Hall Pass: Recognizing the True Gems

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions of 2021 came out recently, and a quiet riot has erupted, not necessarily because of who was inducted, but because of who was not. 

Now since I got born again in 1975 and switched to a Christian Music Only diet beginning in 1978, I admit that my knowledge of Mainstream Music is limited, but I did live through the 80's and 90's and you pick up things through osmosis. So yes, I am aware of Journey, Madonna, Chicago, Van Halen and a bunch of others from the era, even though I did not choose to purchase that music.

I decided to check out the RARHOF Website and both check out Eligibility (25 years from First Album) and scroll the inductees. Not that I was surprised, but there was no Christian Rock Band represented unless you consider U2, which I would, but that means that they are a token to pacify the religious. While CCM and Mainstream Rock have become separate industries, it sounds pretty much the same instrumentally speaking. Lyrically, it is definitely cleaner and there may be a reverential reference to Jesus as a bonus.

"What's the big deal", I hear you say. You have a Gospel Music Hall of Fame. You have yours and we have ours. That would be fine, except the GMHOF is really the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame. It is mostly SG, no amplifier necessary. Petra is the only Rock entry, and maybe Amy Grant. Big Whoop. Even the Jesus crowd can't get around to honor the righteous rocker.

What we need is a Night Beat Hall of Fame, and I am going to Start the seeds of it right here. I'll use the RARHOF standard this year 1996=2021, that will come later, and first I'll try to come up with a Founder's Class of inductees from the Golden Era. It should be a fun exercise and Unwelcome your input as well. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Sweet Melodies of The Fallen

I begin with a disclaimer. I have been a fan of Evanescence since they were a bunch of kids out of Little Rock, Arkansas. The first song I remember hearing was Even in Death on Christian Industrial.com internet radio. Then I heard Bring Me to Life and My immortal on the Daredevil soundtrack. Fallen was the only album I have put on pre-order. So while this review is honest, it also is coming from a fanboy.

The Bitter Truth is the fourth studio album from Evanescence and the first in eleven years (the Night Beat had barely got of the ground. I started the blog in July of 2010). It is amazing to realize that I could say that I have been following the Band for my entire career as a blogger. Of course the Night Beat started as a radio show in 1984 when Amy Lee was in her terrible two's. 

The Bitter Truth gets off to a different kind of start with a two song intro. Artifact/The Turn and Broken Pieces Shine could be the best 1-2 punch to open an album ever. I would call Artifact/The turn an EDM song and it begins with a question "Where do we go now?" The answer is up to 11 on the volume. A simple countdown of three, two, one zero into the metal anthem broken pieces shine is the best transition since Tourniquet and Imaginary from Fallen. Survival Hurts, and I don't know if I will be alright, but I have to try is Amy's commentary on the death of her brother. As someone who has experienced the loss of a lived one I understand her completely.

There isn't a bad song on the album, but the album does sound different. Any lack of production can easily be forgiven by me in that this album was put together during a lockdown. I would say it sounds great despite the obstacles. Yeah, Right may be the only Pop Happy song that Amy ever records. That's not to say that her songs are depressing, but the pain that she channels in her songs work healing for the listener. In that way the song works.

Use My Voice is another different song, in that it came out in the middle of the Presidential campaign, that is different. Evanescence has pretty much stayed clear of any political statement. Conservatives like metal too. When the song originally came out I confess I took a hiatus from the band, not wanting to be disappointed. I decided to check it out and am pleasantly surprised. The song and video steer a good middle course and has a patriotic flair. My only wish is that Amy et al doesn't get petty and do cease and desist orders if Republicans use it in 2022. Both sides should be allowed to say you don't speak for me.

I'm a sucker for the epic ballad, see My Immortal or Lost In Paradise for proof. Far from Heaven is Amy at her spine chilling best. It is full of pain and prayer, and may be one of my favorite Ev Worship tunes. I can't see your light anymore, cause I've spent too long in the dark. I am not ashamed to say it's an emotional trainwreck of a song and will leave you in tears. Best song on the album.

You know where this is going.

The Bitter Truth is that this is a 5 Emerald perfect album. Is it multi-platinum like Fallen. It should be, it has that kind of impact, but since Fallen was a debut, I don't know if that lightning can strike twice. Still, it cements Evanescence status as legendary. That's the (not so) Bitter Truth. The revenge of the fallen. until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply. 

Rewind Reboot: January 2021

Happy New Year Everyone. Yes, I know it's March, but the year used to begin here. (In case you didn't know the prefixes Sept, Oct, Nov and Dec are latin for Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten, and that only works if the first month is March).

The point of this trivial pursuit is that I think it's easier to get 2021 under control than 2020. What I'm going to do is ditch the song categories for now and focus on the albums. And since formatting these posts with neat lists is still a problem, I will just hit the highlights. Not every album will be covered. And finally, since this is a labor of love and I am not currently an affiliate with anyone, I will link to purchase directly from the artists website.

Maybe the lockdown has mellowed me, but only 3 albums missed the mark. Two of them were worship albums New Wine Worship Forever Glorified and Grace City Music's Revival Town. Both albums are pretty good, but flat. They don't transport you to the throne. The third was a cover album by MassAnthem.

There was a full dozen (12) Perfect 5 EMERALD albums to start the year. I will highlight four of them. Graves Into Gardens Morning and Evening is a remix album of sorts by Elevation Worship. This is exactly what I mean by transported. Skin and Wind by CCM legendary musician and producer Charlie Peacock is a folk masterpiece and a rare vocal album, as he has been on an instrumental jazz tear of late. Unseen: The Lion and The Lamb by Seventh Day Slumber is a rarity. A worship album by a rock band where the band is not ashamed to adjust the songs to their sound. And finally Don't Lose Hope by Cochren and Co.  I love the style that I would dub honkey tonk rock.

The other 18 albums were in the semi-precious metal category. I'll keep track of them but won't comment here.

That wraps January. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Seeds of Healing

Amorphous - Having no definite form, pattern or structure. 

That's what the dictionary says about the title of the latest album by Icon For Hire. If that is true, perhaps Ariel is referring to chaotic emotions, but since the entire album is about these emotions, that is in itself a pattern.  

Bursting onto the rock scene in 2011 with Scripted, they immediately came into focus here at Night Beat HQ as we are quite the fans of King Midas (aka Brandon Ebel of Tooth and Nail Records). Things were rocky for the band partly due to the distribution deal with EMI which ended in 2013. A number of bands decided to strike out on their own in the ensuing chaos over licensing.

Amorphous builds on the previous two releases (You Can't Kill Us, Still Can't Kill Us) in that all 3 albums are a heavy dose of emotional therapy at a fraction of the cost of a psychiatrist. Keep Breathing, Don't Lose Focus, Your alive, not a diagnosis. While I haven't been put into a nice box by the mental health profession, the medical community made a mess of my childhood, but thank you Jesus for his healing power at age 10. 

I would describe the album as Metal, with a heavy dose of rap thrown in for good measure (especially panic attack which channels NF to a T). Speaking of Mental Health, Hazmat Suit Wednesdays seems like a wonderful idea in these times. Of course no Icon album would be complete without a spine chilling Ariel Ballad. This one is Backround sad, which I think comes in degrees, especially on milestone days like birthdays, anniversaries and the like. 

The album ends on an up note, Warrior. (The actual end is Only Be A Story, another haunting ballad. It's a somber, not depressing, wrap, putting our life on earth in perspective. It actually complements warrior). Warrior is the embodiment of the phrase "whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger." We are what we've overcome.

Amorphous is one of those rare albums that puts you through the emotional wash, spin cycle and wringer. When you emerge, however, you will have discovered a pattern to your emotions, and you will not be Amorphous. The first PERFECT 5 EMERALD rating of the year, due mainly to the fact that I am behind schedule for the year. Here's to making progress. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

2021: New Year, New Hope

2020 was a difficult year for a lot of us, and we here at The Night Beat we're not immune either. While we weren't affected personally by COVID, being a small time operation reliant on public computers, government overreaction to the virus threw things into disarray. While we managed to piece together Awards for #PlatVnyl9 and #PVX, year 11 is a total mess and year 12, who knows?

Our Facebook Page  is going to be the most reliable source of information right now. You will even find out that a blog post will be active there. Mostly you will find video recommendations and news of album release,maybe even short reviews. We shall see how things shape up as we continue to reinvent things. Stay with us, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Holiday Update 2020

2020 is almost over and the Christmas Season is upon us. #PVX is in the bag and Platinum Vinyl 11, while the eligibility year is finished, the entries are a disorganized mess due to many upheavals because of government overreach with coronavirus. Note I said due to government. Physically, I have been unaffected by the virus and that will remain the case.

The Blog, due to the restrictions of a mobile platform, will be relegated to a semi-retired status. I will be more active with small posts on Twitter and Facebook. We shall see how year end roundups go with that. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

#PVX Has Come

The Platinum Vinyl Awards, Tenth Edition has begun. Popularly known as #PVX, the Awards began with the Music Video Awards earlier in the fall. The Album and Song Sections begin tomorrow with the "minor" categories, with the ready for prime time ones following soon after. Keep in touch with it all on Facebook and Twitter