here's to closing out the quarter in a big way.

Gospel/R&B

• Bethany Devine - Daily Confessions
• Deitrick Haddon -The Best of Deitrick Haddon
• Shawna Harris - God Is Able
• Brent Jones - Joy Comin
• Canton Jones - God City USA
• Tasha Page Lockhart - Here Right Now
• Rachael Messini - Honestly
• VaShawn Mitchell - God My God
• Smokie Norful - Forever Yours
• Paul Porter - F.R.E.E.
• Kierra Sheard - Graceland
• Isaiah Templeton - Roll in the Dirt
• The Walls Group - Fast Forward
• Michelle Williams - Journey to Freedom
• Zie'l - Pronounced Zy-el

Rachael Messini is the former Rachael Washington of The Washington Projects with her brother Je'kob, whose latest album is in the running for PV6. I am really excited about The Walls Group. When a small group can have that choir sound, it is exciting. Haven't been this psyched about a Gospel Group since Forever Jones.

That does it for the 4th Quarter. Time to get the judging started. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Bad Moon Rising: The 2014 Platinum Vinyl Awards 4th Qtr - Rap

We are down to the Final Four, and two of them are tied for first. First up is Rap, and is sibling Hip-Hop. A very good quarter for them, with 13 releases, which is a very lucky number. Hey, the more the merrier when it comes to entries. So without further ado:

Hip -Hop/Rap

• Adia - Behind Enemy Lines
• Mr. Del - Hope Dealer 2
• J-Giles Son - Employed by The King
• Lecrae - Anomoly
• Canton Jones - God City USA
• Rachael Messini - Honestly
• Da T.R.U.T.H. presents Mixed Bag - Normal is Overrated
• NF - EP
• Phanatik - The Art of Battle Rap: Puns and Punchlines, V.1
• Red Coalescence - Killers
• Shope - EP
• Swoope - Sinema
• Various Artists - Pass The Mic: The Rise of Christian Hip-Hop

That concludes Rap for the Quarter. Next up is Modern Worship. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Music Video Monday: Go BZRK

Welcome back to our regularly scheduled edition of Music Video Monday. We search high and low (well, at least Youtube) to bring you the best Christian Music Videos out there and put them in one easy to read place.

We begin with a Music Video for an album I panned. Now this particular song is great, and the Music Video, well, let's just say that I hope this was all staged. Go BZRK with Family Force Five.

Once you've gone Berserk, you might find yourself doing strange things, like eating worms Survivor Style. Have no fear, War of Ages is here to serve you From Ashes.

And finally, we go to CAJO, or Canton Jones. He likes to go Crazy in God City USA.

We promise a return to relative sanity next week. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Polar Vortex Polka: The 2014 2nd Quarter - Gospel

This will be my last post before Easter. The true Gospel genre (that southern hooey is not welcome here) put out a respectable 7 entries, good enough to represent an entire genre if this were the finals.

Gospel/R&B

• Erica Campbell - Help
• Latice Crawford - Latice Crawford
• James Fortune and FIYA -Live Through It
• Christon Gray - School of Roses
• Israel and New Breed - Playlist: The Very Best of Israel
• Canton Jones - Lust, Drugs and Gospel
• J Moss - The Very Best of J Moss

All of the entries except Christon Gray are gospel (Christon's is most definitely R&B), and CJ moved within genres on LDG. A little rap, a little gospel, and a little R&B. A very enjoyable album. On Tuesday we shall move on to Alternative. Until then I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Night Beat Rewind: February 2014

Welcome to March. Spring better be in the air soon. The Polar Vortex should put the deep freeze on any of the Global Warming nuts. Just bury them in the snow drifts. With the groundhog, who's probably on the lam in Aruba.

With this edition of Rewind we are beginning a new segment. I am adding a quick hit rating for released singles. We shall see how this helps or impacts the picking of song awards. There were three songs released in February.

Single Songs

• Forever (Live) , Kari Jobe 4.50 Emeralds
• Splendour , Quiet Science 4.50 Emeralds
• Tonight , KJ-52 4.50 Emeralds
• You Won't Let Go , Michael W. Smith 4.50 Emeralds

For purposes of this post, we shall say this is a very good song, and should go into the song pool. On to the album ratings. As always, we begin with the albums which will not get an award because they failed to make the pool. These are they which

Miss The Mark

• Ellie Holcomb - As Sure as the Sun 3.75 Emeralds
• Kutless - Glory 3.75 Emeralds
• Mike Mains and The Branches - Calm Down, Everything Is Fine 3.75 Emeralds
• Rapture Ruckus - Invader Volume I 3.75 Emeralds
• Various Artists - Son Of God Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [+digital booklet] 3.75 Emeralds
• Various Artists - WOW Gospel 2014 3.75 Emeralds

A few words about this list. Kutless and Wow Gospel, though in different genres, suffered from the same malady. Simply put, they sounded flat, as if it was mailed in. Rapture Ruckus started out good, but repeated listenings wore me out. Simply put, there were only seven songs and the first and last were the same (the final cut a remix of the opener), so eventually you didn't know if you were ending or beginning. My biggest disappointment, however is reserved for Son of God. This was no Music Inspired by The Story. Even a good orchestra couldn't save it.


We move on to the perfect, the 

Pure Platinum

• Canton Jones - Lust, Drugs & Gospel 5 Emeralds
• Sumerlin - Runaways 5 Emeralds

There really isn't much to say about these except Wow. I reviewed Runaways in full. Canton Jones is a mixtape, and I love the way he can move seamlessly between Rap, Hip Hop, Gospel and some smooth R & B.

Most of the releases, however, are neither perfect nor horribly flawed, they are simply what we call 

Semi-Precious Metal

• Anthem Lights - You Have My Heart 4.75 Emeralds
• Dave Barnes - Love Songs EP 4.50 Emeralds
• Carrollton - Breathe In Deep EP 4.50 Emeralds
• City Harbor - City Harbor 4.75 Emeralds
• Deraj - Mirrors & Medicine EP 4.50 Emeralds
• James Fortune and FIYA  - Live Through It 4.75 Emeralds
• Jars of Clay - Jars 20 Stage It: Debut Album 4.50 Emeralds
• Loftland - I Don't Want To Dance 4.50 Emeralds
• The Love Amendment - The Love Amendment EP 4.50 Emeralds
• For Today - Fight the Silence 4.50 Emeralds
• Veridia - Inseparable EP 4.75 Emeralds

Of the list above I was most impressed with Veridia. For a debut. Wow. It could have been perfect with a few more songs. Plus, you've got to make the young ones suffer a bit. Until next time, think warm. I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Groundhog Blues: Winter 2013 Releases - Rapping Rock

We continue with the announcement of those releases that made the cut for the eligibility pool of the Platinum Vinyl Awards. This is the last multiple genre post. This time we will combine Rap and Rock. Not really an unheard of mix, as hip hop and rap are getting more rock influenced by the day. Not that I mind.

Rock was a very surprising entrant this time. Maybe having alternative siphons off too many, but having only two entrants for the pool from here in three months was a little surprising. 

Rock Music

• Apologetix - Hot Potato Soup
• Colton Dixon - A Messenger
• I am Empire - Anchors 
• The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Et Tu Brute?

Colton Dixon is one of many American Idol castoffs (Hello Mandisa) to grace Christian Music. Personally, my fave so far is Brooke Barretsmith.

Hip Hop/Rap

• Flynn Adam - Do or Die
• Alert 312 - Of Vice & Virtue
• Sho Baraka - Talented 10th 
• Benjah - Vanity Faire
• Byron "Mr. Talkbox" Chambers - Show Me the Way
• Flame - The 6th: Man on Fire
• Je'kob - Faith Hope Love (The Eutopian Mixes)
• Canton Jones - CJ Talks 
• DA T.R.U.T.H. - Love, Hope, War
• XRoss - OMG 

Rock and Hip Hop are done. Considering that there were no children's music entries this time around, out of 10 genres, we are done with 5 in two posts. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Night Beat Rewind: February 2013

It always happens this time of year. I know, for a Word of Faith person this sure is a bad confession. Good or bad, it's a fact. When you're a one person operation, trying to keep up with new releases while doing an awards ceremony for the past year is pretty daunting. As long as I don't get two months behind during these months, I'm doing okay.

As always, we begin with those albums which will not make the next nominating pool. Those in effect which are

Missing The Mark

• Christine D'Clario - Deeper 3.75 Emeralds
• Kutless - The Worship Collection 3.75 Emeralds
• Red - Release The Panic 3.75 Emeralds
• Those Who Fear - Unholy Anger 3.75 Emeralds

As always, these are all near misses. Not too many turkeys out there. The industry does a pretty good job keeping the pretenders (not the British Band featuring Chrissie Hynde) out. On the other hand, there are the wow moments, or those releases that are 

Pure Platinum

• V. Rose - The Electro-Pop Deluxe  5 Emeralds

This is the perfect example of a great dance album. Featured appearances by everyone under the sun, including +Beckah Shae. Of course, most albums fall somewhere in the middle, an area we refer to at The Night Beat as:

Semi-Precious Metal

And this month did not disappoint, as we had nineteen releases pop up here, most in the very high range, which is a very good thing.

• Arrows and Sound - Arrows and Sound 4.75 Emeralds
• Daniel Bashta - The Invisible 4.50 Emeralds
• Jeremy Camp - Reckless 4.50 Emeralds
• Steven Curtis Chapman - #1's Volume 2 4.50 Emeralds
• Hillsong United - Zion 4.50 Emeralds
• Je'kob - Faith, Hope, Love 4.75 Emeralds
• Canton Jones - CJ Talks 4.75 Emeralds
• William Murphy - God Chaser 4.75 Emeralds
• Newsong - Swallow The Ocean - 4.50 Emeralds
• Britt Nicole - Gold 4.50 Emeralds
• Plumb - Need You Now 4.75 Emeralds
• Salvador - Make Some Noise 4.75 Emeralds
• Sanctus Real - Run 4.50 Emeralds
• Jenny Simmons - The Becoming 4.75 Emeralds
• Spoken - Illusion 4.50 Emeralds
• Tal and Acacia - Black and White 4.75 Emeralds
• Various Artists - Mars Hill Music Worship Sampler 4.75 Emeralds
• Various Artists - Love Never Fails 4.50 Emeralds
• Paul Wilbur - Your Great Name 4.50 Emeralds

That concludes this edition of Night Beat Rewind. I'm glad that this is going out before April. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Gospel Grammy Results

The Grammy Awards are now over and the second guessing can begin. For those of us covering the Gospel Section, it's a really short job.

Since this is a Music Blog, it is proper that I give Night Beat Condolences. I found out about the death of Whitney Houston via my twitter stream. She was a great singer who began in Gospel. With Two Emmys Six Grammys and a host of other awards, her talent was unquestioned. And a note to the religious out there. God wants all of us to have a long life. 48 is not long. Too anyone who says it was "Her Time", quiet.

Now, on to the second guessing. As I said previously, there were only two real awards: Song and Album of the Year in Both Gospel and CCM. For my predictions click on the genres.

I thought that I would be able to do pretty well due to the sparse choices, but that was not to be. For the Gospel section, album division, I thought that they would be honoring the return of a legend in Andrae Crouch, but I was wrong. I also thought that Mary, Mary was the best choice, and I still think that was the correct way to go. The Grammy went to: Kirk Franklin. This is one of the cases where an award goes based on past results. I have heard quite a bit of music from Kirk Franklin, and in my opinion this was not his best album. Still the Grammy's have spoken Score: 0/1.

Moving on to Gospel Song. I hit it out of the park. For some reason I felt that Grammy would award Kirk Franklin best Gospel Song for Hello Fear. Even though I felt Canton Jones had a better song in Window, I guess I was picking Name Recognition for the win, and it paid off: Score 1/2.

Christian Contemporary Music is up next, and here the consequences of savaging the Christian categories becomes painfully evident. Gungor is alternative, Royal Tailor is Pop, Mandisa is Dance/Gospel/R&B, Chris Tomlin is Modern Worship/Pop, and Leeland is Modern Worship/Rock. No Rock. No Metal, No Hip Hop or Rap. All fighting for one prize. I am underwhelmed.

I figured they would go for Brandon Heath considering how gaga they were over Leaving Eden when the album came out, so that was my prediction. I said that the strongest entry would have been Mandisa, but I was wrong and they gave the Grammy to Chris Tomlin. A good modern worship album, but I never saw it coming: Score: 1/3

I guess I was mailing it in on an anti-Brandon Heath rant for song. Though the Grammy's would go for Your Love and made a split pick of I lift My Hands by Chris Tomlin and Hold Me by Jamie Grace Harper but the Grammy went instead to: Blessings by Laura Story. I guess we were on a mellow bent. It was the quietest of the songs.

Final Score: 1/4 (0.250). Hey, that is okay for a major league stint in Baseball, but it wasn't what I was expecting. So, I'm no Carnac.

Well that's it for the Grammy Awards. Dove nominees come out on the 22nd. I will return with my picks for that shortly afterward. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Gospel Grammy: The Night Beat Prediction, Part One

The Grammy Awards are Sunday Night, and I just heard about it. Now while I don't follow all the Award Shows religiously, I am a music blogger, so I should have been more up on things.

Personally, I am blaming the Grammy Awards themselves. In their reinvention of the awards, they have savaged the CCM portion. I mean, it makes a critic cry (figuratively). I may have been critical of their picks in the past, but there are now really only two categories in the entire show. (In the Interest of full disclosure, there are technically five gospel categories but I am doing a genre combining trick. We Have Gospel and Contemporary Christian Music awards in Song And Album of the Year as well as a combined Gospel/CCM Performance of the Year- Basically 2.5 awards. This one's going to be tough.)

Gospel Music Grammy Nominations

Gospel Album of The Year

• Kim Burrell - The Love Album
• Andrae Crouch - The Journey
• Kirk Franklin - Hello Fear
• Mary Mary - Something Big
• Trin-I-Tee 5:7 - Angel & Chanelle Deluxe Edition

Who will win: I think that the Grammy's are going to go with a legend and Pick Andrae Crouch. Crouch is among both Gospel and Christian Music in General a Legend and his albums deserve a place on any 100 Best List.

Who Should Win: From my listening viewpoint, the best of all the albums nominated was Something Big by Mary Mary. It got a near perfect 4.75 Emeralds and really wowed me.

Gospel Song of the Year

• Kirk Franklin - Hello Fear
• Sitting With Me - Mary Mary
• Spiritual - Donald Lawrence
• Trust Me - Richard Smallwood
• Window - Canton Jones

Who will win: Honestly, I have no clue, not having regularly heard a lot of these songs, except for clips. Based on the Grammy's quirks, I am going with Kirk Franklin, though I thought the album was only worthy of 4 Emeralds. Reputation usually wins.

Who Should Win: Based on hearing the complete album and having the song in regular rotation in my iTunes library, I would go with Window by Canton Jones. It's a get up and dance type number that is also word based and encouraging. I love it.

For the sake of post brevity, I think I shall hold off the CCM nominations for a second post. Until Next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.