Month: January 2025

Brighton – Promise Of Love (Demo) – 1990

Yes, this is the same Brighton that released Promise of Love through Pakaderm Records in 1991. In fact, 7 of the 8 songs here went on to be on that album. Only “Women With Guns” remained on this demo. This demo is so well-recorded, I was not really sure if the major label release wasn’t just this demo released with three new songs added. But listening to the label release, there are slight differences between those songs and the versions here. A lot of big names worked on this as well: Rick Elias produced two songs, Randy Thomas (of Allies and Sweet Comfort Band) produced four songs, and Linda Elias provided background vocals on one song. The sound on this is sometimes described as AOR, which is a good start, but fans of pure AOR might not find this as interesting. I hear some power pop and alternative rock leanings as well – not to mention a slight Rick Elias Americana influence here and there. If I were to more honestly label this, I would lean towards the alternative crowd than the AOR crowd. The background story on the band is quite interesting actually. David actually played in an early version of Quiet Riot as a replacement for Randy Rhoads when he left to join Ozzy’s band. Kevin Dubrow (Quiet Riot) actually produced Brighton’s first demo, and the band began playing at the Whiskey A Go Go, The Troubadour, The Starwood, Madame Wongs West, The Roxy, Gazzarri’s, and many others. This led to them winning the nation wide talent search “Rock To Riches.” While the prize for this was a recording deal it never worked out and the band went another direction. That single “Take Another Look” was released on a radio station sampler which we can not find. The band went on to record “Stay With Me” which appeared on a Myrhh sampler and climbed to the top 10 on Christian radio. At this point the band recorded this demo which would eventually morph into their first and only album. Anyway that’s a brief history of the band. I have more info on the band but these reviews are supposed to be relatively short LOL.

Tracklist
1 – Promise Of Love – 3:47
2 – On Any Sunday – 3:45
3 – Love To Me – 3:49
4 – Women With Guns – 3:01
5 – Wash Me In The Rain – 4:00
6 – Boulevard – 3:16
7 – Cursing The Night – 3:48
8 – Run Through The Flames – 4:11

Credits
Vocals, Guitar, Producer – David Brighton
Bass, Background Vocals – Mark Robertson
Drums, Vocals – Steven W. Latanation
Guitar – Dave Wronski

Dana – Let There Be Love – 1984

Dana had 30 albums through here career most of which were gospel. This was her 9th album but only her second album with Word records. I listened to this album to see if I recognized anything because I couldn’t recall her name. I don’t recognize anything on the album but it’s a pretty easy listening album and I doubt I would have listened to it back in the day. Still I was wondering why I don’t know about an artist with 30 albums. On doing some research into Dana I discovered why. She was a Catholic artist and while Word was always happy to sign Catholic artists they didn’t really promote them outside of the Catholic community. This Catholic detail also meant she was unlikely to find her way onto a CCM chart and she never did. ANYWAY, all that aside this is a great easy listening gospel album that people who like this style should listen to. Dana was a great artist that deserved more exposure in the CCM genre.

Tracklist
1 – Let There Be Love – 3:04
2 – I Saw My Lord This Morning – 4:00
3 – Oh Lord – 4:15
4 – Christ Is My Light – 2:49
5 – Ag Criost An Siol – 4:17
6 – Run That Race – 3:25
7 – Hosanna – 3:14
8 – Diamond In The Rough – 3:33
9 – Portrait Of Jesus – 3:25
10 – Hallelujah – 3:42

Credits
Arranged By, Keyboards, Guitar – Peter Moss
Bass Guitar – Bill Walker
Design – 2D
Drums – Will Hill
Engineer – Alan Jakoby, Nicholas Froome
Engineer [Assistant] – John Canham
Guitar – Derek Griffiths, Mitch Dalton
Keyboards – David Firman
Leader [String Section] – Gavin Wright
Photography By – Brian Aris
Piano – Brian Miller
Producer – Kurt Kaiser
Tenor Saxophone – Geoff Driscoll
Trombone – Pete Thoms
Trumpet – Steve Sidwell

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Word, Inc.
Copyright © – Word, Inc.
Recorded At – Regents Park Studios
Mixed At – Utopia Village, London

One-Eighty – Turning Point – 1988

I still really can’t find any information on this band. I previously heard their 4 song EP which was released in 1986 and really liked it. Then I found this full length album and it’s even better. Again all I know about this band is that they were out of Castro Valley, CA. Both of their releases were self released but luckily this one was re-released in 2011 on Retrocross records. We have a great album here that should have been picked up by one of the mainstream CCM labels because I think it would have sold. Only have time for one Rock & Roll track? Try “Everything for Nothing”.

Tracklist
1 – Holy Fire – 4:32
2 – Everything For Nothing – 4:03
3 – Reach For The Light – 4:09
4 – Will – 4:27
5 – If You Love Me – 3:40
6 – Adonai – 4:32
7 – One Day – 5:10
8 – White Horses – 3:57
9 – Don’t Give Up – 3:09
10 – Wake Up – 4:39
11 – I Come To You – 3:44
12 – No Turning Back – 4:11

Credits
Rich Reif – vocals, keyboards
Ralph Otteson – keyboards, backing vocals
Todd Peterson – guitars, backing vocals
Allen White – bass, guitars
Don Walker – drums

Jon Gibson – Forever Friends – 1992

This is Jon’s 6th album and he had it down to an art at this point. This was also his final album with Frontline Records which apparently he was pretty happy about. He struggled for the rest of his career finding a label he could get along with which is a tend I see over and over. Anyway, as much as he hated his label this album was probably his most successful. It had 3 top 20 hits with “Can’t Live Without Jesus” making it to #3, “You Are The One” to #12, and “Forever Friends” making it to #7. It was also chosen as album of the year by CCM magazine. This album was far less soul than his previous work and was for the main part a straight up pop album. That said my favourite track “Happy To Know Jesus” definitely has that soul feel he was best known for.

Tracklist
1 – You Are The One – 3:47
2 – Can’t Live Without Jesus – 3:00
3 – Found A Home – 4:38
4 – On My Way To Heaven – 4:09
5 – Forever Friends – 4:52
6 – Happy To Know Jesus – 3:31
7 – You’ve Gotta Love Somebody – 5:47
8 – Happier Than The Morning Sun – 6:00
9 – To My Father’s House – 5:31

Credits
Allegra Parks Choir/Chorus – Primary Artist, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Bob Moon – Engineer
Brian Godawa – Layout Design
Brian Price – Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals (Background)
Dennis Cameron – Engineer
Don Feinberg – Engineer, Mixing
Doug Webb – Saxophone, Soloist
Edwin Hawkins – Composer
Greg Vail – Saxophone, Soloist
James Jamerson, Jr. – Bass
Jon Gibson – Arranger, Choir/Chorus, Composer, Drums, Guitar (Synthesizer), Linn, Primary Artist, Producer, Programming, Sampling, Sequencing, Synthesizer Strings, Trumpet, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Lanny Cordola – Guitar, Guitar (12 String Acoustic), Guitar (Acoustic)
Larry Kimpel – Arranger, Bass
Lenny Castro – Percussion
Leon “Ndugu” Chancler – Arranger, Drums
MC Peace – Rap
Michael Sewell – Choir/Chorus
Milton Comeaux – Percussion
Rob Mullins – Arranger, Organ, Organ (Hammond), Piano, Synthesizer, Synthesizer Strings, Trombone
Sandra Stephens – Choir/Chorus, Primary Artist, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Stevie Wonder – Composer
Thom Roy – Engineer
Wayne Armstrong – Photography
Wilton Felder – Saxophone, Soloist

Companies, etc.
Mastered At – Bernie Grundman Mastering
Recorded At – The Mixing Lab

The David Coate Group – Time Keeps On Running – 1981

David Coate became a Christian at the age of 17. He had actually put away his guitar after finding his faith until he saw a Phil Keaggy concert. He realized at that point that he could be a part of the growing CCM music movement. This is his first album after putting together The David Coate Group. The rest of the group was also new performers in the industry. I would classify the album as light rock with some definite rock moments. The album cover screams 80’s though the album itself is a mix of 70’s and 80’s. This was a nice precursor to his sec0ond album which I think is a little better but this one is definitely a great listen.

Tracklist
1 – Sing To The Lord (Psalm 33) – 5:15
2 – Follow Me – 4:34
3 – Time Keeps On Running – 4:20
4 – It’s The Way – 3:43
5 – Where Will You Be – 4:08
6 – Galatians 2:20 – 5:38
7 – Creation – 6:26
8 – What A Love – 4:59
9 – Abundantly – 3:46

Credits
Backing Vocals – Mary Ellen Hopperstad
Backing Vocals, Keyboards – Kevin Wells
Bass – Bob Tillman
Drums – Phil Bonomo
Producer, Lead Vocals, Guitar – David Coate
Saxophone – Larry James
Strings – Anne Herrmann

Split Level – Call Me White Call Me Black – 1994

I am guessing that Split Level was popular in Germany as Pila Music which is a German record company released four albums from the band. This EP was released to coincide with their ‘Artists Against Racism’ tour in Germany. Usually you plan a tour after releasing an album but oddly they planned the tour first but things do work different in the German music scene. Split Level were also named the ‘Best Christian Rock Band’ by the European Christian Booksellers Journal for 1985 on the strength of this EP. I’m amazed these guys were so big in Europe but I never heard of them until recently as they were never released in Canada and I don’t remember reading anything about them in Christian media at the time. As for the album it’s excellent as all their albums are. Colour Wheel was chosen as the first single but I lean more towards Twist In My Sobriety but it was a cover of a Tanita Tikaram song and covers as singles are always risky. Personally I think Colour Wheel is the weakest track on the EP but what do I know. Also of note is that the album was produced by Andy Piercy of After The Fire fame and he helped with the writing of the title track too.

Tracklist
1 – Call Me White Call Me Black – 5:03
2 – Pocket Of Change – 3:47
3 – Colour Wheel – 3:43
4 – Twist In My Sobriety (Mondo Mix) – 3:43
5 – Borderland (Non-Stop Mix) – 3:52
6 – Alone (Penny Whistle Mix) – 3:26

Credits
Bass, Vocals – Gary Preston
Design [Sleeve Design] – Dan Donovan
Drums, Vocals – Rob Craner
Engineer – Paul Burton
Engineer [Assistant] – Trevor Michael
Fiddle, Cymbal – Jean Pierre Rudolph
Photography By [Booklet] – Colin E. Mill
Photography By [Inlay] – Georg Karlstetter
Producer – Andy Piercy
Vocals, Guitar – Adrian Thompson

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Pila Music
Copyright © – Pila Music
Recorded At – ICC Studios
Mixed At – ICC Studios
Pressed By – BOD Berlin Optical Disc