Month: August 2024

Kenny Marks – Fire Of Forgiveness – 1992

This is Kenny’s 6th album. While his style was waning a bit this was still a pretty successful album and one of my personal favourites. Personally I don’t think Kenny got enough recognition as a song writer. Yes I know he was popular among the CCM media but they never really gave his song writing the credit it deserved. This album is more an example of his song writing skills than a great music album. The album did do well though with 2 singles on the CCM charts, I Need A Savior made it to #22 and Like A Father Should Be to #12.

Tracklist
1 – Fire Of Forgiveness (Ashes Of Love) – 5:39
2 – When Love Comes Clean – 4:30
3 – I Need A Savior – 3:16
4 – Turn My World Around – 4:00
5 – Someone To Come Home To – 5:04
6 – Promises To Keep – 4:13
7 – 1932 – 3:33
8 – Like A Father Should Be – 3:19
9 – Tell Me You Love Me – 3:07
10 – Forever Love – 2:50

Credits
Acoustic Guitar – Dave Perkins, Don Potter
Art Direction – Amy Linde
Bass Guitar, Synth [Bass] – Tommy Sims
Design – Tufts Design Studio
Drums – Paul Leim
Electric Guitar – Kenny Greenberg
Engineer [Assistant] – Ed Simonton
Engineer [Lead Vocal] – JB
Engineer [Overdubs] – Bert Stevens, Dennis Ritchie
Executive-Producer – Lynn Keesecker
Mastered By – Hank Williams
Mixed By – Marc DeSisto
Mixed By [Assistant] – Greg Parker
Percussion – Eric Darken, Paul Leim
Photography By – David Roth
Producer – Bubba Smith, Kenny Marks
Recorded By – Brent King
Synthesizer, Organ [Hammond B-3] – Mike Lawler
Twelve-String Guitar [Electric] – Dave Perkins

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Word, Inc.
Copyright © – Word, Inc.
Manufactured By – Word, Inc.
Distributed By – Word, Inc.
Distributed By – Word Communications Ltd.
Distributed By – Word (Uk) Ltd.
Recorded At – Treasure Isle Recorders
Overdubbed At – Quad Studios
Mixed At – Mastermix
Mastered At – Mastermix
Manufactured By – JVC

Petra – No Doubt – 1995

This is the 15th album from Petra which is rather amazing when you think about it. Many popular secular bands didn’t even put out this many albums. The album is more pop oriented than their previous album and as such a broader appeal. Strangely the guitars on the album were played by founder Bob Hartman but as he had quit touring with the band so new guitarist David Lichens played the tour and appeared on the album cover and all promotional pictures. Now my criticism. Who thought this album cover was a good idea? The colour is horrible and the artwork is incredibly dull. Looks like the cover was just mailed in if you know what I mean. A part of me feels like the whole project was mailed in. I’m not really hearing anything that jumps out at me as a great track which is really surprising as the Elefante brothers produced and engineered the album. For those of you who say I don’t know anything about music well here’s your proof that you are correct. An album I found to be bland, not bad, was Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Gospel Album in 1995 and actually won the Dove Award for Rock Album in 1996. So I admit my taste does not jive with the industry.

Tracklist
1 – Enter In – 5:00
2 – Think Twice – 4:19
3 – Heart Of A Hero – 4:10
4 – More Than A Thousand Words – 4:58
5 – No Doubt – 4:54
6 – Right Place – 3:38
7 – Two Are Better Than One – 3:43
8 – Sincerely Yours – 4:16
9 – Think On These Things – 4:24
10 – For All You’re Worth – 4:14
11 – We Hold Our Hearts Out To You – 4:11

Credits
A&R – Bubba Smith, Lynn Keesecker
Backing Vocals – John Schlitt
Bass – Ronny Cates
Drums – Louie Weaver
Executive Producer – Bob Hartman
Keyboards – Jim Cooper
Lead Guitar – David J. Lichens
Lead Vocals – John Schlitt
Producer – Dino Elefante, John Elefante
Vocals – David J. Lichens, Jim Cooper, Ronny Cates

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Word, Inc.
Copyright © – Word, Inc.
Manufactured By – Epic Records
Distributed By – Epic Records
Glass Mastered At – DADC – DIDP-087033

Bryan Harden – Against The Tide – 1988

I can’t really find much info about Bryan. He was on several albums over the years a background vocalist but put out this self released cassette in 1988. It is apparently quite rare and only available on cassette if you can find it. The album is very Easy Listening with a strong emphasis on Bryan’s vocals which are very good but not really my style. Bryan is still performs with The Voices Of Liberty and is the Music Director of the Orlando Presbyterian Church.

Tracklist
1 – New Song – 3:34
2 – God Is – 2:35
3 – A Hiding Place, A Holy Place – 4:41
4 – Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing – 4:18
5 – Against The Tide – 3:48
6 – You’re My Friend – 3:13
7 – Lazarus Arise – 3:51
8 – Exalt Him Evermore – 2:30
9 – I’m Undone – 3:09

Various – California Metal Volume II – 1988

This 1988 Regency Records sampler featured some of the best California Metal bands of the time and some very exclusive tunes. I have listed below where you can find the albums with the songs. Note that the CD and the cassette have one more track than the vinyl version.

Tracklist
1 – Vision – Runaway – Unreleased
2 – Emerald – Traitor – Unreleased until 2001 then bonus track on Armed For Battle re-release CD
3 – Recon – Light The Fire – Only released on a 1989 Demo
4 – Soldier – Borderline – On 1988 album Babylon
5 – Judea – Heart Of Stone – Unreleased Band
6 – Mastedon – Get Up – On 1989 album It’s A Jungle Out There
7 – Ransom – Sin Killer – Unreleased
8 – Emerald – Born To Die – Unreleased until 2001 then bonus track on Armed For Battle re-release CD
9 – Judea – Knock – Unreleased Band
10 – Soldier – Tears – Unreleased until 2002 then bonus track on The Definitive Collection 1985-1989 CD
11 – Recon – Dreams – On 1990 album Behind Enemy Lines – Different Version

Tracklist
1 – Vision – Runaway – 4:56
2 – Emerald – Traitor – 2:39
3 – Recon – Light The Fire – 3:25
4 – Soldier – Borderline – 3:33
5 – Judea – Heart Of Stone – 4:32
6 – Mastedon – Get Up – 3:58
7 – Ransom – Sin Killer – 4:34
8 – Emerald – Born To Die – 4:17
9 – Judea – Knock – 4:24
10 – Soldier – Tears – 3:57
11 – Recon – Dreams – 4:59

Watchmen – Can’t Stop Talkin’ – 1981

You absolutely have to give credit to the Abraham brothers for putting out albums. They were getting little or none label support so they just kept self releasing their albums. This is one of those self released albums. It’s really a pity they couldn’t get a proper record deal because they were easily as good as anything else in the genre at the time. The lead track on this album is a fun pop track with a hook intro that probably would have done quite well with proper distribution. Anyway it’s a fun easy listening album from a group of guys who knew how to make music. You probably never heard this one so give it a listen. The lead track should hook you in.

1 – Can’t Stop Talkin’ – 4:40
2 – I Don’t Wanna Be the One – 4:07
3 – Previews of Coming Attractions – 4:55
4 – The Cross Calls Today – 4:28
5 – Good News Tonight – 4:15
6 – Song to An Unsaved Father – 6:28
7 – Lonely Out Tonight – 3:15
8 – Superman – 4:27
9 – This Generation/Any Day Now (I Shall Be Released) – 9:58

Vigilantes Of Love – Jugular – 1993

Vigilantes of Love was formed in the late 80’s by Bill Mallonee featuring other members from the local Athens, Georgia area. The band actually started as a side project of Bill’s band Cone Ponies. Their name was inspired by the New Order song “Love Vigilantes” which is one of my favourite songs. This is their first album and they actually first self released it in 1990. In 1992 Mark Heard’s label Fingerprint Records picked up the album and they also did a re-release in 1993. The album is a folk acoustic heavy album but is very good for that style. It’s not a style that was prevalent in the Christian market so I’m sure many found it to a refreshing sound at the time. I also give the band credit for packing 15 tracks on the album. I have noticed that most if not all of their albums had well over the usual 10 tracks. Kudos to them for giving their fans great value for their money. As I said I think it a pretty good album and I enjoyed listening to it. My one comment is that the name is horrible. I understand the band was trying to achieve some secular success but the name is horrible for a Christian album. I’m quite surprised that Mark Heard did not rename the album when he took it into his label. Oh well it’s all history now.

Tracklist
1 – Weak One Now – 3:23
2 – Songs On The Radio – 4:02
3 – Something To Hold On To – 4:12
4 – As Big As Christ – 4:43
5 – Love Cocoon – 3:46
6 – In The Morning – 6:32
7 – Thorn In Your Flesh – 2:13
8 – Take No Prisoners – 4:16
9 – Watching The Moonlight – 3:52
10 – Flames Of Hell – 4:29
11 – America – 5:57
12 – Drunk On The Tears – 5:31
13 – Losin’ It – 4:43
14 – Words Of Love Spoken – 3:59
15 – Who Knows When The Sunrise Will Be – 4:50

Credits
Accordion – Mark Hall
Backing Vocals – Oglethorpe County Tree Frog Chorus
Drums – Slap Happy
Engineer – Cam Mullally
Executive-Producer – Chuck Long, Dan Russell
Guitar, Vocals, Drums – Bill “Malice” Mallonee
Harmonica – Jonny “Dog-Mess” Evans
Mandolin, Bass, Backing Vocals – Billy Holmes
Producer – Peter Buck, V.O.L.
Producer, Engineer – Mark Heard

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Fingerprint Records
Recorded At – Saturn Recording Studio
Recorded At – Maxwell Sound Recording Studio
Mixed At – Fingerprint Recorders
Remastered At – Fingerprint Recorders
Copyright © – CyBrenJoJosh
Pressed By – Disctronics USA – 118807