Category: Albums

Body and Soul – Something’s Going On Here – 1983

Body and Soul was:

Rob Watson – Daniel Amos / The Swirling Eddies
Arthur Fhardy – The Swirling Eddies
Darrell Washington – The Rap-Sures

Very little is known about this project that resulted in these 2 songs. This is too bad because this was very good music and perfectly right for 1983. I’m sorry we can’t tell you more but you’ll just have to sit back and listen to the songs.

Track Listing:
A – Something’s Going On Here – 3:41
B – The Graylands – 5:59

Credits:
Musician – Arthur Fhardy
Musician – Darrell Washington
Musician – Rob Watson
Recorded At – 3-D Studios
Mixed At – 3-D Studios
Phonographic Copyright – Parbar Music
Copyright – Parbar Music

The Lead – The Past Behind – 1987

The Past Behind is a thrash album by the metal band The Lead that was released in 1987.

Strangely they re-recorded the album and released it on R.E.X. Records with a new cover in 1988. As I have no knowledge of Thrash Metal I have no idea if this is a good album or not.

Track Listing:
1 – Abomination – 1:58
2 – National Pride – 0:40
3 – He Won’t Take A Joke – 3:26
4 – No Religion – 2:04
5 – Old Warrior – 1:16
6 – Tunnel Vision – 4:45
7 – Puritan – 0:12
8 – Jesus Became Sin – 2:07

Credits:
Backing Vocals – Ivan Zyklon Gripweed
Drums, Vocals – Robbie Christie
Executive-Producer – Doug Mann
Guitar, Vocals – Julio Rey
Photography By – Leyla Arner
Producer, Engineer, Backing Vocals – Mike McNamee
Vocals, Bass – Nina Llopis
Written-By – Julio Rey

Randy Matthews – The Edge of Flight – 1990

This was the final album Randy Matthews released using his own name.

He did release an album in 2008 using the name Red Beard which was pirate oriented. Yes songs and stories about pirates. So essentially this was his last album and what an album it was.

I believe this was his best album ever. Again, we have a Bob Seger sound that at this point he has polished to be his own. The guitar work on this album is absolutely brilliant.

The album doesn’t credit any musicians so I can only assume it was Randy’s work. This is simply one of the greatest CCM rock albums ever released.

Track Listing:
1 – Man Of The Morning Sun – 5:34
2 – Defender Of The Faith – 5:18
3 – Beautiful Hands – 4:56
4 – Heart’s Still Beating – 4:08
5 – Sir – 4:33
6 – The Dream – 5:19
7 – China Sea – 4:33
8 – Ti Chapé – 4:52
9 – What A Good Lady – 4:46
10 – Make Believe – 5:26
11 – Lookin’ Back – 3:59
12 – Morning Sun (Reprise) – 1:43

Credits:
Art Direction – Diane Painter
Mastered By – Ken Love
Mixed By – Billy Smiley, Lee Groitzsch
Photography – Paul Vozdic
Producer – Billy Smiley
Recorded By – Lee Groitzsch

Justus – Don’t Turn Away – 1984

This was the first of two albums from Justus. Justice were brothers Rod and Kevin Pahl and Donny Hackett.

Other than that I know very little about the band. The album was on Tunesmith records and to the best of my knowledge only released in Canada.

The album is a new wave rock mix and is very good. The band was tight and the production quality is quite high which is surprising as Tunesmith was not really known for having high quality production.

Note: although I always had thought that “Justus” was just a play on the words “Just Us” there’s more to it. It’s a reference to a person named “Jesus Justus” who the Apostle Paul gives a shoutout to in the greeting section of his letter to the Colossians.

Track Listing:
1 – Face The Music – 4:00
2 – Never Let You Down – 3:52
3 – What Are We Doing Here – 2:53
4 – Quarter To Two – 3:15
5 – Just Keep Running – 4:25
6 – Don’t Turn Away – 3:17
7 – Won’t Let Go – 2:30
8 – Surrender – 4:15
9 – Take Me Home – 3:45
10 – Suicidal Teens – 3:05

Credits:
Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals – Rod Pahl
Songwriter, Drums, Keyboards, Vocals – Kevin Pahl
Songwriter, Bass, Keyboards, Lead Vocals – Donny Hackett
Co-producer – Brian Campbell
Engineer – Brian Campbell
Mixed By – Brian Campbell
Producer – Pahl Hackett
Album Photography – Joshua Berson

Sweet Comfort Band – Hold On Tight – 1979

The 3rd album from Sweet Comfort Band gave us more of what we heard in the first two.

They are joined on this album by Richie Furay who fits in perfectly with what is an easy listening album. Really, it’s just more of the same as previous releases and doesn’t really offer the listener much to get excited about.

The highlight of the album is the track Angel. It shows that these guys could have done a Rock & Roll album, but chose instead to take the safe sales route.

Track Listing:
1 – Hold On Tight 3:20
2 – Take It – Save It 3:17
3 – Falling Star 3:04
4 – You’re The One 3:10
5 – Angel 3:10
6 – Chasin’ The Wind 3:29
7 – Don’t Tell Me You Love Me 3:07
8 – Undecided 3:53
9 – Carry Me 4:39
10 – More Than You Need 4:32
11 – Find Your Way 4:09

Credits:
Alto Saxophone, Soloist – David Hlebo (tracks: A4)
Arranged By [Horns] – Bob Wilson
Backing Vocals, Guitar [First Solo] – Richie Furay (tracks: B3)
Bass [Alembic Bass] – Kevin Thomson
Drums, Vocals – Rick Thomson
Engineer – Jack Joseph Puig
Finger Snaps – Jack Joseph Puig (tracks: A4)
Graphics [Sleeve Graphics] – Robin Hedrick
Guitar, Vocals – Randy Thomas
Horns – Seawind Horns
Keyboards, Vocals – Bryan Duncan
Mastered By – Steve Hall
Percussion – Alex MacDougall
Photography By – Alan Bergman
Producer, Keyboards [Additional], Backing Vocals, Programmed By [Synthesizer] – Tom Stipe
Strings – Sid Sharp and the L.A. Super Strings

Scepter / The Keep – (self titled) – 1984

In 1984 The Keep (then Scepter) recorded this demo to sell at their concerts.

The concerts were very well received and from what I’ve heard the cassette sold well. Most of the tracks appear on their album but there are a couple previously unheard tracks.

The tracks that also appear on the album have slightly different arrangements here. I have done everything I can to improve the quality but bear in mind this is from a cassette recorded in 1984.

Track Listing:
1 – Eye In The Sky
2 – Presence
3 – Nero
4 – Hang On
5 – Physical Evidence
6 – Forgiven Again
7 – Star

Credits:
Joseph Madden – Lead Guitar, Rythym Guitar, Vocals,
Wendell Koop – Vocals, Rythym Guitar,
Gilbert Vielfaure – Drums
Darrell Reimer – Bass Guitar
Engineer – Jon Stevens, Chris McPherson
Produced by Jon Stevens, Chris McPherson, Sceptor

Rez Band – Between Heaven ‘n’ Hell – 1985

This 1985 release from Rez/Ressurection Band did away with the Pop sound from their previous album Hostage.

This album was an attempt to enter the mainstream music scene. It was met with moderate success, but the music video for Love Comes Down did have some limited play on MTV.

The album had another apartheid related song continuing the band’s awareness of this issue. Wendi wrote or co-wrote 3 songs on this album, which was her most significant writing contribution to an album yet.

Track Listing:
1 – The Main Event – 3:03
2 – Love Comes Down – 3:08
3 – Zuid Afrikan – 5:20
4 – Walk On – 3:42
5 – Talk To Me – 4:25
6 – I Think You Know – 3:13
7 – Shadows – 5:00
8 – Save Me From Myself – 3:30
9 – Nervous World – 4:22
10 – 2,000 – 4:56

Credits:
Bass, Keyboards – Jim Denton
Drums, Percussion – John Herrin
Engineer – Roger Heiss
Engineer [Assistant] – Larry Bishop, Roy Montroy
Guitar – Stu Heiss
Guitar, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Glenn Kaiser
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Wendi Kaiser
Mastered By – Steve Hall
Producer – Rez Band

100% Proof – Power and the Glory – 1983

This was the final album from 100% Proof and I believe their best.

At this point they were tight and writing better than ever. White some consider this album to be a Metal album, but I call it Hard Rock and well done Hard Rock.

This album has the best version ever of “Jesus Loves Me” (yes the one from Sunday School). Toss in a Rockabilly tune to finish off the album and there is a very diverse album.

Track Listing:
1 – Power And The Glory – 4:40
2 – Don’t You Know – 6:34
3 – Out Of Bounds – 3:48
4 – Lost Soul – 5:14
5 – I’m Going To Win – 7:09
6 – Getting Me Down – 4:34
7 – Jesus Loves Me – 4:13
8 – Number Eight – 2:42

Credits:
Bass – Steve Harrison
Cover – Baglow Trueman & Partners Ltd., Felix Lucilla, Peter Grenville Smith
Drums – Phil Wright
Engineer – Lol Cooper
Keyboards – P. Savage
Lead Guitar – Steve Wright
Producer – 100% Proof, Lol Cooper
Rhythm Guitar – Charlie Wilson, Steve Wright
Vocals – Charlie Wilson, Phil Wright (tracks: B4), Steve Wright

Leslie Phillips – Black and White in a Grey World – 1985

Black and White in a Grey World was Leslie Phillips’ third of four albums on Myrrh Records, once again produced by Dan Posthuma.

The songs on this record sound just like her but a little older. She is more mature in music, in delivery, and with even deeper songwriting than on Dancing With Danger. There are still plenty of praise songs and messages of encouragement here. Later, Leslie would say that she felt a lot of pressure from the record company to record certain kinds of songs and that is why she eventually left to go to Virgin Records.

Leslie does a great job of pulling in the pop/new wave high energy sound into her her songs without watering down any message. This album is very well done and deserves even more critical acclaim than it got.

Tracklist
1 – Black And White In A Grey World – 4:20
2 – Tug Of War – 3:20
3 – When The World Is New – 4:31
4 – Psalm 55 – 3:48
5 – Your Kindness – 4:03
6 – The More I Know You – 5:00
7 – Smoke Screen – 3:37
8 – You´re My Lord – 4:13
9 – Walls Of Silence – 4:54
10 – You´re The Same – 4:14

Credits:
Backing Vocals – Tata Vega
Bass – Nathan East, Neil Stubenhaus
Drums – Carlos Vega, John Robinson
Guitar – Dan Huff
Keyboards – Alan Pasqua
Mixed By – Bill Schnee
Percussion – Paulinho Da Costa
Producer – Dan Posthuma

Barren Cross – Atomic Arena – 1988

This is the second album from Christian metal band Barren Cross.

It is much like the first album but has been produced to a more radio friendly level. In fact the production is much better than the previous album which actually had fairly good production on its own.

Both albums were produced by the Elefante brothers who never really go wrong on any album.

Track Listing:
1 – Imaginary Music – 4:26
2 – Killers Of The Unborn – 3:28
3 – In The Eye Of The Fire – 4:57
4 – Terrorist Child – 3:30
5 – Close To The Edge – 4:55
6 – Dead Lock – 4:18
7 – Cultic Regimes – 2:48
8 – Heaven Or Nothing – 4:10
9 – King Of Kings – 3:30
10 – Living Dead – 6:50

Credits:
Art Direction – Marco Registrada
Artwork By [Album Cover Painting] – Steve Huston
Bass Guitar, Synthesizer [Taurus Synthesizer Pedals], Backing Vocals – Jim LaVerde
Concept By [Album Cover] – Ray Parris
Drums, Backing Vocals – Steve Whitaker
Engineer – Dino Elefante, Mike Mierau
Keyboards – John Elefante
Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar – Mike Lee
Other [Costumes] – Sharon Shubin
Other [Hair And Makeup Artist] – Lisa Lee
Photography By [Additional Live Shots] – Rebecca May, Renee Parris
Photography By [Inside Photos] – ‘Nar’ Of Limelight
Producer – Dino Elefante, John Elefante
Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals – Ray Parris
Vocals [Additional] – Dino Elefante, John Elefante