A Perfect Scale: The 2016 Platinum Vinyl Awards 4th Quarter - Rock

The final of our ties is Rock, which provided a full complement of Seven Entries. If you've been keeping track you know who won the quarter, and you also aren't surprised in the least. You'd be surprised if they didn't win. Let's get right to it.

Rock Music

• The Afters - Live On Forever
• Apologetix - Quilt
• Crowder - American Prodigal
• House of Heroes - Colors
• The Incandescent -Undiscovered
• Needtobreathe - HARDLOVE
• Relient K - Air For Free 

That does it for rock. And The Winner for the 4th Quarter of 2016 is (big drum roll): Modern Worship with 19 entrants into the pool. That's a lot for one quarter. Until next time, when we finish, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Night Beat Rewind: July 2016

Welcome to the July Edition of Rewind. The Fourth Quarter is one third over. Only two months remain and the #PlatVnyl7 eligibility year will be in the bag. Things are really starting to heat up here. As we expect, the big guns have held their releases until this time. Without further ado, July Rewind. We begin with the songs released during the month.

The Singles Scene

• As We Ascend - Wash Away 4.75 Emeralds
• Canon - Eagles 4.25 Emeralds
• Capital Kings - I Can't Quit 4.50 Emeralds
• Forevermore - Noumina 4.50 Emeralds
• Lakewood Music - Live In the Wonderful 4.50 Emeralds
• Skillet - Back From The Dead 4.75 Emeralds

A very good mix, with Skillet the cream of the crop. Don't know what to expect from Canon this time around. On to the albums. We begin with those that will not make the pool.

Missing The Mark

• Hollis Creek Revival - In The River 3.75 Emeralds
• J-Giles Son - Hands on The Clock 3.50 Emeralds
• JSon - Foreign, Volume 1 3.75 Emeralds
• Paul McIntyre - One Way and The Fruit of The Spirit 3.50 Emeralds
• Weston Skaggs - Joy and Sorrow Meet 3.50 Emeralds
• Toarn - Giant Killer 3.75 Emeralds
• Vineyard Music - God You Are: Live From Southern California 3.75 Emeralds

Perhaps a Skaggs (related to Ricky?) should have tipped me off, but NRT called it Praise and Worship instead of Country and Western. Only disappointment was JSon. I expected a lot more. This next group did not disappoint.

Pure Platinum Perfection

• K Gautier - The Prevailing 5 Emeralds
• House of Heroes - Colors 5 Emeralds
• Beckah Shae - Mighty 5 Emeralds
• Adam Young - Miracle In The Andes 5 Emeralds

House of Heroes returns with a perfect album after four years. Beckah Shae continues her mastery of all things music with a doo-wop album and Adam Young continues bringing us Motion Picture Soundtracks that should have been. Kody Gautier is primed to make big waves in Electronica with his debut.

Semi Precious Metal

• Blanca - Not Backing Down EP 4.25 Emeralds
• Bread of Stone - Hold The Light 4.75 Emeralds
• Fedel - The Brave 4.75 Emeralds
• Forevermore - Integral 4.75 Emeralds
• GAWVI - Lost In Hue EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Group 1 Crew - Power 4.50 Emeralds
• Highlands Worship - Here I Surrender 4.75 Emeralds
• Hillsong United - Of Dirt and Grace: Live From The Land 4.75 Emeralds
• Spencer Kane - Kane 4.50 Emeralds
• Katy Kinard - God of Fireflies 4.50 Emeralds
• Leeland - Invisible 4.75 Emeralds
• Derek Minor - 1014 (EP) 4.50 Emeralds
• Needtobreathe - Hardlove 4.50 Emeralds
• Relient K - Air For Free 4.75 Emeralds
• Silent Planet - Everything Was Sound 4.75 Emeralds
• Switchfoot - Where The Light Shines Through 4.75 Emeralds
• Bryan and Katie Torwalt - Champion 4.75 Emeralds
• Vertical Church Band - Frontiers 4.50 Emeralds
• Vineyard UK - Fearless 4.50 Emeralds
• Juliana Zobrist - Shatterproof 4.75 Emeralds

A few comments for the month. Julianna Zobrist is on her third album, yet to The Night Beat she is a new artist and one to watch for. It is good to see Relient K back in the saddle. It is only three years, but it seems longer. They have a slightly different sound than I expected, though not as different as the now Pop Group 1 Crew. Almost Ironic to have the album called Power. It could have used a bit more. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.             

Christmas Eve with The Night Beat

The Christmas Season is officially here, and in honor of that, I think it proper to spend a few posts sharing some wonderful Christmas Videos. Of course what would Christmas be without Mannheim and TSO, but we shall wait for those in due course.

We will begin with a home video version of Jingle Bells by two lovely ladies from New Mexico by the name of Poema.


Next up we shall rock out with the Almost and The Little Drummer Boy
Time to get a little animated. Animation that is. Here is the Sleigh Ride Video from the slightly demented Relient K
Forget What I said about Relient K. I think someone spiked Tenth Avenue North's eggnog. This is a Totally Demented version of Deck the Halls
I think that is enough for one post. We shall continue with the Night Beat Christmas Video Show throughout the week as I find them. A Merry Christmas To All and A Blessed 2012 from The Night Beat.

A Night Beat Christmas, Part One

The Christmas Season is officially here, and in honor of that, I think it proper to spend a few posts sharing some wonderful Christmas Videos. Of course what would Christmas be without Mannheim and TSO, but we shall wait for those in due course.

We will begin with a home video version of Jingle Bells by two lovely ladies from New Mexico by the name of Poema.


Next up we shall rock out with the Almost and The Little Drummer Boy
Time to get a little animated. Animation that is. Here is the Sleigh Ride Video from the slightly demented Relient K
Forget What I said about Relient K. I think someone spiked Tenth Avenue North's eggnog. This is a Totally Demented version of Deck the Halls
I think that is enough for one post. We shall continue with the Night Beat Christmas Video Show throughout the week as I find them. A Merry Christmas To All and A Blessed 2012 from The Night Beat.

Night Beat Rewind: June 2011

It feels good to finally get caught up. Now I can get on to the third quarter Platinum Vinyl Award eligibility. I would like to thank the Christian Music industry for shutting down releases during the 4th of July and making this easy. Actually, they did shut down, but I'm sure they didn't have me in mind when they did.

We will stick with the two list method this time around because, well, it seems to work for me. First up are the releases that failed to make the grade. Basically that is anything under 4 Emeralds, so don't despair. We've got to draw the line somewhere or else we don't have an awards ceremony, we have pee-wee soccer. (You know, everybody wins, everybody is special, that kind of stuff.)

Non PVA Eligible Releases, June 2011

• Coming Alive, Casey Darnell, 3.75 Emeralds
• Platinum Praise 2012, Maranatha Praise Band, 3.5 Emeralds
• K is for Karaoke, Relient K, 3.75 Emeralds

It was a short list this time around, and I like that. Nobody likes it when you have to say no, but such is life. This time the exclusions were easy. Maranatha Praise Band kind of set themselves up for a fall here. Maybe some of the individual praise songs went platinum, but the album...Not so much. Let's go with aluminum and be done with it. (I was going to say tin but that would be cruel). Casey Darnell is good, not great, and modern worship is a really crowded field. It was last year.
The toughest call was Relient K. Maybe it was just the word Karaoke that set me off. Maybe it's just that five guys should never be caught dead singing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". Now this is no slam on Cindi Lauper. Personally, in the battle of 1980's Pop Queens, I take her over Madonna any day. (Probably puts me in the minority, but I'm used to that. Never thought Madonna could sing).

Enough of the 80's Music Commentary. Time to get down to business.

PVA Eligible Releases, June 2011

• Leveler, August Burns Red, 4.25 Emeralds
• With Shivering Hearts We Wait, Blindside, 4.25 Emeralds
• The Road, Tricia Brock, 4 Emeralds
• Dream with Me, Jackie Evancho, 5 Emeralds
• Your Sparkling Death Cometh, Falling Up, 4.5 Emeralds
• Perfect Love, Ronnie Freeman, 4 Emeralds
• On Fire, Peter Furler, 4.25 Emeralds
• Freedom Calling, Jake Hamilton, 4 Emeralds
• Easyforyoutosay, Hello Kelly, 4 Emeralds
• Dwell, Aaron Keyes, 4.5 Emeralds
• Plain and Simple, Crystal Lewis, 4.5 Emeralds
• Live in Concert, Manafest, 4.25 Emeralds
• All Things Bright and Beautiful, Owl City, 4.5 Emeralds
• Nothing Is Impossible, Planetshakers, 4 Emeralds
• Black & White, Royal Tailor, 4.25 Emeralds
• Never Odd or Even, Shonlock, 4.5 Emeralds
• Live at the Masquerade, Thousand Foot Krutch, 4.5 Emeralds
• The Journey, Stuart Townend, 4.25 Emeralds

Where to begin this time around? Let's start with a pleasant surprise. Jackie Evancho really wasn't on my radar until it showed up on a list of Christian releases. I hadn't heard any buzz about it being a Christian Album, and the cover showed a little girl. Then I listened to the album. There is a reason that it's the only 5 Emerald release on this list. It's that good. Now I don't know the lifespan of an Operatic Soprano, but, considering She is only ELEVEN YEARS OLD!!!, I would think that she's got a few decades before someone else comes along. It's got to be less cutthroat than pop.

Shonlock. I had heard the name but never listened to the music. I must say I am impressed. This is some smooth R&B, mixed with some awesome hip-hop, and even a little Krunk thrown in for the Family Force Five Fans out there. A must buy. (And please, buy it here through the link to Amazon. The night beat thanks you.)

Any fan of the Newsboys will not be disappointed with On Fire. In fact, Peter Furler's solo may make you more bummed out that he left the band. To each his own. I kind of like the DC Talk sound now that Michael Tait took over.

There. I did it. I'm caught up, except for a few releases in July. As always, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

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