Running on Adrenaline

Well it is true, the Zombie Apocalypse is here. Unfortunately it is in the music industry. I never thought you would hear me say this, but sometimes a band has to know when to hang it up. It's especially hard when it is a band that I have been with from the start.

The Year was 1993. The place was Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Worcester, MA. A Hip Hop radio station out of Boston, Jam'n 94.5  FM was the sponsor. The Headliner was this little unknown band by the name of DC Talk. I know that sounds strange now, but they were a relative unknown at the time. This was the tour that made them.

Opening for the trio was a real unknown. They were about to release their sophomore album which was to be called "Don't Censor Me". In addition to the title cut, the big hit off that album was "We're a band", which really rocked down the house. Of course the fan favorite that would go down in history was called "Big House". That band was called Audio Adrenaline, or in New England vernacular Wicked Loud.

Audio Adrenaline lived up to their name, and that was a good and a bad thing for the band. Every kid loves loud music, but it does take a toll on the voice, and it did to Lead Vocalist Mark Stuart. Considering that the name was Audio Adrenaline and not the Mark Stuart Band, you would think that they could have plugged a new Lead Vocalist into the mix and kept on going. They chose not to do that, so after a run of eight studio albums in 13 years, plus a few live albums and compilations, the band broke up in 2007. Music Trivia Fact: They outlived their headliner that day by 7 years, as DC Talk broke up in 2000. 

Here at +The WENC Night Beat we put a hiatus limit of 5 years on a band. If there is no activity within that time they are, at least unofficially broken up if there has been no official announcement. There was an official announcement, but just about the time we would have done it anyway, in 2012, there was movement. The band was 're-forming', but without Stuart. Former DC Talk crooner Kevin Max was the new lead, and we were skeptical to say the least. Kings and Queens dispelled the skepticism as the band was tailored to his "shimmering vocals". It did very well at the Platinum Vinyl Awards. Unfortunately it was a one and done for Max. 

Now it is time for Version 3.0, one too many for my taste. Nobody from the original is left, and we are breaking up bands left and right. Abandon, Stellar Kart. Time to put the zombie out of its misery. The sound, just like any other band, and that's a shame. Let us remember the good old days with nostalgia before even that is gone. I am Awaiting Your Reply.

MVM Special Edition: #Platvnyl4 -Rock Video of The Year

The End is Here. The end of #PlatVnyl4 Video Awards, at least the genre based videos. We still have a few more general field video awards, including video of the year, but those will be revealed later.

The last award to be handed out right now is Rock Video of The Year. You can check out the videos in the original nomination post. You can check out the posted results for Adult Contemporary, Alternative, Pop, Dance, Electronic, Hip Hop, and Hard Rock by clicking on the appropriate links.

The nominated videos were: All In (Apologize) by +Stellar Kart ; Just Say Jesus (#Save Saeed) by +7eventhTimeDownVEVO ; Made to Glow by +ShineBrightBaby ; Not Gonna Die by +skilletband ; and Remember Me by +Red Jumpsuit Apparatus .

And the winner of the #PlatVnyl4 Rock Video of The Year is Not Gonna Die.

That concludes the Genre Video of The Year segment of this years Platinum Vinyl Awards. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Rising Beats: The 2014 Third Quarter - Pop

Continuing with our announcement of the Pool Eligible entries for #PlatVnyl5 in the Platinum Vinyl Awards. (Can you believe we are soon going to be around for 5 years, and growing every year. God is good). We move on to to pop, and not a syrupy one among them. It's all natural sugar here.

Pop Music

• Jessa Anderson - Whole
• Anthem Lights - Covers Part III
• Francesca Battistelli - If We're Honest
• Jonny Diaz - Let It Fly
• Stellar Kart - Frozen EP
• Shawn McDonald - Brave
• Mikeschair - All Or Nothing
• V.Rose - Forever After
• Unspoken - Unspoken

I was pleased with Francesca Battistelli's return to pure pop this quarter (she had gone a bit too far in the country direction lately. An unfortunate side effect when the labels are in Nashville). I was also surprised with the placement of V. Rose here. Based on her debut I was expecting another dance album, but no, she went with traditional pop this time. We move on. Rock is next. I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Music Video Monday: Criminals and Kings

Welcome back to our regularly scheduled edition of Music Video Monday. We are all done with the Video Nominee announcements and will progress to the 2nd Quarter 2014 Pool Announcement.

We begin on a Hard Rocking note, with August Burns Red. This is Provision.

Moving on to Hip Hop. This is Benjah and Blanca formerly of Group 1 Crew. This is the Rainbow Remix.

Finally we hop on our Stellar Kart and Criminals and Kings.

That's it for this edition of Music Video Monday. We will have more videos next week. Enjoy, and I am Awaiting Your Reply.

MVM Special Edition: Rock Video Nominees

We have reached the final genre for the Video of The Year Awards in this years Platinum Vinyl Awards. We will still have Video of The Year and some general field video awards, but we will do that later as they are still being compiled. We conclude this Special Edition block with the nominations for Rock Video of The Year. And the nominees are:

All In (Apologize), +Stellar Kart 
Just Say Jesus (#Save Saeed), +7eventhTimeDownVEVO 
Made to Glow, +ShineBrightBaby 
Not Gonna Die, +skilletband 
Remember Me, +Red Jumpsuit Apparatus 
That finishes this Special Edition run of Music Video Monday. Next Monday we will be back again with new videos that are up for consideration in the 5th Awards next year. Remember to watch them all and vote for the best in each genre in the comments. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

MVM Weekend Edition: The End is Here

The end of the Weekend Edition of Music Video Monday is upon us. We all knew that it would happen, and now it has come. Now I've got to come up with something else on Friday. Monday we will kick off the PVA5 Videos and it will be all Monday. We finish off Rock and the 4th Award Video nominees today.

We begin our final session with Stellar Kart, who says, go All In (Apologize).

Most people worry about going down for the third time. What about the 7eventh Time Down. That's when it's time to Just Say Jesus.
Another Skillet Video. This is a Music/Lyric Hybrid of Not Gonna Die.
Our last one is a bit poppy, but it's time to party. Here's Shine Bright Baby and Beautiful Love.
We'll be in a more worshipful mood on Monday as we kick off the New Year. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Heat Advisory: The 2013 Fourth Quarter - Rock

We have come to the end. The Final Category in the 4th Quarter Platinum Vinyl Award Pool is that of Rock, by far the glory genre. It was kind of a quiet quarter for rock, with only six entries. This category has a lot of work to it, so 6 is pretty atypical. Still, there was plenty of heat this time around.

Rock Music

• Decyfer Down - Scarecrow
• Everfound - Everfound
• These Hearts - Yours to Take
• Petra - 40th Anniversary
• 7eventh Time Down - Just Say Jesus
• Stellar Kart - ALL IN

It's kind of fitting that we wrap things up in October. Decyfer Down rocked down the house with Scarecrow (kind of fitting for the Halloween season) and even took on one of the scariest things out there the Westboro Baptist Church. Everfound is a new band which expands the Commonwealth of CCM to Russia. And though it left you wanting more, how many groups around today will ever be able to boast 40 years of success.

That finishes the 4th Quarter of 2013. The pool is now closed. The 5th Platinum Vinyl Awards Year begins. Until next time I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Night Beat Rewind: August 2013

One month to go. Labour Day (I've decided to go with the Canadian spelling) marks not only the unofficial end of Summer and (formerly) the beginning of school, but it also marks the final month of eligibility in the 4th Platinum Vinyl Awards.

First, though, we must put August to bed. As we always do, we begin with those entries that

Missed The Mark

• Fuzed Worship - By Your Blood EP 3.75 Emeralds
• Mercy Me - The Worship Sessions 3.75 Emeralds
• Amanda Noelle - Beautiful Name 3.75 Emeralds
• The Ongoing Concept - Saloon 3.50 Emeralds
• Soulfire Revolution - Revival 3.75 Emeralds
• Various Artists - Lead me to the Cross: Today's Biggest Praise Songs 3.75 Emeralds

The biggest surprise here for me is Mercy Me. I became a fan when I first heard "I can only imagine". It's tough being a trend setter, and nothing recent from them stirs me like that song. Even so, to not have it wind up in the initial pool is shock enough. Two entries struck gold, or more accurately

Pure Platinum

• Audrey Assad - Fortunate Fall 5 Emeralds
• The Civil Wars - The Civil Wars [+digital booklet] 5 Emeralds

Double A has been on my radar from her debut. On her third album she strayed a bit from her pop comfort zone and went perfect. I think this album will wind up in multiple categories, as it is either AC/Inspirational or Modern Worship. The Civil Wars? Beside the fact that they have managed to strike double platinum (Barton Hollow was a Perfect 5 as well), you can also land a copy of your own by entering the Great WENC Night Beat 3rd Birthday Giveaway. Most albums fall somewhere in the middle and are classified as 

Semi-Precious Metal

• The Ambassador - Hors D'oeuvres 4.50 Emeralds
• Bridgecity - BridgeCity 4.75 Emeralds
• Seth Condrey - Keeps on Changing 4.50 Emeralds
• Cornerstone Sanctuary Choir - Glorify 4.75 Emeralds
• Crave - Crave 4.50 Emeralds
• Decyfer Down - Scarecrow 4.75 Emeralds
• The Digital Age - Evening Morning 4.75 Emeralds
• Jars of Clay - Inland 4.75 Emeralds
• Love and Death - Between Here and Lost 4.75 Emeralds
• Love and The Outcome - Love and The Outcome 4.50 Emeralds
• Mandisa - Overcomer 4.50 Emeralds
• Nations - Nations 4.75 Emeralds
• New Life Worship - Strong God 4.50 Emeralds
• Norma Jean - Wrongdoers 4.75 Emeralds
• One: A Worship Collective - We Believe Live 4.50 Emeralds
• 1 Girl Nation - 1 Girl Nation 4.50 Emeralds
• Stellar Kart - All In 4.50 Emeralds
• Tammy Trent - Sunny Days 4.75 Emeralds
• Tye Tribbet - Greater Than 4.50 Emeralds
• Tricia - Radiate 4.75 Emeralds
• Christa Wells - Feed Your Soul 4.75 Emeralds
• Matthew West - Into the Light: Life Stories and Live Songs 4.50 Emeralds

A bit of a Caveat. Bridgecity and Love and Death seem to be re-releases of a sort. Both originally were rated in our January 2013 Rewind. It seems to be a greater release. Matthew West is a double dip. It closed out the 3rd PVA and is repackaged with a DVD. I'll keep updating the links as we go along, but I think the big ones are good enough for now. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply