Music Video Monday: Getting A Little Animated

Welcome back to Music Video Monday, where we play the best Music Videos out There. We're going to do something a little different this time. We're getting a little animated.  This video from Yancy popped up in my Youtube feed the other day, and let me say, it is a snappy little video about Joseph and his Coat of Many Colors.

The difference continues with a little bit of a delayed video. Christmas is over, but I just discovered this video  from the now Synthpop band We Are Leo. It is a definitely Animated Dancing In A Snow Globe. Hey, here in the Northeast it may snow as late as May.

Finally, we take an entirely different path. This is just discovered. Project Aegis is a supergroup started by Matt Smith of Theocracy. In this case the proceeds from the song go 100% to Legacy Music, which provides music lessons and instruments to Children and Teens from Difficult Backrounds. Listen, Headbang, Buy. 

That does it for this edition of Music Video Monday. Happy President's Day everyone. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Polar Vortex Polka Redux: The 2015 2nd Quarter - Jazzy Times

We are slightly behind schedule here at Night Beat HQ. March has finally had its rewind and we are slowly slogging through April. Did you notice that it is May? Another thing that we should have done by now is the announcement of the Second Quarter Pool entries for #PlatVnyl6. That begins now. 

First things first. For the Second Quarter of 2105, which comprises January, February and March of 2015, there were no entries for Electronic/Industrial, Instrumental, or Hard Rock/Heavy Metal. We have two multiple genre posts to tackle before getting to the single genre posts. This one will comprise Children's Music, Jazz, Remixes and Pop. Let's get to it.

Children's Music

• Yancy - Little Praise Party: Taste and See

Jazz

• Kirk Whalum - The Gospel According to Jazz 4

Remix

• Urban Rescue - Re-Imagined
• Various - WoW Hits Party Mix

Pop

• Dave Barnes - Hymns For Her
• Brandon Heath - No Turning Back
• Love and The Outcome - Ocean Way Sessions: Live EP

We are off and running. The only thing to note is that Both Yancy and Kirk Whalum are Perfect 5 Emerald releases. We shall be attempting to get in one each day. So far, so good. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Night Beat Rewind: February 2015

We are up and running in 2015. There were open 30 releases this month. Of course, not all of them will be covered here. Two wound up being spoken word and one was classical. Of course, they weren't exactly the judges cup of tea, so they were unceremoniously dropped.

We begin with a few songs, or as we like to call it

The Singles Scene

• Audio Adrenaline - Love Was Stronger 3.50 Emeralds
• Family Force 5 - Hold Your Hand 4.50 Emeralds
• Fireflight - We Are Alive 4.50 Emeralds
• David Glenn - Church Triumphant - Single 4.50 Emeralds

Hearing the first single from AA 3.0 as it has been dubbed has cemented my opinion that they should hang it up. Fireflight shows promise. I mean, it is still Dawn, but it's a bit poppy. Not everything can be For Those Who Wait, but I think when they finally release an album it will be more than enough rock. The following can not be said about our first grouping.

Missing The Mark

• Christ Fellowship - Like No Other 3.75 Emeralds
• Roy Fields - Stand Up 3.75 Emeralds
• Darlene Zschech - In Jesus' Name: A Legacy of Worship & Faith 3.50 Emeralds

I like to think that I am the toughest on the Modern Worship genre. There are so many "Zschechies" out there, some which literally go all "Single White Female" in copying Darlene's dress, hairstyle and everything. It's downright spooky. Unfortunately all of them, including Hillsong, have pretty much rested on their laurels and mail it in, expecting everyone to applaud anyway. Maybe I overcompensate, but I look for bands that break out of the Hillsong Mold.

No mold grows on our next grouping, however.

Pure Platinum Perfection

• Red - of Beauty and Rage [+digital booklet] 5 Emeralds
• Skrip - Renegades Never Die 5 Emeralds
• Sumerlin - Runaways (Deluxe) 5 Emeralds
• The Vespers - Sisters and Brothers 5 Emeralds
• Virtue - Testimony Reloaded 5 Emeralds
• Yancy - Little Praise Party: Taste and See 5 Emeralds

This was a loaded month, and I couldn't be more pleased. On the flip side, however, I can announce that the Night Beat Candy Store is now officially open. Six perfect fives in February equals a lot of editing again to come up with a best of in December.

Of course most releases fall somewhere in the middle, or what we like to call

Semi-Precious Metal

• Crystal Aikin - All I Need 4.75 Emeralds
• Dave Barnes - Hymns for Her 4.50 Emeralds
• Bridgecity - Christ Be Glorified 4.75 Emeralds
• The Brilliance - Brother 4.75 Emeralds
• Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir - Pray 4.75 Emeralds
• Jeremy Camp - I Will Follow 4.75 Emeralds
• Davis The Band - Only Your Love 4.50 Emeralds
• Dee-1 - 3's Up - EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Benita Farmer - Mender Of Me 4.50 Emeralds
• Aaron Gillespie - Grace Through the Wandering 4.50 Emeralds
• Brandon Heath - No Turning Back 4.75 Emeralds
• Inspire Music - Inspire 4.50 Emeralds
• Mat Kearney - Just Kids 4.75 Emeralds
• Jon-Micah Sumrall - Faith & Family 4.50 Emeralds
• Various Artists - Risen Powerful Gospel Resurrection Songs 4.50 Emeralds
• Various Artists - WOW Gospel 2015 4.75 Emeralds

That concludes this edition of Night Beat Rewind. For the first time I believe I have even linked the Missing The Mark entries. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Music Video Monday: The One That Got Away

Welcome back to an all new edition of Music Video Monday. We're trying something different this time around, as we share videos from the 4th Platinum Vinyl Awards Eligibility Year. Instead of doing random videos, we are progressing by genre. We may have to backtrack if something pops up, but I think we won't have to, it being September.

We begin with a legend in the making. The Civil Wars are already multiple award winners, and it looks like they're going to mine Platinum once again, at least in the Folk Genre. We shall see about the others. This is the only Music Video from their Self Titled possible swan song (They have Lyric Videos). They truly are The One That Got Away.
Next up is a double nominee. Yancy (not Nancy) already has a nominated album in Children's Music this year. She strayed into Folk and Modern Worship Territory with her album Roots for the Journey. I think it was more folk than Modern Worship, so I classified it there. This is Safe.
Finally, we conclude with one of the Folk Queens of Christian Music. JJ Heller is really a staple in the Platinum Vinyl Awards lineup. She could be this awards version of Amy Grant, though I believe she merits it. I kind of give all one girl and guitar people to folk, though she could be classified as pop. This is the video for Who You Are.
That concludes this edition of Music Video Monday. Next week we will settle down for a while in Adult Contemporary. Scroll down a little further and enter the giveaway. (One of the artists featured here has an album in the mix. It appeals to both North and South). Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spring Songs: The 2013 Third Quarter - Folk Children

Remember that running cartoon gag where someone opens a closet door, and immediately is inundated with just about all the junk in the entire universe? I've felt like I've been living that these past few months since I found all those entries from the first two quarters.

In any quarter there are a few under performing genres. This one is no different. Children's Music had a single entry, and Folk Music had four. Together they make my minimum bar of trying to have five entries in a post for a genre.

Children's Music

• North Point Kids - Shine

Like I say for Country Music, the same applies here. If the album won't trigger a gag reflex with repeat listening by adults. (And if you have kids, there WILL be repeat listening) Then it makes my list. This entry from the kids division of North Point Church seems to meet the requirements for entry to the pool. On to Folk Music.

Folk/Folk Rock

• Katie Ainge - Then Sings My Soul
• All Sons and Daughters - Live
• Caroline Cobb - The Blood + The Breath: Songs That Tell The Story of Redemption
• Yancy - Roots for the Journey

The last two entries in the list made the coveted 5 Emerald Rating. Cobb has quite a voice, and the theme of moving through Genesis to Revelation in song in one album kept you hooked. Not much can be said about Yancy that hasn't already been said. She never does two albums with the same genre, but these two in the same year, and both Platinum Perfect. Quite a feat. That, or I'm getting to be a softy.

The Third Quarter announcements are begun. It's all single genre from here on in. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply. And don't forget to enter the giveaway.

Music Video Monday: Death Trap

Welcome back to Music Video Monday. There are plenty of videos now, and we will be progressing by genre each week. Last week was Children's Music, and the next two weeks will be Folk.

We begin with a music legend. Charlie Peacock is an accomplished artist, producer, and just about everything else. His latest release is entitled No Man's Land and is a bit of Folk, Jazz, Alternative. It's a showcase album. This is Death Trap.

Next up is Folk/Worship Act All Sons and Daughters and Great Are You Lord

And Finally we go to Yancy (not Nancy). Two albums in two genres from one artist in the same year of eligibility. Last week we had Jesus Music Box, in the Children's genre. This is from the Folk/Worship album Roots for the Journey. Oh The Joy

We will continue with Folk next week with genre fave JJ Heller and more of Yancy. While you're here, scroll down just a bit more and enter the giveaway. None of the music featured this week is on the list, but they are all Five Emerald albums, and you can't get any better than that. a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Return of Music Video Monday

Welcome Back to Music Video Monday. Things had kind of plateaued back in February, so I made a decision to shut down MVM instead of playing old stuff. Time has passed, and new videos have been released by artists who qualified earlier, new nominees have made videos, and then there are the lost video entries. Things are back to normal.

We Begin with Farah. No, not the 70's Bombshell. This is +Farah Loux , reminding of of the K.I.D.S we can all be.

Continuing with the Kids theme, we go to +yancynotnancy and Not Ashamed, from her Children's Music Nominated Album, Jesus Music Box.

And finally, we go to North Point Kids, from their nominated album Shine, this is the Books of The Bible.

One last thing. Scroll down a little more, and enter the Giveaway for 4 great albums. Welcome back to Music Video Monday. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Night Beat Rewind: May 2013

Things are finally getting back to normal. In April's edition of Night Beat Rewind I mentioned that no releases missed the mark. This month seven missed the threshold. On the other hand, four releases were labeled as Pure Platinum, the most in any month since this blog started (Technically there were 5 Perfect Albums in October 2012, but since two of them were Christmas Music, and there wasn't a Platinum Vinyl Award Category for that, they aren't counted). If I don't get a handle on things you are going to think that I hand out Fives like candy. If I didn't hand out an abundance of 4.75's, things would really be out of control.

We like to begin with those albums which we said were

Missing The Mark

• Altars - Something More 3.75 Emeralds
• David Crowder Band - All This For A King: The Essential Collection 3.75 Emeralds
• Tara Jackson - Love Come Down 3.75 Emeralds
• Samuel Lane - The Fire 3.75 Emeralds
• Letter to the Exiles - Still Moving, Still Breathing 3.75 Emeralds
• Robin Mark - Ultimate Collection 3.75 Emeralds
• Vocal Few - Tall Trees EP 3.75 Emeralds

To all my new readers, I like to mention that like the 4.75 rating, the 3.75 rating is sort of a cop out. When I think the album is very good, but not really award worthy, I give it 3.75. I don't start making judgements unless its 3.50 or below. There were, however, releases which really wowed me. These are they which are:

Pure Platinum

• All The Bright Lights - The Wind and The Waves 5 Emeralds
• Percy Bady - Kingdom Inspirations 5 Emeralds
• John Elefante - On My Way To The Sun 5 Emeralds
• Yancy - Roots for the Journey 5 Emeralds

 The perfect list was all over the place. Rock for Elefante, Gospel for Bady, Electronic for ATBL and Yancy did her usual genre switch, this time either Inspirational or Modern Worship. I like to call the albums that fell somewhere in between these two

Semi-Precious Metal

• Allistair - Feed the White Dog Love 4.75 Emeralds 
• Eisley - Currents (Deluxe) 4.75 Emeralds
• David M. Edwards - Heart Full Of Soul - 4.75 Emeralds
• Finding Favour - Finding Favour EP 4.50 Emeralds
• Golden Youth - Quiet Frame; Wild Light 4.75 Emeralds
• Amy Grant - How Mercy Looks From Here (Deluxe Edition) 4.50 Emeralds
• Steve Hare - Heart Like Your Own 4.75 Emeralds
• Javen - Worship In The Now-Live 4.75 Emeralds
• Nathan Jess - Love Stands Forever 4.50 Emeralds
• Hannah Rose - Hannah Rose 4.50 Emeralds
• Shane and Shane - Bring Your Nothing 4.75 Emeralds
• Various Artists - To Dad, With Love - 4.75 Emeralds
• Vineyard UK Worship - Come Now Is The Time (The Platinum Collection) 4.50 Emeralds
• Vineyard UK Worship - Piano Classics 4.50 Emeralds
• Whosoever South - Goin' Home 4.75 Emeralds

That concludes the May edition of Night Beat Rewind. It's only June 3. That makes me very happy. What would make me even happier would be for you to click on the links and buy the music from Amazon. You help support the work of The Night Beat at the same time. Except for Allistair and All the Bright Lights. Allistair is on noisetrade for free. ATBL appears to be delayed, but the link will take you to a pre-order. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.