Category: Albums

Larry Norman And Beam – Shouting In The Storm (Flevo 2) – 1998

Beam is a band from the Netherlands that Larry toured with in 1998 on a European tour. The studio sessions “Breathe In, Breathe Out” were released as a double CD, revealing their rehearsals for the tour. This is a live recording, also noted as “Flevo 2” on the CD itself. Larry’s “Live at Flevo” with Q-Stone was a success and this recording is just as good as that one. Again, Larry is fronting a tight band here, and a more modern sounding one than the 60s groups he built up in the past to perform material from the People! years and the trilogy albums that followed that. This is a solid 90s sounding band backing Larry on some of his classic songs as well as some newer ones from that era. “God part 3” is a rock version here. We have heard Larry perform and record it in almost every style imaginable, from solo acoustic/folk to studio versions with some bite. Beam adds something here that isn’t in any of the other recordings with upgraded guitar riffs. “Six Sixty Six” is changed from a 70s folk song into a 90s grunge ballad with Larry’s distinctive voice still adorning. The closing track is Larry and Beam covering “Jesus Freak” which was a 90s anthem thanks to both DC Talk and Newsboys. “Shot Down” is remembered as a piano rock song from its original In Another Land release, however there is no piano here. Beam’s full guitar sound make a great update on this classic.

Tracklist
1 – Heaven Wants To Bless You – 4:57
2 – God Part 3 – 4:09
3 – Six Sixty Six – 6:06
4 – Shot Down – 2:23
5 – Let The Rain Fall Down – 7:29
6 – Sweet Song Of Salvation – 4:58
7 – Goodbye, Farewell – 4:00
8 – Let It Go – 6:20
9 – Bombs – 8:03
10 – The Rock That Doesn’t Roll – 4:56
11 – Jesus Freak – 6:08

Credits
Bass Guitar – Hans Sigmond
Design [Booklet] – Jason Carter, Wavelength
Drums – Gert Koudijs
Engineer – Johan Van Loo
Executive-Producer – Gerrit aan’t Goor
Harmony Vocals – Beam
Lead Guitar – Robert Riekerk
Lead Vocals – Larry Norman
Mastered By – Sander van der Heiden
Mixed By – Johnny Hulst, Larry Norman
Photography By – Bea Riekerk, David Carter, Nathalie Riekerk
Producer – Larry Norman
Promotion [Concert] – Gerrit aan’t Goor
Recorded By – Alpha Mobile Studio
Rhythm Guitar – Tommy Riekerk

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – GMI Music Partners
Produced For – Solid Rock Records
Produced For – The Street Level Cafe
Produced For – White Trash Communications
Published By – Ordure Blancu Music
Published By – Universal
Published By – Alliance 4K
Mixed At – Hulst Recording Studio Zwolle
Mastered At – Wisseloord Studios

DC Talk – Christian Rhymes To A Rhythm – 1987

This is a very simple 2 side 2 track cassette that was sold by DC Talk before Kevin Max even joined the group. It is purported to have sold 3000 copies when Toby and Michael performed the song Heavenbound for their fellow students at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1987. It was copied countless times and spread through the CCM industry and the band shortly after prepared a proper 10 track demo.

Tracklist
1 – Heavenbound – 3:50
2 – Always Leaning – 3:50

Credits
Performer [Uncredited] – Michael Tait, Toby McKeehan
Written-By, Producer – Toby McKeehan

Companies, etc.
Record Company – Ministries Of Tait & McKeehan

Randy Stonehill – Live at Greenbelt ’79 – 2005/2021

This album has a but of a strange history. It was recorded at Greenbelt obviously but Larry Norman released it in 2005 on his label. I don’t think Larry actually had the rights to this recording. Yes it was recorded back when Larry and Randy were getting along but in 2005 they were not doing business together. I have no idea how Larry decided he had the rights to this album but who knows what was said back in 1979. That said after Larry passed suddenly Randy owned the rights and released it himself in 2021. Anyway the version you will listen to here is a hybrid I worked over offering the best versions in my opinion. !979 was a great year in CCM music and this album displays that.

Tracklist
1 – Intro-One True Love – 4:41
2 – Keep Me Running – 5:43
3 – Teen King -4:09
4 – Lung Cancer – 4:26
5 – Venezuela – 3:10
6 – Through The Glass Darkly – 5:53
7 – The Great American Cure – 4:26
8 – You Really Got Me – 3:06
9 – Trouble Coming – 4:44
10 – Good News – 4:47
11 – Let That Tape Keep Rolling – 6:09

Gary Chapman – Sincerely Yours – 1981

This is the first album from Gary. He had already written the hit song for Amy Grant “Fathers Eye’s” so it was natural for him to get an album deal to try to recreate that success. But first lets talk a minute about Gary’s back story. Born in Waurika, Oklahoma he actually grew up in De Leon, Texas. His Father was a pastor at an Assemblies Of God church. After high school he attended Southwestern Bible College and after graduation he moved straight to Nashville. He was almost immediately hired as a guitarist for famed 60’s and 70’s CCM band The Rambos. Gary’s music writing received some attention and his first success was his song Father’s Eyes which Amy Grant performed on her 1979 album “My Father’s Eyes”. Somewhere about the time of this album he started dating Amy also and they would get married the following year. Amy actually appears on this album on the track “Anywhere” which is a duet between them. Also of interest on the album are Degarmo & Key who as well as producing the album played instruments and sang backing vocals. This album had one top 10 single with “Sincerely Yours” peaking at #4. 1981 was a good year for Gary as he also won the dove award for songwriter. Anyway as far as the album is concerned it is an easy listening effort that while not my style is definitely a great album.

Tracklist
1 – No Time At All – 4:18
2 – I Wanna Be Loved By You – 3:40
3 – Love Is A Name – 3:46
4 – Open Up My Eyes – 3:50
5 – Sincerely Yours – 3:07
6 – The Secret Of Love – 4:05
7 – Anywhere – 3:37
8 – I’d Really Like To Tell You – 3:45
9 – Feelin’ Right – 3:11
10 – One Hope – 3:54

Credits
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Andrew Love
Arranged By [Strings], Arranged By [Horns] – Carl Marsh
Backing Vocals – Gary Pigg, Jack Holder, Jimi Jamison
Baritone Saxophone – Gary Topper
Design [Album Design] – Bill Brunt
Drums – Chad Cromwell, John Hampton
Guitar [Solo] – Jack Holder
Lacquer Cut By [L.Nix in runouts], Mastered By – Larry Nix
Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals – Gary Chapman
Photography By [Album] – Mike Borum
Piano, Electric Piano – Keith Thomas
Producer [Executive Producer] – Dan Harrell, Dan Raines, Mike Blanton
Producer, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals – Dana Key
Producer, Organ, Synthesizer – Ed DeGarmo
Producer, Twelve-String Guitar, Bass – Joe Hardy
Strings – The Claude O’Donnell Strings
Vocals – Amy Grant

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – The Benson Company, Inc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Lamb & Lion Records
Copyright © – Lamb & Lion Records
Produced For – Blanton/Harrell Productions
Recorded At – Ardent Studios
Recorded At – Great Circle Sound
Mastered At – Ardent Mastering
Designed At – Private Eye Studio
Pressed By – PRC Recording Company, Richmond, IN

Randy Matthews – Streets Of Mercy – 1987

This has to be one of the most mysterious albums I have come across and it is without a doubt the strangest album from Randy. It is his one and only album with Refuge Records. Randy put this album out in 1987 but his previous album was in 1981 on Spirit Records. A 6 year gap in albums when you are at your height is bizarre enough but then this album got completely ignored by the entire industry. I know it didn’t sell well as it took us a long time to find a copy so maybe Refuge just didn’t distribute it very well but that is strange too as Randy was a very highly respected artist. There is also radio silence on this album with no one talking about it. The internet’s a big place but this album takes an incredibly small space on it. In fact there’s very little info on what Randy was doing at this point in his career. The album itself is actually very very good and is probably now my favourite album from him. I would say the single is “The Day Death Died” which is a great rock & roll track. Probably his hardest track ever. The other highlight of the album is probably the only CCM track about Santa Claus but be warned it is a very sad song actually about abortion. That said it is a stunningly good track.

Tracklist
1 – Amazing Grace – 1:15
2 – Hearts On Ice – 3:22
3 – Grumble Alley – 3:30
4 – Ti Chapé-Kum Ba Ya – 4:33
5 – Eyes Of The Heart – 3:34
6 – Streets Of Mercy – 2:57
7 – I Wish It Were Only Make Believe – 3:55
8 – No Cross, No Crown – 3:04
9 – The Day Death Died – 3:52
10 – Nuclear Hymn – 3:27

Credits
Acoustic Guitar, Cover [Concept] – Randy Matthews
Art Direction, Design – Jeff Spencer
Backing Vocals – Anthony Nelson, Demetrius Alexander, Duane Hamilton, Eddie Williams, Grace Rosenburger, Greg Tornquist, Kim Hill, Monty Matthews, Robbie Anderson, Roger M. Major
Booking – Barbara Matthews
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Greg Tornquist
Engineer – Gary Wysocki
Engineer, Remix – John W. Thompson
Keyboards, Acoustic Guitar – John W. Thompson
Management – Dave Peters II, Image Communications International
Photography – Peter Nash
Producer – John Thompson

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – Refuge Music Group
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Refuge Records
Copyright © – Refuge Records
Copyright © – Stowaway Music
Copyright © – Group Seven Music
Copyright © – Morning Gate Music
Recorded At – Morning Gate Studio, Franklin Tennessee

Messenger – Bringin’ The Message – 1978

If you’re looking for some Funky Jazz this is the album for you. This was the second and last album from Messenger. I checked and none of the members of the band seem to have done anything more except for Rick Riso who had 2 albums in the 80’s and one in the 90’s. He also had a whole bunch of albums with his wife. Other than that I couldn’t really find out much about this band. Like I say the album has a Jazz infused Funk feel and is actually really well done. Pity this band didn’t keep on as they did know what they were doing.

Tracklist
1 – Bringin’ The Message – 2:57
2 – Our Love Will Grow – 4:40
3 – Livin’ In Love – 2:44
4 – Pressin’ On – 3:47
5 – Song In The Night – 3:51
6 – Changin’ Me – 4:16
7 – All You Need – 3:20
8 – I Still Love You – 5:08
9 – Now Is The Time – 3:16
10 – Home To You – 4:25

Credits
Acoustic Bass – Dave Marotta
Arranged By – Messenger
Arranged By [Strings] – Clark Gassman
Arranged By [Vocals] – Si Simonson
Artwork, Design – Thel
Backing Vocals – Rebecca Sue Sherburn
Drums – Mike Feller
Electric Bass – Dave Marotta
Executive-Producer – Bill Cole
Flugelhorn, Trumpet – Jerry Hey
Keyboards – Si Simonson
Lacquer Cut By [KP in runouts] – KP
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Guitar – Rick Riso
Percussion – Fred Petry, Mike Feller
Producer – Rick Riso, Si Simonson
Saxophone – Kim Hutchcroft
Strings – L.A. Superstrings, Sidney Sharp
Tenor Saxophone – Larry Williams
Trombone – Bill Reichenbach
Vibraphone – Larry Troxel (tracks: B5)

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Published By – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Recorded At – Martinsound
Recorded At – United Western Studios
Mastered At – Capitol Mastering

The David Coate Group – State Of The Heart – 1985

I’ve had this album sitting around for awhile (5 years) and not listened to it. For some reason I had visions of this being an easy listening album. Yes it does lean easy listening but there are some great tracks on this album. “Walking in the Light” is a great little rock & roll track that deserves a second listen. Also “Wait Just a Minute” is definitely a radio ready 80’s pop tune. This was the second self released album for David and now I’m looking forward to the first one. This album would be his last 80’s album but he went on to record 8 more albums over the years including as recently as 2023.

1 – Star of the East – 4:28
2 – The Battle – 4:20
3 – Standing Together – 3:24
4 – Don’t Lose Heart – 3:14
5 – Walking in the Light – 4:19
6 – Wait Just a Minute – 5:36
7 – I Believe – 2:54
8 – Wanderer – 4:43
9 – Breaking Away – 5:48

Desert Water Band – Come Closer – 1980

I can not find anything about this band nor can I find that any of the members did any other recorded work. So given that lets just talk about the album. This is a Jesus music album but not like most of them This one has a far more rock sound. There are hints of The Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd all through the album and quite frankly this is one of the best Jesus music albums I have stumbled on. It was actually on a real label, Mag Records, but this is the only one from them that they released. It was 1980 however and Jesus music was on it’s way out for a more 80’s pop sound. Too bad we didn’t get more from these guys and I feel they could have probably progressed like SCB into an excellent 80’s band.

Tracklist
1 – King Of My Dreams – 2:54
2 – Come Closer – 4:05
3 – Because I Love You – 3:06
4 – Delight – 2:40
5 – An Appeal – 3:19
6 – No Apologies – 3:33
7 – I Still Believe – 2:28
8 – Find Your Way – 3:58
9 – He’s Coming – 2:41
10 – It’s Yours Not Mine – 1:33

Credits
Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Lonnie Klepper
Drums, Strings, Keyboards, Vocals – Wayne Hagar
Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Dennis Baker

Companies, etc.
Manufactured By – Recording Services Of W.N.C. – RSR-1114

Sleepy Ray & The Mighty Blood – Where The Highway Turns – 1996

This is Raymond McDonald’s second album and this one got picked up by Crystal Lewis and her husband Brian Ray’s record label Metro One. On his first album he dabbled with a Stevie Ray Vaughan sound but this album he really embraced it. Now I’m not saying the whole album is SRV sounding in fact it’s not but the best tracks have an SRV vibe. That is except for the best track “It’s Only Tuesday” which has a blues sound all it’s own. Unfortunately this is the last album we would get from Ray but the good news is that he still posts of himself on YouTube as the Sr. Pastor at The Vineyard Church of Conroe. He picks up the guitar and leads the congregation in some fantastic rock licks now and then. This is well within my top 50 CCM albums.

Tracklist
1 – Underneath Your Mighty Blood – 3:45
2 – My Answer – 4:06
3 – It’s A Loving Thang – 4:16
4 – You All Along – 4:33
5 – Cadillacs To Heaven – 3:16
6 – You’ve Gone Bitter – 2:51
7 – Where The Highway Turns – 6:40
8 – In The Way Up Down The Road – 4:36
9 – Swing #9 – 3:06
10 – It’s Only Tuesday – 2:44
11 – God Is So Good – 7:23

Credits
A&R – Tim Taber
Acoustic Guitar – Chris Lizotte
Art Direction – Sheri Neville
Bass Guitar – Bobby McDonald
Drums, Percussion – Kevin Jarvis
Engineer – Ken Woodward
Engineer [Additional] – Leo Song
Engineer [Assistant] – Marianne Kleine
Executive-Producer – Chris Wimber
Lead Vocals, Guitar – Raymond McDonald
Mastered By – Robert Vosgien
Mixed By – Michael Dumas
Producer [Additional], Organ [B-3], Piano – Ralph Jordan
Producer [Assistant] – Bobby McDonald, Kevin Jarvis
Producer, Art Direction – Raymond McDonald

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Vineyard Music Group
Copyright © – Vineyard Music Group
Distributed By – Diamante Music Group

Billy Crockett – In These Days Live – 1997

In 1997 Billy self released this live album of all his best songs. It was recorded Live between October 16th to 24th at University Baptist Church Ft Worth, Wilshire Baptist Church Dallas, Riverbend Church Austin, Custer Road United Methodist Church Plano, and on August 24th 1996 at First Baptist Church Duncanville. The album has 18 tracks which is a really good value for a self released album. Producer Billy Crockett says on the liner notes that the album was kept “raw and real”. Personally I think it’s very well recorded, engineered and produced but I know what he meant in that the album is just basic instruments and is relatively acoustic. So if you like Billy this is a definite must listen.

Tracklist
1 – How Good You Are – 4:10
2 – Walkin’ Home – 4:06
3 – The Bottom of Life – 3:34
4 – Couch Potato – 4:17
5 – The Wake Up Song – 2:47
6 – Song and Dance – 4:01
7 – 41 Lawnmowers – 5:02
8 – All Together – 5:16
9 – Storybook Dreams – 4:23
10 – The Crockosaurus – 1:28
11 – Bogart’s Independence – 3:17
12 – Elena – 6:46
13 – The Time is Now – 4:16
14 – Portrait of Love – 4:39
15 – Love Carrier – 3:57
16 – Best of Friends – 5:06
17 – Thankful Boys and Girls – 4:20
18 – A Father’s Love – 2:39

Credits
Accordion, Vocals – Jim Rommel
Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals – Billy Crockett
Mastered By – Sam Loy
Mixed By – Gordon Garrison
Producer – Billy Crockett
Recorded By – Gordon Garrison
Vocals – Milton Brasher

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Walking Angel Records
Copyright © – Walking Angel Records
Distributed By – Walking Angel