Night Beat Rewind: January 2012

This has got to be some kind of record. Here it is only the first week of February and the January tunes are done. Plus I have just finished the First Quarter Platinum Vinyl Awards announcements. Now that that is done, it is time for the January 2012 edition of Night Beat Rewind.

For the newcomer, let me explain. Having only limited resources at present for obtaining full album streams of new releases, the great majority of the new releases are quick-hits from Amazon samples. At the end of each month I compile all the releases, both those I have been able to fully review and those I have not, and put them into a "Rewind" column where I give a rating to each. Without further ado, the January Rewind.

Off Target

• Andrew Greer - Angel Band: The Hymn Sessions 2.25 Emeralds
• Theory Hazit - Thr3e 3.75 Emeralds
• Various Artists - Anchors of Faith, 100 Hymns 3.5 Emeralds

My opinion on these releases? For the most part they are OK. For the most part. Note the first one on the list. My advice - Avoid it. I take no responsibility if you buy it and then say "my ears, my ears". You have been warned.

Purest Platinum

• Blessed By A Broken Heart - Feel The Power 5 Emeralds
• David Crowder Band - Give Us Rest (A Requiem Mass in C) [The Happiest of All Keys] 5 Emeralds

The Polar Opposite. These are the Perfect albums, at least as defined by The Night Beat. Anytime we can get over one in a month is a very good month. Most of the releases, however, fall short of perfection.

Semi-Precious Metal

• All Sons and Daughters - Reason To Sing EP 4.5 Emeralds
• Anthem Lights - The Acoustic Sessions 4.5 Emeralds
• Jon Bauer - Forevermore 4.5 Emeralds
• Bethel Music - The Loft Sessions 4 Emeralds
• Myron Butler - Worship 4.5 Emeralds
• Rachel Chan - Go 4 Emeralds
• Kirk Franklin - The Essential Kirk Franklin 4.75 Emeralds
• Scotty G - Real Life 4.5 Emeralds
• Group 1 Crew - Outta Space Love: Bigger Love Edition 4.75 Emeralds
• Fred Hammond - God, Love and Romance 4.75 Emeralds
• High Society Collective - Circa MMXI: The Collective 4.25 Emeralds
• Kari Jobe - Where I Found You  4.5 Emeralds
• Calvin Jones & Teresa Scanlon - Dueling Pianos: White Water Chopped Sticks - City of Peace 4.75 Emeralds
• Lindsay McCaul - If it Leads Me Back 4.5 Emeralds
• One Sonic Society - Forever Reign 4.5 Emeralds
• Parachute Band - Matins: Vespers 4.5 Emeralds
• Pioneer - Pioneer 4.5 Emeralds
• Rapzilla - King Kulture 4.5 Emeralds
• Rend Collective Experiment - Homemade Worship by Handmade People 4.75 Emeralds
• Sanctuary - Reveal 4.75 Emeralds
• Michael W. Smith - Decades of Worship 4.5 Emeralds
• Starfield - The Kingdom 4.75 Emeralds
• Tidewater - This Beautiful Life EP 4.25 Emeralds
• Various Artists - Seasons of Hope 4.5 Emeralds
• Various Artists - Seasons of Joy 4.5 Emeralds
• Various Artists - Seasons of Reflection 4.5 Emeralds
• Various Artists - WoW Gospel 2012 4.5 Emeralds
• Worship Central - Spirit Break Out 4.5 Emeralds
• Yancy - Little Praise Party: Happy Day Everyday 4.75 Emeralds

That ends the first edition of Rewind for 2012. Check out the new releases, and enjoy. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

If It Leads Me Back

There's a "flip side" to every album. Kids, ask your parents to explain that obscure musical reference. In the mp3 age there aren't even discs. Sides went away with CD's.

A few months ago an EP was released by Lindsay McCaul entitled If It Leads Me Back (It was in my August Rewind). The four song EP got 3.75 Emeralds, just out of the running.
Fast Forward five months. Deja Vu all over again. Lindsay has an album coming out Today with the same name. Things like this send one scrambling to check your notes.

The CD trumps the EP by 0.75 Emeralds. Yes, this one gets bumped up to 4.5 Emeralds. The entire EP is on the album, and is accompanied by seven new songs. My favorite right now is Where Do You Go  because of the orchestration. The title cut, which is saved for last, is also a favorite, because its slow, minimal accompaniment (only piano) highlights her voice. (A Trivial note: Though the EP was also entitled If it Leads Me Back, that song itself was not on the EP). The album is Pop, though Take My Hand is the obligatory CCM Modern Worship tune. It is also one of the more beautiful songs on the album, so don't despair.

As I was reviewing Rachel Chan's Debut I commented that there would be much better Pop releases this year. We Only had to wait one week to find one. This definitely indicates that, once again, we are off to the races in the pop genre. I am Ready. Sorry. What I am is Awaiting Your Reply.

Oh Those "Crazy Love" Children

The 2012 Music Season begins, and first up out of the gate is Go by Rachel Chan. If the last name sounds familiar, it should. Rachel is the fifteen year old daughter of Crazy Love author Francis Chan. Never heard of Crazy Love. What? Next thing you're going to say is that you never heard of Hawk Nelson either.

Go is a straight ahead Sugar Pop album, but not as corn syrup as they go. As debut albums go, it is pretty good.

The album is pretty short as Cd's go. It clocks in at just over a half-hour. It's just her for vocals, unless you count her father's "Rap" on Prove it.

Right now my favorite is Show Me More, which is pretty much a Modern Worship/AC song, but it shows off her vocal ability the best. Her producers should steer her in this direction for future albums. Actually I like the AC tunes on this CD the best. Another good song is You Must Love Me, as is Still Singing.

If you're looking for teen pop about boys, zits and Twitter, that's the rest of the album. On the whole, I am going to give it a recommendation of 4 Emeralds. It's in the 2012 pool, but it's early, and there will be much better albums that will knock it out. It will probably stay in the Best New Artist pool though.

The first Review of 2012 is out. More will come. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.