Many Choir fans don’t consider this their best work. Hardcore fans loved it but casual fans were looking for a fun follow up in the style of “Diamonds And Rain”. I admit the first few times I listened to it I found it to be disappointing. That said I came around as I listened to the lyrics. The album is much better written but I don’t think people could get past the dark feel the album had and I will admit that while I like the lyrics I don’t think this was a musically strong album. It is said that it took 6 month to record the album and I almost wonder if they didn’t over think the album. There is a point in any recording that you have to say “I think that’s it”. If you keep going you can actually over think the songs and I believe that is exactly what happened here. More evidence of this is even the thought process of the album cover. The CD, vinyl, and cassette all have slightly different covers which are based on the same picture. I don’t know if they were trying to imitate Amy Grant’s Unguarded but to me it’s just another example of over thinking things. The CD version of this release has 5 bonus tracks which further proves my point. Some of these tracks were obviously destined for the cutting room floor but they had probably invested so much energy into them they felt they had to release them. Now that I have criticized this album I will step back and say there is some real good tracks on this album. It is by far their best produced album up to this point and lyrically it is probably their best. In the end it’s just a little dark for my liking.
Tracklist
1 – Consider – 4:08
2 – Children Of Time – 5:10
3 – Clouds – 7:00
4 – Sad Face – 7:14
5 – Cain – 5:18
6 – The Rifleman – 3:43
7 – Look Out (For Your Own) – 3:28
8 – Everybody In The Band – 1:36
9 – So Far Away – 5:07
10 – Chase The Kangaroo – 4:10
CD Bonus Tracks
11 – Fade Into You – 3:59
12 – 15 Doors – 3:05
13 – More Than Words – 2:36
14 – Tears Don’t Fall – 3:49
15 – All Night Long – 5:03
Credits
Artwork [Additional Graphic Assistance] – Phillip Foster, Stewart Ivester*
Artwork [Art Direction & Coordination] – Tim Alderson
Artwork [Cover Concept And Design] – John Joseph Flynn*
Artwork By [Additional Graphic Assistance] – Ed, June, Marcella at Slides And Print, Canoga Park, CA
Bass – Tim Chandler
Directed By [Choir Direction] – Brian Martin
Drums – Steven H.*
Executive-Producer – Tom Willett
Guitar, Keyboards, Lead Vocals – Derri*
Lyrics By – Steven H.*
Other [Tried To Keep Peace Among The Brethren] – Bill Batstone
Photography By – Stewart Ivester*
Producer – Derri Daugherty, Steven Hindalong*
Producer [Additional] – Gene Eugene, Steve Griffith
Recorded By – Dave Hackbarth, Derri Daugherty, Gene Eugene, Mark Heard, Steve Griffith
Recorded By, Mixed By – Mike Mierau (tracks: 11 to 15)
Saxophone, Lyricon – Dan “Buck” Michaels*
Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Word, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Word, Inc.
Manufactured By – Word, Inc.
Recorded At – Neverland Studios
Mixed At – Neverland Studios
Recorded At – Pakaderm Studios
Mixed At – Pakaderm Studios
Manufactured By – JVC
Designed At – OZ Graphics
Designed At – Slides and Print
Gotta disagree on this one. I started listening to this band with their first release “Voices In Shadows” when they were called Youth Choir. I was initially so turned off by the change in style on “Diamonds And Rain” that I almost did not pick this one up. So glad I did! To this day, one of my favorite Choir albums, the darkness was caused by Steve Hindalong and his wife having lost a baby and the songs were expressing his grief. The five “bonus tracks” were a CD pressing of their second Youth Choir release “Shades Of Grey.” 15 Doors is still one of their most memorable songs for me.