Like A Flyleaf To Honey

When Life Hands You Lemons...Life Screams . Who cares about Lemonade?

We at Night Beat HQ are overjoyed when an artist makes a comeback. Usually. If the change is too abrupt in musical styles, sometimes you wish they stayed retired. No problem this time.

Musically speaking, I fell in love with Lacey Sturm (then Lacey Moseley) along with most guys, when she was lead singer of Flyleaf. That such a powerful voice could exist in such a small package was amazing in itself. And to see Flyleaf live was something entirely. (I never saw them Live, Live, but I did catch them via the Internet at one of the Rock The River concerts done by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association). When you get to hear her testimony and see how it compares with the woman before you who is so full of Love and Joy, you really know that Jesus is real. When Lacey left Flyleaf in 2012 a lot of us felt the band was over. While we were wrong and Kristen May has done an admirable job at lead (though she is no Lacey), it feels different.

Flyleaf fans rejoice, Lacey is back, and I mean BACK. I love everything about Life Screams , even the cover, with Lacey emerging from the Raven. (Is she saying "Nevermore" to a Flyleaf reunion?). Only thing is the Platinum look is going to take a while for me. I wish the brunettes would stay that way.

On to the music. Lacey has gone solo with a sound sure to please her old Flyleaf Sounds. No Addie Camp misfire here (Now A Benjamin Gate Reunion, that would be great). And to those who are disappointed with her ballad heavy lineup, all I can say is GET OVER IT. The girl has a voice for ballads, like my favorite Amy Lee. Both ladies can chill the spine and make you feel the hurt and pain of the lyrics. Who needs a psychologist when you've got these too. The Night Beat Prescribes the following, in order vanity, rot, you're not alone, feels like forever, and Life Screams .

There is one major surprise on the album, and it happens to be a live cover, that is so good you might want to call the Police. Not the cops but the 70's English Rock Band The Police with Sting. The Song is Roxanne, and I checked out both Lacey and Sting and I've got to go with Lacey. It comes out a Rescue Song which should be snapped up by Teen Challenge or another Christian Youth Ministry. It is simply oozing with Pain, and that is a compliment. I Let You Make the Comparison. First we go with The Police, and Sting's High Voice.
And now the Life Screams version with Lacey, complete with Thrash Growls, which Sting did not do at the time.

I think you know which one is better. I am giving Life Screams a Perfect 5 Emerald Rating only because that is as high as I go. You have got to get this album. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

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

Rock Music is next as we announce the 4th Quarter Pool Releases for #PlatVnyl5. From here on in we have at least a finals in each genre. At the end we would have 2 finals worth of entries.

Rock Music

• Boiling Point - More
• Disciple - Attack
• Colton Dixon - Anchor
• Flyleaf - Between The Stars
• Guardian - Almost Home
• Sarah Kelly - My Corner of Heaven
• Thousand Foot Krutch - Oxygen: Inhale
• MxPx - MxPx Acoustic Collection
• Manafest - The Moment
• Remedy Drive - Commodity
• Willet - Searchlight

There were two Perfect 5's in this genre as well this quarter, Disciple and Remedy Drive, so we have our work cut out for us. Next up is Hip Hop and Rap. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Night Beat Rewind: July 2013

The end is near. The end of the 4th Platinum Vinyl Awards eligibility year, that is. This is the time when a lot of upsets come in. Just when you think you have it all wrapped up along comes an entry in September that steals the show.

Missed The Mark

• Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir - Love Lead The Way 3.75 Emeralds
• Flyleaf - Who We Are 3.75 Emeralds
• Jonathan and Emily Martin - Set Your Eyes 3.75 Emeralds
• Mouth of the South - Transparency 3.75 Emeralds
• Owl City - The Midsummer Station Acoustic 3.75 Emeralds
• Relient K - Collapsible Lung 3.25 Emeralds
• Various Artists - Amazing Grace (My Chains are gone) 3.75 Emeralds
• Various Artists - Holy Hip Hop, Volume 16 3.75 Emeralds

A few surprises here. I never ever expected to confuse a BTC album with one from Hillsong. The Power is gone from this release. Flyleaf's new EP with a new lead singer. Underwhelmed on that one too. The biggest disappointment was Relient K. A totally new sound, one that no one really expects. Too poppy. We go to the other end of the spectrum

Pure Platinum

• Wayne Haun - Old Soul 5 Emeralds
• Andy Hunter - Glowing Collision, Volume 2 5 Emeralds

Hunter almost goes without saying. A word on Wayne Haun. This one was promoted on Christian sites, yet the album is very cool Jazz, secular covers.

Semi-Precious Metal

• Billy Buchanan - Fact, Fiction and other Contradictions 4.75 Emeralds
• The Burial - In The Taking of Flesh 4.50 Emeralds
• Everfound - Everfound 4.50 Emeralds
• Falling Up - Hours 4.75 Emeralds
• Falling Up - Midnight on Earthship 4.75 Emeralds
• My Heart to Fear - Algorithm 4.75 Emeralds
• These Hearts - Yours To Take 4.50 Emeralds
• Hillsong Live - Glorious Ruins 4.50 Emeralds
• Dre Murray - Gold Rush: Maybe One Day 4.75 Emeralds
• Petra - 40th Anniversary 4.00 Emeralds
• Phinehas - The Last Word is Yours to Speak 4.50 Emeralds
• Seabird - Troubled Days 4.50 Emeralds
• Shine Bright Baby - Dreamers 4.75 Emeralds
• Aaron Shusht - Morning Rises 4.75 Emeralds
• Oh Sleeper - The Titan 4.50 Emeralds
• Skyler and Kim Walker-Smith - Home 4.50 Emeralds
• Thousand Foot Krutch - Metamorphosiz: The End Remixes, Volume 2 4.75 Emeralds
• Trin-I-Tee 5:7 - Trin-I-Tee 5:7 Hits 4.50 Emeralds
• Kathy Troccoli - Worship Songs: Tis So Sweet 4.75 Emeralds
• We Came As Romans - Tracing Back Roots 4.50 Emeralds

That does it for July. Caught Up. If you come back you will see the Amazon links appear for purchasing and helping the WENC Night Beat at the same time. I want to get it out immediately. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Notes: The 2013 First Quarter - Rock

We conclude our announcement of the First Quarter 2013 Platinum Vinyl Award releases. The Concluding Category is rock, and there were nine releases this quarter. Expected names and a few newcomers. The final list.

• As Cities Burn - Son, I Loved You at Your Darkest
• Discipe - O God Save Us All
• Flyleaf - New Horizons
• Overcoming Affliction - Rescue Me
• A Past Unknown - Vainglory
• The Story - Listen
• O.C. Supertones - For The Glory
• Submission Red - Untamed Ones
• Third Day - Miracle

The O.C. Supertones return to the limelight after a long hiatus, and we shall see how the New Flyleaf works out. Lacy Will be missed. Have a wonderful New Year, and I shall see you again in January. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Music Video Monday: God's Not Dead

Welcome back once again to Music Video Monday. I'm on auto pilot again today, seeing that it is Veteran's Day. To all those who serve and who served, a very heartfelt Thank You from the Night Beat. My Dad was a veteran, so I appreciate the sacrifice that you make for our country.

Newsboys recently released a live album from their God's Not Dead tour. This seems like a good time to share the Music Video for the Title Cut.

Flyleaf is moving on to a New Horizon. Life without Lacey. We're going to miss her. Such a powerful voice in such a little package. This again is the Music Video for the title song.

Finally, we run out of new material for the 1rs Quarter. Get into the Movie Studios everyone. I have one more video, and next week may be a few leftovers from past releases that just surfaced. We close things out with I Need A Miracle from Third Day and their latest (released just this week) Miracle.

That concludes this edition of Music Video Monday. I think next week will be a catch up. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Summerfest: Rock the Lakes Edition

If you could catch some of the top acts in Christian Music today for free, what would it be worth to you? This isn't a trick question. You can volunteer at a festival for the festival promoter or for a lot of the exhibitors and you can usually get your ticket for free, but that's not what I'm talking about either. If you get that opportunity, though, go for it. I attended one Soulfest (I believe it was 2000) where I worked with Sparrow Records. A few hours a day saved me about $100 or so for the festival pass.

Back in the early days of Christian Rock the Music and The Ministry were of equal importance. An altar call at the end of the concert was not uncommon. It's not that common these days. Unless a ministry sponsors the concert.

Rock the River (or Lakes or Pond) is a minifest (2 days does not make a festival, just like 2 movies in 2 days does not make a miniseries) put on by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The lineup is top notch. There is a short sermon by Franklin Graham. (You were expecting Billy?). There are four of them this year.

• Rock The Lakes, Rochester, NY June 16 & 17 - Sahlens Stadium - Newsboys headlines this one, along with Michael W. Smith, Canton Jones, The Almost and Trip Lee.
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• Rock The Lakes, Green Bay, WI August 18 & 19 - Leicht Memorial Park  - Skillet has Saturday all to themselves. Did I mention it's free. Sunday Michael W. Smith, The Afters and The City Harmonic.
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• Rock The Lakes, Buffalo, NY September 22 & 23 - Coca Cola Field - Fireflight makes Saturday worth the wait, and on Sunday, Rend Collective, Smitty, and Reilly (Three words: Dueling Rock Violin)
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• Rock The River, Ottawa, ONT September 29 & 30 - Parc Brittania Park - For the Canadians. Saturday, Three words: THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH. Michael W. Smith and the Afters lead up Sunday.
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At all of these events Lacey Sturm, lead singer for Flyleaf, will be speaking along with Franklin Graham. Unfortunately Flyleaf themselves will not be performing.

The concerts start at 4pm and go to about 9 or 10. I was privileged to watch the Calgary and Edmonton Concerts on the Internet back in 2010, the 2 hour time zone change made for late watching.

If you're in the area I would recommend turning out to see these great artists. You can sit through a sermon. You'd sit through a time-share pitch for a Disney or Vegas Trip, and this would be of more lasting consequence. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

I Love The 80's: Firing Up the Night Beat Time Machine

Now that the Christmas Season is over, the cleanup begins. Now for most people that simply means ditching the tree and lights and usually putting the Christmas Music back in storage for another year. Now for me, though I have some Christmas CD's, I have a bigger selection on mp3, and, since I have an ancient and honorable iBook at home, it is time to purge the Christmas Music from the iTunes library (I've got it all on Flash Drives) and put on the regular tunes.

Some of those mp3's are from the "Classic Rock" era, and, despite what some may think, I think the music of that era holds up well over time. Now due to improvements in technology and the like "rock" supergroups of the time now sound like pop groups of today. Trust me though, these guys rocked.

The 80's gave us the pioneers of the Modern CCM industry. Petra, though born in the 70's, didn't come into its own until the 80's, and acts like the FFR pioneer bands Servant and Resurrection Band took the slings and arrows of their fellow Christians so that groups like Eowyn, Fireflight, Flyleaf, Paramore, Evolett and Evanescence would have the success that they have.

Then there was the Coffeehouse scene. I doubt the coffee was great (I hadn't started drinking coffee yet, so I don't know, but it was a long way from Starbucks. Shoutout to my friend Coffee Lovin Mom here. I don't know why, but I thought this would make an excellent name for a bad country song. I repeat myself, I know). There were small acts focused here, and it opened up a whole new method of promotions. This was usually an excellent way to get bootleg music. Bring in the old cassette machine, put it right on the table, nobody cared. I guess the RIAA didn't exist back then.

Heavy Metal was also born in the 80's, and while it bears little resemblance to the Thrash-Metal of the 21st Century, this screaming guitar metal could hold their own against any of them, Even TDWP. One of the best metal acts of the decade was the Swedish metal act Jerusalem. This was the band responsible for the mega metal composition Sodom, which clocks in at over Twelve Minutes Long, OVER HALF of which is instrumental. I dare any of today's bands to try something like that. The labels would be screaming. The only band to come close today is IONA.

I guess it's obvious that I love the eighties. And you know, it works in the mainstream as well. Not just politically (It was the Reagan Revolution) but TV and Music in general just sounded better. This rant is brought to you by the Night Beat. I invite you to visit the website and vote on the poll in the sidebar. What was your favorite musical decade? With all honors to REZ, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Winter Melodies: Platinum Vinyl Awards 1rst Quarter- Rock

Despite the onslaught of Christmas Music this Quarter, the Rock Genre had quite a few entries, though most were in October and November.  Without further ado, the nominees for Rock for the Second Annual Platinum Vinyl Awards

• Move by Third Day
• Stars, Guitars and Megaphone Dreams by Yancy
• Revolution of Mind by John Elefante and Mastodon
• American Dream by Rocky Loves Emily (D) 
• Remember to Live by Flyleaf
• Friendly EP by Queen's Club
• The Transition EP by Philmont

(D): Indicates either a Debut Release, a Major Label Debut or in rare cases, when they gained significant public attention.  Qualify for Best New Artist Award.

I can already hear the Critics whining "Where's Jars of Clay?" No, I didn't forget them. See my earlier post on Pop, Folk, and Techno.  The Shelter is not a Rock album.  Most of the tracks are undeniably Folk or Folk Rock. Sorry to all those looking for a Jars vs Third Day Showdown. Not going to happen here.

Still to come, entries for Hard Rock, Modern Worship, Alternative and Hip Hop.  All here on The Night Beat, your exclusive home of the Platinum Vinyl Awards

Precious Metal

7th Symphony, the seventh release by Finnish Cello-Metal band Apocalyptica, is a work of fine art, no pun intended.  For the "traditional" metal head, there are plenty of screaming guitar work, but the addition of strings, particularly the cello (I know, it's hard to fathom, but it works for Skillet), brings a fresh feel to the album.  Not being a strictly Christian release, I may have to exclude it from consideration for Platinum Vinyl Awards, but I am looking for loopholes for admission.  Let me consider the evidence:

• Of the Ten cuts on the album, over half, specifically six, are instrumental.  There is no such thing as Christian or Secular Instrumentals, it's just music.
• Of the Four Vocal Tracks, all are "clean" songs that should appeal to anyone and one, Broken Pieces, is sung by Lacey Mosely, the Lead Singer of Flyleaf, a Christian Hard Rock band.

Right Now, I am still unconvinced on its final status, but am wavering.  On the merits of the music, however, 5 emeralds.  It is a great album.

Update 10/10/10: I remain convinced that this is a 5 Emerald Album, and I am placing it in nomination for a Platinum Vinyl Award in the Rock Genre for the 3rd Quarter (July-Sept) of 2010.

Update 02/15/11: Late Update-But as of 1/17/11 Apocalyptica made the Final 7 Nominees for the Platinum Vinyl Awards in Best Album, Hard Rock

Consider This

For Your Consideration the debut release by Montgomery, AL rockers Evolett is a simply stunning debut in the fairly crowded area of FFR (Female Fronted Rock, for those new to the music).  Lead singer Haden Brightwell is already drawing comparisons to Lacey Mosely and Flyleaf, high praise indeed for a new act.  Vocally speaking and Stylistically, I think comparisons to Sarah Anthony (The Letter Black) and Rebecca Barlow (Barlowgirl) are better.  Another comparison could be made to Fallen by Evanescence and With Abandon by Chasing Furies. Though both albums are stylistically different, they fall into the extremely small group of debut albums (in Chasing Furies case it was the only album) to achieve Perfect Album Status.  Most debut albums are, to put it charitably, a work in progress.  A case in Point, no one could have predicted Skillet's rise by listening to their self titled debut. Lyrically on point with lines like "eternal peace was within your reach, and you turned it down", and with polished instrumentals, this debut has the feel of a 5th or 6th album.
The Tracks:

1. Only Time
2. This Compromise
3. This Portrait
4. Circles
5. We All Fall Down
6. Silent Illusion
7. Genetic Makeup
8. Hang on Every Word
9. Hold On
10. Careful Where You Sleep

Though every song is a keeper, my personal favorites right now are Only Time, Circles, and Genetic Makeup.  You've got to love a song with this lyric:

        "It makes my skin creep and crawl to know I came from you, break down the genetic makeup, so I can chew it up and spit it out, and wash the taste right through my mouth."

After repeated listens this week I am ready to award 4.5 Emeralds to For Your Consideration.  I'm still holding back because it's a debut, and I always say "You can do better", but this might be really hard.  I'm filing this as a possible Platinum Vinyl Award Best New Artist for 2010. Consider, then buy, Evolett.