Night Beat Rewind: July 2014

We have come into the Dog Days of Summer. Though of course this is, with a few days excepted, a year without a Summer. Not that I'm complaining. 

Also, while we are only five days into August, I have completed this edition of Rewind for July. Pretty Good. We shall see how long it takes to type. Perhaps I will wait on links. 

As is the recent pattern, we begin with a few Single releases, or what I tongue in cheek refer to as 

The Singles Scene

• Lauren Daigle - How Can It Be 4.50 Emeralds
• Disciple - Radical 5 Emeralds
• Thousand Foot Krutch - Born This Way 4.75 Emeralds

While I love Trevor and TFK, Disciple just blew me away, so I had to give them the perfect score. Not so perfect are the first group of albums, they are they which are

Missing The Mark

• '68 - In Humor and Sadness 3.75 Emeralds
• Bizzle - Well Wishes 3.75 Emeralds
• Carman - Beginnings 3.75 Emeralds
• B. Cooper - While The City Sleeps 3.75 Emeralds
• Hillary Jane - Stix and Stones 3.75 Emeralds
• Hillsong Worship - No Other Name 3.75 Emeralds
• JT - Moment of Silence 3.75 Emeralds

Now all of these just missed the opening bar of 4 Emeralds to get into the Platinum Vinyl Pool. No problem with the next group missing out. These are all

Pure Platinum

• Anberlin - Lowborn 5 Emeralds
• For The Fatherless - For The Fatherless 5 Emeralds
• Gungor - I Am Mountain (Deluxe Edition) 5 Emeralds
• Moriah Peters - Brave 5 Emeralds

It is sad to see Anberlin go, but what a way to go. Gungor has impressed those of us at night Beat HQ since they went New Age/Alternative, and For The Fatherless had a very strong debut. Next up are those releases which, while not Pure Platinum still made the pool. These are the 

Semi-Precious Metal

Before we begin with the regular list, Capitol Christian Music Group (Sparrow, Forefront) has joined its Parent in releasing the 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection. This month's releases were Carman, Emery, Norma Jean and Starfield. Now with the exception of Carman, only Norma Jean (founded 1997) qualifies. The other two are 21st Century Masters. Nitpicking? Maybe? but that is my job. In order listed, my ratings were 4.25, 4.75, 4.50, and 4.75 Emeralds. Now to the rest of the list.

• About a Mile - About A Mile 4.75 Emeralds
• Aaron Bagwell - The Sound of Jesus 4.50 Emeralds
• Bellarive - Before There Was 4.50 Emeralds
• Cadence - Home 4.75 Emeralds
• Colony House - When I Was Younger 4.75 Emeralds
• Covenant Worship - Kingdom 4.50 Emeralds
• Mr. Del - Hope Dealer 2 4.50 Emeralds
• Bethany Devine - Daily Confessions 4.75 Emeralds
• David Dunn - Crystal Clear 4.50 Emeralds
• Forevermore - Telos 4.75 Emeralds
• J-Giles Son - Employed by The King 4.75 Emeralds
• Golden Youth - The Kingdom 4.75 Emeralds
• Guardian - Almost Home 4.75 Emeralds
• Gungor - I Am Mountain (Bonus Material) 4.75 Emeralds
• Islander - Violence and Destruction 4.50 Emeralds
• Canton Jones - God City USA 4.75 Emeralds
• The Lasting Hope - Sunsets and Second Chances 4.50 Emeralds
• MxPx - MxPx Acoustic Collection 4.75 Emeralds
• Jonas Park and David Bollman - Forward 4.50 Emeralds
• Phanatik - The Art of Battle Rap: Puns and Punchlines, Vol. 1 4.75 Emeralds
• Red Coalescence - Killers 4.50 Emeralds
• Kierra Sheard - Graceland 4.75 Emeralds
• Summit FutureNow - The Now and the Not Yet 4.75 Emeralds
• Various Artists - Pass The Mic: The Rise of Christian Hip Hop 4.50 Emeralds
• War of Ages - Supreme Chaos 4.75 Emeralds
• Ian Yates - DNA 4.75 Emeralds

That concludes July. Two more months left in this eligibility year. I have decided to forgo links at the moment. They will be added little by little. Keep checking back for updates. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Music Video Monday: Freedom Fall

Welcome back to our regularly scheduled edition of Music Video Monday. We're a little late with the posting due to hectic times at Night Beat HQ. Late isn't missed, however, like I missed Flashback Friday by a day.

We begin with a Live Video from +WarrAcresVEVO . This is Freedom Fall.
Next up is an artist I discovered last year from Christmas Music, of all things. Up and coming hip hop artist Shuree is up next with One Girl Can Change The World.
Finally, we have Bellarive as our final band this week. While it isn't exactly Music to raise the dead, it sort of is. This is Lazarus.
That concludes this edition of Music Video Monday. Until next week, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Sonic Awakening: 3rd Qtr Nominees - Alternative

Continuing once again with our rollout of the PVA eligible releases for the 3rd Quarter. We move from Gospel to Alternative. This was also pretty well represented.

Alternative

• 12 Stones - Beneath The Scars
• Bellarive - The Heartbeat
• Canopy Red - Wake Up
• The Choir - The Loudest Sound Ever Heard
• Lovelite - In Three Persons
• Mewithoutyou - Ten Stories
• Newworldson - Rebel Transmission

12 Stones is a solid group, now going independent. They welcomed Evanescence into the Wind-Up fold and became the 1-2 Christian Band duo at Wind Up. Though Evanescence is more mainstream, both have deep spiritual themes.

We are almost through with the rollout, only four more remain. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Music Video Monday: Infected

Welcome once again to the latest edition of Music Video Monday, where we share the best music videos in CCM.


We have come now to the Alternative genre, which is well represented both in albums and videos.


We will begin with Newworldson, a group which defies pigeonholing. This is Learning To Be The Light from Rebel Transmission.

From the new to the established. The Choir, one of the pioneers of Christian Alternative, has been on a tear recently, with three albums in three years. This is a live performance of Cross That River from their latest release The Loudest Sound Ever Heard.

The next two videos represent the true meaning of "Alternative". Technically both of them would be considered Modern Worship, but listen to them and tell me if you think that they sound like any MW band you know of. First up is Lovelite and Brother Sister from In three persons.

For our second MW/Alt crossover, we have Bellarive and Taste of Eternity from The Heartbeat.

We close with a lyric video from 12 Stones. This is Infected from Beneath The Scars.

This was a little longer than the usual MVM post, but no less enjoyable. Until the next edition of Music Video Monday, I am Awaiting Your Reply.