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
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
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
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
