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.
The music industry is changing, and the industry, to be civil, is clueless. I took time to vent at the industry this winter, so I wont repeat myself here. It is safe to say that a mantra of the industry is that iTunes saved the music business, but that is only partially true. The industry may still die.
Crowdsourcing: Kickstarter and others have weakened the position of the labels, so they no longer have the upper hand in the negotiations. If tensions arise between Label and Artist, the artist leaves, starts a kickstarter campaign, and is usually the better for it. Talk about taking the bull by the horns.
iTunes and Amazon Music are, in some cases, the only avenues an artist takes. I have noticed a "download only" option for as much as a year before a physical CD is released
Youtube had De-commercialized the Music Video, though the labels are desperately trying to control that medium by pulling down videos.
The latest changes are in the award show industry. Surprisingly, the changes seem to favor the little guy. The Platinum Vinyl Awards hasn't, as of yet, been able to get into the "Swag Stream" to obtain free CD's to review. Our decisions are based upon purchases, free album streams, and song samples. That being said, we at Night Beat HQ haven't had any shortage of material to review. Funny the big boys can't find it. The Gospel section of the Grammy Awards is officially a joke. Three awards this year. And the Dove Awards skipped their spot in the rotation in April, and will be going from April 2012 to October 15, 2013. Now that pushes them past #PlatVnyl3 and into the beginning of the nomination pool for #PlatVnyl5. They will have missed a whole year of entries. I will be posting results as they come in on the Award Page, and will be doing blog posts as I can. Keep with me, share the results and make your comments below, or use #PlatVnyl3 on Twitter. I am trying to get some buzz going. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply. Now, about that swag...
There are some bands that just know how to make a good album. Skillet happens to be one of the bands that I would put on the list. At least with their current string of six albums, which just so happens to coincide with Korey Cooper taking over running the band (If you see them in concert, you can see that just about everything runs like clockwork off her MacBook Pro). While some critics criticize them for a certain sameness to their albums, the truth is they have found their zone and they are happy. As long as they remain in that zone, the band can survive just about any change and put out a great album.
Another group that has found its niche is Orange County, California Based (no, not that one) Project 86. A long time member of the Tooth and Nail family, the band is now independent. I came into this bands orbit pretty late, really only with Rival Factions (2007). Really. Evil: A Chorus of Resistance had me hooked. And the cover. You needed either a red or blue filter to make everything out. It was very different.
Every group that's been around a while will put out at least one best of album, and 2010 was Project 86's year, but they took a different spin on the typical best of album by doing both a Best Of and a Live Album in one CD, and the result was the Platinum Vinyl Award Winning Best Live Album 15. Live. (2010). If you have never listened to Project 86 or if you are already a fan, this is a must have album. You can catch my quick review of the album by clicking on the link.
Now comes Wait for the Siren, and though I'm not sure if this refers to the mythical songstresses or the wailing siren of emergency vehicles. Either way, this album is a resounding advertisement of what can come of Kickstarter campaigns. This is a tight album, and one I've had on repeat all this week. Once, Fall, Goliath, Fall starts, there is no rest. This is one of my perfect picks for a long overnight road trip. You will not fall asleep.
The album has it all: Growls, String like arrangements, celtic pipes (yes, Celtic Pipes. Think Iona Metal. It works.) This Album draws you in. And you wont have any trouble listening to the lyrics either. They are clear as crystal. Curse You P86 for making it impossible to pick a favorite song. I just want them all. And the hypnotic drums. But of course stuff like Ghosts of Easter Rising and the Title Cut with those pipes. No argument. This is a 5 Emerald Perfect Album. Don't wait for the Siren, buy now. Until next time. I am Awaiting Your Reply.
NBC recently came out with an American Idol like reality show called "The Voice". They need to rename the show before the subject of this review asks for her royalties. At the risk of ticking of the NAACP, she has Overcome.
Overcomeis the Second release by one of the greatest voices in the Christian Music Community today, Lara Landon, and probably most of you have never heard of her before today. After Today you will not be able to forget her.
I was one of the fortunate to discover her from the start. Belovedwas released in 2009 with little fanfare. Besides the gorgeous green eyed brunette on the cover, the voice was what you will remember. Closer was the radio single, and it included one of those parts which I absolutely love in a female vocalists. You know what I'm talking about, that "Crank up the music all you want boys, this voice will not be drowned out." Plumb has it, Amy Lee has it, and Lara has it in spades.
Brian Hill should be a lock for producer of the year. The album has literally been designed around her vocals. As such the instrumentation is simple. Stings, acoustic guitar, drums. It could be acapella and you would still be entranced. There is nothing to distract from The Voice. It is a work of genius.
The hardest song on the album "I See God In You" was the first music video from the new album. The Photo Collection Project is realChristian Music sites around the web are making the song The River available for free. This is the music video for that song.
This is one of those albums you put on auto repeat. My favorite, or at least my favoritist favorite, is the Middle Eastern Look East, though if Falling doesn't send chills up and down your spine, nothing will. And, even though the implied subject of The Storm is God, it's really not hard to accept an offer of shelter from Lara's lips as she says "Come to my door, you know I'll let you in". It makes the offer very inviting. I know, Get a room already. Thanks to Sound Cloud, I say in reply, listen to the album, then see if you disagree. She has already been compared to Adele.If you agree with me that this is definitely a 5 Emerald release, then I encourage you to click on the highlighted links and purchase Overcomethrough my site and help support The Night Beat at the same time. If you've ever wondered about what I mean by the "Wow Factor", just listen. I dare you to disagree. I am Awaiting Your Reply.
This has been traditionally the largest genre in Christian Music. The PVA's have been no different. It is my hope that, just as I created the Hard Rock genre to make the Rock category more wieldy, the Inspirational category eventually is able to siphon off quite a few from Pop.
Image courtesy Amazon
When I made the decision to move to a staggered year of eligibility for the PVA's back in 2010 I kept going back in late 2009 and back. I had to stop somewhere. I stopped October 1, 2009. As a result I left out an artist who would have been the hands down winner. No offense to Poema, the Inaugural winners, but really. If the Lovely green eyed Christian Torch Singer Lara Landon had been eligible for the year, there would have been no contest as to the winner. My big wish would be for more music by Lara.
That wish is closer to reality this year. She Launched a kickstarter campaign for her worship release Overcome. The funding was successful and backers can download the album now. I hope it will be available for download and purchase for all sometime this year.
Newsboys will be "quiet" this year. Not really, but, unless their is another Deluxe CD in the works like their was for Born Again, they will be on the road touring their new album, which only came out this past November.
Of the 2010 eligible entries, only Audrey Assad is currently in the new release chain, with her Sophomore release Heart coming out on Valentines Day. Of course it's still early in the year, and my wish list would include Poema, Reilly and Addison Road. I will keep you posted as the year progresses. As always, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
(2007). Really. Evil: A Chorus of Resistance had me hooked. And the cover. You needed either a red or blue filter to make everything out. It was very different.
(2010). If you have never listened to Project 86 or if you are already a fan, this is a must have album. You can catch my 
, and though I'm not sure if this refers to the mythical songstresses or the wailing siren of emergency vehicles. Either way, this album is a resounding advertisement of what can come of Kickstarter campaigns. This is a tight album, and one I've had on repeat all this week. Once, Fall, Goliath, Fall starts, there is no rest. This is one of my perfect picks for a long overnight road trip. You will not fall asleep.
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