The Home of the Platinum Vinyl Awards. Reviews of New CD releases, mostly CCM but also mainstream releases that may interest the Christian Music listener. Music News and Commentary, especially when there's a CCM connection.
We are done with the final quarter wrap of #PVX. Once again the winner is Modern Worship. I don't know the last time they didn't win the quarter. Let's finish it off.
Modern Worship
Pat Barrett - Canvas and Clay (Live)
Catch The Fire Music - Revival 25
Sean Curran - All of Us (All Praise)
David's Tent - Raise Every Voice; David's Tent
Elevation Worship - At Midnight EP
Here Be Lions - I Speak Jesus
Housefires - Housefires V
Influencers Music - Rebels
Leeland - Better Word (Live)
David Leonard - The Wait: Silence The Noise (Live)
Life Center Worship - Acoustic Sessions EP
Life Church Worship - God So Good (Live)
Matt Maher - Alive and Breathing, Volume 1
Maranatha Music - Heart of Worship: Tremble
Catherine Mullins - Sing Like The Battle Is Over
New Wine Worship - This Is Love
Northpoint Inside Out - Abundantly More EP
Northpoint Inside Out - Wide Open
Planetshakers - Rain Part 3 EP (Live)
Planetshakers - Rain (Live)
Red Rocks Worship - Spark
Red Rocks Worship - Spark (Be Still) EP
Red Rocks Worship - Spark (You Will Be My Song) EP
RNW Music - When It Comes To You
That does it for the fourth quarter of #PVX. The Year is in the Bag. Year 11 Begins Officially Now. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Welcome Back to an all new edition of Music Video Monday. We are going into a Modern Worship Mode this week. Time to get your praise on.
Australia is seems to be the Capital of Modern Worship these days, so we will be off to the Land of Oz. We begin with Planetshakers from Melbourne. We start with slow worship with God Is On The Throne
Staying in Australia we move from Melbourne to Sydney. Hillsong Church is the father of Modern Worship, The Second Generation. We continue on slow worship with King of Kings.
And finally, we go back to Melbourne, (Tired Yet), and go to the youth group. Planetboom is the name. This is Praise on Praise.
That does it for this edition of Music Video Monday. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Once Again we close out a quarter with Modern Worship. Twenty-Five entries is 3 years of Finals plus. Let's close this wrap out and move on to the 4th Quarter.
Modern Worship
Antioch Music - Live at World Mandate
Awaken Worship - Wont Stay Silent EP
Canyon Hills Worship - As Long as I Live Volume 2 (Live)
Christ For The Nations Worship - Taste of Heaven
Elevation Worship - Paradoxology
Lou Fellingham - Made For You (Live)
Free Worship - Already Done
Hillsong United - People
Hillsong Young and Free - III (Studio Sessions)
Kellie and Kristen - In The Name
Life Church Worship - Death of Death EP
Life Worship - Collection
Dawn Michelle - Surrender
Nashville Life Music - Taylor House Sessions EP
Open Heavens - Revival Rising
Brian Ortize - Never Late
Planetshakers - Rain, Part One EP
Red Rocks Worship - Spark (Come Alive)
Red Rocks Worship - Spark (No Other Love) Live EP
Red Rocks Worship - Spark (On Earth as it is In Heaven) Live EP
Shane and Shane - The Worship Initiative, Volume 17
Thrive Worship - A Thousand More
29:11 Worship - Marble and Mortar, Volume 2 (Live)
Phil Wickham - SIng Along 4 (Live)
Woodlands Worship - Live Worship
That closes the third quarter of 2019. The Fourth Quarter is already roaring. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Modern Worship is once again the big winner for the quarter. Thirty Three entries for the quarter. That's almost 7 final entries. Let's get to it.
Modern Worship
Meredith Andrews - Faith And Wonder (Live) EP
Michael Bahn - Clean
Bethel Music - Victory
Mack Brock - Covered EP
Catch The Fire Music - Presence: Live From Toronto
CRC Music - Greater Than All (Deluxe)
Cross Point Music - Cross Point Music
Elias Dummer - The Work, Volume 1
Jon Egan - Unveil (Live)
Every Nation Music - Faithful EP
London Gatch - New Stories
Luke and Anna Hellebronth - Motions of Mercy
Highlands Worship - Jesus You Alone
Life Center Worship - Debut EP
Lindy and The Circuit Riders - Driven by Love
Stephen Miller - Behold
New Hope Oahu - Scripture Songs
Passion - Follow You Anywhere
Passion - Behold The Lamb/It is Finished
People of The Earth - Victory EP
Planetboom - Jesus Over Everything
Planetshakers - Rain Part 1 EP
Radiate Worship - Come Alive
Reach City Worship - Nothing Else Matters (Live)
Michael W. Smith - Awaken: The Surrounded Experience
29:11 Worship - Marble and Mortar, Volume 1
Chris Tomlin - Holy Roar: Live From Church
Chris Tomlin - Is He Worthy? EP
Upperroom - Moments: Color 003
Upperroom - To The One
Vineyard UK - Legacy (Live From Ireland)
Vineyard UK - Twelve: One (Dave Miller Live From Trent Vineyard)
Cory Voss - Songs of The House
Phil Wickham - Living Hope (The House Sessions)
Thirty-four entries. At seven final entries that would be almost 5 years of finals, in one quarter. We raised the cutoff from 4 to 4.5 to get the genres under control. It worked for everybody but Modern Worship. The wrap is done. The third quarter awaits. I am Awaiting Your Reply.
The final genre is Modern Worship. 18 Entries. Almost three full categories in one quarter. But that is the way it usually is. Let's finish off the quarter.
Modern Worship
3C Live - Good To Me (Live)
CRC Worship - Greater Than All, Part 1
CRC Worship - Greater Than All, Part 2
Christ Fellowship Worship - What Love Looks Like (Live)
Covenant Worship - Covenant Worship (Live)
Sean Feucht - Wild
Hillsong Young and Free - III (Live at Hillsong Conference)
Influencers - On Earth/In Heaven
Iron Bell Music - Glory To Glory
Robin Mark ft New Irish Choir and Orchestra - A Belfast Symphony
Northpoint Inside Out - Northpoint Inside Out
Brian Ortize - Open The Windows EP
Prestonwood Worship - Songs of The People: Revival EP
Planetshakers - Heaven on Earth
Planetshakers - Heaven on Earth, Part 3 EP
River Valley Worship - Million Lifetimes: Deconstructed
Chris Tomlin - Holy Roar
Bryan and Katie Torwalt - Praise Before My Breakthrough
That completes our first quarter wrap. The second quarter is already underway. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
This is it, the grand finale of #PlatVnyl9. And what a way to go. Modern Worship won the quarter with 22 entries. That's 3 full finals. There's not much to say here but wow.
Modern Worship
David and Nicole Binion - Dwell
Mack Brock - Greater Things
Caleb and Kelsey - Timeless Worship
The Church Vessel - The Outcome
Elevation Worship - Hallelujah Here Below
Gateway - Greater Than
Grace City - Grace City (Live)
HRC Worship - HRC Worship EP
Highlands Worship - You're Here EP
Hillsong Worship - There Is More: Studio Sessions EP
Inspiration Worship - Powerful
Jesus Culture - Living With A Fire (Live)
Laity - Still EP
Lakewood Music - Live In The Wonderful: The Album
Lifelight Worship - Bold EP
Mosaic MSC - Heaven EP
Planetshakers - Heaven On Earth, Part 2
Rend Collective - Good News (Deluxe)
Martin Smith - Love Song For A City
Upperroom - Moments II
Vertical Worship - Planetarium
Vineyard Worship - Vineyard Soul: Generous God
22 entries in a quarter. There are a lot of excellent entries that will be left out of the finals this year. The entries for #PlatVnyl9 are now completed. Now begins the greatest one yet, and in the Super Bowl tradition we will go roman.
PVX
Is now upon us. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
We are at the penultimate post of our 3rd Quarter Wrap. That's next to last for you progressives out there. It is Modern Worship. Okay, now that you've recovered from your faint, I know it is a shock. I can't remember the time when Modern Worship didn't win the quarter. But Rap did this time. By one entry.
Modern Worship
Bethel Music - Moments: Mighty Sound
Heartsound - Heartsound: Live From Vineyard Boise
Here Be Lions - Only A Holy God
Highlands Worship - Volume 2: Jesus You Alone EP
Hillsong Worship - There Is More
Life Worship - Speak to the Storm
Chris McClarney - Breakthrough (Live)
Planetshakers - Heaven on Earth, Part 1
Brittani Scott - Fight For Us EP
United Pursuit Band - Garden
Upperroom - Moments EP
Vertical Worship - Bright Faith, Bold Future
A very good showing, but just not enough to take the prize. Rap Wraps it Up. I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Our final genre in our second quarter wrap of 2018 is Modern Worship. Cue the giant yawn from my long time readers. New readers, you'll learn.
Modern Worship
Pat Barrett - Pat Barrett
Paul Baloche - Ultimate Collection
City of Bright - Fearless EP
Travis Cottrell - The Reason
Elevation Collective - Evidence
Elevation Worship - Do It Again EP
EQ Worship - Push Out The Dark
First Free Music - Awake/Alive
For All Seasons - Clarity EP
Forerunner Music - Fully Alive
Freedom Church - Thunder Reign
Steffany Gretzinger - Blackout
Passion - Whole Heart
Rend Collective - Good News
River Valley Worship - Million Lifetimes
The Rock Music - Your Love Remains
Michael W. Smith - Surrounded
Zealand - Liberated
That is it. We are finally finished. Just as we are starting the final month of the third quarter. We will be back here before you know it. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
If you never knew which genre was going to win the quarter, you obviously are new to The Night Beat (and if you are, Welcome). It's pretty much a running joke here, as it is well known that Modern Worship is the most bloated genre in Christian Music. Of course this quarter the genre has produced an album which just might win Album of The Year. So there.
Modern Worship
Cherry Hills Worship - Cherry Hills Worship
Higher Vision - For Your Kingdom
ICF Worship - The Journey: A Collection
Kutless - Alpha Omega
Light City Music - In Rivers
Matt and Toby - I Quit Church
Anabeth Morgan - A Place Your Glory Dwells
Young Oceans - Suddenly (or The Nuclear Sunburst of The Truth Revealed)
Pursue Worship - Let it Rise
J. Reynolds - Fire and The Flood
Jeremy Riddle - More
Salt of The Sound - In Prayer
Soul Survivor - The Promise
Southville - Freedom's Tree
Austin Stone Worship - Everflow
Substance I.O. - Input Output
Vineyard Worship - Wear The Crown: Anchor Studio Sessions
Count them up. That's 17 entries in a single quarter. That's almost three years worth of finals, and it's only the first quarter. Thee more to go. This is the toughest genre to judge. The Second Quarter awaits. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
We have reached the end of the road. Modern Worship had a whopping 17 entries this quarter. It is the biggest genre of the PVA's and requires the most work. Let's get to it so we can get on with #PlatVnyl7.
And that finishes off #PlatVnyl8. Time to start the judging process. #PlatVnyl9 has begun with a bang. And soon, The Awards of #PlatVnyl7. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
We have reached the final post for the 3rd Quarter Wrap. Modern Worship Led All Other Genres With 21 Entries. That would be enough for three years. There is always a lot of judging in this category. Let's not waste any more time.
And that does it. The 3rd Quarter is officially completed. The 4th Quarter Beckons. As does the long neglected #PlatVnyl7. The pitfalls of being a one man operation. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Made You Look. No, this isn't about the Broadway Musical that made Liberals Salivate last winter. This is a Music Blog, and I try to keep it free of political matters if I can. As a lover of history, especially American History, however, I will say, that if the Media was quoting the musical, that is a sure sign of Historical INACCURACY. Enough said. No, the Hamilton referred to in the title is Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, the Home of The City Harmonic. These members of The Commonwealth CCM have grown up with The Night Beat and The Platinum Vinyl Awards, and it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye. It was January, 2011. The Platinum Vinyl Awards was still in its infancy, being only #PlatVnyl2. (We are awarding #PlatVnyl7 and tallying #PlatVnyl8. It seems like ages ago). New Release Today (New Release Tuesday at the time) had as its album preview something called Introducing The City Harmonic. The second track on the 6 song 25 minute EP was entitled Manifesto, It was all the introduction the band needed. Manifesto made Song of The Year that year, and the EP was our Pick for Modern Worship Album of The Year. They just got edged out for Album of The Year. A little number called Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars came out the same year. Personally, they let success get to their heads as I Have A Dream (October 2011) and Heart (September 2013) didn't really impress the judges here, though they were very good albums. They righted the ship, however, and came out with We Are (September 2015) which garnered a Perfect 5 Emeralds and entrance into #PlatVnyl6 and walked away with AC/Insp Album of The Year and AC/Insp Song of The Year for We Are One.
And now it is over. Six Years. But what a ride. The appropriately titled Benediction, recorded at Hamilton, is a fourteen song ride of a lifetime. A best of concert that will remind longtime fans of what they loved, and newbies cry for what they missed. Twelve of The Fourteen are from their four albums and not surprisingly the best represented is their "Debut" which had four of their six songs represented, including Manifesto.
The album kicks off with the appropriately titled My God (The Chorus is Oh My God), and doesn't let up from start to finish despite calming down for songslike Holy (Wedding Day) and Honestly (not the Stryper fave, though I think they could pull it off). Picking a favorite song is impossible. This is on auto repeat all this week.
You know a band will be missed when the live album shows that the audience clearly knows all the lyrics and sings along perfectly. I think you know my rating. 5 Emeralds.
And All of the people of God sang along, AMEN. I am Awaiting Your Reply.
The Penultimate Post for the Second Quarter of 2017 is Modern Worship. Actually they won, sort of. First Place is a tie with Pop. Both had 11 entrants. Let's not wast any more time.
This is by far the biggest surprise of the quarter. Modern Worship is among the most popular (the cynic would say bloated) genres out there, and despite my best attempts to weed out the copycats it usually wins the quarter hands down. Could there be a shaking out of the dross in the genre? I doubt it. Probably just too busy with the Christmas Season. Let's get to it.
A few comments here. Hillsong is, in my opinion, starting to return to a sound which made them the leader of the genre. Maybe it was the abundance of copycats, but they really weren't trying to stand out for a while. Rend Collective started to slip as well, but Campfire II seems to have righted the ship. And then there is Chris Sligh. He started out one of the American Idol castoffs that the Christian Music Industry picked up. Unfortunately they kept up with the pop mode. I savaged those albums. After dropping from the radar for a while he re-emerged in modern worship. A style more suitable for his vocals. Second chances are good. Hip Hop is next. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
The final post of the 2016 4th Quarter Wrap is here. To no ones surprise the big winner for the quarter is Modern Worship, as it is for most quarters. Nineteen entrants is enough for around three years if they all made the finals. Let's get to it.
That does it for the 4th Quarter Roundup. The 1rst Quarter of 2017 Begins. #PlatVnyl8 beckons, and it appears to foretell a Monster Year. Stay with me as we enter it. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Well, this is one of those delayed posts I was talking about. I will progress through the results as I covered them. So that will be Album, Song and The General Field. I will link the prediction posts to save room here, and I hope that I can finish this in one post. We start with the Album of The Year Awards. Like I said in that post, an album is more important than a song in that it is more difficult to make. We begin with Adult Contemporary/Inspirational Album of The Year. I shocked all of my regular readers when I picked Hillsong Open Heaven/River Wild. You see, I am a regular critic of the Church as it has spawned such a crop of copycats that it has almost wrecked the Modern Worship genre. Plus the fact that for the past few years the releases have had a "mailed in" quality, lacking fire. But I liked this one. It was the best Hillsong release in years. However the Dove Awards liked Amanda Cook and Brave New World better. (Score: 0/1) Next up was Worship Album of The Year. I went with Let It Echo by Jesus Culture. The Doves went with Hillsong. Hillsong United and Empires. I panned the album for #PlatVnyl6 and it Missed The Mark. (Score: 0/2). Moving On to Contemporary Gospel/Urban Album. I felt that the best album of the available choices by far was Kirk Franklin Losing My Religion and to my surprise so did the Doves. (Score: 1/3). I guess even a broken clock is correct twice a day. The final Album Award that I made a pick for was Pop/Contemporary Album of The Year. They had a full slate of albums for this one, and it was difficult for me to pick. Of course they had Hillsong United here as well (a Miss The Mark for the PVA's) as well as This Is Not A Test by Toby Mac, an excellent album, though not particularly Pop. Perhaps Dance, Perhaps Rock, and Perhaps Rap, but not Pop. I went with Big Daddy Weave and Beautiful Offering. Well I may have felt that Toby Mac was miscast here, but not the GMA. They said This Is Not A Test. I guess I failed here. (Score: 1/4) 0.250 after the album portion of my predictions. Remember when I said I wanted this to be done in one post. Yeah, me neither. Wishful thinking. The Song Award recap will be next. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
And the Winner is.... Modern Worship. Really, did you expect anything else? While I try to keep my snark to a minimum level it does get a little old. Could we have rock win the genre one of these days? Let's get to the big winner.
And that concludes the third quarter. The Fourth Quarter is already underway, and no surprise, some big hitters have chosen to release now. Keep it locked to The Night Beat, and as I always conclude every post, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
This is it, the final posting of 2nd Quarter Results. The big winner this quarter is Modern Worship with a whopper 26 Entries.That's almost enough for four years of finals. Let us get to it.
That completes our wrap of the 2nd Quarter of 2016. And I should be able to get the April Rewind up very early next month. So all is good. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
