WLCMA vs PVA: 2017 Edition - The Album Awards

We here at Night Beat HQ don't often see eye to eye with "The Industry" and we like it that way. My disagreement with the Dove's and The "Christian" Section of The Grammy's is Legendary. Still, sometimes they come around. And when they do I don't know whether to be happy or concerned.

This years We Love Christian Music Awards (WLCMA) is one of those times. They have 55 nominees (5 nominees per category, 11 categories) in the Album Section (The only section I have partially completed. Song is too raw at the moment) 41 are in the initial #PlatVnyl8 Pool (Which is current and I can comment on), and 6 are in the #PlatVnyl9 Pool (Which is in process and I can not comment on). The remaining 8 were either those that Missed The Mark or Albums which I missed (and I am Checking On).

The WLCMA's really love Pop Music. The Proof? They have 3 Pop Categories so they can get 15 nominees in. Even with the liberal standards of the PVA's (we have 7 nominees per category unless we have to expand them) that's twice ours. Because of this discrepancy we will not go into much detail on Pop, except to say that 13 of 15  nominees are also in the Pool. I will include the categories among my quick picks.

The first of the detailed categories is the Inspo Awards (Adult Contemporary/Inspirational). The nominees are as follows.

• Trust, Jaci Velasquez
• Open Hands, Laura Story
• We Will Rise, Natasha Owens
• Every Mile Mattered, Nichole Nordeman
• Unbreakable, Selah

All 5 are in this years #PlatVnyl8 pool. My Prediction? Velasquez for the win. Trust me. Who would I pick? I would go with Nichole Nordeman.

Next up is The Encounter Awards (Modern Worship)

• There Is A Cloud, Elevation Worship
• God That Saves, Iron Bell Music
• More, Jeremy Riddle
• The Garden, Kari Jobe
• Taste + See, Ricardo Sanchez

All except Jeremy Riddle are in the #PlatVnyl8 pool (Riddle is #PlatVnyl9).  I think the WLCMA's will stay traditional and go with Kari Jobe, and of the picks I would go with her or Sanchez (a lot of Horns in my samples. Horns and strings make my day). Though In My Humble Opinion, the winner should be In Rivers by Light City Music. All worship music is but a pale imitation. This is worship. They didn't even get nominated.

The AMP Award (Rock-Alternative) still in my opinion is too bloated (we have Rock, Alternative, and Hard Rock/Metal at The Platinum Vinyl Awards). Too many divergent sounds fighting each other.

• Farewell To Midnight, As We Ascend
• Let The Light In, Ashes Remain
• Gone, Red
• Found, Seventh Day Slumber
• IX, Spoken

Ashes Remain and Red are in #PlatVnyl9, the other three are in #PlatVnyl8. There is only one choice here: Red, Red, Red, Red, Red. Am I clear?

Album of The Year is the last detailed genre here. 

• Starlight, Bethel Music
• Faith Hope Love Repeat, Brandon Heath
• One Way Conversations, Hollyn
• All In, Matthew West
• Hills and Valleys, Tauren Wells

Brandon Heath is a #PlatVnyl9 Pool member, all the others are for #PlatVnyl8. I am thinking that of the choices, Hollyn is the best choice.

Now for the quick picks:

• The Hook Award (Pop): Hollyn, One Way Conversations
• The Freebird Award (Art Pop): The Royal Royal, Rococo
• The Pop Lite Award (Pop/Contemporary): Mercy Me, Lifer
• The Hype Award (Rap): KB, Now We Rebel
• The BPM Award (Electronic): Fearless BND, We Are Fearless
• The Soul Vibe Award (Gospel): Deitrick Haddon, Deitrick Haddon and the Hill City Worship Camp
• EP of The Year: Plumb, God Help Me EP        

That does it for this post. It will be all quick picks for the next few posts. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply           

Night Beat Rewind; November 2017

Merry Christmas, Seasons Greetings, and all that Jazz to you all. We are having our first snow of the season (Holiday. It's only autumn until the 22nd) and I can already feel the Floridian influence (We're in New England. It's Not a storm until it tops a foot). On to Rewind, We begin with the Christmas Releases.

Christmas Music (Non-Eligible)

• Paul Baloche - For Unto Us: Christmas Worship Live From London 4.50 Emeralds
• Love and The Outcome - Christmas Songs EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Mari - Have Yourself a MARI Little Christmas 4.75 Emeralds
• Marc Martel - The First Noel EP 4.75 Emeralds
• John McClaughlin - Red and Green 4.75 Emeralds
• Melanie Penn - Immanuel 4.50 Emeralds
• Tenth Avenue North - Decade The Halls, Volume 1 5 Emeralds
• Tim Timmons - Mighty Christmas EP 4.50 Emeralds
• Toby Mac - Light Of Christmas 4.50 Emeralds 
• Zach Williams - The Call of Christmas (Single) 4.75 Emeralds

Now on to the regular music. We begin with those songs released during the month, with hopefully an album or EP to follow in the near future.

The Singles Scene

• Steven Curtis Chapman - The Great Adventure 25th Anniversary Edition (ft Bart Millard) 4.75 Emeralds
• Dillon Chase - Homerun 4.25 Emeralds
• da Foo - 40 Days 4.25 Emeralds
• Mat Kearney and Afsheen  - Better Than I Used To Be 4.50 Emeralds
• Prafit Josiah - Mine Already 4.50 Emeralds
• Rapture Ruckus - Proof of Life 5 Emeralds
• Brad and Rebekah - I Am Found 4.75 Emeralds

Now on to the Albums. We begin, as always with those album that will not make the #PlatVnyl9 pool.

Missing The Mark

• Aha Gazelle - Trillium 3 4.25 Emeralds
• Datin - The Menace Mixtape 3.75 Emeralds 
• Dee 1 - Slingshot David 3.50 Emeralds
• Corey Paul - Untold Story: The Young King 4.25 Emeralds
• Konata Smal - Est 1997 4.25 Emeralds

3 of the 5 here may have made it into the pool last year, but we have tightened things up. Our next list, however, scale whatever obstacle is placed in their way.

Pure Platinum Perfection

• Evanescence - Synthesis 5 Emeralds
• Sara Groves - Abide With Me 5 Emeralds
• Andy Hunter - Presence, Volume 2 5 Emeralds  
• Manic Drive - Into The Wild 5 Emeralds
• Skillet - Unleashed Beyond 5 Emeralds
• The Walls Group - The Other Side 5 Emeralds

Semi - Precious Metal

• Francesca Battistelli - Greatest Hits: The First 10 Years 4.75 Emeralds
• Benjah - Guidance 4.75 Emeralds
• Boiling Point - Take Courage EP 4.50 Emeralds
• John Ellis - Growing Silent 4.75 Emeralds
• Emery - Revival: Emery Classics Re-Imagined 4.75 Emeralds
• Jessica Johnson Garcia - Now Forever EP 4.50 Emeralds
• Matt Hammitt - Matt Hammitt 4.75 Emeralds
• Kevi - Barnabas 4.50 Emeralds
• Kutless - Alpha Omega 4.50 Emeralds
• Lifepoint Worship - Mountain/Valley (Live) 4.50 Emeralds
• Josh Lovelace and Friends Present - Young Folk 4.75 Emeralds
• Your Memorial - Your Memorial 4.50 Emeralds
• Joshua Micah - 20XX EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Derek Minor - High Above 4.75 Emeralds
• Phinehas - Dark Flag 4.50 Emeralds
• Plumb - God Help Me EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Powerhouse Fellowship Soul Choir ft Shaun Cotrell - It's Not Over (Live) 4.75 Emeralds
• BJ Putnam - Love Like Fire (Live) 4.50 Emeralds
• Jeremy Riddle - More 4.75 Emeralds
• Young Saint - Transition (Live) 4.75 Emeralds
• Skillet - Feel Invincible Remix EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Alexis Slifer - Famous For EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Abigail Sloane - Reason and Rhyme 4.50 Emeralds
• Sojourn Music - Clap Your Hands, Stomp Your Feet 4.50 Emeralds
• Soul Survivor - The Promise 4.75 Emeralds
• Austin Stone Worship - Everflow 4.75 Emeralds
• Sweet and Lynch - Unified 4.75 Emeralds

That does it. November is now in the bag. On to December and the end of the First Quarter. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.