Ray Mansfield – Real 80s CCM

Wings Of Light – In A Different Light – 1982

This is the second album from Wings Of Light. It’s a little more pop oriented than their first album which in turn means I liked it a little more. Again it’s a mix of covers and original material just like their first album but there are more original tracks on this one. There’s actually a pretty good cover of The Coloring Song. As I explained on their previous album this group was an offshoot of the Continental Singers with a more pop oriented sound. The album was produced by David Diggs who I’ve been studying up on recently so be ready for a few albums from him. Anyway not my style but a real good album that deserves a listen.

Tracklist
1 – The Home Of The Lord – 3:15
2 – Within His Joy – 3:03
3 – Imagine – 2:56
4 – In A Different Light – 3:33
5 – Resurrection Power – 3:30
6 – Stride Right – 3:39
7 – Much More – 2:53
8 – Jesus Take Me Like A Rock – 3:00
9 – The Coloring Song – 3:29
10 – I Choose To Follow You – 4:19

Credits
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Jim Coile
Bass – Leon Gaer
Co-producer [Associate Producer] – Fred J. Heumann
Design [Cover] – Thel Arthur
Drums – Ed Greene
Engineer, Mixed By – Billy Taylor
Executive-Producer – Cam Floria
Guitar – Paul Jackson, Jr.
Overdubbed By [Vocals] – Christopher Banninger
Producer, Arranged By [Vocals, Rhythm & Horns], Flugelhorn – Terry Winch
Producer, Synthesizer, Arranged By [Rhythm & Strings], Keyboards, Percussion – David Diggs
Trombone – Alan Kaplan
Trumpet – Danny Ackerman
Vocals, Guest, Soloist – Diane Zagnoli, Susan Bishop
Vocals, Soloist – Fred Heumann, John Barbour, Nina Farley

Companies, etc.
Copyright © – Christian Artists Records
Recorded At – Mama Jo’s
Mixed At – Mama Jo’s

Len Magee – Just For You – 1979

Here’s another artist I have never heard of who had multiple albums, a dozen to be exact. As near as I can tell his albums were only released in the U.K. so I guess I wouldn’t have heard of him being a Canadian. Now full disclaimer this is not my preferred genre but that aside Len nails the style that he does. If Christian music had a John Denver this is the man. Len has am absolutely fascinating life story which I will cover in some detail when I review his first release from 1973. So while this is a pretty mellow 70’s album it is well worth a listen. If you ever stumble on Len’s life story on YouTube take the time and give it a listen.

Tracklist
1 – Travellin Man
2 – Water Into Wine
3 – The Star Of Christmas
4 – I Feel Your Presence Everywhere
5 – Tears Of The Lonely
6 – Jonah’s Key
7 – Who Can I Turn To?
8 – Help Me Lord
9 – Just For You
10 – Kiss The Lamb
11 – Too Late

Credits
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Slide Guitar – Mo Witham
Backing Vocals – John Pac, Sue McClellan
Bass – John Spurling*
Drums – Pete Thompson
Engineer – Dave Aston, Les Moir
Mastered By – Dennis Blackham*
Piano, Electric Piano [Rhodes], Arranged By – Dave Anfield
Plated By – Max*
Producer – John Pac
Tuba – Les Moir
Vocals – Len Magee

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Marshall Morgan & Scott
Copyright © – Marshall Morgan & Scott
Recorded At – ICC Studios
Mixed At – ICC Studios
Mastered At – Tape One
Pressed By – Lyntone Recordings Ltd. – LYN6742
Pressed By – Lyntone Recordings Ltd. – LYN6743
Lacquer Cut At – Tape One
Published By – Copyright Control
Published By – Len Magee Music Ltd.

Ulf Christiansson – In My Dreams – 1982

I was a little surprised when I found this album as somehow I missed it in 1982. I was a huge fan of Jerusalem so this was like finding a bonus album years later. Ulf released this solo album between Jerusalem’s Warrior and Can’t Stop Us Now albums. He used a great bunch of studio musicians for this album but of course his guitar is unmistakable so it definitely has a Jerusalem sound. It fits perfectly between those 2 albums sound wise as this was a transition time for Jerusalem. The album was released in both English and Swedish on the same record companies Jerusalem was using at the time. The Swedish version actually has an extra track “Du Vill Börja Om”. I don’t know why it didn’t make the English version but not all songs are capable of being well translated so maybe it just didn’t translate well. The mix is slightly different between the 2 versions though the majority of the difference in sound you will hear on our channel are simply different qualities we have in the collection. If you missed this one in the 80’s consider it a bonus Jerusalem album though it is a little more on the mellow side.

Tracklist
1 – Like A Thief In The Night – 5:52
2 – I Will Sing – 4:48
3 – Is It Too Late? – 3:54
4 – In Honesty… – 5:29
5 – My Heart’s Desire – 6:05
6 – Practice What We Preach – 3:33
7 – Now I Am Trusting – 4:15
8 – Forget What Has Been – 3:00
9 – Reach For The Stars – 3:40

Credits
Arranged By – Peter Sandwall, Ulf Christiansson
Backing Vocals – Eja Eriksson, Eva Berg, Inger Heinerborg, Ulf Christiansson
Bass, Electric Bass [Electric Upright Bass] – Backa Hans Eriksson
Design – Camilla B., Michael Harris
Drums, Percussion – Per Lindvall
Engineer – Bo G. Lundberg
Guitar – Lasse Johnsson, Ulf Christiansson
Lyrics By – Andy Kidd, Ulf Christiansson
Music By – Ulf Christiansson
Photography By – Anders Johansson, Jan Ivarsson
Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Synthesizer [Prophet 5], Organ – Peter Ljung
Producer – Peter Sandwall
Saxophone – Glen Myerscough
Strings – The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – The Benson Company, Inc.
Recorded At – Supreme Studio
Mixed At – Supreme Studio
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Lamb & Lion
Copyright © – Lamb & Lion
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Lamb & Lion Records
Copyright © – Lamb & Lion Records

Uffe – I Mina Drömmar – 1982

Tracklist
1 – I Natt Så Kommer … – 6:09
2 – Jag Vill Sjunga – 4:48
3 – Är Det Försent? – 3:54
4 – Visst Är Det Sant – 3:00
5 – Du Vill Börja Om – 4:20
6 – I Dina Drömmar – 3:40
7 – Leva Som Vi Lär – 3:33
8 – Låt Mej Tala Ut – 5:29
9 – Nu Skall Jag Lita – 4:15
10 – Jag Har En Bön – 6:05

Credits
Accordion – Kjell Öhman
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Glen Myerscough
Arranged By – Peter Sandwall, Ulf Christiansson
Backing Vocals – Eja Eriksson, Eva Berg, Inger Heinerborg, Ulf Christiansson
Design – Camilla B
Design [Redesign] – Camilla Christiansson
Drums, Percussion – Per Lindvall
Electric Bass, Electric Upright Bass – Backa Hans Eriksson
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Lasse Jonsson, Ulf Christiansson
Engineer – Bo G Lundberg
Lead Vocals – Ulf Christiansson
Music By – Paul Parrish (tracks: 5)
Photography – Anders Johansson, Jan Ivarsson
Piano, Electric Piano, Organ – Peter Ljung
Producer – Peter Sandwall
Songwriter – Ulf Christiansson
Strings – Radiosymfonikerna

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Supreme Studio
Mixed At – Supreme Studio
Lacquer Cut At – Cutting Room
Pressed By – Grammoplast

The Petra Youth Choir – Collection – 1984

This is a choral collection of Petra songs put together by Producer John Lee. Now I have to say yet again I can not figure out what the idea of this project was. The title is “Youth Choir” but it’s not really a youth choir unless your definition of “Youth” includes 30 year old people. All the vocalists are well established studio artists and some even had their own albums already. I simply don’t understand who this album was for. The implication is that it was for youth but as a youth I would never have listened to this in a million years. Okay now that I’ve said my piece it turns out I have no idea what I’m talking about. These albums, there’s a follow up album, sold very well so obviously there was a market somewhere out there and in fact this album appears here because it was requested. Is it any good? I really have no idea. I can say that it is an excellent collection of musicians and artists so it can’t be that bad. I just still have no idea why it exists.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFehS7zgqZJc

Tracklist
1 – Doxology / Praise Ye The Lord – 3:42
2 – Why Should The Father Bother? – 3:28
3 – Never Say Die – 2:59
4 – Not Of This World – 3:46
5 – More Power To Ya – 3:27
6 – Godpleaser – 3:06
7 – Stand Up / Lift Him Up – 3:58
8 – The Coloring Song – 2:54
9 – Grave Robber – 4:18
10 – Not By Sight – 2:52
11 – Road To Zion – 3:18

Credits
Arranged By – John Slick
Arranged By [Additional Overdub Arrangements] – John Slick
Arranged By, Producer – John Lee
Art Direction – Joan Tankersley
Bass – Gary Lunn, Mike Brignardello
Drums – Mark Hammond
Engineer [Engineered By], Mixed By – Danny Mundhenk
Executive-Producer – Dennis Worley
Guitar [Guitars] – Greg Jennings
Illustration – Randy Rogers, Robin Rogers
Layout – Lori Cooper
Lead Vocals [Solos] – Jackie Cusic, Marty McCall
Percussion – Terry McMillan
Piano, Synthesizer [DX7] – Dave Huntsinger, David Innis
Synthesizer [Synthesizers] – John Slick
Vocals – Bonnie Keen, Ellen Musick, Gary Musick, Jackie Cusic, Jan Lee, Marty McCall, Rick Gibson

Companies, etc.
Copyright © – Star Song Records
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Star Song Records
Distributed By – Word, Inc.
Recorded At – Bullet Recording
Mixed At – Bullet Recording
Mastered At – Future Disc
Published By – StraightWay Music
Published By – Dawn Treader Music
Pressed By – Monarch Record Mfg. Co. – ∆26497

Various – Breakaway Praise – 1992

This is an interesting project that I don’t really understand. Apparently Peter Jacobs wanted to “feature more pop-influenced covers of popular songs sung in churches during the 1980s and 1990s”. Quite frankly I don’t know that any of these tracks were being sung in any church anywhere. Maybe they were but I kind if doubt it. Anyway he was able to assemble a great collection of multiple labels artists to perform these “traditional” tracks along with some new content. As much as I’m confused by the project I can not deny how good it is. This is a great bunch of pop tracks and even a few rock tracks. There are a few tracks that are not covers but are brand new tracks and the production on them sounds a little rushed. I would assume they didn’t get a lot of rehearsal before recording. All that aside this album is really a display of some great vocalists and it spawned 2 more in the series so it deserves much credit for that.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSKO90HHgNbo

Tracklist
1 – Crystal Lewis – Shine, Jesus, Shine
2 – Rick Florian – Let All The Earth
3 – Various – Praise The Name Of Jesus
4 – Rick Florian, Christi Jacobs – Our Mighty God Will Come
5 – Lisa Bevill – More Precious Than Silver
6 – Al Denson – A Heart Of Compassion
7 – Lisa Bevill, John Schlitt – The Battle Belongs To The Lord
8 – Julie Bonney – The Strength Of My Life
9 – Christi Jacobs, Carlos Martin – In Your Name
10 – Julie Bonney, Jon Randall – No More Compromise
11 – John Schlitt – We Believe
12 – Various – Blessed Be The Lord God Almighty

Companies, etc.
Record Company – Frontline Music Group
Distributed By – FMG Distribution

Pacific – Surfacing – 1984

Here’s another one from Pila Music in Germany that I can not find out anything about. It was produced by Dieter Falk who’s name appears again and again on these German CCM releases. The band are again some of the same names we hear over and over again on this label. I found a note that Pacific was the international touring band of Campus Crusade For Christ, Europe but I can’t find any more information on this organization. As for the album it’s a great 80’s synth Pop album that I really enjoyed. The album has a few vocalists but the real standout tracks are from Cindy Isitt who I can not find an album from so this is her best contribution to the genre. Another great album that wasn’t released on this side of the pond which is too bad as I think it would have done well.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJLD1j4g775I

Tracklist
1 – Fire – 3:15
2 – Dance Through Me – 3:35
3 – Battle – 3:40
4 – To Love You – 3:43
5 – S.T.R. (Seasonal Time Rap) – 2:44
6 – Waitin’ – 4:25
7 – Grow Up – 3:24
8 – Castles In The Sand – 2:49
9 – Can He See Me – 2:13
10 – Knowing Hymn – 3:22

Credits
Arranged By [Vocals] – Dieter Falk, Pacific
Backing Vocals – Cindy Isitt, Doug Runyan, Mike Brast, Penny Bailey
Bass – Harry O. Yates, Hemi Jost
Design – Minttu Mäntymaa, Wolfram S.C. Heidenreich
Drums, Percussion – Martin ‘Stick’ Stoeck, Rick Kellum
Engineer – Michael Obst
Guitar – Doug Runyan, Lothar Kosse
Photography By – K. W. Gruber, Pepe Tolonen, Phil DeJong, Wolfram S.C. Heidenreich
Photography By [Cover], Graphics – Wolfram S.C. Heidenreich
Piano, Synthesizer – Cindy Isitt, Dieter Falk
Producer, Arranged By – Dieter Falk
Saxophone – Ekkehard Rössle

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – Pila Music GmbH
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Pila Music GmbH
Copyright © – Pila Music GmbH
Published By – Blessing Hand Music
Recorded At – Tonstudio Leonberg
Mixed At – Tonstudio Leonberg

Petra – Live Bootleg – 1974-1976

We don’t normally upload bootlegs when they cross our desk but this time we decided what the heck. What we have here are 10 tracks recorded from 2 concerts. One at Pierce Chapel, Wheaton College in Nov. 1974 and the second at the DuPage Fairgrounds Arena in July 1976. This recording is a great insight into where it all started from Petra as well as a bit of insight into what 70’s Christian music was doing. Yes the songs are unpolished and ridiculously long but this is what was happening with the band in this era. I actually remember going to a few Petra concerts in the 80’s and they were still well known for very long versions of their early hits. Not a criticism, just an observation. I find it fascinating that the opening track is a cover of Larry Norman. That was a real pleasant surprise. This is a great one for us that just weren’t in an area that we could enjoy the very early days of what became the CCM genre. Below are the tracks and where they were recorded.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZDhc_y4gACE

Tracklist
1 – Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus – Live at Pierce Chapel, Wheaton College, Nov. 2, 1974.
2 – Rockin’ On with Jesus – Live at Pierce Chapel, Wheaton College, Nov. 2, 1974.
3 – Wake Up – Live at Pierce Chapel, Wheaton College, Nov. 2, 1974.
4 – Going Through Changes – Live at Pierce Chapel, Wheaton College, Nov. 2, 1974.
5 – On That Road – Live at Pierce Chapel, Wheaton College, Nov. 2, 1974.
6 – Killing My Old Man – Live at DuPage Fairgrounds Arena, Wheaton, IL, July, 1976.
7 – Disciple – Live at DuPage Fairgrounds Arena, Wheaton, IL. July, 1976
8 – Walkin’ In The Light – Live at DuPage Fairgrounds Arena, Wheaton, IL. July, 1976.
9 – Back Sliding Blues – Live at DuPage Fairgrounds Arena, July, 1976
10 – Hallelujah Jesus Christo – Live at Pierce Chapel, Wheaton College, Nov. 2, 1974.

Credits
Bob Hartman – Lead guitar, banjo, and vocals
Greg Hough – Guitar and vocals
John DeGroff – Bass guitar
Bill Glover – Drums

Tom Howard & Bill Batstone – One By One – 1985

This was quite a visionary album for 1985. While Tom was well known in 1985 Bill was more of a hired gun. He had tons of credits but up to this album not the proper recognition. Bringing these guys together was a great idea and this album works just perfect. Tom and Bill take turns on lead vocals and while I usually find this to be a bad thing, not this time it works perfectly. The album has an excellent flow and their vocals compliment each other. The album was mixed by Mark Heard at his studio and the mix is perfect, but we came to expect that of Mark. The album is a mix of easy listening and light rock but there is something here for everyone. It’s a great rounded album and it definitely deserves a listen.

Tracklist
1 – When The Curtain Falls – 3:42
2 – Storm Moving On – 3:23
3 – Night And Day – 4:04
4 – Think On These Things – 3:53
5 – Heart of a Fool (Psalm 4) – 3:40
6 – Your Constant Love – 3:27
7 – He Took The Form Of Man – 3:23
8 – The Best Thing – 3:33
9 – Show Me The Shepherd – 4:43
10 – And He Heard Them Sing – 4:47

Credits
Arranged By – Bill Batstone, Tom Howard
Art Direction – Tim Alderson
Drums [Drum Overdubs] – David Raven
Engineer – Mark Heard
Guitar, Bass, Drum Programming [DMX] – Bill Batstone
Keyboards – Tom Howard
Mixed By – Mark Heard
Percussion – Harry Stinson
Photography By – Stewart Ivester
Producer – Bill Batstone, Tom Howard
Vocals – Bill Batstone, Tom Howard

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – A&S Records
Copyright © – A&S Records
Distributed By – Word, Inc.
Pressed By – Monarch Record Mfg. Co.
Recorded At – Fingerprint Recorders
Mixed At – Fingerprint Recorders

Graham Kendrick – Cresta Run – 1981

I’ll be honest I wasn’t very impressed with a previous Graham Kendrick album I listened to but I take it all back for this one. This album has raced into my personal top 100 albums of the era and genre. The opening track is absolutely mesmerising. Whoever played guitar on this track, Neil Costello or Andy Billups, absolutely nailed a Mark Knopfler sound. I don’t mean he came close, I mean he nailed it. There are several tracks that have a Dire Straights feel and Les Moir did some excellent production. I wish I had been in the studio for this one. The vibe I get is that was a great session. The album does end a little weak as Graham returns to his previous stylings but some real quality organ (Chris Eaton) makes up for the less exciting tracks. Les ordered the tracks perfectly. How this album didn’t get a North American release is beyond me. The Dire Straights feel was completely absent in the genre. This was that segment artist.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLauNcEYkhPQ

Tracklist
1 – This Is The Fall – 3:57
2 – That’s Life – 4:08
3 – News At Ten – 2:12
4 – God Knows What’s Going On – 4:24
5 – Anywhere You Walk – 3:55
6 – Cresta Run – 3:29
7 – War Games – 4:16
8 – Come On And Live – 4:00
9 – When You Gonna Turn Round – 3:02
10 – Jesus Coming Back – 3:54

Credits
Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Written-By – Graham Kendrick
Bass – Spud Spurling
Bass, Producer – Les Moir
Drums – David McSparran
Engineer – Simon Humphrey
Guitar – Andy Billups, Neil Costello
Organ, Backing Vocals – Bazil Meade
Piano, Electric Piano – Chris Eaton
Synthesizer – John Pantry

Companies, etc.
Copyright © – Thankyou Music
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Kingsway Music
Copyright © – Kingsway Music
Published By – Thankyou Music
Lacquer Cut At – Tape One