Falling Notes: The 2013 First Quarter - Alternative

The Alternative Rock Category is always one of the biggest in the Platinum Vinyl Awards. Alternative and Rock almost could be one category, but thank God we usually separate them, because it would make narrowing down the field without a major fued impossible.

There were ten entrants into the Alternative Pool this First Quarter of 2013. Because of that we go to our familiar list format, and will not go into detail on each one.

• After Edmund - Strange Education
• Anberlin - Vital
• Dawn - A Different Kind of Love Song
• East Coast Christian Center - This is Love
• Farah Loux - Flaws
• Further Seems Forever - Penny Black
• Gungor - A Creation Liturgy
• Hyland - Finding Our Way
• Lifehouse - Almeria
• Matt & Toby - Matt & Toby
• Smalltown Poets - Under the New Sun
• Sons - Keep Quieter
• Jonathan Thulin - The White Room

It's way to soon to make predictions on any chances, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Anberlin among the finalists (really big limb there). Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Night Beat Rewind: October 2012

Welcome to the regularly scheduled edition of Night Beat Rewind. We kind of got a little sidetracked this month because of an over abundance of Christmas Music. That, combined with a whopping 47 entries of the non seasonal variety, makes for quite a long post. I am sure that I  will be testing you readers, but bear with me. Actually, most of them will be at the end, so stay with me.

As always, we begin with those releases which I say are:

Missing The Mark

• Big Tent Revival - The Way Back Home 3.50 Emeralds
• Brian Fraaza - The Shadows and the Light 3.75 Emeralds
• Hillsong Chapel - Forever Reign (Live) [+video] 3.50 Emeralds
• Inhale Exhale - Movement 3.50 Emeralds
• George Moss - It's Time 3.75 Emeralds
• Onward To Olympus - Indicator 3.75 Emeralds
• Rob Reed - The Start of a New Life 3.75 Emeralds
• Scarlettthread - Faithfull 3.75 Emeralds
• Kyle Sherman - Hear Me 3.50 Emeralds
• John Tibbs - Swallowing Death, Breathing Life 3.75 Emeralds
• Jeremy Vanderloop - All Creation Sings 3.75 Emeralds

Now since I get new readers every day, I will remind you that these releases aren't bad. Most are Okay as I would put it. It's just that I demand WOW to make the Platinum Vinyl Awards and these don't do it for me.

Perfect Platinum

• Anberlin - Vital 5 Emeralds
• August Burns Red - Sleddin' Hill , A Holiday Album 5 Emeralds
• Brinson - No Other Heroes 5 Emeralds
• Gungor - A Creation Liturgy 5 Emeralds
• Shiny Toy Guns - III 5 Emeralds
• Freddy Washington - The Jesus Record 5 Emeralds

I decided to put the ABR Christmas album here as well due to its Platinum Status, but it will be the only crossover between the lists. Of the Four, Gungor Really surprised, seeing that I am usually underwhelmed by the studio albums, but this live one, WOW.

Semi-Precious Metal

• Warren Barfield - Redbird 4.50 Emeralds
• Bethel Church - For the Sake of the World (CD/ DVD) 4.75 Emeralds
• Brenton Brown - God My Rock - 4.50 Emeralds
• Cadence - Awake 4.50 Emeralds
• Canon - Loose Canon EP, Vol. 1 4.50 Emeralds
• Christ for the Nations Institute - Uncreated One 4.50 Emeralds
• Paul Colman - From the Saltland to the River 4.75 Emeralds
• Brian Doerkson - Ultimate Collection 4.25 Emeralds
• FFH - The Way We Worship 4.50 Emeralds
• Farah Loux - Flaws 4.75 Emeralds
• Flyleaf - New Horizons 4.75 Emeralds
• Further Seems Forever - Penny Black 4.50 Emeralds
• Gateway Worship - Forever Yours 4.50 Emeralds
• Keith and Kristyn Getty - Hymns for the Christian Life 4.75 Emeralds
• The Glorious Unseen Lovesick 4.50 Emeralds
• Brandon Heath - Blue Mountain 4.75 Emeralds
• Hyland - Finding Our Way 4.75 Emeralds
• Je'kob - Hope 4.50 Emeralds  
  Tyrus Morgan - Straight Line 4.50 Emeralds
• Newsboys - Live in Concert: God's Not Dead 4.50 Emeralds
• Bebo Norman - Lights of Distant Cities 4.75 Emeralds 
• A Past Unknown - Vainglory 4.50 Emeralds
• Charlie Peacock - No Man's Land 4.75 Emeralds
• River Valley Church - All In All 4.25 Emeralds
• The Royal Royal - The Royalty 4.50 Emeralds
• Smalltown Poets - Under the New Sun 4.50 Emeralds 
• The Story - Listen 4.75 Emeralds
• Submission Red - Under the New Sun 4.50 Emeralds
• Texas In July - Texas in July 4.25 Emeralds
• Jonathan Thulin - The White Room 4.75 Emeralds
• Phil Wickham - Singalong 2 [+video] 4.50 Emeralds

That concludes the October 2012 Wrap. The 4th Annual Platinum Vinyl Awards eligibility year is now underway. Keep it tuned here for all of the exclusive coverage. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Music Video Monday: So Cold

Welcome to the latest edition of Music Video Monday, where we share with you the latest and greatest in Christian Music Videos (and GRAC Videos) that are on the web. For some reason, this weeks title video seemed appropriate, considering that it is only 35 at Night Beat HQ right now. Seems we skipped Autumn and have jumped to Winter.

We begin with one of the best things to hit the Christian Music Scene from Minnesota in quite a while. This is Beauty in the Broken from Finding Our Way, the third release from Hyland.

Je'kob Washington is in the midst of releasing a EP Trilogy entitled Faith, Hope and Love. This is A Beautiful Place from Hope.

A new addition to my Chicks Who Rock list is Yvonne Winfrey of Submission Red. This is the video of 24 from their latest release Untamed Ones.

And finally we come to Further Seems Forever, and So Cold. The Gorgeous brunette featured in the video reminds me of Miss Parker from The Pretender.

That concludes this edition of Music Video Monday. More videos keep popping up every day, including ones from albums in the first three quarters. Keep it tuned here. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Night Beat Summerfest 2012: Gate Crasher Edition

It is "Summer" in the USA (unofficially the season begins on Memorial Day in the States, we know it doesn't really begin until June 22 or thereabouts.


For those interested in Christian Music, Summer means one thing. Music Festivals. Of course that used to mean SUMMER Festivals, or at least June, but with Purple Door moving from August to April, that's out the window. That reminds me, what part of music festival says indoors. Yes you may get soaked, but that's part of the deal when you are enjoying fresh air, good music and overpriced concessions.

Today I will do a gatecrasher edition: These are festivals within June, and may be within 7 days of this post. Sorry about that.

View Larger Map
I will begin with the Southeast. Atlanta Fest is at Stone Mountain Park from June 14-16. Toby Mac will be getting things started and other artists on the schedule are Mikeschair, Hyland, Icon For Hire and Disciple. Tickets are $99 at the gate for adults and $60 for children 3-11. This is good for all three days and includes admission to the park as well as the festival.


View Larger Map We'll move on to the Mid-Atlantic region next. Icthus fest in Wilmore, Kentucky is probably the longest running Christian Festival ever. It started in 1970, one year after Woodstock. Kutless, Switchfoot, Red, need I go on. It's from June 20-23 and you can still save a bit. Through June 15 you can Pay $89/adult and $48/Child (7-10) for the entire event. Tickets rise to $99/$56 on the 16th.


View Larger Map Lastly we'll go into the Northeast. Creation Northeast in Mount Union, PA takes place from the 27th to the 30th of June. It is the first of the mega-festivals to take place in the Northeast (Soulfest and Kingdom Bound are in August). Thousand Foot Krutch, The City Harmonic, Group One Crew and others. It's $107 Adults/$49 6-11 until the 11th when prices go up to $120/$59 at the gate.

I wanted to get this one out quickly, and if you can't make any of these festivals don't worry. I will be coming out with a post on the later summer festivals very shortly. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Music Video Monday: Poison and Wine

Welcome to the latest installment of Music Video Monday. We have come to the end of the first part of this column as we are approaching the end of the videos which are associated with the nominated songs, albums and artists in the 2011 Platinum Vinyl Awards. This week we are doing the Song of The Year Videos, and that will wrap it up. Next week we will move on to some newer videos.

We begin our video tour with the modern worship anthem As for Me and My House by John Waller.

We Continue with Third Day and Children of God

They say nothing in life is free, but Hyland begs to differ. They say This Love Is Free.

We return to a video that was shared earlier in the series, The City Harmonic and Manifesto.

A Rousing Gospel Song follows, Window by Canton Jones.

We move from Gospel to Dance, although this is more of a slow dance song. The next three are audio only. Sorry about that. This is Are You Ready by Beckah Shae


Another Audio only. This one is from the multi-artist masterpiece Music Inspired by The Story. This is Mark Hall and Megan Garrett from Casting Crowns as Abraham and Sarah in Who But You. .

Another orchestra laden ballad from some otherwise very Hard Rockers. This is Red and the Hymn for the Missing, one of the most haunting songs out there this year.


And we finish, as always, with the song teased in the title. This duo has grown on me since I first heard them for the first time last winter. This is The Civil Wars, and Poison and Wine..

I may have let my love for Strings overwhelm my choices, but such is the way of this blog. If you are into great ballads, then I think you will agree that all of these songs are great Song of The Year Candidates.

That completes this edition of Music Video Monday. I will return Next Monday with more great videos. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Music Video Monday

Before I begin my usual edition of Music Video Monday I want to give a Night Beat Shout Out to some good friends of mine. I've known John and Maicie Cherry since college and my days at WENC. They are part of a band by the name of Slateface. You can hear their single In The Light on their homepage, check out their entire EP on Myspace or like them on Facebook. They are hard but melodic rockers. Check them out, you won't be disappointed.

Now, on to Music Video Monday. Making my way through the genres, we skip past Gospel, only because there doesn't seem to be much in the way of music videos, just maybe a live appearance at a church or something like that.

The King of Alternative right now is Switchfoot, and rightfully so, with Vice Verses such a hit. We'll start of our Video Journey with the video for Dark Horses.

We will continue with one of CCM's rising new stars, Hyland, out of Minneapolis. This is the official Video for Jumping the Gun.


Showbread is next. This is "You're Like a Taxi" from Who Can Know it.

We began with the Current Kings, we end with one of the progenitors of Christian Alternative. The Choir started way back in 1985 as Youth Choir with Voices and Shadows. Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong not only revolutionized rock, but also Modern Worship, as they also wrote God of Wonders (Hindalong along with Marc Byrd)This is an acoustic version of Black Cloud which was from Diamonds and Rain, which in 1986 was the Debut of The Choir, though the lineup was the same as Youth Choir..

That concludes this edition of Music Video Monday. We will return next Monday with more videos. Until next time I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Mission To Massachusetts: Part Two

Intermission Finally ended, and we are back to the concert. NRT and newsound have arranged things so that there are a series of intro acts and then the headliner. In this case it is Intro, Into, Headline 1, Intermission, Intro, Intro, Intro, Headline 2, Headline 3. In my last post I handled everything up to and including the intermission.



The One That Got Away

 First Up was the new band from Minneapolis called Hyland. I had earlier reviewed their album Weights & Measures. I really enjoy this band, and they lived up to their albums potential in their live performance. They did A four song set of Jumping the Gun, The One That Got Away, Til Death, and Never. They are bound for good things in the future.



We are Children of The Light

 Time for a little Rap. The Featured Rapper was Benjah. Pretty much unknown to the CCM world as a rapper, he is better known as a Writer/Producer, having produced, among others, Lecrae, Tedashii, and Sho Baraka. His debut album The Breakup should be debuting soon.



Sitting In Mikeschair

 A Rock Worship Set finished the three lead in acts. Mikeschair was the final band here. It was a quick three song set of worship tunes and then we had to prepare the stage. As they say Good things come For those who wait. Stay tuned for the rest, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Heat is On: PVA 2011 3rd Qtr Nominees - Rock

We're back. I really need to get my computer fixed, or replaced. Relying on the library for my computer access can be trying. Of course since they have Verizon for an ISP that explains a lot of the problems getting up again. They must have the worst customer service in the world.

PVA Third Quarter Nominations

ROCK

I had planned this post for Monday, but things kind of went askew. We wont say much in introduction except that was a crowded field this quarter as well.

• Control, Abandon
• Inside These Walls, Brandon Bee
• Listen to the Sound, Building 429
• Beautiful Ashes, Eowyn
• On Fire, Peter Furler
• Freedom Calling, Jake Hamilton
• Easy for you to say, Hello Kelly
• Weights and Measures, Hyland
• Tidal Wave, Rootdown
• Live at the Masquerade, Thousand Foot Krutch
• X: 2011, Various Artists

This one was easy. All these are worthy to win, though Hyland, TFK and Eowyn could wind up being the front runners. Especially Eowyn. This "Chick" has gotten better with each album. I was blown away with Silent Screams, but this time. She is in full Amy Lee mode with Beautiful Ashes. Don't believe me? Check Out the Video for Beautiful Ashes below

What do you think. Agree? Disagree? Especially on Eowyn. Comment Below. Any that I missed?

That concludes things for this quarter. As always, I am Awaiting Your Reply