Category: Albums

Larry Norman & People! – The Israel Tapes – 1980

This album is generally known as Larry Norman – The Israel Tapes, but it is really Larry Norman and People!, and the record calls itself “The Israel Tapes 1974 AD.” Not much difference really, but the labelling and the timing are both important. The release came out from Phydeaux Records in 1980, after Larry had established his own distribution company, which was primarily a mail order business run out of San Jose. Larry added some of the People! recordings to his catalog and so this is the first time some of these recordings were made public. The musicianship of this group is excellent, and has distinctly different characteristics than the group of studio musicians he worked with in the 1970s and 80s. This concert was done at UCLA for the benefit of The Israeli Fund. The Recording quality is not great, but for a 1974 live record it’s passable. What’s noteworthy here is that this 1974 live performance included a lot of songs that eventually became part of Larry’s core material. The album consists of songs from Upon This Rock as well as the Trilogy, along with a couple of others. This seems to be a reunion concert of sorts. Larry left People! several years prior, and here they are performing with him on subsequent songs. There are 2 different versions of “I Love You,” neither of which is quite the one that appeared on the In Another Land album in 1974, although you can hear the progression that got it there. “I Am The Six O’Clock News” was an anchor song on 1972’s Only Visiting This Planet, and here we get a slower, grittier version of it. “Sweet Song of Salvation” and “Forget Your Hexagram” get some updated arrangements from their original Upon This Rock versions, with great contributions from this band. All in all, a good spin on some classic Larry songs.

Tracklist
1 – Fly, Fly, Fly – 4:47
2 – I Love You (1967) – 4:36
3 – I Love You (1974) – 3:43
3 – I Am The Six O’Clock News – 5:59
4 – Lonely By Myself – 4:08
6 – Baroquen Spirits – 5:32
7 – You Knew What You Were Doing – 4:57
8 – Forget Your Hexagram – 3:49
9 – I’ve Searched All Around The World – 3:05
10 – Sweet Song Of Salvation – 5:21

Randy Matthews – Randy Matthews – 1980

Strangely whenever I read an article about Matthews no one ever discusses this album. Strange because I believe it to be his best album and “Out On A Limb” is one of my top 100 songs. It appears however that others don’t really view this as a good album. Randy really lets his inner Joe Cocker flow on this album but seeing as both of them were recording at the same time I don’t really think he was trying to imitate Cocker. For all we know Cocker was imitating Randy, no disrespect to Cocker as I love his work also. I was researching Randy a bit for this review and I was really surprised that he only ever had one CCM charting single and that wasn’t until 1991. Maybe I’m biased but Randy was a far greater performer than history has categorized him. If you ever read this Randy, thanks fort all the great music, you were an important part of my youth.

Tracklist
1 – Which Side Are You On? – 4:07
2 – Jesus Revive Me – 5:09
3 – Out On A Limb – 3:28
4 – Small Circle Of Friends – 3:27
5 – Miracle Man – 4:15
6 – I Had A Dream – 3:28
7 – I Think He’s Proud – 4:02
8 – Sweet Relief – 4:03
9 – Thin Line – 3:23
10 – Lonely Stranger – 4:45

Credits
Booking – 4-R Ranch
Design Concept [Album Cover Concept], Design – Stan Evenson Design, Inc.
Engineer – Joe Wilson
Executive-Producer – Ray Nenow
Mastered By [Mastering Engr.] – Jim Loyd
Musician, Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – David McCaskel, Donna McElroy, Janna Hershberger, Jonathan McCaskel, Monty Matthews, Vicki Hampton, Yvonne Hodges
Musician, Bass – Paul Brannon
Musician, Drums – Louie Weaver
Musician, Guitar – Allen Holmes, David McCaskel, Joe Wilson, Paul Brannon
Musician, Guitar [Guitar Solos] – Joe Wilson
Musician, Keyboards – Bobby Edmonds, Dean Pastin, Shane Keister
Musician, Percussion – Terry McMillan
Musician, Saxophone – Donnie “Sax” Sanders
Musician, Synthesizer – Shane Keister
Photography By – Dominic Marsden, Sharon Inahara
Producer – Joe Wilson

Companies, etc.
Copyright (c) – Spirit Records
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Spirit Records
Manufactured By – Hartsong Corporation
Distributed By – Hartsong Corporation
Produced For – Primacy Productions
Published By – Arloco Music
Published By – Angelstream Music
Published By – Group Seven
Published By – Windy Music
Recorded At – Glaser Sound Studios, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee
Mastered At – Masterfonics

Believer – Extraction From Mortality – 1989

This was the first studio album from Believer but they had released an impossible to find demo in 1987. In 1988 they had a track on the East Coast Metal sampler and though that sampler was released by Regency it was actually R.E.X. Music that stepped up to release this album. So here we have a rather good thrash album. The album utilizes sound sampling on several tracks which to the best of my knowledge was a first in Christian Metal. That said I’m not really an expert in the genre. I think I will actually have to make up a new classification for the album, Commercial Thrash. I think there might be some appeal here even if you don’t care for thrash. Personally I don’t care for thrash but there are a few tracks here that I found myself listening to. It didn’t leave me wanting to hear more thrash but it did leave me wanting to hear more from Believer.

Tracklist
1 – Unite – 6:42
2 – Vile Hypocrisy – 5:36
3 – D.O.S. (Desolation Of Sodom) – 4:22
4 – Tormented – 3:52
5 – Shadow Of Death – 4:21
6 – Blemished Sacrifices – 3:58
7 – Not Even One – 3:38
8 – Extraction From Mortality – 6:07
9 – Stress – 3:03

Credits
Bass, Written-By – Howe Kraft
Drums, Mixed By, Written-By – Joey Daub
Engineer, Mixed By – Paul Krueger
Guitar, Vocals, Mixed By, Written-By – Kurt Bachman
Guitar, Written-By – Dave Baddorf
Illustration, Layout, Design – Jeff Spencer
Producer, Mixed By – Doug Mann
Violin, Viola – Scott Laird

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Morningstar Studios
Distributed By – Word (U.K.) Ltd
Made By – Music Manufacturers

Michele Pillar – Reign On Me – 1983

This was Michele’s second solo album and I noticed something rather odd about her album covers while researching this album. She had 3 albums with Sparrow Records and for some reason Sparrow chose to use a portrait picture of her for all 3 albums. I am assuming this was a strategy for the worship album sector as quite frankly it’s a little weird to me. Often an artists first or second album will have a good picture of the artist which helps people “identify” with the artist but to do it on 3 straight releases is just weird. Anyway on to the album itself. It was quite successful with the title track making it to # 9 and the follow up single “He Rolled Away The Stone” making it to #4. At the same time she had a #4 duet single with Steve Camp, “Love’s Not A Feeling” off of his 1984 album, Fire And Ice. As for the album itself it is your usual female vocalist worship album. I’m not trying to downplay the album but really there were so many of these cookie cutter albums at the time it is very difficult to get excited about them.

Tracklist
1 – Shout It From The Rooftop – 3:41
2 – He Rolled Away The Stone – 4:32
3 – Reign On Me – 3:21
4 – Look Up – 3:04
5 – There He Was – 5:00
6 – My Heart Is A Stone – 4:19
7 – Don’t Wait Too Late – 3:39
8 – When Love Draws Near – 4:04
9 – One Move Of Your Spirit – 4:12
10 – Song Of Praise – 2:43

Credits
Arranged By [Strings] – J.L. Wallace
Art Direction – Stan Evenson
Backing Vocals – Cindy Richardson, Gary Baker, J.L. Wallace, Lenny LeBlanc, Mac McAnally, Michele Pillar
Bass – Butch Ledford
Concertmaster – Earl Spielman
Cover [Coordination] – B. Charlyne Hinesley
Design [Lyric Sheet] – Marlene Bergman
Drums – Owen Hale
Engineer – Jerry Masters, Steve Moore
Engineer [Additional] – Dan Garcia
Engineer, Remix – Ron Capone
Executive-Producer – Billy Ray Hearn
Guitar – Will McFarlane
Mastered By – Steve Hall
Percussion – Alex Acuña
Photography – Mark Hanauer
Piano, Keyboards – Larry Muhoberac, Steve Nathan
Piano, Keyboards, Guitar – J.L. Wallace
Producer – J.L. Wallace
Producer [Additional], Remix, Mastered By – Ken Pennell
Saxophone – Ronnie Eades
Vocals – Michele Pillar

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Sparrow Records
Recorded At – Muscle Shoals Sound Studios
Remixed At – Westwind Studio
Mastered At – Future Disc

Phil Keaggy – Private Collection Volume 1 (Underground) – 1983

This is a collection of stuff Phil recorded in his basement studio. It was all recorded on a Teac 144 Porta-Studio and Phil played all of the instruments. If you didn’t know this I’m pretty sure you would think this was a studio recorded album with studio musicians. Apparently there was enough material for a double album but a decision was made to make it a single album release as Volume 1. Volume 2 never came unfortunately. I would have loved to hear more. I had not listened to this album back in the 80’s as I wasn’t really a big Keaggy fan. Wow did I miss out. This is a fantastic album. It has a great rock / pop sound with a 70’s feel. In my opinion this might have been some of his best work. Keaggy said he never intended to release these tracks but somehow it happened. I’d love to hear the story of that decision. Keaggy said of this album “The uniqueness of this album lies in the fact that all the tunes were recorded at my leisure, in a comfortable setting, without realizing they would be used for an official record release. Because of this factor, I feel there is a freedom and confidence expressed in these songs which sets them apart from some of my other recordings.”

Tracklist
1 – What A Love – 3:56
2 – The Ransom – 3:47
3 – Deadline – 3:36
4 – Think About It – 3:36
5 – One In A Million – 4:36
6 – I Know Someone – 3:41
7 – The Two Of You – 4:56
8 – Paid In Full – 4:20
9 – What You Are Inside – 3:35
10 – Follow Me On – 3:24
11 – The Survivor – 5:12

Credits
Arranged By – Phil Keaggy
Art Direction, Design – Stan Evenson Design
Coordinator [Cover Coordination] – Charlyne Hinesley, Judith Cotton
Engineer – Phil Keaggy
Engineer [Additional Overdubs] – Mike Ross, Wally Grant
Mixed By – Bob Cotton, Phil Keaggy
Performer, Instruments [All] – Phil Keaggy
Photography By – The Design Oasis
Producer – Phil Keaggy
Vocals – Phil Keaggy (tracks: A1, A3 to B1, B3, B5)
Vocals [Additional] – Bernadette Keaggy (tracks: A4)
Written-By – Phil Keaggy

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Nissi Records
Published By – Marguerite Music
Published By – Emmaus Road Music
Recorded At – Weddington Studios
Mixed At – Weddington Studios
Mastered At – Future Disc
Distributed By – Sparrow Distribution

9th Street – The Prayer – 1989

9th Street were a UK band that initially signed a record deal with German label Bellaphon. They then were able to secure deals in Canada, Italy, and strangely, South Africa. I can not find any info that this album was released in the United States but it was probably available as an import. Other than that I am unable to find out anything else about this band. Their sound is excellent. It’s a new wave pop sound that I think would have done well in the United States. I really enjoyed listening to this album and the cover of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” is probably one of the best I’ve heard. If you missed this one in the 80’s, and you probably did, it’s well worth a listen.

Tracklist
1 – Feel It – 3:17
2 – Some Time – 5:31
3 – The Feeling’s Gone – 4:46
4 – The Prayer – 4:32
5 – Tonight – 4:44
6 – Nobody Knows – 3:52
7 – Confusion – 6:00
8 – Ordinary Man – 4:36
9 – Sabotage And Secrets – 4:20
10 – I Heard It Through The Grapevine – 3:28

Credits
Guitars – Keith Beauvais
Keyboards – Kevin Mason
Producer, Recorded By – Rod Gammons
Saxophone – Chris Margary
Vocals – Mark Applin

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Bellaphon
Copyright (c) – C-Side Records
Recorded At – Rod Gammons Soundstudio
Recorded At – Berwick Street Studios
Produced For – C-Side Records

Erick Nelson and Michele Pillar – The Misfit – 1979

As the world of “Jesus Music” was progressing into what is now known as CCM, there were several very good albums and some brilliant artists making music that was clearly in both genres and served as bridges and building blocks to this new industry. But there were not many “game changers” that forced the music world to consider the genre valid and worthy of consideration. Most great albums lacked quality production, originality or authenticity. The Misfit was a game changer. Completely original and just as good as anything in the pop music world at the time. Most “concept” albums suffer from content over quality and are often filled with songs that are forced to push the story forward and do not stand on their own as original compositions. The Misfit was a concept album that just happened to be filled 13 brilliant individual songs that have stood the test of time. This is not a concept album in the same way as something from The Who where it is a rock opera with a singular storyline weaving throughout each song. Rather, The Misfit is a concept album where a common thread of concept of being an “outside” or outcast weaves its way throughout each and every song. The different topics range from faith, love, loss, doubt and more, but all with a singular focus as coming from the outside looking in. Erick Nelson at this point had a very good and lengthy Jesus Music career going as both a solo artists and as members of popular bands like Good News. Michele Pillar was an up and coming and much talked about new female vocalist on the precipice of a wonderful career in the 1980’s. Her sweet and smooth Karen Carpenter (ballads) or Kiki Dee (pop) like voice matched Nelson’s more soulful and, at times, rocky voice perfectly and the blend just worked. It shocked many at the time that this would be their only album together. Nelson has said of himself that one his greatest strengths is his ability to surround himself with amazing musicians and performers. Though no slouch on the piano himself, he most certainly surrounded himself with the very best on this project. Guest musicians include Hadley Hockensmith, Dean parks, John Wickham, Jonathan David Brown, Alex MacDougall, Keith Edwards, Kelly Willard, Stan Endicott, Denny Correll and a host of others!

Contributor David Lowman – https://ccms500bestalbums.wordpress.com/

Tracklist
1 – The Misfit – 3:35
2 – Carry Me Along – 3:30
3 – Stand – 3:58
4 – Sail On – 2:35
5 – Can’t Find My Way Home – 3:22
6 – The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress – 1:56
7 – He’s Asleep – 3:20
8 – Hurting People – 3:42
9 – Take Me To The Light – 4:00
10 – First Prayer – 3:08
11 – Love Hurts – 2:47
12 – He Gave Me Love – 2:54
13 – Martyr Song – 3:40

Credits
Jonathan David Brown – Synthesizer
Alf Clausen – Orchestration
Darrel Cook – Bass
Denny Correll – Background Vocals
Tim Correll – Background Vocals
Keith Edwards – Drums, Percussion
Stan Endicott – Orchestration
Hadley Hockensmith – Bass, Guitars
Phil Kristianson – B3 Organ
Alex MacDougall – Percussion
George Marinelli, Jr. – Electric Guitar
Erick Nelson – Piano, Wurlitzer, Vocals
Dean Parks – Electric Guitar
Michele Pillar – Vocals
David Storrs – Electric Guitar
John Wickham – Electric Guitar
Kelly Willard – Rhodes

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Maranatha! Music
Copyright (c) – Maranatha! Music

Crumbächer – Tame The Volcano – 1988

I was very excited to listen to this album as I had not heard it before and wow was I surprised. Surprised being a synonym for disappointed in this case. On their/his previous album “Thunder Beach” we had a hint of what was coming but I wasn’t prepared for this album. Quite frankly it’s just another AOR album. Albums like this were a dime a dozen and it is hard to believe this even was Crumbächer. There are only a few tracks where we get to hear the synth genius that made Stephen Crumbächer famous. Instead most the tracks are run of the mill worship tracks. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. Now if I had never heard of Stephen Crumbächer I would likely have said this was a pretty good AOR album. Stephen’s voice is strong and even a little surprisingly good. I don’t think I ever gave him credit for the quality of his vocals. It even had 2 CCM singles with “Rainy Season” making it to #15 and “Waiting For You” to #13. While I was unhappy with the album it is not a bad album. It is quite good in its own right, just not what I expected or wanted.

Tracklist
1 – Once More (With Feeling) – 4:26
2 – Speechless – 3:51
3 – Waiting For You – 3:58
4 – Release Me – 4:27
5 – Reckless Boys & Bad, Bad Girls – 4:55
6 – Tame The Volcano – 4:17
7 – Lava Rock – 2:46
8 – Rainy Season – 3:58
9 – Somebody’s Arms – 3:58
10 – Every Now And Then – 5:06
11 – Once More (For The Band) – 4:24

Credits
Acoustic Guitar – Christopher Duke
Art Direction – Ed McTaggart
Backing Vocals – Christopher Duke, Dawn Wisner-Johnson, Jimmy Wisner, Stephen Crumbächer
Bass – Tim Chandler
Design – Ed McTaggart
Drums – Jimmy Wisner
Electric Guitar – Christopher Duke
Engineer – Dave Jahnsen
Engineer [Second] – Beth Wisner, Eric Kibbe
Illustration – Marilee T. Niehaus
Keyboards – Dawn Wisner-Johnson, Stephen Crumbächer, Tim Heintz
Lead Vocals – Dawn Wisner-Johnson, Stephen Crumbächer
Music By – Christopher Duke (tracks: 4,7,9,10), Stephen Crumbächer (tracks: 1 to 11)
Percussion – Kurt Rasmussen
Photography – R. Michael Seeley
Piano [Acoustic] – Stephen Crumbächer
Producer – Bill Baumgart, Stephen Crumbächer
Saxophone – Eric Marienthal
Words By – Stephen Crumbächer (tracks: 1 to 11)

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – The Benson Company, Inc.
Recorded At – Asylomar

20/20 Blind – Never Far – 1994

This was the one and only album we got from 20/20 Blind but what an album it is. It was released on Intersound records who were actually better known for mainstream country acts. I don’t know how good Intersound was at distribution but I’m guessing not very good as the band talked Benson into distributing the album. Other than the band was from Houston TX I can’t really find too much about them. Guitarist Doug Middleton was in the 80’s band Straightaway but the rest of the members don’t appear to have recorded before this project. After this project several members went on to form the band Atticus Finch the next year. As for the album it’s an excellent hard rock album with a strong guitar track and well worth a listen as their sound is more late 80’s than 1994.

Tracklist
1 – Wash – 3:23
2 – Soul Song – 3:20
3 – Love Keeps Reaching – 4:03
4 – I Am Blind – 3:50
5 – Do I – 3:39
6 – Easier Way – 3:28
7 – Never Far – 2:51
8 – Show Each Other Love – 3:34
9 – Only Hope – 3:33
10 – Sleepyland – 3:27

Credits
Backing Vocals [Additional] – Charles Powell, Phil Beck
Bass, Backing Vocals – Schon Alkire
Drums, Backing Vocals – Chris Laurents
Engineer [Second Engineer] – Joseph L. Mangiameli
Executive-Producer – Charles Gates
Graphic Design – Ken Wells
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Doug Middleton, Mike McNeely
Keyboards [Additional], Sequenced By [Sequencing By] – Phil Beck
Lead Vocals – Wallace B. Chase
Photography By – Arthur Garcia, David Smith
Producer [Produced By] – Brian Garcia (tracks: 1 to 6, 8, 10)
Recorded By, Engineer [Engineered By], Mixed By – Brian Garcia

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Intersound Inc.
Copyright (c) – Intersound Inc.
Manufactured By – Intersound Inc.
Distributed By – Intersound Inc.
Recorded At – The 4th Creation Recording Studio
Mixed At – The 4th Creation Recording Studio
Published By – Intercede
Published By – Ariose Music
Made By – Disctronics USA – 122999

XT – XT – 1992

XT was a project / partnership between Leviticus guitarist Bjorn Stigsson and Motherlode vocalist Sonny Larsson. I was just introduced to Motherlode last week so when I read about their XT project I couldn’t wait to hear it. Larsson had contributed vocals to Stiggson’s solo project “Together With Friends” in 1987 and they must have meshed as they came back together years later after their respective bands shut down. While they were known for their Metal leaning work in the past this album with a little more hard rock with some keyboard influences. I think I preferred their work with their original bands there is nothing wrong with this album and it is well worth a listen. Stigsson and Larsson went on to release 2 more albums in the 90’s and got back together in 2017 & 2019 for two new albums. I’m looking forward to giving them a listen soon.

Tracklist
1 – Toccata – 0:36
2 – Looking For Love – 2:35
3 – The Rock Is My Life – 3:36
4 – All Your Love – 3:57
5 – Open Your Heart – 4:08
6 – I’m In Heaven – 2:53
7 – Theme Of Händel – 0:59
8 – Everything Is Possible – 3:13
9 – Call Your Name – 2:53
10 – Down The Street – 3:08
11 – White Knight – 3:37
12 – Standing For Jesus Christ – 4:03
13 – Voices In Heaven – 1:45

Credits
Bass – Håkan Andersson
Cover – Anders Bühlund
Drums – Michael Ulfsgard
Guitar, Keyboards, Arranged By, Programmed By, Producer – Björn Stigsson
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Producer – Sonny Larsson
Mixed By – Magnus “MBee” Berggren*
Mixed By, Engineer – Niklas Windahl
Mixed By, Engineer, Bass – P-O Larsson
Photography By – Torleif Svensson

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Viva Records AB
Copyright (c) – Viva Records AB
Made By – Zero Corporation
Recorded At – Eagle One Studios
Recorded At – Pol Music Studios
Recorded At – Studio Box-Room