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 Platinum Vinyl Awards is celebrating it's fifth birthday, and as we move into that season and collect entries for #PlatVnyl6 we have come full circle, and with a somewhat bittersweet remembrance. Christendom in general and the Christian Music Industry in specific has had a really tough time violating Romans 14:4. For the Biblically Uninformed that verse reads "Who are you that judge another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand". Whole ministries have been founded on the basis that they alone would decide who was a Christian and who was not (the late Walter Martin and his ilk). As such I have always had a very prized place in my music heart for the K.O.O.K.s (that's Kicked Out Of the Kingdom). It goes at least to Leslie Phillips, at least in m recent memory. However Evanescence was the one who got the last laugh on the industry, and so in the inaugural Platinum Vinyl Award I created the Fallen Award, which honored the K.O.O.K.s in Christian Music.
The first award went to a Folk Rock Legend, the original Knappster. +Jennifer Knapp pretty much created modern Folk Rock, and the babe from Kansas grabbed a entire generation of Rockers who thought that RSJ could be a tad too tame. She burned bright for a while and then, burned out by the industry, she retired at the top of her act. She returned in 2010 after a 9 year hiatus with Letting Go
(2010). Though the album was initially embraced and promoted by the CCM industry, like Fallen before it, soon information "leaked out" that Knapp announced she had come out of the closet. The only thing the industry didn't do was burn her at the stake. Musically however, there really wasn't that much difference between Letting Go and her "Christian Work". Letting go won (actually Split) the Folk Album award. The gorgeous Kansan returns now with Set me free [+digital booklet]
. Now 40 (my how time flies), this could be her best work yet. It is almost pure Folk, but she does Rock out on Remedy and Why Wait, which show she's still the Top Dog. There is also a song called What Might Have Been, which is probably the most beautiful song on the album. Actually the album most resembles Kansas, her debut. She is coming back home, and let me welcome her with 5 Emeralds. This Righteous Babe (her label, love it) has set the Folk Bar for #PlatVnyl6.
The Knappster is also an author. She has written her story, appropriately titled Facing the Music: My Story
. I would label it a must read. Until next time at the Night Beat Candy Store, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
If you were here from the start of this blog, or at least from the first Platinum Vinyl Awards, you found out about the Fallen Award. The Fallen Award was named for the debut album by Evanescence. Soon after the CD was released an interview with the band surfaced in Entertainment Weekly in which they swore. Quell Horror! (Hey, I have to make High School French work for me). Evanescence CD's disappeared from Christian Bookstore shelves faster than you could say witch hunt. Evanescence was the most famous, but it certainly wasn't the last (Jennifer Knapp and possibly P.O.D.). It also wasn't the first.
While I can't be absolutely certain about such things (It can be awfully hard, if not impossible, to track down EVERY friendly fire incident), it is probably true that the first witch hunt of the modern era was Sam Phillips, who in the early 1980's as a rising Christian pop star, recorded under the name of Leslie Phillips.
Leslie Ann Phillips (born January 28, 1962) released five albums in the Christian Market: Beyond Saturday Night (1983), Dancing With Danger (1984), Black and White In A Grey World (1985), The Turning (1987) and Recollection (1987), which was a best of album. We'll start with Heart of Hearts from her debut album. Leslie Phillips "Crime" was to criticize the Christian Music Industry. While she was marketed as the Christian Cindy Lauper, in a long tradition that there must be a "Christian Alternative" to every secular genre or artist. Phillips didn't want to be squeezed into the mold and left the fold, going from Myrrh Records to Virgin Records. This is a youtube audio of Strength of My Life from Dancing With Danger (duet with Russ Taff of The Imperials) I figure I should close with a "Now" video. Suffice itself to say that Leslie's life as "Sam" has been longer than "Leslie". Since assuming the moniker with The Indescribable Wow (1989). she has recorded eight studio albums and five digital EP's. And there have been a few brave Christians out there. From time to time my local Christian Concert Promoter has advertised a Sam Phillips appearance at a Boston area club. This is Holding On To The Earth from The Indescribable Wow.
So a special Night Beat round of applause to all those trailblazers who proved that Christians could make music that crossed the Sacred/Mainstream Divide. Sorry you had to dodge some arrows while doing it. I guess an honorary Fallen Award to Sam Phillips is in order. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
All Good Things must come to an end, our journey through CCM Magazine's 100 Greatest Christian Albums in Christian Music finally comes to its conclusion, with the Top 10. These are the albums agreed to be THE GREATEST, the "definition" of Christian Music. Are they correct? or more appropriately, still correct? It has been a decade.
Well, for the last time, here I go with my commentary. If I haven't done so already, and from the comments it appears that I haven't, I think that I shall dive into the hornest nest this time, or at least tip over some sacred cows.
If I were a cynic, I would say that one of the requirements for entry on this list is to have a premature death. Of course, even using flawed biblical interpretation one should consider any death short of 80 premature, but especially if illness or an accident is involved. A full 10 of 100 entries fit that Category. (Larry Norman, Gene Eugene(as Adam Again), DeGarmo & Key (Dana Key), Keith Green, Mark Heard, and Rich Mullins). Actually, BOTH Larry Norman and DeGarmo and Key don't fit the list perfectly, since they died after the list was published. Dana Key died unexpectedly Last June, and Norman in 2008. Of course on talent and influence alone there should have been more than one D&K entry on the list. As to Larry Norman, his influence in CCM is immense. I started playing around with a Six Degrees of Larry Norman a few days ago, and believe me he can be connected with virtually everyone in Christian Music today in 6 links or less. He belongs.
A cynic would also point out that a seeming requirement for entry to a list of Christian Albums is to not technically be a Christian Artist. Bruce Cockburn and U2 both contribute a pair of albums to the list. (Now in full disclosure, I think U2 belongs, but based on CCM Mags own description, I am not sure about Cockburn.) When those two items are combined with the usual Sandi Patty, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith Bias (another 9 off the list), that means the Top 100 is really the top 76. There could be a lot of room in that list for some really deserving albums, and that is our wiggle room.
Number Nine?
Most of my complaints on the 10 Greatest deal mostly with position, we'll start with DC Talk. Straight upfront, I love the album. There's no doubt that it belongs on the list. Actually I think they should swap positions with Jesus Freak at Number 14 and I would be fine with that. Personally I never did get the mini skits (Greer, WDCT, Willpower, and the cringeworthy 2 Honks). This may be one of those Chicken and Egg questions though. While Jesus Freak may be superior to Free at Last, would DC Talk have been able to make Jesus Freak if it had not first made Free at Last. For Your Consideration.
On to the one of the greatest crossover acts among CCM fans, U2. The Joshua Tree was an awesome album, at least to me. Personally, if it was up to me, they may be a number one or two. Sorry Amy. I have always detected a little too much of "Amy Bias" in CCM. All she has to do is put out any album to be guaranteed it proclaimed the "Best Album Ever". On the other Hand, U2 consistently put out deep spiritual music all under the radar of the Christian Music Industry. Now even late recognition is better than no recognition at all, but I'm just saying. Would be number one on this list if I made it. (Now, would it still be number one? That remains to be seen. Stay Tuned).
That concludes my look back at the 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music, as determined by CCM Magazine in 2001. Now the fun begins. A lot of music came out since 1999, the last release year for an album on the list. I think we could, at a minimum, sweep off about 20 of these. While that is not my intention, facts are facts. I hope you will help me in the undertaking. As always, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
P.S.- A personal Night Beat Shoutout to Alexandra from Sweden, Thanks for following. Don't know if you have heard of them, but I would encourage you to check out Blindside, a rock band from Sweden signed to CCM's Midas, Tooth and Nail Records, I think that With Shivering Hearts We Wait, which has a listening party at Jesus Freak Hideout, is a Solid 4.25 Emeralds, and should make next years Platinum Vinyl Awards. As to Alexandra herself, check out her blog.
(2010). Though the album was initially embraced and promoted by the CCM industry, like Fallen before it, soon information "leaked out" that Knapp announced she had come out of the closet. The only thing the industry didn't do was burn her at the stake. Musically however, there really wasn't that much difference between Letting Go and her "Christian Work". Letting go won (actually Split) the Folk Album award.
. Now 40 (my how time flies), this could be her best work yet. It is almost pure Folk, but she does Rock out on Remedy and Why Wait, which show she's still the Top Dog. There is also a song called What Might Have Been, which is probably the most beautiful song on the album. Actually the album most resembles Kansas, her debut. She is coming back home, and let me welcome her with 5 Emeralds. This Righteous Babe (her label, love it) has set the Folk Bar for #PlatVnyl6. 
. I would label it a must read. Until next time at the Night Beat Candy Store, I am Awaiting Your Reply. 
, BeBe & Cece Winans, Sparrow, 1991
, DC Talk, ForeFront, 1992
, Rich Mullins, Reunion, 1991.
Most of my complaints on the 10 Greatest deal mostly with position, we'll start with DC Talk. Straight upfront, I love the album. There's no doubt that it belongs on the list. Actually I think they should swap positions with Jesus Freak at Number 14 and I would be fine with that. Personally I never did get the mini skits (Greer, WDCT, Willpower, and the cringeworthy 2 Honks). This may be one of those Chicken and Egg questions though. While Jesus Freak may be superior to Free at Last, would DC Talk have been able to make Jesus Freak if it had not first made Free at Last. For Your Consideration.
On to the one of the greatest crossover acts among CCM fans, U2. The Joshua Tree was an awesome album, at least to me. Personally, if it was up to me, they may be a number one or two. Sorry Amy. I have always detected a little too much of "Amy Bias" in CCM. All she has to do is put out any album to be guaranteed it proclaimed the "Best Album Ever". On the other Hand, U2 consistently put out deep spiritual music all under the radar of the Christian Music Industry. Now even late recognition is better than no recognition at all, but I'm just saying. Would be number one on this list if I made it. (Now, would it still be number one? That remains to be seen. Stay Tuned).