Too Late To Apologize

A rose by any other name may smell as sweet, but a song with different words is usually a parody song. Now I kind of grew up on Parody Songs. Back in the day "Weird Al" Yankovik was the Parody King. (He started in 1983). Now Weird Al knew the rules of a successful parody: 1.) Choose a Song That is Popular but not really Beloved. One that deserves to be made fun of. 2.) Keep it very close to the original and 3.) Make sure that people don't get bored with the parody and return to the original. (And with Songs Like Another One Rides The Bus, My Bologna, and Eat It, I don't think that was much of a problem). Oh, and there is one more rule. Don't Blaspheme The Holy Things.

And that rule brings me to my topic. The Christian Parody Song. In the CCM world the role is filled by a group called ApologetiX (named for the Christian Doctrine Apologetics: "The Art of Shoving Your Beliefs Down Other Peoples Throats When No One Asked"--Yes, yes, I know. The Art of Defending The Faith. Word of Faith Pet Peeve). I was introduced to them one Soulfest and was not impressed. Especially when they turned Hotel California by The Eagles into a Christmas Parody Hotel can't afford ya. What part of no room don't you understand. Sloppy Bible study not tolerated here.

During the final quarter of 2016 ApologetiX put out 2 albums, and the Night Beat verdict is Split. I didn't care much for Minor League, which despite the title is about the "Minor Prophets" of the Bible, not Baseball's feeder system. But With songs like Obed-Edom, Obadiah (Ob-la-de-Ob-la-da Life Goes On) which I personally think is one of the most irritating songs out there, right up there with Marezy Doats, I didn't really care for it. But then when they Blasphemed the holy things with Man On The Run (Band On The Run). You Don't touch Paul McCartney and Wings, especially Band on The Run. I gave it a Miss The Mark Grade (once I found it. Amazon was slow on posting).

So I approached Quilt ready to give it a bad mark as well, but surprise, surprise, I actually liked it. Part of the reason is that they stuck to the rules. They didn't poke fun at any holy things. While a few of the songs are on the Teen Memories List they kind of beg parody. (for example The Bangles Walk Like an Egyptian turned into Bought By An Egyptian or Madonna's Like A Virgin turned into Lotsa Versions. Hey for that one it begs anything that rhymes. They could have done a song about caviar called Like a Sturgeon). More importantly they didn't try to "force" any songs. The biggest Stretch is Nancy Sinatra's These Boots are Made for Walking being turned into These Books God Made You're Mocking, but if you go with Proverbs Wisdom saying she will mock, it might work.

No surprise then, that I am handing out a split rating. For a late July rating for Minor League, I am handing out a not ready for the big leagues rating of 3.50 Emeralds. Quilt sun a better product, and got an honest 4.50 Emeralds. Either one is for fun since I really wouldn't know where to put them. There really aren't many parody artists in CCM. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The art of the Remix

Here at the +The WENC Night Beat we are big fans of remixes. For those not up on music lingo, a remix is when the audio track of a song, and sometimes the lyric track as well, is taken by another artists and put into a blender and worked over until the song bears little or no resemblance to the original. Now take out the word blender and replace it with synthesizer and you have the truth.

Remixes are all the rage these days. I think we average one a month around here. A few years ago we might have had one all year long. Just because they are all the rage doesn't mean you should do one. Take this month for example. We have four remix projects out. +Hillsong United has The White Album (boo hiss on The Beatles Reference). +Jars Of Clay put out Inlandia. +Capital Kings come out with Remixd, and +Jesus Culture puts out Jesus Culture Reconstructed Volume 1. I'll take two to compare.

First, the good. Jars of Clay remixed a few songs from Inland and in the process transformed themselves into The Choir. Not really, but Jars, especially in their early work, really lent itself to an ethereal sound, something that The Choir is know for. Since I love both bands, the result was awesome. Mission Accomplished. The songs were remixed into something completely different.

On the flip-side we have Hillsong United. It isn't a bad album, it's just that, despite the claim, it isn't a remix album. Note my definition above. The songs sound just like a typical Hillsong United album. The tempo hasn't increased, the sound hasn't been distorted, nothing has really changed except for a few beeps and other sounds being added. It's a major fail. 

It looks like the remix category at the PVA's is here to stay, at least for another year. I'll be sure to make sure you know about the best ones. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Help, I need somebody

Help, not just anybody.... The Beatles had it right (The Kings of Rock and Roll usually did). Don't try to argue with me on this one. America has no royalty, so they can have no king. Therefore Elvis cannot be the King. He may or may not be the best, but that is an entirely different argument.

If you would like to be among the few, the proud, the #NightBeatniks, I would like you to connect with me. Now, if you are familiar with Christian Music, that is a plus, but is not essential to the task at hand. I am more concerned with the music at the PVA's. First Round Voting will progress in various stages, to narrow down the entries into a final list of nominees.
The schedule will progress as follows:

• Phase 1: Album Genres
• Phase 2: Song Genres
• Phase 3: Video Genres
• Phase 4: General Field
• Phase 5: Album, Song, and Video of The Year

I have applied the first cut to the album genres in an attempt to drain the pool somewhat. The minimum bar, instead of 4 Emeralds, is currently set at 4.75. While that narrows a lot of genres, surprisingly not all. After the cut the following genres still need a lot of help.

• Rap: 15 entries
• Modern Worship: 24 entries
• Alternative: 33 entries 
• Pop: 16 Entries
• Hard Rock: 13 entries
• Rock: 13 entries

The goal is 7 entries for each genre. I have no objection to blowing up the categories to as many as 10, but that's it. There will be no 21 nominee category like this years Dove Award Song of The Year. That's all you need to know right now.  So if you want to be involved, contact me, and  I will provide you with a list of that genre's pool entries. You don't have to have any of these albums, that's what Amazon and iTunes are for. Plus, as full album streams or songs are available, I am posting them on my Soundcloud Profile.

Think it over, and if you think you've got what it takes to be a judge, I'll be Awaiting Your Reply.

The Solid Rock

1973 was a good year. I was 7. Musically I don't recall much. Probably "C is for Cookie" or "Won't you be my neighbor" was on my hit parade. Christian Music was unknown to me at the time. I wasn't a Christian at the time. That wouldn't happen for another two years. What my older brother brought home was the music I listened to as well. The LP's and 45's that we listened to on our record player (ask your parents or grandparents what those were) were mostly The Beatles, Paul McCartney and Wings, The Eagles, Chicago, and others.

1973 was an Epoch Making year in Christian Music, though, as these things go, the industry didn't know it. Petra was Born. Bob Hartman, John DeGroff, Greg Hough and Bill Glover were the original quartet, and the eponymous debut came about in the next year. Though we were in the beginnings of the Jesus Music Era, in some cases Petra belonged to an era all its own. By the time I found out about the band they were already on their fourth album, Never Say Die (1981). The Greg Volz era of Petra was beginning, and the band was on their way to claim their place as Supreme Rulers of The Christian Music World. I was in High School and I was hooked. This was my music. I have covered the band in the past, especially with not just one, but two editions of Flashback Friday.

When you've been around as long as Petra has, you create an inter-generational link. Teens who loved Petra in the 80's are parents of Teens today. That's why it is so important for something like this weeks 40th Anniversary Set to be released. Yes, those of us who grew up with the band have all the albums. It contains only two new songs. That's not the point. That's why reviews like this one are naive and shortsighted. Who cares if you have everything already? It's about the next generation. Two Discs. 37 Songs 40th Anniversary (Deluxe Edition) , and you still haven't even scratched the surface of the genius that is Petra.

This is one of those times that I must give two ratings. For nostalgia purposes, this set has everything I love. All the songs that are burned into memory. For the next generation, this is a must have album. 5 Emeralds. I once passed by a car that had a bumper sticker that said "honk if you love The Beatles". I thought, "Boy, that must be one noisy ride". Not as noisy as the one that said "Honk if You Love Petra". But yes, there are only two new songs, and some of the best in my opinion are not on this release. In that case, my brain says 4 Emeralds. Anyone who gives it under 4 is crazy. Rock on Guys. PETRA MEANS ROCK. I am Awaiting Your Reply.

We all live in a Yellow Cavalier

Sorry about the Beatles reference. It was a nice song, though, and a pretty good movie. Of course the actual line is "We all live in a Yellow Submarine", but my brief review is about a band called Anthem Lights, which had an indie release under the name Yellow Cavalier in 2009. In that iteration, band members Chad Graham, Caleb Grimm, Kyle Kupecky, and Alan Powell, who are all vocalists, would have been charitably described as a "Boy Band", in the vein of NKOTB. I was introduced to them via a free download of "Nowhere to go", and while it wasn't as gag inducing as the typical boy band, I wasn't rushing out to buy the CD.

Now the same members have re-branded themselves as Anthem Lights, and have released a three song EP. Gone is the Boy Band, and now we have straight up pop rock. I am going to give the EP 3.5 Emeralds. It's a much better product, but it is only three songs. Because of that I would avoid the physical CD and go the download route for Can't Shut Up, I Wanna Know You Like That and Can't Get Over You. A Full release is promised for May 10. I will be holding off of any verdict until then.