Month: July 2020

Adam Again – In A New World Of Time – 1986

This was the introductory album from Adam Again. The band was assembled by Gene Eugene (Gene Andrusco). Gene was the producer, writer and lead vocalist which is quite the responsibility level. For those who don’t remember Gene went on to be a member of both Lost Dogs and The Swirling Eddies so this heavy workload was something he was known for. His wife (or wife to be) Michele Bunch (Riki Michele) also provided lead vocals. The band was originally called Martus and included member Sim Wilson who left to join Undercover. Anyway on to the music. This album is not indicative of what was to come from Adam again. This album has a funk feel on several tracks which is a sound that disappeared on later albums. This was a good thing in my opinion as I don’t really care for the funk sound. I actually wasn’t a big fan of this album but what was to come from Adam Again would be some fantastic music.

Tracklist
1 – Life In The First Degree – 3:28
2 – She’s Run – 3:20
3 – Your Line Is Busy – 3:27
4 – You Can Fall In Love – 5:46
5 – In A New World Of TIme – 3:51
6 – Walk Away – 3:41
7 – Miracles – 4:42
8 – Morning Song – 3:47
9 – (God Can) Change The World – 3:27
10 – Reason With Me – 4:14

Credits
Artwork – Howard Finster
Bass – Paul Valadez
Guitar – Greg Lawless
Guitar [Solo] – Marky Schrock (tracks: 2, 8)
Keyboards – Smitty Price
Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals – G. Eugene
Percussion – Kurt Rasmussen, Ron Chase
Producer – Gene Eugene
Recorded By – Wally Grant
Saxophone, Lyricon – Dan Michaels
Vocals – Riki Michele

Companies, etc.
Glass Mastered At – Nimbus, Virginia
Recorded At – Asaph Recording
Copyright (c) – Chenka, Chenka Music

Novella – A Liquid Earth – 1992

When I started researching this band I was really surprised at how little information I was able to find. I stumbled on the album and as it was a 90’s album I wasn’t very optimistic. Wow was I wrong, this is one great Rock & Roll album. I found several people refer to it as a Metal album which it is not!!! This is a straight up hard rock album. Anyway as I said I can’t really find out too much about these guys. This was their second album but I have read that their first album is even better. We have it too but I haven’t listened to it yet. I did find some comments from the guitarist “Derek Ferwerda” (who was a new guitarist for this album) and I quote him here “It was the true inspirational and creative song writing of Jonathan Pagano before a clueless record company agenda got in the way.” Normally I would pile on the record label but I think Derek’s words say it all. Anyway it’s a bit late from the 80’s but it’s a great Rock & Roll album. Give it a listen, I promise you won;’t be disappointed.

Tracklist
1 – Story – 3:22
2 – Bad Place – 4:18
3 – Don’t You Run – 5:28
4 – Fire In The House – 4:09
5 – Heaven’s On My Mind – 4:15
6 – Let’s Talk About Love – 4:48
7 – Right In The Middle – 4:43
8 – Colour Of Love – 4:35
9 – Missionary – 4:39
10 – Stranger – 4:47

Credits
Art Direction – Tony Thigpen
Art Direction, Layout – Jeff Spencer
Bass Guitar – Jon
Bass, Engineer [Assistant] – Steve Evetts
Drums – Adam
Edited By [Digital Editing] – Alan Douches
Engineer [Assistant Mix Engineer] – Graig White
Engineer [Pre-Production Engineer] – Shawn Tom
Executive-Producer – Dez Dickerson
Guitar – Derek
Keyboards, Backing Vocals – Plinky
Lead Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards – Jonathan
Mastered By – Denny Purcell
Photography [Band Photography] – Russ Narrington
Producer, Recorded By [Assistant], Mixed By [Assistant] – Jonathan
Producer, Recorded By, Mixed By – Plinky

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Trax East
Overdubbed At – Allies Studio
Mixed At – Sound Stage Studios
Mastered At – Georgetown Masters

Mark Heard – Victims of the Age – 1982

I do not cry very often. I will cry in a movie before I cry about things in my own life. I have only cried once at a funeral, but never have I cried when hearing about the death of someone I did not know extremely well. Except on August 17th 1992 when I had learned of the death the previous day of Christian artist Mark Heard. And I don’t know why… Perhaps I was so moved by his music and felt such a connection to it that his death simply moved me. Or I have considered I was familiar enough with the story of his life and trials and struggles he endured for his art that I felt an empathy previously unknown. Sometime I believe it is because I realized the world lost a beautiful soul, a loving man and brilliant artist…and the world didn’t even know it. That is the great shame of the life and death of Mark Heard. It is a shame that most of the world had no idea who the man was and what an amazing collection of art he had created in his 20 years as a musician, poet, producer and performer. “Victims of the Age” was the second album of Mark’s that I would own (though I now own them all) and its consistently carried theme of city life and isolation and the ever-present Gospel ring as true today as it did in 1982. Plus I firmly believe that Victims, more than any other Heard release, walked the very fine line between commercially accessible and artistically intriguing as any other.

Contributor David Lowman – https://ccms500bestalbums.wordpress.com/

Tracklist
1 – Victims Of The Age – 3:14
2 – City Life Won’t Let Up – 3:40
3 – Faces In Cabs – 3:22
4 – Nothing Is Bothering Me – 4:22
5 – Some Folks’ World – 4:32
6 – Growing Up Blind – 4:57
7 – Dancing At The Policeman’s Ball – 3:53
8 – Everybody Loves A Holy War – 4:24
9 – Heart Of Hearts – 3:14

Credits
Backing Vocals – Larry Norman, Leslie Phillips
Bass, Backing Vocals – Billy Batstone
Drums – John Mehler
Electric Guitar, Lead Guitar, Slide Guitar, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Percussion, Harmonica, Accordion [Accordian], Mandolin – Mark Heard
Engineer – Bill Cobb
Engineer, Photography By – Janet Sue Heard
Keyboards – Carl Pickhardt, Tom Howard
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Producer, Engineer, Mixed By, Arranged By, Design [Cover] – Mark Heard
Tambourine, Shaker – Harry Stinson

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Home Sweet Home Records
Copyright (c) – Home Sweet Home Records
Distributed By – The Benson Company, Inc.
Recorded At – Poiema Studios
Recorded At – Gold Mine Studio West
Mixed At – Wilder Bros. Studios, Los Angeles
Mastered At – A&M Mastering Studios

Bash -N- The Code – Bash -N- The Code – 1986

Bash -N- The Code was put together by Keith Lancaster along with husband and wife team Greg & Rebecca Sparks. Keith had been in “Found Free”, a 70’s Jesus music band, with Rebecca. Other than that I don’t really know that much abut this band. Though I had not heard of them i have been told they were quite popular. As for the album it is the epitome of mid 80’s pop. In fact this could be used as the definitive example of mid 80’s Christian pop if anyone asks you. I think the standout track on the album is their version of “We Exalt You”. It’s a fun and easy album to listen to but you may grow tired of it pretty quickly.

Tracklist
1 – Power Praise – 3:26
2 – We Exalt You – 3:00
3 – Whatever I Do – 4:07
4 – Testify – 4:23
5 – Go Ahead – 3:49
6 – Diamond – 3:43
7 – Promises – 4:08
8 – I Will Win This Fight – 4:19
9 – Fanatic – 3:50
10 – Land Of The Living – 4:42

Credits
Drums, Percussion – Chris Kearney
Executive-Producer – Brian Tankersley
Guitar, Vocals – Mark Townsend
Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals – Scott Carmichael
Keyboards, Vocals – Trent Dean
Lead Vocals – Rebecca Ed Sparks
Lead Vocals, Bass – Greg Sparks
Producer – John Andrew Schreiner
Sounds – Dave Wagner
Vocals – Keith Lancaster

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Word, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Word, Inc.
Published By – Word Music (2)

Steve Taylor & Sheila Walsh – Transatlantic Remixes – 1985

This is/was a fascinating little surprise that appeared in 1985. I’m not really too sure what transpired for this little gem to be recorded/mixed but it’s one of my favourite EP’s from the 80’s. It only has three tracks. The first track is a duet with Steve Taylor & Sheila Walsh covering the David Edwards song “Not Going To Fall Away”. Full disclaimer this is one of my all time favourite songs and this version is fantastic. If I had to make a list of my favourite songs from the 80’s this would be in the top 10. In fact it would probably be #1 or #2. It would have to fight it out with Dylan’s “Saved”. The second track is a remix of Sheila Walsh’s “We’re All One”. Michael Omartian did the remix and did a darn good job. This came off of what I think was Sheila’s best album “Don’t Hide Your Heart” and this remix of “We’re All One” is just excellent. Finally we get a remix of the Steve Taylor favourite “This Disco (Used To Be A Cute Cathedral)”. Another great tune and an excellent remix. This EP was a real treat and I still remember the first time we dropped the needle on it many years ago.

Tracklist
1 – Not Going To Fall Away – 8:05
2 – We’re All One (Extended Version) – 5:48
3 – This Disco (Used To Be A Cute Cathedral) (Extended Version) – 5:15

Angelica – Walkin’ In Faith – 1990

The second album from Angelica was very well received. Surfing around the Internet I found many glowing reviews. When I listened to the album I found it to be excellent. This album was easily as good as anything on the radio in the late 80’s. The lineup for this album did change up a bit with vocals now handled by Jerome Mazza. Quite frankly he nailed this album, actually the whole band did. The production is excellent which kind of surprised me as it was produced by band member Dennis Cameron. In my opinion when bands self produce their album it has a good chance of being a disaster but occasionally an album proves me wrong and this is one of those albums. Cameron produced, mixed, played guitar, played drums, and provided background vocals. This is quite the workload. Anyway this is a great Metal album with a couple tunes that lean more Hard Rock. Not my preferred style of music I admit but I quite liked this album.

1 – Walkin’ In Faith – 4:42
2 – Hold On – 4:28
3 – All I Can Do – 4:50
4 – Soul Search – 4:13
5 – Time And Time Again – 4:14
6 – Sing And Shout – 4:25
7 – Set Me Free – 4:35
8 – Not Too Late – 5:20
9 – Bring Into Being – 4:41
10 – Harvest – 3:24

Credits
Art Direction – Ed McTaggart
Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals – Robert Pallen
Co-producer – Daryl Wicker
Engineer – Daryl Wicker
Guitar, Drum Programming, Backing Vocals – Dennis Cameron
Illustration [Cover] – Jeff Foster
Keyboards – Daryl Wicker (tracks: A2 to A4, B1 to B5), Dennis Cameron (tracks: A1, A5)
Layout – Joe Potter
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Jerome Mazza
Mastered By – John Matousek
Mixed By – Daryl Wicker, Dennis Cameron, Scott Seehower
Producer – Dennis Cameron
Written-By, Composed By, Arranged By – Dennis Cameron

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Intense Records
Copyright (c) – Intense Records
Distributed By – Word (UK) Ltd.
Recorded At – GCC Production House
Mastered At – Soundworks West

Keith Green – Songs For The Shepherd – 1982

This was the last album Keith recorded before his untimely death later in the same year it was released. He passed away in a plane crash in July of 1982 in an airplane crash that also claimed the lives of his two children, Josiah, and Bethany. His wife was not on the flight and lives in California and continues Mark’s ministry entitled Last Day Ministries. It is unfortunate that this album has that sad piece of news forever attached to it. Lucky for us however there were more recordings made by Keith over previous years so we were able to enjoy more music from him after his passing. Now I will be perfectly clear, Keith does not do my style of music but I know good music when I hear it and this is good music. Probably his best work. That said can anyone explain to me why he didn’t have one chart single off an album this good and especially given the unfortunate attention this album received? I am usually critical of the CCM business because they ignored the up and coming young acts on their charts, but this time I’m critical because they ignored an album that anyone could hear had several chart songs on it. Oh well we are left to enjoy the album and remember Keith as an excellent musician and man of great devotion.

Tracklist
1 – The Lord Is My Shepherd – 4:10
2 – You Are The One! – 2:39
3 – How Majestic Is Thy Name – 3:59
4 – Draw Me – 3:47
5 – Glory Lord Jesus – 3:20
6 – There Is A Redeemer – 3:11
7 – The Promise Song – 3:21
8 – Until That Final Day – 4:38
9 – Jesus Is Lord Of All – 2:32
10 – O God Our Lord – 3:49
11 – I Will Give Thanks To The Lord – 1:47
12 – Holy, Holy, Holy – 3:40

Credits
Arranged By [Strings], Conductor – Harlan Rogers
Arranged By [Tracks] – Bill Maxwell, Keith Green
Backing Vocals – Alphanette Silas, Howard Smith, Keith Green, Linda McCrary
Bass – Abraham Laboriel
Concertmaster – Sidney Sax
Design [Inner Sleeve Design] – Pretty Good Graphics
Design, Layout – Stan Evenson Design
Drums – Bill Maxwell
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Harlan Rogers
Engineer – Gordon Shryock
Engineer [Assistant] – Wally Grant
Engineer [Orchestra] – Keith Grant
Engineer [Overdubs] – Peter Hayden, Willie Harlan
Guitar – Hadley Hockensmith
Mastered By – Steve Hall
Mixed By – Bill Maxwell, Gordon Shryock, Keith Green
Mixed By [Assistant] – Wally Grant
Percussion – Alex Acuña, Bill Maxwell
Photography By – Mark Hanauer
Piano – Keith Green
Producer – Bill Maxwell, Keith Green
Strings, Orchestra – The London National Philharmonic Orchestra
Synthesizer – Tom Keene

Companies, etc.
Copyright (c) – Last Days Ministries
Recorded At – Weddington Studios
Recorded At – Olympic Studios
Overdubbed At – Paramount Recorders
Overdubbed At – International Automated Media
Mixed At – Weddington Studios
Mastered At – MCA Whitney Recording Studios
Published By – Birdwing Music
Mastered At – Sheffield Lab Matrix

Allies – Virtues – 1986

The followup to their premier album had a very similar sound and feel. Considering the lineup was the same and they were still being produced by Dino Elefante this wasn’t surprising. The odd thing though is that this album concluded their relationship with Light Records. Light had been very anxious to sign them but it looks like something changed a couple albums in. This album was also the last with vocalist Sam Scott, another rather odd turn of events. All that aside the album sold well and also gave the band their first chart single “Prayer For The Children” which made it to #20 in the 6 weeks it was on the charts. I never liked the album cover as it reminds me of a Russian communism poster, but maybe it was supposed to.

Tracklist
1 – Hardened Hearts – 4:32
2 – On With The Fight – 3:36
3 – If You Believe – 3:38
4 – Harmony – 3:50
5 – Prayer For The Children – 4:39
6 – In America – 3:26
7 – Jacque Remembers – 3:44
8 – Somebody Told Me You Were Crying – 3:01
9 – Let’s Fall In Love (All Over Again) – 4:30
10 – Runnin’ Out Of Time – 4:08

Credits
Acoustic Guitar, Keyboards [Electric Keyboards], Vocals – Sam Scott
Art Direction – Jeff Fey
Drums [Acoustic Drums], Electronic Drums – Jim Erickson
Electric Bass – Matthew Chapman
Engineer – Mike Mierau
Engineer [Assistant] – Paul Abajian
Illustration – Warren Hile
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Bob Carlisle
Photography By – Richard Arrindell
Producer, Engineer – Dino Elefante
Producer, Guitar, Soloist [Guitar Solos], Guitar Synthesizer, Vocals – Randy Thomas
Programmed By [Keyboard Programming] – Tim Heintz

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Printed By – Shorewood Packaging
Made By – Shorewood Packaging
Distributed By – Word (Uk) Ltd.
Designed At – Art Hotel

Kenny Marks – Follow Him – 1982

After Marks graduated from Messiah College in Philadelphia in 1971 he began to perform with Billy Graham’s Afterglow Concert Series and actually did so for almost 10 years. In 1981 he participated in a project/album called “Premiere Performance” by Myrrh Records. The album was actually a fan vote project where fans would vote for their favourite artist and that artist would get an album deal. Kenny won that competition with the song “You Don’t Have To Try To Be Somebody”. That song appears on this album and I actually don’t find it to one of the stronger tracks on the album but it was 1981 and I was listening to Resurrection band at the time so my taste wasn’t exactly aimed at Kenny’s music. Kenny apparently wrote the whole album and while the writing was good it was not the strong writing that he had on later albums. The album had all the best CCM studio musicians of the time but the one odd inclusion was Dan Huff who was at the same time working on the introductory WhiteHeart album. I find it kind of surprising that there wasn’t a CCM charting song on this album. Given that it was 1982 there are several tracks that could have comfortably sat on the charts.

Tracklist
1 – Lean On Him – 3:37
2 – Lovin’ Me For Myself – 2:55
3 – You Need Love – 3:06
4 – You Don’t Have To Try And Be Somebody – 3:13
5 – In The Middle Of The Night – 3:34
6 – He’ll Finish What He Started – 3:11
7 – Follow Him – 3:23
8 – I Give It All To You – 4:35
9 – Ringin’ The Bells – 2:52
10 – When I Least Expect It – 3:10

Credits
Arranged By – Don Hart
Backing Vocals – Diana DeWitt Hanna, Doana Cooper, Keith Thomas, Pamela Marks, Patti Leatherwood
Bass – Jimmie Lee Sloas, Mike Brignardello
Drums – Bob Gelotte, Mark Hammond, Tommy Wells
Executive-Producer – Neal Joseph
Guitar – Brent Rowan, Dann Huff, Jon Goin
Harp – Cindy Reynolds
Keyboards – Keith Thomas
Percussion – Mark Hammond, Terry McMillan
Piano – Bobby Ogdin
Producer, Keyboards – Keith Thomas
Saxophone – Dennis Solee
Vocals – Kenny Marks
Written-By – Kenny Marks

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Word, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Word, Inc.

Steven Soles – Walk By Love – 1982

Steven Soles may be the most accomplished artists in CCM that very people had ever heard of. Soles was member of Bob Dylan’s famous “Rolling Thunder Revue” tour in 1975 and, along with a few friends were one of those who shared the Gospel with Dylan. Two other band members, T-Bone Burnett and David Mansfield, started the famed Alpha Band and released three amazing albums. He has also gone on to perform on albums by Dylan, T-Bone Burnett, Peter case and Elvis Costello. After The Alpha Band disbanded he recorded two solo projects for the Christian market. Both were widely critically acclaimed if not necessarily widely received. The better of those two is Walk By Love. Using a light reggae rhythm throughout the world music influence set him apart from anything else in the Christian Music world. Lyrically straight forward and yet very smart and original. The title track should have been a hit if not for the suspicious nature of Christian radio and refusal to play music that didn’t fit the normal scheme of things even if it was directly commercial.

Contributor David Lowman – https://ccms500bestalbums.wordpress.com/

Tracklist
1 – Walk By Love – 3:44
2 – Shepherd Of The Valley – 3:29
3 – The Last Round Up – 5:07
4 – Joy In All – 2:43
5 – The Talents – 4:32
6 – Let Him In – 3:17
7 – Standing In His Power – 3:35
8 – Love Come To You – 3:59
9 – Light Of Lights – 3:20
10 – Walk By Love (Reprise) – 1:29

Credits
Bass, Vocals – Jerry Scheff
Engineer – Bobby Macias, David Goldstein
Flute, Saxophone – Marco Macisso
Guitar, Mandolin – David Mansfield
Guitar, Vocals – Steven Soles
Keyboards, Vocals – Danny Timms
Photography, Art Direction, Design – Herbert Wheeler Worthington III
Producer – Steven Soles
Recorded By, Percussion – Larry Hirsch
Vocals – Jude Johnstone, Tommy Funderburk, Wendy Matthews
Vocals, Drums – Ron Tutt

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – Word Records (2)
Published By – Good News Records
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Good News Records
Printed By – Shorewood Packaging
Made By – Shorewood Packaging
Copyright (c) – Specific Gravity Music
Copyright (c) – Dunamis Music
Copyright (c) – Nophir Music
Copyright (c) – Arthur Buster Stahr Music
Recorded At – Monterey Sound Studios
Mixed At – Paramount Recording Studios