Army of Love was an early 80’s 3 piece band from San Diego. This was their only release and it was well received in the California music scene and it received limited airplay on Christian Radio.
It’s a guitar heavy new wave album with hints of U2 and the Police. Overall I think it was a good EP/Album but was very poorly mixed/produced as you will hear.
Track Listing:
1 – King Of All – 4:17
2 – Yaweh (Yah-Way) – 4:28
3 – Kingdom Rockin – 2:42
4 – Exodous – 4:10
5 – Vinedresser – 4:53
6 – It’s Friday (Sunday’s Commin) – 3:43
Credits:
Bass, Backing Vocals – Jeffery Harris
Drums, Backing Vocals [Percussion] – Ivan Knight
Guitar, Lead Vocals – Mark McCoy
This is the 2nd album from Bride and is generally thought of as their best album. It has a more polished production sound which is typical of a bands second album.
There is a touch of trash / speed metal on this album but for the main part is standard heavy metal. The track Hell No is generally known as the album single.
Track Listing:
1 – Metal Might – 3:33
2 – Hell No – 3:50
3 – In The Dark – 4:08
4 – Out For Blood – 2:56
5 – Live To Die – 2:52
6 – Fire And Brimstone – 4:25
7 – Whiskey Seed – 3:39
8 – Here Comes The Bride – 2:26
9 – Heroes – 7:10
Credits:
Bass – Frank Partipilo
Design, Layout – Jeff Spencer
Drums – Stephan Rolland
Executive Producer – Gavin Morkel
Guitar – Steve Osborne, Troy Thompson
Producer, Engineer – John Petri
Vocals – Dale Thompson
Solid Rock were better known for their two 80’s releases (though not that much more) than this 1979 release.
This album definitely has the feel of Jesus Music but was a little rockier than most Jesus Music. The band had 2 female singers at this point but it’s hard to differentiate between them.
Overall it’s a good album with a good 70’s hybrid Jesus Music/Rock style.
Tracklist
1 – He Is My Friend
2 – Make My Life
3 – Jesus Changed My Heart
4 – Watergrave
5 – Heaven Sent
6 – Running
7 – Saved To Serve
8 – You Can Fly
9 – Give Him Your Life
This was the first album from Daniel Band and what an album it was!
I remember hearing this album for the first time. While I already had a Resurrection Band album this release was a different type excitement. This album is straight out Rock & Roll and in my opinion Daniel Band absolutely nailed this album.
It is one of my favourite albums to this day and the anthem “I Like To Rock” was played so often in my car, my speakers could play it from memory when the ignition was off. If for some reason you only want to listen to one cut make it “I Like To Rock”.
Track Listing:
1 – He’s The Creator – 3:52
2 – I’m Sorry – 4:19
3 – You Don’t Need The Blues – 3:13
4 – Free From Sin – 3:04
5 – Undercover Christian – 3:23
6 – Two Roads – 2:48
7 – Never Again – 3:58
8 – In The Sky – 4:00
9 – I Like To Rock – 3:02
10 – Spiritual Game – 4:58
11 – Somebody Loves You – 4:43
Credits:
Co-producer – Glenn Kaiser
Co-producer, Mixed By – Roger Heiss
Cover, Design, Photography, Layout – Neil Dellandrea
Drums – Peter Cosman
Engineer – Réné (Boucher) Brossard, Wes Storms
Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin – Tony Rossi
Lead Vocals, Bass, Keyboards – Dan McCabe
Mixed By – Mark Wright
Producer – Daniel Band
Rhythm Guitar, Strings, Synthesizer, Vocals – Bill Findlay
This was the first album from Twenty Twenty before they changed their name to 20 Twenty.
Not much is written about Twenty Twenty so I know nothing about their background. The album is a well produced 80’s sound with good synth and guitar riffs. It’s a pleasant listen that will get some Classic Christian radio play.
Track Listing:
1 – You Are So True
2 – Security Code
3 – War Games
4 – His Fame
5 – Second Mile
6 – Love To Go
7 – He’s Still There
8 – Danger Zone
9 – You Can Know Them All
10 – World Premiere
Credits:
Backing Vocals – Marty McCall
Design, Art Direction – Paul Proctor
Drum Programming [Linn Drum Programming] – Gary Lunn
Drums – Greg Herrington
Drums [Simmons Drums] – Dennis Holt
Engineer [Additional Engineering] – Allen Brown
Executive-Producer – Mary Lynn Robbins
Guitar – Roscoe Meek
Guitar [Additional] – Greg Jennings (tracks: A5, B3, B4)
Keyboards – Earnie Chaney
Keyboards [Additional] – Billy Smiley (tracks: B1, B3)
Mastered By – Hank Williams
Photography By – Dean D. Dixon
Producer, Backing Vocals, Mixed By – Billy Smiley
Programmed By [Synclavier Programming] – Richard Head
Recorded By, Mixed By – Brent King
Soloist [2nd Keyboard Solo] – Mark Gersmehl (tracks: A1)
Synthesizer [Additional] – John Slick (tracks: A1, A2, A4, B1, B2), Mark Gersmehl (tracks: B3, B4)
Synthesizer [Synthesizer Bass] – Billy Smiley (tracks: B1)
Synthesizer [Synthesizer Tracs], Programmed By [Programming] – Shane Keister (tracks: A3, A5)
Vocals, Backing Vocals – Ron Collins (6)
Vocoder – Shane Keister (tracks: A3, A2, B3)
This was the second and last studio album from German Band Semaja. It was released in late 1983 in Germany and early 1984 in North America.
Apparently there was also a UK release but I can’t find any info on it. The German release only has 3 songs in German, the rest were the same version as released in the U.S.A. & Canada. I have included the 3 German versions in the playlist.
The album has a decidedly pop sound and is well engineered and produced. I love the opening track “Hey Friend” and declare it the single.
Track Listing (English):
1 – Hey Friend – 4:14
2 – Green Land – 3:08
3 – He’s Real – 4:33
4 – Not Too Late – 4:28
5 – Flip-Flop – 2:24
6 – No Burning Out – 3:40
7 – No, No – 3:27
8 – Karen – 4:25
9 – Behind The Curtain – 4:28
Track Listing (German):
1 – Hey Friend – 4:14
2 – Grünes Land – 3:08
3 – He’s Real – 4:33
4 – Not Too Late – 4:28
5 – Flip-Flop – 2:24
6 – No Burning Out – 3:40
7 – Nein – 3:27
8 – Karin – 4:25
9 – Behind The Curtain – 4:28
Credits:
Artwork By [Cover Painting] – Klaus Oelmann
Bass, Vocals – Wilfried Herrmann
Design – Peter Klüger
Drums – Harald Nagel
Guitar [Guitars], Vocals – Ulrich Plinke
Keyboards – Claus Feldmann
Lead Vocals – Markus Egger
Management – Rainer Kierstein
Mastered By – SNB
Percussion – Klaus Herrmann
Producer, Engineer – Jan Nemec
Words By, Music By – Semaja
This 6 song EP from Katharsis was all that was ever released from this band.
It is a rather odd combination of Jazz, Funk, and straight out Rock & Roll. The varying styles might have been its commercial downfall but that said I believe it’s a great EP.
The different styles compliment each other and I think it was very well produced. Looking for the single? My suggestions are the title track, Drivin Too Fast!, and/or, Wrong Band. Nice gem from the 80’s here.
Track Listing:
1 – Drivin’ Too Fast
2 – Not A Chance In Hell (JC Funk)
3 – Wrong Band
4 – The Easiest Answer
5 – Within The Wild
6 – Clear Deception
Credits:
Bass [Bass Response], Vocals – Jerome Reeves
Design [Album], Graphics – Paul I. Pettys
Drums, Percussion – Eric Dean (2)
Engineer – Roger Fortner, Steve Easter (4)
Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar – Steve Helm (2)
Photography By – Bill Littell, Dan Wilson (21), Kevin Crafton
Producer – Katharsis (15)
Typography [Typesetting By] – Peggy Dunnagan
Vocals – Jim McLeod (4)
Vocals, Rhythm Guitar – Dwight Huthwaite
Written-By – Huthwaite*, McLeod* (tracks: A2, B1, B3)
This was the one and only album from Christian Heavy Metal band Avalanche.
Like many bands named after natural disasters their career was short lived. The album really isn’t that bad and is your typical 8 track session rock album. Nothing really stands out but then again, nothing sounds horrible either.
If you’re a metal head this is an album for you. The European release of this album had When The Thunder Roars as the 9th track instead of Battle Axe. Both songs are included.
Track Listing:
1 – They Won’t Take Me – 3:44
2 – We Will Fight – 3:59
3 – Tortured Defender – 4:41
4 – This Love I Feel – 3:26
5 – Sorceror – 4:32
6 – Pray For The Sinner – 4:03
7 – Child Of Damnation – 3:09
8 – Devils Door – 5:07
9 – Battle Axe – 3:52
9 – (alternate track) When The Thunder Roars – 4:33
10 – Rock Hard And Heavy – 4:13
Credits:
Arranged By – Nikki Van Welden
Bass, Vocals – Nikki Van Welden
Drums – Barry Nicholson
Executive-Producer – Eric ”Griffy” Greif*
Guitar – Michael Cloe
Management – Titan Productions
Mastered By – Eddie Schreyer*
Producer, Recorded By, Mixed By – Mike Frazier
Written-By – Michael Cloe (tracks: A4), Nikki Van Welden (tracks: A1 to A3, A5, B1 to B5)
For a church-goin’ teenager in the 80s, Amy Grant’s albums were almost required listening. Along with musicians like Michael W Smith and David Meece, she helped fill out the actual ‘pop’ corner of CCM.
Amy’s music had a broad appeal. Parents liked the positive lyrics sung by a friendly, wholesome girl-next-door; youth choir directors liked both the lyrics and the quality of the music. And teens, I think, appreciated that her music sounded different than any easy listening Christian music they’d heard before. Here was a Christian pop singer with just enough of an edge to make a sheltered teen feel a tiny bit rebellious. (Okay. Maybe that was just me.)
On to the album itself. For the most part, the songs of Straight Ahead have aged well. There are some recognizably 80s synth settings and electric guitar stylings, and the fade-to-black endings stuck out a little, but nothing sounded as dated as I thought it might. And whatever you think of the style, the production values are fantastic. This is a well-engineered recording of a tight band. Amy’s vocals are always good, with clarity of enunciation and sound, and lyric-appropriate colour and shading.
Track Listing:
1 – Where Do You Hide Your Heart 3:56
2 – Jehovah 5:56
3 – Angels Watching Over Me 4:10
4 – Straight Ahead 3:47
5 – Thy Word 3:21
6 – It’s Not A Song 3:27
7 – Open Arms 3:23
8 – Doubly Good To You 3:13
9 – Tomorrow 3:23
10 – The Now And The Not Yet 3:37
Credits:
Arranged By [Strings] – Alan Moore (3)
Art Direction – Dennis Hill (6)
Engineer – Jack Joseph Puig
Engineer [Additional] – Daniel Garcia*, Gene Eichelberger, Jim Baird*, Jerry Mahler, Kevin Burns, Steve Ford
Executive-Producer – Dan Harrell, Gary Chapman, Michael Blanton
Photography By [Amy’s photos] – Aaron Rapoport
Photography By [Traffic light] – Michael Borum*
Producer – Brown Bannister
Shotgun Angel is Daniel Amos’ second album, following their 1976 debut with this classic in 1977.
How many times did I have to explain to the record store staff that Daniel Amos is not a person? It’s the prophet Daniel and the prophet Amos. Maybe I didn’t have to explain it at all, but I felt like I did.
Had DA stuck with this format, they would have been one of the most progressive “Southern Rock” bands around. It sounds country, but it clearly has a different edge. It’s nowhere near top 40 country, and nowhere near Hank, but still has the right harmonies and the right instrumentation to make you think about it.
Upbeat songs like “Black Gold Fever” and “Meal” sound southern, Texan, and progressive all at once.
“Praise Song” has quite a dirge feeling to it rather than the upbeat feeling we usually expect from modern praise. It really is a praise song, but contemptlative, with the sort of thoughtful lyrics that DA became known for.
“Father’s Arms” has a soothing vocal track and a strong rock feel to it. A medley of violins and bold guitar sounds make this a compelling song that almost defies genre.
The title track “Shotgun Angel” is a good old trucker tune, which was a subgenre in the 70s. Anything that could be played alongside CW McCall’s Convoy would do just fine. This one is a good storytelling song that has a nice country twang to it, steel guitar, diesel sounds, CB radio and all.
“Bereshith Overture” is an orchestral interlude that fits right in, but it’s hard to explain why. By the time we get to “Better” we have already had some apocalyptic scenes and been introduced to what’s almost a Pink Floyd sound. The idea that they can play with the music and the story all along the way like this certainly is consistent with Pink Floyd’s contemporary work.
“Sail Me Away” and “Posse In The Sky” round this album out with more soothing sounds. It’s top quality stuff, but hard to believe that this was the setup for one of the best CCM punk/new wave bands of the 80s.
Track Listing:
1 – Days And Nights – 2:20
2 – Black Gold Fever – 3:01
3 – Praise Song – 3:51
4 – Father’s Arms – 4:26
5 – Meal – 2:07
6 – Shotgun Angel – 3:41
7 – Finale: Bereshith Overture – 2:19
8 – Lady Goodbye – 2:29
9 – The Whistler – 2:57
10 – He’s Gonna Do A Number On You – 1:57
11 – Better – 2:24
12 – Sail Me Away – 5:04
13 – Posse In The Sky – 4:35
Credits:
Backing Vocals – Ed McTaggart, Jerry Chamberlain, Mark Cook (2), Marty Dieckmeyer, Terry Taylor
Bass Guitar – Marty Dieckmeyer
Drums – Ed McTaggart
Guitar – Jerry Chamberlain, Terry Taylor
Keyboards – Mark Cook (2)
Lead Vocals – Jerry Chamberlain, Mark Cook (2), Terry Taylor
Percussion – Ed McTaggart
Producer – Jonathan David Brown
