Hope everybody is enjoying their Labor Day Holiday. There is no rest here at The Night Beat (actually, there is, due to the miracle of automatic scheduling). So even though there is nobody here in the offices of the WENC Night Beat, our regularly scheduled Music Video Monday will go out. Something like the Pony Express (you know, neither rain, nor snow...).
If you have been with the last few weeks, you know that an abundance of entries in the Hard Rock and Rock Genre have forced us to have two posts for each of those genres. This marks the second week of Rock, and the end, finally of the 3rd Quarter. We can now begin the 4th Quarter on September 10 and get some in before the 4th Quarter ends on September 30). Last week we had videos by Big Daddy Weave, Children 18:3, Deluge, MxPx and Mercy Me. This week we crank things up just a bit.
We begin, somewhat ironically, on the Holiday celebrating the End of Summer, with The Rocket Summer. From their new release Life Will Write The Words, this is Revival.
We crank it up with Thousand Foot Krutch. This is a lyric video of Be Somebody off of their independent release The End is Where We Begin.
Continuing with the audio assault. Write This Down sings of their Lost Weekend. This is Crash and Burn.
Toning it down just a notch, here is Willet, a band that was privileged to play during the Olympic Games. This is the lyric video for Love on the Outside.
We conclude by going old school. This is Petra, which just released a Best of the '80's album. This is a video from one of my favorites (I don't have too many non favorites when it comes to Petra). This is Bema Seat.
Next week we begin the 4th Quarter with an all new Music Video Monday. Summer may be officially over, but we are just Heating Up. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
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.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
The People's Choice
Labor Day is almost here, and that means that Summer is Unofficially Over. While the season won't change until later in September, Fall is just around the corner.
Next Friday will mark the return of Flashback Friday, and our first post will be on the Metal band Bride. The week after that will be death metal band Saint, and then I have chosen to switch things up a bit.
I have run out of ideas for the column, at least in its present Chronological Order. I have come up with a solution, and that is to organize things thematically rather than chronologically. I have come up with ideas in three themed categories:
Next Friday will mark the return of Flashback Friday, and our first post will be on the Metal band Bride. The week after that will be death metal band Saint, and then I have chosen to switch things up a bit.
I have run out of ideas for the column, at least in its present Chronological Order. I have come up with a solution, and that is to organize things thematically rather than chronologically. I have come up with ideas in three themed categories:
- The Commonwealth of CCM - I have a number of entries from the British Commonwealth (UK, Australia and New Zealand) Right now there are seven of them.
- The Industrial Revolution - These are Industrial, Techno Synthpop Bands, Right now I have six of them on tap.
- A Real Alternative - Alternative Bands. Right now there are 9 potential bands that can make a list here.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Music Video Monday: Moment to Moment
Welcome to the latest edition of Music Video Monday. Since I am continually getting new readers care of Facebook, I think it is only proper that I should continue with my introduction every week. Music Video Monday is where I share the best in Christian Music Videos on the web. Think of it as my way to resurrect the original MTV.
We have come to the Rock Genre for the 3rd Quarter Releases of 2012. Due to the abundance of videos out there, (there were 10), I am once again splitting this into two weeks, and part two will be out on Labor Day. Todays edition will be somewhat more sedate than next. We'll leave the hard stuff for the holidays.
We begin with Big Daddy Weave, one of those bands that I had somewhat forgotten about. This is Redeemed off of their album Love Come To Life.
We move on to our next band, the Rock/Worship band Deluge. This is a live performance of Your Joy from their release Swell.
Continuing with Rock/Worship, this is The Hurt and The Healer, the song from the album of the same name by legend Mercy Me.
We conclude with the harder stuff, a preview to next week. We Begin with a band originally called Magnified Plaid. Thankfully it got shortened to MxPx. This is Far Away from Plans Within Plans.
And we conclude with Sibling Punkers Children 18:3 and Moment to Moment from their latest release On the Run.
That concludes this edition of Music Video Monday. We will be having an MVM post on Labor Day, and we will finish up the Rock genre with videos from The Rocket Summer, Thousand Foot Krutch, Willet, Write This Down, and Classic Petra. Until then, or my next post, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
We have come to the Rock Genre for the 3rd Quarter Releases of 2012. Due to the abundance of videos out there, (there were 10), I am once again splitting this into two weeks, and part two will be out on Labor Day. Todays edition will be somewhat more sedate than next. We'll leave the hard stuff for the holidays.
We begin with Big Daddy Weave, one of those bands that I had somewhat forgotten about. This is Redeemed off of their album Love Come To Life.
We move on to our next band, the Rock/Worship band Deluge. This is a live performance of Your Joy from their release Swell.
Continuing with Rock/Worship, this is The Hurt and The Healer, the song from the album of the same name by legend Mercy Me.
We conclude with the harder stuff, a preview to next week. We Begin with a band originally called Magnified Plaid. Thankfully it got shortened to MxPx. This is Far Away from Plans Within Plans.
And we conclude with Sibling Punkers Children 18:3 and Moment to Moment from their latest release On the Run.
That concludes this edition of Music Video Monday. We will be having an MVM post on Labor Day, and we will finish up the Rock genre with videos from The Rocket Summer, Thousand Foot Krutch, Willet, Write This Down, and Classic Petra. Until then, or my next post, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Siren Song
There are some bands that just know how to make a good album. Skillet happens to be one of the bands that I would put on the list. At least with their current string of six albums, which just so happens to coincide with Korey Cooper taking over running the band (If you see them in concert, you can see that just about everything runs like clockwork off her MacBook Pro). While some critics criticize them for a certain sameness to their albums, the truth is they have found their zone and they are happy. As long as they remain in that zone, the band can survive just about any change and put out a great album.
Another group that has found its niche is Orange County, California Based (no, not that one) Project 86. A long time member of the Tooth and Nail family, the band is now independent. I came into this bands orbit pretty late, really only with Rival Factions
(2007). Really. Evil: A Chorus of Resistance had me hooked. And the cover. You needed either a red or blue filter to make everything out. It was very different.
Every group that's been around a while will put out at least one best of album, and 2010 was Project 86's year, but they took a different spin on the typical best of album by doing both a Best Of and a Live Album in one CD, and the result was the Platinum Vinyl Award Winning Best Live Album 15. Live.
(2010). If you have never listened to Project 86 or if you are already a fan, this is a must have album. You can catch my quick review of the album by clicking on the link.
Now comes Wait for the Siren
, and though I'm not sure if this refers to the mythical songstresses or the wailing siren of emergency vehicles. Either way, this album is a resounding advertisement of what can come of Kickstarter campaigns. This is a tight album, and one I've had on repeat all this week. Once, Fall, Goliath, Fall starts, there is no rest. This is one of my perfect picks for a long overnight road trip. You will not fall asleep.
The album has it all: Growls, String like arrangements, celtic pipes (yes, Celtic Pipes. Think Iona Metal. It works.) This Album draws you in. And you wont have any trouble listening to the lyrics either. They are clear as crystal. Curse You P86 for making it impossible to pick a favorite song. I just want them all. And the hypnotic drums. But of course stuff like Ghosts of Easter Rising and the Title Cut with those pipes. No argument. This is a 5 Emerald Perfect Album. Don't wait for the Siren, buy now. Until next time. I am Awaiting Your Reply.
(2007). Really. Evil: A Chorus of Resistance had me hooked. And the cover. You needed either a red or blue filter to make everything out. It was very different.Every group that's been around a while will put out at least one best of album, and 2010 was Project 86's year, but they took a different spin on the typical best of album by doing both a Best Of and a Live Album in one CD, and the result was the Platinum Vinyl Award Winning Best Live Album 15. Live.
(2010). If you have never listened to Project 86 or if you are already a fan, this is a must have album. You can catch my quick review of the album by clicking on the link.Now comes Wait for the Siren
, and though I'm not sure if this refers to the mythical songstresses or the wailing siren of emergency vehicles. Either way, this album is a resounding advertisement of what can come of Kickstarter campaigns. This is a tight album, and one I've had on repeat all this week. Once, Fall, Goliath, Fall starts, there is no rest. This is one of my perfect picks for a long overnight road trip. You will not fall asleep.The album has it all: Growls, String like arrangements, celtic pipes (yes, Celtic Pipes. Think Iona Metal. It works.) This Album draws you in. And you wont have any trouble listening to the lyrics either. They are clear as crystal. Curse You P86 for making it impossible to pick a favorite song. I just want them all. And the hypnotic drums. But of course stuff like Ghosts of Easter Rising and the Title Cut with those pipes. No argument. This is a 5 Emerald Perfect Album. Don't wait for the Siren, buy now. Until next time. I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Music Video Monday: Je Suis Fini
Very rarely do we stretch out a genre over two weeks, but such will be the case for the Two rock genres. Both Hard Rock and Rock just had too many videos to squeeze into a single post.
We begin with The Overseer, and Amend, from their June release, We Search, We Dig.
Our second video is from To Speak of Wolves and their new release, Find Your Worth, Come Home. This is Je Suis Fini which means "I am Dead".
We Conclude the Heavy Metal genre with War of Ages, which released Return to Life this past quarter. Prepare yourself for this one folks, the Music is not all that's heavy. This is Silent Night, and it ain't no Christmas Song. That concludes this edition of Music Video Monday, as well as the heavy metal videos for the 3rd Quarter. I would encourage all of you, if these videos of The Overseer
, To Speak of Wolves
, and War of Ages have piqued your interest, to click on the links and purchase through Amazon, and support The Night Beat at the same time. Next week we move on to Rock, and until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
We begin with The Overseer, and Amend, from their June release, We Search, We Dig.
Our second video is from To Speak of Wolves and their new release, Find Your Worth, Come Home. This is Je Suis Fini which means "I am Dead".
We Conclude the Heavy Metal genre with War of Ages, which released Return to Life this past quarter. Prepare yourself for this one folks, the Music is not all that's heavy. This is Silent Night, and it ain't no Christmas Song. That concludes this edition of Music Video Monday, as well as the heavy metal videos for the 3rd Quarter. I would encourage all of you, if these videos of The Overseer
, To Speak of Wolves, and War of Ages have piqued your interest, to click on the links and purchase through Amazon, and support The Night Beat at the same time. Next week we move on to Rock, and until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Burning Like The Midnight Sun
I'm going back into the archives on this one, Folks. There aren't many times that I will reach back two years to do a review, but this is a special case.
First a little backstory. Soon after this blog was started I decided to come up with my own Music Awards, which I entitled the Platinum Vinyl Awards. We are now in the process of winding up the eligibility for our THIRD YEAR. And since the reach of this blog continues to grow, it wont be long before I dethrone the Doves (Waa-ha-ha).
Burning Like The Midnight Sun wreaked havok on the judging at the Inaugural Award Ceremony. It caused a split award, and there were two alternative winners, Vessels by Ivoryline shared the honors. It's release in 2010 marked the end of a five year hiatus by the band. Their previous release had been 2005's O How The Mighty Have Fallen.
The band starts right off with the title cut, somewhat unconventional in the biz, but of course, there is nothing conventional about The Choir in the first place. (By the way, I did a totally unscientific and random survey from my CD Collection. Of 10 Albums Picked at Random which had a Title Cut, the average was track 4 for the location of a title cut. You have to love the words of this song, however, which in a way is a defiant, anti-retirement song.
Of course the trademark of all songs by The Choir is what I call melodic guitar. Derri Daugherty plays his guitar with such a high key that you "hear" the guitar, where it usually just blends in to the music with other bands. It is a truly ethereal experience.
In addition to the title cut, the Daugherty and company tackle topics as diverse as Lost Love (That Melancholy Ghost), The TSA (Mr. Chandler), Death (A Friend So Kind), Christian Love (The Word Inside The Word and It Should Have Been Obvious) and a haunting ballad on Growing Up, done with little more than a pounding Piano and triangle, entitled Say Goodbye to Neverland.
There seems to be a need to issue a warning for everything, and there is somewhat of a need here. Though there is no language parental advisory, as this is a Christian Band, these guys are not ashamed to admit that they enjoy a fine cigar from time to time. For example, in Mr. Chandler, which recounts a ticketing snafu at an airport, they recount that after their ordeal, they "fired up four smokey treats". Also, in a Friend So Kind, their view of heaven is that their friend is "Forever smoking fine cigars at the table of the Lord". Not your average Christian View, and I like it.
When it originally came out I was unable to preview the entire album and so I passed it along on the basis of 30 second bites. Now that I have it I am not ashamed to say that this was worthy of winning, and should be given a 5 Emerald Rating for 2010. It is a must have album in your collection if you are a fan of real alternative music. As always, I hope you will click through the links and buy through Amazon and support The Night Beat at the same time.
If you read my recent announcement, you know that Flashback Friday will be on hiatus for August. I will return with the column after the Labor Day Holiday. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
First a little backstory. Soon after this blog was started I decided to come up with my own Music Awards, which I entitled the Platinum Vinyl Awards. We are now in the process of winding up the eligibility for our THIRD YEAR. And since the reach of this blog continues to grow, it wont be long before I dethrone the Doves (Waa-ha-ha).
wreaked havok on the judging at the Inaugural Award Ceremony. It caused a split award, and there were two alternative winners, Vessels by Ivoryline shared the honors. It's release in 2010 marked the end of a five year hiatus by the band. Their previous release had been 2005's O How The Mighty Have Fallen.The band starts right off with the title cut, somewhat unconventional in the biz, but of course, there is nothing conventional about The Choir in the first place. (By the way, I did a totally unscientific and random survey from my CD Collection. Of 10 Albums Picked at Random which had a Title Cut, the average was track 4 for the location of a title cut. You have to love the words of this song, however, which in a way is a defiant, anti-retirement song.
I'm not goin' down behind the mountain, I'm Never gonna fade away. I'm burnin' like the midnight sun. I'm not gonna sink into the ocean. Baby I'm here to stay. I'm burning' like the midnight sun. Burnin' like the midnight sun. I'm not going down.Here's the song, via soundcloud
Of course the trademark of all songs by The Choir is what I call melodic guitar. Derri Daugherty plays his guitar with such a high key that you "hear" the guitar, where it usually just blends in to the music with other bands. It is a truly ethereal experience.
In addition to the title cut, the Daugherty and company tackle topics as diverse as Lost Love (That Melancholy Ghost), The TSA (Mr. Chandler), Death (A Friend So Kind), Christian Love (The Word Inside The Word and It Should Have Been Obvious) and a haunting ballad on Growing Up, done with little more than a pounding Piano and triangle, entitled Say Goodbye to Neverland.
There seems to be a need to issue a warning for everything, and there is somewhat of a need here. Though there is no language parental advisory, as this is a Christian Band, these guys are not ashamed to admit that they enjoy a fine cigar from time to time. For example, in Mr. Chandler, which recounts a ticketing snafu at an airport, they recount that after their ordeal, they "fired up four smokey treats". Also, in a Friend So Kind, their view of heaven is that their friend is "Forever smoking fine cigars at the table of the Lord". Not your average Christian View, and I like it.
When it originally came out I was unable to preview the entire album and so I passed it along on the basis of 30 second bites. Now that I have it I am not ashamed to say that this was worthy of winning, and should be given a 5 Emerald Rating for 2010. It is a must have album in your collection if you are a fan of real alternative music. As always, I hope you will click through the links and buy through Amazon and support The Night Beat at the same time.
If you read my recent announcement, you know that Flashback Friday will be on hiatus for August. I will return with the column after the Labor Day Holiday. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Music Video Monday: My Destiny
Welcome to the latest edition of Music Video Monday, where we bring you the latest and greatest in Christian Music Videos. We're at the 3rd Quarter Releases for Heavy Metal and Hard Rock, and we've got a whopping six videos in this category. While this post has been in the making these bands have been in the studio. What this means to you is more metal. Two Music Video Monday posts will be needed in order not to overload you in one post.
We begin with a video that I shared when it originally came out. It's from the band with the coolest name in Rock. Demon Hunter. I mean, you can't say the name without doing it in a deep bass growl. As opposed to the band with the wimpiest name, the Southern Gospel Quartet Eek, a devil.( just kidding). This is My Destiny from their April release True Defiance.
Next up is For Today, which released Immortal over the Memorial Day holiday. This is the music video for Fearless.
A little bit of a departure for our final band Haste The Day broke up after their best release ever Attack of The Wolf King. However, they just released a best of release, giving me the opportunity to post a video of the band. This is Blue 42, a live video from their final show on March 11, 2011 in Indianapolis, IN
Next Music Video Monday we will continue in the Metal Vein with videos from The Overseer, To Speak of Wolves, and War of Ages. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
We begin with a video that I shared when it originally came out. It's from the band with the coolest name in Rock. Demon Hunter. I mean, you can't say the name without doing it in a deep bass growl. As opposed to the band with the wimpiest name, the Southern Gospel Quartet Eek, a devil.( just kidding). This is My Destiny from their April release True Defiance.
Next up is For Today, which released Immortal over the Memorial Day holiday. This is the music video for Fearless.
A little bit of a departure for our final band Haste The Day broke up after their best release ever Attack of The Wolf King. However, they just released a best of release, giving me the opportunity to post a video of the band. This is Blue 42, a live video from their final show on March 11, 2011 in Indianapolis, IN
Next Music Video Monday we will continue in the Metal Vein with videos from The Overseer, To Speak of Wolves, and War of Ages. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
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