The Nominations Begin: Dance/Synthpop Video of The Year

Nominations for the Electronic/Dance category this year were so large, and the field not just in Dance, that it necessitated splitting the category in two. We begin with Dance/Synthpop. Of course we are in the Video Awards at present here on the blog.

The Nominations for Dance/Synthpop Video of the Year are:

He Said by Group 1 Crew

Let it Go by Satellites and Sirens

Time (Spiral Galaxy Mix) by The Washington Projects

Toes by Lights

Zombie by Family Force Five

That concludes part one of the new electronic music genres. Next up is Electronic/Industrial. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Music Video Monday: Zombie Time

Welcome to the latest edition of Music Video Monday. We are racing through the third quarter videos and will soon be caught up. I might actually get to do the 4th Quarter in the 4th Quarter. Now THAT would be an accomplishment.

Due to the number of available videos in each category we are combining the Pop and Dance genres this time around. In honor of a few of my Triberr friends, namely Shannon Mayer and Frederick Lee Brooke, I have decided to begin with the Music Video for Family Force Five entitled Zombie.

We will sandwich the Dance videos with a pair of pop videos. First up we have the relationship misadventures of Rocky Loves Emily with Secrets Don't Make Friends, which seems to confirm my friend Shannon when she says "Women are Crazy". (Her words, not mine).

Staying with a relationship theme, we will go to the Gorgeous Holly Spears (just because I favor Brunettes doesn't mean I don't notice a good looking Blonde. I'm still a guy). Holly wants someone to Watch Over Me. (Personally I think she should have plenty of applicants).

We close with The Washington Projects. Normally found in the Hip Hop and Rap circles, they recently made a Remix album entitled Space Time Continuum, and remixes are pretty much all about Dance. Here they exhort us to redeem the Time.

That concludes this edition of Music Video Monday. Next week we will be moving on to Hip Hop. Until next we meet, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Sonic Awakening: 3rd Qtr Nominees - Dance

We are continuing with our announcing of Third Quarter releases which crossed the initial bar of admission to the pool of Platinum Vinyl Award contenders. This time we move onto the Dance genre. Five releases mad the initial cut this quarter.

• Family Force Five - III.V
• The Letter Black - Hanging on By a Remix
• Owl City - Shooting Star (EP)
• Page CXVI - Re:Hymns
• The Washington Projects - Space Time Continuum: The Remixes

Both The Washington Projects and The Letter Black normally wouldn't be found in this genre. Their usual home is Hip Hop and Rock, respectively. However the remix is particular to Techno, and if one is done correctly, will turn anything into a dance album. (There is one exception - Switchfoot - Vice Re-Verses - why?)

Hard Rock and Rock are the only two genres remaining. Then we can get on with the new stuff. Click on the links to go to Amazon and buy from them. You will get some great music and support The Night Beat at the same time. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Dressing Up in your Church Clothes

The Life of a Rebel (even with a cause) can sometimes land you in Rehab. For Christian Rap Superstar Lecrae, his stint in "Rehab" was very successful. Even with the Rehab stint winding up in an Overdose situation.

I think I've said enough to get my post branded as controversial. At least I hope so, because that is my purpose. In the new CCM Encyclopedia "Controversial" seems to mean rubbing me the wrong way. Well, as the saying goes, turn the cat around.

The latest "Controversial" Christian Record is Lecrae's recent mixtape Church Clothes: Volume One. According to my research, a mixtape is "a generic name given to any compilation of songs recorded onto a compact cassette, CD, music file, or any other music format". If this is an accurate definition of a mixtape, then I have plenty of experience with them. All you needed was a record player, a patch cord and a tape recorder, and some headphones to monitor the progress. And before anyone tries to fink to the RIAA on these 1980's era sharing, remember, take the beam out of your own eye.... And that beam is spelled Kazaa, Mega Upload, Original Napster, you get the idea.

Back to mixtapes. Church Clothes is only the third mixtape I have come across recently (The other two belong to Jehaziel [Still Living] and Je'Kob [Minor Setbacks for Major Comeups]). Of the three only Je'Kob (Je'Kob Washington, 1/2 of The Washington Projects) was the only one that met my additional definition "not ready for prime time".  Of the three Lecrae's is the "slickest" by far.

A collaboration between Lecrae and Don Cannon "The One Man Army", a big time Hip Hop Producer, the 18 tracks feature fellow rappers This'l, Tedashii, Swoope, Suzy Rock and No Malice among others. The title cut, which concerns Hypocrisy in The Church, contains the following lyrics.

R.I.P to Medgar Evers, R.I.P. to Dr. King. I ain't tryinga hate on my own kind but Al and Jesse don't speak for me. I'm probably gon catch some flack man, but I'm swallow this pill like pacman. Some of those folk won't tell the truth, too busy try'na get them racks man.

Just setting himself up against Messrs. Sharpton and Jackson is good enough for me, and he pulls no punches. I know why this was a mixtape. The Christian Labels would be too scared to publish it, and the mainstream labels would be too PC. I am giving Church Clothes a near perfect 4.75 Emeralds. I can't wait for Volume 2. Download it and listen. See if you think it's controversial. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

p.s.- Just going to continue at this self promotion. Don't forget to Like The Night Beat on Facebook as the Platinum Vinyl Awards are just getting underway. I am going to try to have some exclusive content there, some on the blog. It's a work in progress this year, and it is coming very, very soon.

2012 Wishlist: Hip Hop

Lecrae is due to release an album this year. A Non-Rehab release. In September 2010 Lecrae released Rehab. This year he released both Rehab: Overdose and Rehab (Deluxe Edition). I think we've mined the subject to the full.


Mentioned during the Gospel section but also categorized as hip-hop. Brother-Sister duo The Wasington Projects will be coming out with 1.21Gigawatts early this year. We should hear more about the project as the weeks go on. We shall keep you posted.

As to the other PVA contenders: Grits, Trip Lee, and Sho Baraka, all seems to be quiet. I will be the first to pass on any news if we get anything. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

2012 Wishlist: Gospel

Here it is already 2012 and I haven't even begun my wish list for this year. We'll I have, but I have a lot of genres to go, so it sounds a whole lot more dramatic (or is that melodramatic) if I say I haven't. We move on to Gospel Music.

I think the Big Release in this Category I want to see is a new Forever Jones release. And I mean new. I know that they released a Deluxe CD this year, but that isn't really new. I want all new tunes.

Actually my other wish in this category is for another newbie. Vashawn Mitchell also had his debut in 2010 and I think it is about time for his sophomore release as well.

One other note. In 2010 I put The Washington Projects here because their sound was more R&B than Hip Hop. I would be expecting another release from them in 2012, but, with Je'kob Washington producing his solo debut, Minor Setbacks for Major Comeups, which is under consideration for a PVA in Hip Hop in 2011, the situation for this duo is somewhat murky.

Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

And The Nominees Are: Hip Hop/Rap

The rollout continues. We now come to the Hip Hop & Rap Genre. There were barely enough entries this year to make a full complement of Seven. Actually, eight made the initial cut. Sorry K-Drama fans, the album was great, but it was really marketed as a fitness album, so I chose that one to drop. Let the griping begin.

The Nominees for the First Platinum Vinyl Awards for the Category of Best Hip Hop or Rap Album are:

• Lions and Liars by Sho Baraka
• Quarantine by Grits
• City Lights by JSon
• Rehab by Lecrae
• Between Two Worlds by Trip Lee
• The Prototype by Sean Slaughter
• Light Up The Dark by The Washington Projects 

Still to come Modern Worship, Kids Music, and the General Field Nominees. Keep it locked here at the Night Beat for exclusive and complete coverage of the Platinum Vinyl Awards. Oh, and before I forget, HELLO BULGARIA.