Music Video Monday: Good News

Welcome Back to Music Video Monday. We haven't been able to keep a steady pace, getting waylaid by a few holidays, but we are making slow progress. We're doing much better in the behind the scenes stuff.

We begin our musical journey with a little rap. Eshon Burgundy came into the orbit of the Night Beat through his association with the Rap Group Rekonciled. They have been silent for the past 5 years. They need to make some noise. Anyway, Eshon has been releasing some singles in anticipation of a new album. This is the music video for Nothing Above You.
Next up we have Remedy Drive. They are lighting up the North searching for The North Star. This is Sunlight on Her Face. 
And finally we have a little free-form worship from Rend Collective. They are here to remind us that the Gospel that we preach is Good News. I think we should shout that from the rooftops.
That does it for this edition of Music Video Monday. Bumpy progress is still progress. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Seven Soundtrack: The 2016 Platinum Vinyl Awards 3rd Quarter - Rap/Hip-Hop

The second of our three way tie is here. Rap and Hip Hop had 9 eligible entries this quarter. That would be enough, if there were no judging, to fill a final category with two left over. There will be judging, however.

Rap/Hip Hop

• Adalid - Before Greatness
• Brinson - Black Canvas: UWMA2
• Brvndon P - Brvndon P
• Eshon Burgundy - The Passover
• Flame and Mike Real - Revival
• Scribbling Idiots - Good Morning Mourning
• Sevin - Purple Heart
• DA T.R.U.T.H. - It's Complicated
• Viktory - Tomorrow Came

A solid group of entrants which should make for a very tough category once judging begins. Rock, the final of our trio of nine, is next. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

#PlatVnyl6 v. #WLCMA4 - The Album Awards, Part Two

Welcome back to our picks for the 4th We Love Christian Music Awards, as well as commentary on how it stacks up against the Platinum Vinyl Awards, more specifically, the current awards year, which is #PlatVnyl6. This is the third post, so check out the introduction and the first three groups of nominees by clicking on the appropriate links.

The next two groups of nominees are competing for one award in the Platinum Vinyl Awards. Let me explain. The Encounter Award (Worship Album of The Year) and The Chorus Award (Church Based Worship Album of The Year) are both competing for the Modern Worship Album of The Year at the Platinum Vinyl Awards. And I think it will stay that way for a while. It's the sound, not the location, that makes the difference for me.

The Encounter Award nominees are:

• Aaron Gillespie - Grace Through The Wandering 4.50 Emeralds
• Amanda Cook - Brave New World 4.50 Emeralds
• Christy Nockels - Let It Be Jesus 4.75 Emeralds
• Matt Maher - Saints and Sinners 4.75 Emeralds
• Matt Redman - Unbroken Praise 4.75 Emeralds

The Chorus Award nominees are:

• Bethel Music - We Will Not Be Shaken 4.75 Emeralds
• Gateway Worship - Walls 4.50 Emeralds 
• Jesus Culture - Unstoppable Love #PVA5 (2014 Release)
• Passion - Even So Come 4.75 Emeralds
• Vertical Church Band - Church Songs 4.75 Emeralds

I Don't know why NRT dropped the ball on this one by putting a 2014 album for best of 2015. Other than that we don't have too many problems. I wasn't that impressed with Gillespie and Cook in the first grouping and Gateway worship in the second, but other than that the choices were very good. As I said, however, I have combined all the Modern Worship Music into one award. The Automatic Qualifiers for #PlatVnyl6. I have six, which is 1 short of a full bracket without busting it open. They are:

• Bethel Music - Without Words: Synesthesia 5 EMERALDS
• The Katina's - Sunday Set 5 EMERALDS
• Planetshakers - #LETSGO 5 EMERALDS
• Planetshakers - This Is Our Time 5 EMERALDS
• Soulfire Revolution - Afterglow 5 EMERALDS
• Young Oceans - I Must Find You 5 EMERALDS

A much better grouping. There probably will be an expansion of the categories beyond seven to accommodate a few more worthy nominees, but there will be no ties.

The Hype Award corresponds to our Rap/Hip Hop Album of The Year, and personally I would say, don't believe the hype. Let's get right to the nominees.

• Alex Faith & Dre Murray - Southern Lights: Overexposed MTM
• Andy Mineo - Uncomfortable 4.75 Emeralds
• JGivens - Fly Exam MTM
• KB - Tomorrow We Live 4.50 Emeralds
• Roy Tosh - Death Before Love 4.50 Emeralds

It's an OK bracket, but you notice those two MTM's. That means I consider them to have Missed The Mark and awarded them a score under 4 Emeralds. That means they don't get into the nominee pool, and KB and Tosh would be a stretch in the pool at 4.50. Here our the Automatic Qualifiers for #PlatVnyl6

• Eshon Burgundy - The Fear of God 5 EMERALDS
• Flame - Forward 5 EMERALDS
• KJ-52 - Mental 5 EMERALDS
• LA Symphony - You Still On Earth? 5 EMERALDS
• Derek Minor - Empire 5 EMERALDS
• Skrip - Renegades Never Die 5 EMERALDS
• TobyMac - This Is Not A Test 5 EMERALDS
• Whosoever South - Come On In 5 EMERALDS

This one was a category buster. 8 Perfect 5's in one year. And others may get snubbed if I don't go higher. 

Finishing with my picks. I'll go with Christy Nockels for the Encounter Award and Bethel Music for The Chorus Award. For Rap and The Hype Award, I'll pick Andy Mineo. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Polar Vortex Polka Redux: The 2015 2nd Quarter - Rap

Welcome back to our announcement of the 2nd Quarter 2015 Pool entries. We move on to the final three. First up is Rap and Hip-Hop, with ten entries this quarter. Mind you, we try to narrow things down to 7 entries for the finals. Let's get to it.

Rap/Hip-Hop

• 21:03 - Outsiders
• Eshon Burgundy - The Fear of God
• Chris Cobbins - August Season, Take 1
• Dee-1 - 3Up EP
• JSon - No Filter
• Derek Minor - Empire
• NF - Mansion
• Sareem Poems and Ess Be - Beautiful Noise
• Skrip - Renegades Never Die 
• Social Club - Us

This quarter we had Three perfect albums in Rap, and they were Eshon Burgundy, Derek Minor and Skrip. That's half the finals in already. Next up is Gospel.

Music Video Monday: Little Bird

I am trying to get some sense of normalcy here at Night Beat HQ, and the best way to do that is to have a regular scheduling of Music Video Monday. So here we go.

We begin our video tour with a little folk music. We will be singing about the Little Bird with Misty Edwards.

Next up we rock out to Red and Darkest Part.

And finally we move on to Rap music, and Eshon Burgundy. This is a bit of Higher Learning

That does it for this edition of Music Video Monday. Tomorrow we return to the Second Quarter Announcements. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Night Beat Rewind: March 2105

Though the nominations for #PlatVnyl5 are in, the nominations never stop coming in. The end of March not only brings Spring with it, but it also marks the half-way pole of the race that is the #PlatVnyl6 Eligibility Period. No singles were announced this month, so we move on to those entries which will not be in the pool, those that

Missed The Mark

• Joseph Habedank - Take Time to Be Holy 3.75 Emeralds
• Britt Nicole - The Remixes 3.75 Emeralds
• The McCrary Sisters - Let's Go 3.75 Emeralds
• Mike Real - Mind of Hollis 3.75 Emeralds
• Various - Songs 4 Worship: Hymns of the Ages 3.75 Emeralds
• Various - Worship Anthems Inspired By A.D. the Bible Continues 3.75 Emeralds
• We Are The City - Violent 3.75 Emeralds

Of this group, while all are good, though not particularly award worthy, I Was disappointed most by Britt Nicole. A regular album is borderline dance music, so a remix should have been a shoe in. The result fell flat however.

Nothing Flat about our next grouping, however.

Pure Platinum Perfection

• Altar Boys - Gut Level Music '2015 Edition' by Altar Boys 5 Emeralds
• Eshon Burgundy - The Fear of God 5 Emeralds
• Erica Campbell - Help 2.0 5 Emeralds
• Jonathan Thulin - Science Fiction 5 Emeralds
• Various - MOM: A Son's First Love. A Daughter's Best Friend 5 Emeralds
• Various - WOW Hits Party Mix 5 Emeralds
• Kirk Whalum - The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter IV 5 Emeralds

7 Perfect 5's in a month means that the Candy Store is officially open once again. Really, it never does seem to close. A few caveats, though. The Altar Boys is a re-release, though I am not sure if a reunion is planned at the same time, so there may be no comeback award nomination. Kirk Whalum's 5 is for the Jazz alone. The between song banter about how Obamacare is so great or guns should be banned kind of bugged me, but I put it aside and listened to the music.

Our next grouping goes between the extremes. These are.

Semi-Precious Metal

• 21:03 - Outsiders 4.75 Emeralds
• Among the Thirsty - Who You Say I Am 4.75 Emeralds
• Jared Anderson - Where I Am Right Now EP 4.50 Emeralds
• Chris Cobbins - August Season (Take One) 4.75 Emeralds
• Trev Conkey - Mighty Ocean Strong 4.50 Emeralds
• Copperlilly - Copperlily 4.75 Emeralds
• Hawk Nelson - Diamonds 4.50 Emeralds
• Danen Kane - Flesh and Soul 4.75 Emeralds
• JSon - No Filter 4.75 Emeralds
• Matt Maher - Saints and Sinners 4.75 Emeralds
• Kevin Max - Broken Temples 4.75 Emeralds
• NF - Mansion 4.75 Emeralds
• National Community Church - You Alone 4.50 Emeralds
• New Method - Greater 4.50 Emeralds
• Newport - Paradise 4.50 Emeralds
• Pacific Gold - Sing My Welcome Home 4.75 Emeralds
• Passion - Passion: Even So Come (Live) 4.75 Emeralds
• Ravenhill - Soul 4.75 Emeralds
• Sixpence None The Richer - The Ultimate Collection 4.75 Emeralds
• Social Club - Us 4.75 Emeralds
• Third Day - Lead Us Back: Songs of Worship 4.50 Emeralds
• Urban Rescue - Re-Imagined 4.75 Emeralds
• Various - A.D. The Bible Continues: Music Inspired By The Epic NBC Television Event 4.50 Emeralds
• Various - Top 25 Songs Of Grace 4.50 Emeralds
• Watoto - Oh What Love 4.50 Emeralds
• Worship Mob - Carry the Fire 4.50 Emeralds

That finishes off the March releases. Thank God it still is only April. Being two months behind would have been to embarrassing. I am done. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

MVM Special Edition: #PlatVnyl4 - Rap Video of The Year

We are on the home stretch, so to speak, as we progress through the Video Awards Show for #PlatVnyl4. The Rap Videos are next. We had a good group of nominees this time around, including a rarity for Rap and Hip Hop, a cover/remix of sorts. And what a style of music to cover. Not exactly rap material. Remember, if you are just joining us, we have already awarded Adult Contemporary, Alternative, Pop, Dance,  and Electronic. On to the awards.

The nominees in #PlatVnyl4 for Hip Hop/Rap Video of The Year were: Goin Home by +WHOSOEVER SOUTH ; No Sex by Still Trill Christians ; Pharaoh feat Tragic Hero by +Dre Murray ; Skyfall feat +ESHONBURGUNDY by Rekonciled ; and Sunglasses  by Rod G Newman and Mr. Del. You can check out the announcement post here.

When the votes were counted everyone was cheering for Bond, James Bond. Sorry. While the movie left me unmoved, I just loved this cover of the Adele Theme by Rekonciled. Who knew James could Rap. So the Winner of the Hip Hop/Rap Video of The Year for #PlatVnyl4 was Skyfall.

The Rock genres are next to close it out. First up is Hard Rock and Metal. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.