The Drive To Five: No need to Obsess, The Waiting Is Over

When last we met, we were attempting to cover the six nominees of #PlatVnyl4 for Comeback of The Year within the space of a single post. Forgive me sounding like Superman, but I think that is the level of folly I was dealing with. Our last three nominees really take you back in the time machine.

Obsessions, can be bad, but some can be good. Especially if they come from Sacred Warrior. The band, which began in 1985, and exhorted Christian headbangers everywhere to "love one another and do what the Master commands", was one of the Pioneers of Christian Melodic Metal and has often been compared to Queensryche or Iron Maiden. They had a very short but sweet run, as Obsessions came out only in 1991. They caught the reunion wave beginning in 2001 at the Cornerstone Festival. Not surprising since they were a Chi-town band and C-Stone, founded by Rez, was always more supportive of the Hard Rock scene. Still, it took almost a Dozen Years of Waiting in Darkness , but it was worth it. With Eli Prinson replacing founding vocalist Ray Parra without missing a beat, the band was nominated, in addition to comeback awards, for Metal Album and Song of The Year. Waiting in Silence won the latter.

Don't Wait for the Movie , it's not as good as the book. Unless the book is by J.R.R. Tolkien and the director of the movie is Peter Jackson. Then all bets are off. White Heart (or Whiteheart) goes all the way back to the early 80's (1982 to be exact, making it the 2nd oldest of the three). I would not consider them a Jesus Music Band, however. Personally I would cut off that label in 1979, making it an even decade. To mix Honeytree and Larry Norman with Whitecross and other metal bands is just plain wrong. Only Rez belongs in the group. The band lineup has always been in flux, and they are the answer to the question "What band did Inspirational Singer Steve Green Start out with?" Redemption was the title of their last studio album in 1997. There have been some hints of a reunion tour, but they never officially broke up, which makes things kind of tough in that respect. They only received comeback artist nominations.

The last nominee was also the winner, and the longest comeback. Sweet Comfort Band is from the Jesus Music Era, having formed back in 1977. They were Christian Music's first Jazz Band. By the time I began my career as a DJ in the Fall of 1984 they had broken up. Despite the death of Bass Player Kevin Thompson, the band reformed with the remaining original lineup and released "The Waiting Is Over " in 2013. It was an appropriate title, for the band stayed true to their original sound without too much tinkering, so it was a cool drink for fans. They won both comeback album and comeback artist. A sweep.

Next time we shall discuss the class of 2013, as we call the new artists. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Drive To Five: Comeback Kids Strike Back

As I reported in my previous post, #PlatVnyl4 was very encouraging due to all the growth that was everywhere.  With everything busting out all over, it makes us realize that the Platinum Vinyl Awards is going to be around for quite a while, and maybe one day we will have a real ceremony in a small municipal auditorium. Hey, the Bible says not to despise small beginnings.

The biggest evidence of growth was the Comeback Award, which grew to two awards. Comeback Artist, and Comeback Album. And there were SIX NOMINEES!! Rock and Roll may be dead out in the mainstream, but people are coming back to Christian Music in droves. Plus five out of the six nominated bands also released an album during the time frame, so that gave us an opportunity for comeback album as well.

Of the six nominated bands, none was more surprising than Audio Adrenaline. Due to the failing vocals of Mark Stuart the band decided to disband rather than seek a new vocalist in 2007. Five years later they realized their name was Audio Adrenaline and not, say, the Mark Stuart Band, and got a new lead vocalist. Actually they got more than that as Will McGinniss was the only remaining member of the original band. Lead vocals were taken over, in a very surprising move, by former DC Talk crooner Kevin Max. Max's "Shimmering Vocals" were quite unlike that of Rock Screamer Stuart, and so a change was in order. The band was rebuilt around Max and the style shifted from Rock to Alternative. The resulting album, dubbed Kings & Queens [+video] , wound up being pure platinum. They also landed 8 nominations. It was not to be enough, however, to reign at the podium. The band was shut out. Sometimes disappointment can be very tough to live down. They ditched Max, and have gone through two lead singers since: Josh Engler of Abandon and now Adam Agee of Stellar Kart. You can read my opinion of the current band by clicking on the link. Suffice it to say, No. Time to go before you wreck your image.

Our second nominated band, Big Tent Revival, had been out of the spotlight a bit longer, right after their Amplifier broke in 1998. At the time the band consisted of David Alan, Randy Williams, Steve Wiggins, Spence Smith and Rick Heil, asked "What Would Jesus Do?" and the answer was apparently to retire. The band reformed after a dozen years or so, and Spence Smith and Steve Wiggins only remain of the original lineup. The Way Back Home is the name of the album, but this reviewer thought there a little too bit country and not enough Rock and Roll. It got a paltry 3.5 Emeralds and did not make the awards except for that of Comeback Award. Actually, I think people agree with me as the album as disappeared from Amazon.

Two years, two ska reunions. The spirit of Truth (the Roger Breland founded band, which started in 1971, by the 1980's had an extensive horn section and I still think could be considered the father of Ska). The Orange County Supertones (Or OC Supertones) were a staple of the Summer Festival Circuit. They disbanded in 2004, but stirred 8 years later with an album of Repackaged tunes called Reunite. The following year, however, was For the Glory , and that qualified them as a true comeback kid. They also only received Comeback nominations.

We are only halfway through the list. I thought I could do it all in one bite, but I think that was very optimistic. I will have to take another post to finish up. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Drive To Five: Revenge of The Fallen

Welcome back to our look back at the Platinum Vinyl Awards first four years as we move on toward #PlatVnyl5 this Spring (yes, fellow Northeastern Chums, it will arrive). When last we were on this topic we had just begun our discussion of #PlatVnyl3, which had taken place in the Spring of 2013 for the 2011-12 year releases. Today we will be discussing the Comebacks as well as the artists that broke up during the eligibility year.

We grew each year in the Comeback of The Year award and this year was no exception. Third Year, Three Comebacks. But Boy oh Boy what comebacks they were. 

We would Kiss the lead singer of the first comeback, but she's already taken. That would be Leigh Nash of Sixpence None The Richer. You may recall that their claim to fame was the single Kiss Me. Well it was a long time between kisses, as their album Lost In Transition came out an entire decade after Divine Discontent. A lot of reviewers panned it, and it wasn't really their best work, but it made the pool with a near perfect 4.75 Emeralds. It did not get an Alternative Album of The Year nomination, though.

Our second comeback artist was from the sub-genre known as Ska. No, it wasn't the Supertones, they would make their bid for comeback platinum in #PlatVnyl4. This was for Motor City Ska's The Insyderz.They always played second fiddle to the Supertones (no, there are no fiddles in ska bands, that's only for the Annie Moses Band). The Sinners Songbook also received a nomination for Best Rock Album.

The final nominee for the award was also the biggest by far. I mean, how many bands strike multiple platinum on their debut? How many redefine their genre and spawn their own sub-genre? How many get to watch the entire industry rush to copy your sound, while at the same time try to exclude you from it? And by industry, I mean CCM. The band of course, is Evanescence. I always found it funny that a band named after the rapture couldn't be accepted by the CCM industry, but such was the case. The self titled third studio album (there is a Live Album in the Mix) was Perfect Platinum, and boy did it shine. It took Comeback of the Year, The Night Beat DJ's Choice Award, Song of The Year and Album of The Year. It also was honorarily given the Night Beat Fallen Award, an award that they were personally responsible for creating, as the band getting Kicked Out of The Kingdom after the release of their debut album Fallen was the impetus for the award. It was nominated for a few more awards that it did not win. Since then, they are on hiatus. Touring takes a lot out of you. They have not broken up, however.

One band did break up after getting their award (the ingratitude!). That was Abel The Band. Their release Make It Right was nominated for Album of The Year, the Song Fire Walk with Me was nominated for Song of The Year. They were also nominated for Alternative Album and Alternative Song of The Year, which they won. I would say that they were the victims of "The Night Beat Curse", sort of like the SI Cover Jinx. Except I don't believe in curses. 

When next we return we shall discuss the Inaugural Video of The Year Awards. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Drive To Five: Anybody Out There?

We left off our recap of #PlatVnyl2 with the GRAC, and with the revelation that there was no Fallen Awards given out that year, there being no "scandal" in the industry. The Crossover potential of CCM was very strong with Jackie Evancho and The Civil Wars getting Album of The Year nominations in the inaugural year for that category.

In a first of sorts (as it has yet to be repeated), a multiple artist compilation, Music Inspired by The Story, was both a Perfect Album and nominated for Album of The Year. Folk Music struck platinum that year as Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars took home Album of The Year. The duo would make their return to the podium for #PlatVnyl4, but that is for another time.

The Folk/Folk Rock Split would last for a second year as The Civil Wars, in addition to winning Album of The Year, also took home Traditional Folk Album of The Year. The Folk Rock Album of The Year was won by Comeback Group Burlap To Cashmere, who first burst onto the scene with their debut Anybody Out There? way back in 1998. Burning Bright caused them to burn out and they left the scene until 2011, when they took home not only Folk Rock Album of The Year but beat out fellow nominee Miss Angie for Comeback Artist of The Year. That category doubled in size as well, going from 1 to 2 nominees.

When we next return we will move on to the Class of 2011, as I call the New Artists for the Year. It was a big class with a lot of staying power. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

No More Meltdowns Goliath

The ratings system of the WENC Night Beat isn't exactly a closely guarded secret, but that doesn't mean that it's haphazard. One of the biggest factors, however, is expectations. With a debut artist, expectations, you would think, would be non-existent, but that really isn't true. In that case I judge them against the standard of what I feel would be the "Perfect Album" for the genre that they are in, or at least resemble for most of the album. Now in the case of an established artist, while I still have that perfect album in my mind, I also judge the album against what I feel is my expectations of a perfect album BY THAT ARTIST. Now sometimes an artists tries to make life difficult by promising never to make two albums that sound alike, like Project 86, but usually even there you can catch some similarities.

Now with a comeback things can get kind of crazy. And when an artists hasn't recorded an album in over 20 years. People change. But still, you can come up with something fairly accurate, as I did this past year with Sweet Comfort Band, which hadn't recorded in 30 years.

Speaking of crazy, it usually helps if the artist is certifiable, like Randy Stonehill or in this case Steve Taylor. After all age and maturity may pass, but crazy is forever. Goliath  is the title of Taylor's return to the music industry. No longer saddled with just Some Band, he has finally found the Perfect Foil. 

Now this isn't your daddy's Steve Taylor by any means (his heyday was between 1983-1987). The synthpop is gone. He never thought it aged well. Of course since I love techno and synthpop I have always begged to differ. There is no meltdown on this album or any tricks like Am I In Synch. A few throwbacks exist. Sympathy Vote has a distinct Whatever Happened to Sin vibe, but the sound is more mature. Mature sound, but the sarcasm (some might say venom, but it isn't) is still thick on tracks like Double Negative or Comedian ("I'm sick as a dog but I still fetch" is a new classic). The title track, a spin on the David/Goliath story in the Bible, has a video out. This is one mean little bunch.

I'm handing out candy here at +The WENC Night Beat as the Holiday Season approaches. Actually I seem to do it all year long. How else can you wind up with 30 or so perfect albums. I'm going to do it again, as I'm going to give Goliath a perfect 5 Emerald Rating. It's good to have the Clone Prince behind the mic again. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

We are here, We are here

During the latter half of the 1990's Christian Music was about to come full circle. Though most of the "pop" music of the Jesus Music era would be classified as Folk (or even Folk Rock) by today's standards, beginning with the 80's, CCM focused on the emerging Rock genre, purging Folk from its repertoire. The biggest "folk star" of the early CCM era was Amy Grant. In the beginning it was One Girl and her guitar playing "My Father's Eyes". As the industry changed, Amy became the first bonafide Pop-Rock Star that CCM had. Except for the Messianic Music sub genre (Lamb), folk was dead.

Frail Jars from Kansas Revive Folk

The resurrection began in 1995 with the release of "frail", the debut release by Jars of Clay. (#22 on CCM Magazine's 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music) "Was it an acoustic based alternative band or a cleverly disguised folk act?" they asked. The answer was folk, but then it alternative, and now, with the release of The Shelter (2010), it's folk again.

1997 saw two radically different sounds take over folk music. First out of the gate was Christian music's original junkyard band, Caedmon's Call and their self-titled release. (I don't think they ever played old bottles or metal garbage cans, but I don't think they wouldn't have tried them). The year ended with the Amy Grant's "girl with a guitar" mantle being passed to a girl from Kansas named Jennifer Knapp. Kansas (1997) (#80 on the CCM list) was full ahead folk-rock. Though she would later be more rock than folk, and she would later be disowned by the CCM industry at large for personal issues, three of her four albums would make my greatest album list: Kansas, The Way I Am (2001) and Letting Go (2010) Which won the First Ever Platinum Vinyl Award Best Folk Rock Album, and also garnered Jennifer the Comeback Artist of the Year Award as well as the Night Beat Fallen Award. I Would encourage you all to visit my Platinum Vinyl Award Homepage for the complete list of winners and the description of the various awards. Though not marketed to the CCM industry as a "Christian Album", there is nothing objectionable in Letting Go. And, as in other Christian matters, count me as one of the "Once saved always saved" crowd, with one caveat. If you intentionally renounce Jesus, you are doomed. Unless you do that, you're still saved. I never read that Jen renounced Jesus, so she's still in the kingdom.

Basic Instructions for Musical Domination

Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth (that's BIBLE f.y.i) took over the airwaves the following year and the phenomenon known as Burlap to Cashmere took the throne. 1998's Anybody Out There? was a fusion of Greek-Mediterranean-Middle Eastern influences with Folk Rock. Founders Steven Delopoulos and John Philippidis influences are most evident on the opening track entitled Digee Dime, as well as Basic Instructions, Divorce, and the martial-sounding Scenes. Then, almost as quickly as they rose to the top, they vanished.

Fast forward thirteen years. Christian Music is experiencing a period of reunion. (I would say renewal but that sounds a bit too ecumenical). Bands (or artists) who either through an official disbandment or just a long period of inactivity have disappeared from the public consciousness have orchestrated their comebacks. It is no surprise that BTC are among the returnees. Their self titled release, which came out July 19, is like a cool drink of water to a thirsty soul. Though more standard folk rock, with even some Jars like influences, the Greek sound can still be heard in cuts like Build a Wall, Orchestrated Love Song, and Santorini.

After repeated listening, I have to say this is one of the best folk albums of 2011. Where I thought that The Civil Wars would be runaway winners this year, I am not so sure now. I am giving Burlap to Cashmere a just short of perfect 4.75 Emeralds. Welcome Back Burlap to Cashmere, and, until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The 2010 Platinum Vinyl Awards: General Field Minor Awards

The Dove Awards are over, and suddenly I don't feel so bad about not being able to make a decision a few times. I'm only one person, they have a committee. And they still have two ties? We move on to the General Field with some minor awards.

• Comeback Artist of The Year: Jennifer Knapp
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Michael W. Smith
• The Night Beat DJ's Choice Award: Apocalyptica - Given to a Clean Secular Release worthy to receive widespread Christian airplay.
• The Night Beat Fallen Award: Jennifer Knapp - Awarded to a Christian artist who, despite, or because of a Controversy in the Christian Music Industry, has had a successful release. Named for the Debut Release by Evanescence, which, despite getting "Kicked out of the Kingdom", has sold over Seven Million Copies in the United States and is 7x Platinum 
• The Night Beat CROSS/over Award: Evolett - Given to a Christian Band with high Crossover potential.
• The Night Beat Keaggy Award: Lincoln Brewster - Given to a supremely talented guitarist 

Next up: Male Vocalist of the Year at 9:45