Rising Beats: The 2014 Third Quarter - Folk Music

We begin with the single genre posts as we wrap up the Third Quarter of 2014. For those of you who have followed this blog for a while, you know that it is our practice to build up the posts to the one which got the most entries. We begin with the one that just cleared the bar. Folk Music and Folk Rock got 5 entries this quarter, giving it its own blog post.

Folk Music/Folk Rock

• All Sons and Daughters - All Sons & Daughters
• Carolina Story - Chapter Two
• Chris and Gileah - Chris & Gileah
• Kristen Gilles - Parker's Mercy Brigade
• JJ Heller - I Dream of You

Now ASAD and Heller are multiple genre nominees, so that sort of skews things a bit, but when you release music that's hard to peg, those things happen. Alternative is next. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

2012: A Nightbeat Wishlist

It's the last week of December. Soon 2011 will be history. While the Platinum Vinyl Award first round judging is under way and my best of 2011 is already out, there is still much one can hope for. We at The Night Beat are quite optimistic about the new year. Sure, there is the opportunity to fix things in November, but I happen to be speaking musically at the moment. 2012 marks the three year anniversary of the Platinum Vinyl Awards. The Pool of eligible entries has increased each year, and the early entries for the third award period seem to point toward the best year ever.

Though a few bands may be able to put out a new release every year (and mostly they are in the techno/dance genre), an every other year release schedule is more the norm. With that in mind, I am using the 1st PVA (2010) as my guide in this wish list. As always, I will progess by genre.

Children's Music

Except for Veggie Tales, this is really a hit or miss category. However, 2010 had 2 entries and 2011 (in progress) has 5. I am holding out hope for 7 full eligible entries in 2012.

Folk/Folk Rock Music

On to folk music, another genre which is quickly gaining steam. Five entries in 2010 became nine this year. I am looking for a big jump in this category in 2012.

During her "Christian Era", Jennifer Knapp put out three studio albums in fairly short succession (1997, 2000, 2001), and then, except for a live album which was released in 2006, she dropped out of sight. She emerged from "retirement" in 2010 with her first studio release in NINE YEARS, entitled Letting Go. There was no evidence of rust with this release. While  the title may have referred to her break with the Christian Music Industry, astute CCM fans found nothing objectionable in the lyrics (Note to Christians: The word HELL is all over the Bible). Though ignored by the industry, she was not ignored at The Night Beat. Letting Go split the Inaugural Platinum Vinyl Award Best Folk/Folk Rock album with the more traditional Carolina Story.

As to the aforementioned Carolina Story. When The River Met the Sea was a breakout album for Husband Wife duo Ben and Emily Roberts. With songs such as "Long Way South" and "The Apple. This undiscovered gem cruised to a split category win. 2011 has them back at work again with their sophomore CD entitled simply Home. Upon first listen it is more Country than Folk. I will see if I can make room for it in the entries for the Third PVA's.

One more entrant to comment on. Andrew Peterson, the CCM industry answer to Paul Simon, was a strong contender in 2010 with Counting Stars. In 2011 he is making another strong statement with the live album Above these City Lights. Will he reappear in 2012 with a new studio release? I think so.

That will finish my first 2012 look ahead. Until next time. I am Awaiting Your Reply

The Night Beat Presents: 2010 Songs of The Year

The 2010 Platinum Vinyl Awards are over, and sacrifices had to be made to make sure we beat the Doves to the line. One of the sacrifices was the Song of the Year category, which was genre based. Still, I felt that there should be some recognition to the artists. This post is my solution. The Song of the Year Category will officially be added to the Platinum Vinyl Awards for 2011.

Without further ado, the 2010 Songs of the Year, as determined by The Night Beat:

• Folk/Folk Rock Song: The Apple, Carolina Story, When the River Meets the Sea
• Dance Song: Live it Up, Group 1 Crew, Outta Space Love
• Gospel Song: All the Way, Forever Jones, Get Ready
• Alternative Song: Between Bare Trees, The Choir, Burning Like The Midnight Sun
• Modern Worship Song: Movements, Rend Collective Experiment, Organic Family Hymnal
• Pop Song: 2AM, Poema, Sing it Now
• Hip Hop/Rap Song: The Invasion (Hero) feat. Jai, Trip Lee, Between Two Worlds
• Hard Rock Song: Voices in the Night, Silverline, Voices in the Night
• Rock Song: Desperate, Fireflight, For Those Who Wait
• CROSS/over Song: Broken Pieces feat. Lacey from Flyleaf, Apocalyptica, 7th Symphony

Well That unofficially officially ends the 2010 Platinum Vinyl Awards. I officially ended it on April 21 with the Artist of the Year Award, but I kept going back and forth on recognition for best song. This list finishes that up, and we'll try to have song categories for each genre next year. Now we really do return to our regularly scheduled posts.

The 2010 Platinum Vinyl Awards: Best Folk/Folk Rock Album

The time has finally arrived. The nominations are in, the music has been analyzed, and the voting is completed. All that remains is to "hand out" the (still virtual) Award. The award process begins with the Album of The Year Awards, which is divided among the various genres.

Next up is the Folk/Folk Rock category. During the initial eligibility period only five eligible entries were detected, two short of the standard field of seven nominees. Though they were announced in a previous post, by way of review. These were the five final nominees.

• Caedmon's Call - Raising Up The Dead
• Carolina Story - When The River Met The Sea
• Jennifer Knapp - Letting Go
• Sandra McCracken- In Feast or Fallow
• Andrew Peterson - Counting Stars

Now, as to the voting process. Going over the entries for the purpose of picking a winner, I discovered that two of the nominees were misclassified. The first was Caedmon's Call. While Raising up the Dead still retains some of the Folk Rock elements that fans love, there is a determined attempt to distance themselves from their beginnings, and the album seems to be best described as Alternative, and maybe Pop. Though the CD has been available as an mp3 since last September, the release of the physical CD on March 22 has given me the chance to punt. I will put it into the mix with 4.25 Emeralds for the 2011 Awards in Pop and Alternative. Counting Stars by Andrew Peterson also was misclassified. While I still maintain that Andrew Peterson is the Paul Simon of Christian Music, Simon was more of a Pop Singer as a solo act, only as a duo with Art Garfunkle was he folk. Such is the case with Andrew Peterson. And. when placed in the Pop category, there were too many other deserving nominees for him to be among the entries. So, in the absence of a Counting Stars Expanded Edition this time, repeat after me "It was an honor just to be nominated."

That left me with three nominees that fit the standard of Folk or Folk Rock, and two of those had the "wow factor" that is necessary to impress the judges and win the inaugural Best Folk/Folk Rock Album of the Year for 2010. To see how this was resolved, stay with me after the jump.