A Band is a Terrible Thing To Waste

Pardon the ripoff of the UNCF Slogan, but it applies. You are never too much of an expert to learn something new. Never more could that be applied than to the Modern Worship genre. The lesson to be learned comes form the Gospel Genre "A Choir, Never Leave Home Without It." Whenever a Gospel album is released, though the Album title may not reveal it (John P. Kee, Fred Hammond, etc) the Choir (Love Fellowship Crusade Choir, etc.) is ALWAYS THERE, along with the orchestra. They know what people want and they give it to them.

Modern Worship has forgotten that, evident by the trend in "Solo" albums that are coming out from famous worship leaders. The latest release comes from Hillsong Church Australia's Darlene Zschech called You Are Love. I reiterate here a problem I have with live concert albums which I posted in my previous review of such an album by The Rocket Summer. "There is something missing". Now it's not as bad as last years Simply Darlene. That one was missing a lot. I hated it just enough to not bother reviewing it, but if I had, I would have snarkilly called it something like "Simply Awful". As much as I complain that the modern worship genre has been "Hijacked by Hillsong" (I like the alliteration and apologize to all those offended via the proximity of the statement to 9/11). As much as anyone would like to protest, Darlene is Synonymous with Hillsong. That's just the way it is. I'm going to give it 3.75 Emeralds as a final review. Close, but as they say close only counts in Horseshoes and Hand grenades.

Night Beat Bonus: Also suffering from the same problem but a bit better is Cindy Cruse Ratcliff from Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston. Simply entitledTwenty-Three. It is just enough better on its own to go into the Platinum Vinyl mix for the genre, but I don't think that it will survive the judging. I'm giving it 4.25 Emeralds.

That will do it for this week. Tomorrow starts a whole new slew of releases, and keep it locked here to stay informed on them all. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Thief of Hearts

I thought I would do a few reviews for some Albums that have been out for a while. Sometimes these are only available via download. The Rocket Summer Bryce Avery: His Instruments, Your Voices is available free on his website. That's the entire album folks, not just a song or two. The Album is a live concert album that was done acoustic in small venues in what I can tell from verbal cues, in Hollywood and Salt Lake City. I am usually of mixed feelings when it comes to Live albums, but this one is very good.

His Instruments

Bryce is a multi-instrumentalist, which means he can be a one man band if he wants to, and in this case he does. Though he sticks to piano and guitar in this acoustic set, he does a "solo jam" which involves drums, guitar, electric guitar and some additional layering of instruments which would be impossible if not for a computer/synthesizer of some sort. Not that I'm complaining. I love techno. And all CCM one man-bands owe a lot to a man by the name of Leon Patillo. If you grew up in the 80's you may know who I am talking about.

I have two complaints about live albums, and both are addressed here. The first is that in a Live recording, "something is missing". The sound is never quite right, because it cannot be controlled. Bryce takes the K.I.S.S. Method here to achieve near perfection. Small Venue, Acoustic, not much can go wrong, and accept for an audience caused snafu (more on that in the second part), nothing does.

Your Voices

This is where the album really shines. In most live albums, when the artist/band asks for the audience to sing along is when things start to go bad. Maybe it's just that they don't have the audience miked, maybe it's the mix, and maybe we've got an audience of newbies who don't know the songs. The result is usually dead air. I liken it to those town hall meetings when they ask a question, you don't hear the question, and then you hear, that's a great question from the pol. (It doesn't matter your political persuasion, they're all equally bad.)

Such is not the case here. These fans are rabid. Not in stalker rabid, but they know all the words to every song and sing it loud and proud. This is a live experience at its finest. The fans are also responsible for a very funny moment during the show. After requesting Never Knew, they clap along at to quick a speed, throwing off Bryce's rhythm. After complaining playfully, he says "I can do this, I'm a professional" and continues the song. The energy is obvious.



Final Thoughts

I Thought I might not do this review, considering it is a free album, but it is that good, so I have to spill. In the Interest of the Night Beat making a buck, let me add that the full studio versions of the songs on the live set are on the albums Of Men and Angels, Hello Good Friend, Do You Feel, Calendar Days, and The Rocket Summer.

I played this for a family member, and after it concluded, the remark was "He stole their hearts". I agree. Now, I have a job for you the listener. As a live experience, this gets the full 5 Emerald treatment. Here is my question. Since it is a free download which may get limited circulation, should I include it in the PVA's this year? This could accomplish two things, getting more people to download and more comments for me. A Win-Win. I await your decision. As always, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

This Weeks Listening Parties

Just a quick post to keep everybody up on the availability of Some Full CD Listening Parties. New Release Tuesday has Jason Gray: A Way to See in The Dark (Out 9/13). This week Hearitfirst.com has Two Listening parties at their site Darlene Zschech:You Are Loved (Out Today) and a debut release Jessa Anderson: Not Myself Anymore (Out 9/13). Nothing on JesusFreakHideout.com or AOL Music.

One Other Note: Tonight is the Album Release Party for Ginny Owens, at least as far as Hearitfirst.com is concerned. It is still scheduled for Tonight at 8:00 P.M. Eastern. If you haven't registered at live.hearitfirst.com for a previous Live Event, you'll have to do it before you can watch, so come a few minutes early. It's quick.

That's it for today. I promised a live post, and I delivered. Oh, One More Thing. The listening party for Jessa Anderson seems to be missing a song. Fireflies (Track #2) is there but is mislabeled as Everybody Has those Days. All the songs are one off (except for Track #1), so The Return appears to be the one missing (Track #10 at hearitfirst, actually Track #11). You've been warned. As always, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Mini Review: Committed

Committed  is a vocal band in the same vein as Take 6. They won one of the music talent shows out there today, this one NBC's The Sing Off. While it is not technically Christian, I have seen it promoted on Christian sites, so I am going to go with it.

Their sound is definitely R&B/Motown, and consists of mostly love songs, and a lot of covers (Let's Stay Together: Al Green, Sweet Home Alabama: Lynyrd Skynyrd). There is a Gospel Song. It is a good album. Sorry for the short post.

I am going to give this CD 4.25 Emeralds. I usually go for stuff that makes me jump a bit more. But it is smooth Motown music. I recommend it highly.

That should do it for the weekend. I'll be back live with you on Tuesday. Have a great (Union) Labor Day Weekend to everyone in The States. As Always I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Mini Review: Dorinda Clark-Cole: I Survived

If you've read The Night Beat for any length of time you know that I only acknowledge the existence of one kind of Gospel Music, and that is Urban or Black Gospel. So called Southern Gospel triggers my retch reflex, and if anything deserved to be called "The Devil's Music" Southern Gospel qualifies in spades.

No one is going to confuse Dorinda Clark-Cole's latest release, I Survived with Southern Gospel. This is an album that will get you Jumping in The House of God. Some of the Best Cuts are He Brought Me and For My Good.

This is a great album. I could go on with the great songs, but I'll refrain, because I'm trying to get out a few posts today. Suffice it to say this album doesn't survive, it thrives, with a near perfect 4.75 Emeralds. It is definitely going into the Gospel/R&B mix for this years PVA's. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Mini Review: Divided by Friday: Prove It

I am going to try to knock out a few posts today today to get me through the Labor Day weekday. In order to do that, I am going to have to cut my usual review length short.

First up is Divided by Friday. Due to the fact that they seem to like releasing EPs, this is their fifth album in 3 years. They have a Ivoryline feel. Most of the songs are Rock/Alternative, with Face to Face being the only ballad.

When a good band releases an EP my only disappointment is that it's too short, and such is the case again. As such I am going to give it only 4.25 Emeralds. It will go into the intial mix for this years PVA's, and we'll see how it goes from there. As the title says, they will have to Prove It.

One Down. Have you listened to the EP? Do You Like It? Please comment. As always, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Get In, I'm Driving

Good Music is Easy to Find

I don't know why that phrase terrifies me (Kidding). Maybe because the person who picked this title for her new CD, Ginny Owens, Is Legally Blind. Of course that doesn't mean that she can't sing. The girl can sing. In some respects the album reminds me of Lara Landon's Closer. There are some definite Torch Singer possibilities here, though not as many as Landon.

Still, this is an impressive album. Get In, I'm Driving is forty-two minutes of exquisite vocals. There are rock voices, soul voices, Gospel voices, but rarely is there an artist that can sing whatever he or she wants to sing and carry it off to perfection.  We are Blessed in today's market considering there are Three that I know (Landon, Owens, and Crystal Lewis) who can carry this off. Some of my favorites are Better That Way, the title cut, and The Song.  The Album doesn't come out until September 13, but you can Preorder Through The Night Beat.

The track listing:

1. Get in I'm Driving
2. Mystery of Grace
3. Before You Fly
4. Rain
5. Joined at the Heart
6. Better Off
7. Lay it Down
8. Higher Ground
9. Daughter of Destiny
10. Better That Way
11. The Song

Quick Review and Listening Options

This week you can catch the entire album Streaming at New Release Tuesday. The Album fits in the Pop category for most of the songs, so that is where it will go. I really don't have a torch song category. I am giving the CD 4.75 Emeralds. It is near vocal perfection with minimal instrumentation. Mostly piano, and some strings. Next Tuesday Hearifirst is giving an Album Release Party. That's September 6 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Now they like to do things a little early since most lists have the album out the 13th.