Category: Albums

MRC Sampler – What’s Shakin – 1984

This album was a sampler from the record label “Ministry Resource Center”.

It features some known bands but there are a few bands on the album which never released an album. There are also some songs that were previously unreleased. All in all a must have album.

Track Listing:
1 – Undercover – One Of These Days – 2:24
2 – The Proclaimers – Rejoice – 2:10
3 – Stephen Crumbächer – It Don’t Matter – 4:00
4 – Youth Choir – It’s So Wonderful – 1:56
5 – Altar Boys – Go For It – 2:14
6 – The Lifters – Listen Children – 2:15
7 – The Omega Band – Idols – 2:43
8 – Sharon McCall – From The Grave – 3:50
9 – Malcolm And The Mirrors – Apathy – 4:00
10 – CIA – Your Choice – 2:30
11 – Stephen Crumbächer – It Don’t Matter (Reprise) – 1:02

The Imitators – (self titled) EP – 1984

This 4 song EP 12 inch release was the first release from The Imitators.

They were a short lived New Wave band that had a full length album after this but that was it. It is very well produced and sounds like the typical sound at the time.

I would compare it to Psychedelic Furs with slightly stronger vocals.

Track Listing:
1 – When The Deal Goes Down – 3:30
2 – I Want To Walk In The Light – 5:04
3 – Paradoxical Faith – 5:37
4 – Human Sacrifice – 5:19

Credits:
Bass – Robert Villegas
Drums – Richard Cabrera (2)
Engineer – Gordon Driver
Guitar – Barry Edge, David Price (12)
Keyboards – Philip Mason (2)
Mastered By – Steve Hall
Mixed By – Gordon Driver
Producer – Gordon Driver, The Imitators
Vocals – Barry Edge, David Price (12), Philip Mason (2)

Rosanna’s Raiders – Calling Down Fire – 1988

Rosanna’s Raiders were/are an Australian hard rock band.

Lead by the vocals of Rosanna Palmer this album has a Lita Ford sound on some tracks and Patty Smyth on others. I think the best comparison of this album is to Barnabas, though much more highly produced.

It is a well produced hard rock album that fit in nicely with it’s release period.

Track Listing:
1 – We Are Raiders – 3:48
2 – Just Like A River – 3:52
3 – Serve Someone – 3:24
4 – Good News – 4:02
5 – So Far Away – 3:38
6 – Breakaway – 2:45
7 – No Reason – 3:32
8 – Run The Race – 3:21
9 – Inside Is Living Hell – 3:42
10 – Not Gonna Let You Go Again – 3:58

Credits:
Backing Vocals – Dave Palmer, Phil Butson
Bass – Dave Palmer
Cover – Boris Vallejo
Drums – Johno Zaffarese
Engineer – Phil Butson
Graphics – Jeff Spencer (2)
Guitar – Rosanna Palmer
Keyboards – Dave Palmer, Phil Butson
Layout – Jeff Spencer (2)
Producer – Phil Butson
Vocals – Rosanna Palmer

Amy Grant – Tennessee Christmas – 2016

This is Amy Grant’s second Christmas album, her first one being some 30 years earlier.

This album includes appearances by her husband Vince Gill.

Track Listing:
1 – Tennessee Christmas – 4:27
2 – To Be Together – 4:11
3 – Christmas For You And Me – 3:04
4 – Melancholy Christmas – 3:02
5 – December – 3:29
6 – White Christmas – 2:23
7 – Joy To The World – 3:08
8 – I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm – 3:24
9 – Baby, It’s Cold Outside – 3:15
10 – Christmas Don’t Be Late – 3:16
11 – Still Can’t Sleep – 3:11
12 – Another Merry Christmas – 2:22
13 – O Come, All Ye Faithful – 3:07

Credits:
Executive-Producer – Peter York
Producer – Ed Cash (tracks: 7,9,11,12), Mac McAnally, Marshall Altman (tracks: 3,4,6)

Resurrection Band – Rainbow’s End – 1979

Rainbow’s End is the second album by Resurrection Band that was released in 1979.

It continued the hard rock sound from their previous release. It includes “Afrikaans” which was one of the first anti-apartheid song of its time. This album was the end of Resurrection Band’s relationship with Star Song records.

Rumour has it that the record company found the bands hard rock sound too much for their label. Personally I doubt this as the album sold great and Star Song knew exactly who the were contracting with.

Track Listing:
1 – Midnight Son – 3:18
2 – Strongman – 3:14
3 – Afrikaans – 3:32
4 – Skyline – 3:06
5 – Paint A Picture – 4:48
6 – Rainbow’s End – 2:04
7 – Concert For A Queen – 3:02
8 – Sacrifice Of Love – 3:14
9 – The Wolfsong – 3:10
10 – Everytime It Rains – 4:46

Credits:
Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Jim Denton
Drums – John Herrin
Electric Guitar, Piano, Organ, Synthesizer, Acoustic Guitar – Stu Heiss
Electric Guitar, Vocals – Glenn Kaiser
Engineer – Gary Loizzo, Roger Heiss, Stu Heiss
Harmonica – Tom Cameron
Mixed By – Resurrection Band, Stu Heiss
Percussion – Roger Heiss
Producer – Resurrection Band
Vocals – Wendi Kaiser

20 Twenty – Altered – 1987

20 Twenty (or Twenty Twenty) were an 80’s CCM rock band that apparently gained some popularity in secular radio.

I have been unable to find out anything about them other than what I have documented here. They had 2 albums, this being the second.

They changed their name from Twenty Twenty to 20 Twenty this album. The album was produced by Billy Smiley from White Heart. Strangely the album contains a cover of Hold Your Head Up by Argent.

Track Listing:
1 – Fine Line – 3:31
2 – Get Altered – 3:30
3 – Can’t Run From You – 4:06
4 – For Heavens Sake – 4:43
5 – Eternity In Every Heart – 3:44
6 – Hold Your Head Up – 3:48
7 – Caught Up In Heaven – 3:49
8 – Find Your Way Back – 4:47
9 – Material Things – 3:52
10 – The Tears You’ve Cried – 3:19

Credits:
Ron Collins – lead vocals
Roscoe Meek – guitars
Earnie Chaney – keyboards
Gary McAnelly, Tommy Sims – bass
Greg Herrington – drums
Billy Smiley – synths
Rick Florian – backing vocals
Executive Producer – Bob MacKenzie
Producer – Billy Smiley

The Richie Furay Band – I’ve Got A Reason – 1976

Richie Furay Was one of the founding members of Buffalo Springfield and Poco. He struck out on a solo career (as The Richie Furay Band) as a Christian performer with this album. This album has a rather usual 70’s sound, though considerably more easy listening than his secular works. All in all it’s a good album if you like the 70’s sound. Point of trivia about the album is that it was produced by Michael Omartian.

Track List:
1 – Look At The Sun – 5:07
2 – We’ll See – 3:02
3 – Starlight – 3:39
4 – Gettin’ Through – 2:59
5 – I’ve Got A Reason – 4:07
6 – Mighty Maker – 3:54
7 – You’re The One I Love – 3:40
8 – Still Rolling Stones – 3:54
9 – Over And Over Again – 7:09

Credits:
Bass, Backing Vocals – Jay Truax
Drums – John Mehler
Guitar, Vocals [Lead] – Richie Furay
Keyboards – Tom Stipe
Producer – Bill Schnee, Michael Omartian

Larry Norman – Home At Last – 1989

Larry released this album in 1989 which has mostly new material. Originally released as a 2 LP set, it was also released as a CD and was re-released in 2007 on CD.

The CD only contained sides 1, 2, and 3 of the LP’s. Side 4 of the LP was a live recording of 4 songs. The LP is relatively rare and I’ve never even seen a copy.

One of the favourite tracks was “Sitting In My Kitchen” which was a rework of Randy Stonehill’s “Norman’s Kitchen”.

Track Listing:
1 – Lonely Boy
2 – My Feet Are On The Rock
3 – Country Church
4 – Sitting In My Kitchen
5 – Camel Through A Needle’s Eye
6 – Nightmare #49 (Part One)
7 – Oh How I Love You
8 – Queen Of The Rodeo
9 – He Really Loves You
10 – Here Comes The King
11 – Letters To The Church
12 – We Three Twogether
13 – Somewhere Out There
14 – Selah

Credits:
Larry Norman – vocals, harmonies, guitar, piano, saxophone, harmonica, keyboards
Charles Norman – vocals, guitars, bass, harmonica, keyboards, percussion, drums
Sarah Norman – vocals, harmonies, percussion
Beki Hemingway – vocals, harmonies
Jon Linn – guitar
Bob Somma – guitar
Jellybean Jaquette – bass, engineering
Dave Spurr – drums
John Campbell – keyboards
Steve Goomas – piano
Dan Cutrona – keyboards

Randy Stonehill – Spirit Walk – 2011

This 2011 release from Randy Stonehill proves that he is still highly relevant in the Christian music scene. This album shows us Randy’s quirky side, we all know, as well as his status as a good Rock and Roll performer.

Considering his first album was over 45 years ago, I actually think he is still becoming a better musician every release.

Track Listing:
1 – Blood Transfusion and a Coca Cola – 4:01
2 – Remember the Devil – 5:20
3 – Spirit Walk – 4:59
4 – Life is Tough, God is Good – 4:21
5 – Try Havin’ Some Faith – 4:13
6 – Broken Places – 4:09
7 – Pray For Me – 4:17
8 – That’s Where the Devil Lives – 4:44
9 – Last Time I Saw Eden – 4:36
10 – Finish Well – 5:37

Credits:
Artwork, Design [Cover Design] – Ray Ware
Engineer [Engineered By] – Mike Pachelli
Photography By – Minesh Bacrania Photography
Producer [Produced By] – Mike Pachelli, Randy Stonehill
Written-By – Mike Pachelli (tracks: 2,7,5), Randy Stonehill, Rob Crosby (tracks: 6)

Randy Stonehill – Born Twice – 1971

This is Randy’s debut record from 1971 or maybe 1973. This copy is marked 1973. He has another release from 1973, “Get Me Out of Hollywood” but this isn’t that one.

Side one is a live recording that sounds a little like a church basement, but also a lot like an old school coffee house performance. The crowd is incredibly courteous, completely silent during the songs and responsive to each one. You can almost picture someone sitting in front of Randy holding a little microphone and a hand held cassette tape recorder. I think it was a higher quality affair than that, but it is this intimate.

Side two is a series of studio songs, several of which would later be recorded in more famous versions by Larry Norman. Some were released with different song titles. Larry produced this album, so it’s a little unclear how the songwriting credits were supposed to work. In particular, the song “Norman’s Kitchen” ended up on Larry’s 1990 album “Home At Last” titled “Sitting In My Kitchen”

This is a rarely heard treat that shows us the early start of Randy Stonehill, who is still going strong with a busy touring schedule over 45 years after recording this.

Track Listing:
1 – I Need You
2 – Hand In The Hand
3 – He’s Got The Whole World
4 – Help Me Lord
5 – Thank You
6 – Never Can Repay
7 – All Right Now
8 – Passing Stranger
9 – I Love You
10 – Christmas Time
11 – Norman’s Kitchen

Credits:
Producer, Arranged By, Photography By – Larry Norman