Tag: 1979

‘Ark – The Angels Come – 1979

This album is really a one off gem that left us wanting for more. Dave Kelly and Derek Jeffery formed the band bringing David Mackay in on bass. When a producer was brought in Al Perkins filled the bill and he jumped in on lead guitar. Al Perkins had produced some of the biggest CCM albums of the time including Daniel Amos, Gentle Faith, and Terry Talbot. Anyway, personnel explanations out of the way lets talk about this album. The sound is often compared to The Byrds, Beatles, Crosby Stills & Nash and The Stones but personally I think it sounds most like the Byrds. This is a very very good album and it is such a pity it ended up being the only album from them. I don’t mean this album was a good CCM album, I mean this was a great album in all markets. I believe this album could have received air play on secular radio but I think it was just a little too late. The only track that I believe was timely was “Why?” and I think it would have done well on the radio. As for my favourite track those who know me know I almost always like the hard rock track but not on this one. On this one I love the ballad “Arms Of The Lord” in which I can hear a tinge of what was coming in the early 80’s. So to sum up, you need to listen to this album!!!

Tracklist
1 – Hold Me Tonight – 2:25
2 – Birthsong – 2:35
3 – For All You Know – 3:25
4 – A Place For Love – 2:56
5 – Hungry World – 3:03
6 – Don’t Look Now – 4:02
7 – All To Pieces – 2:28
8 – Standing At The Door – 2:23
9 – Arms Of The Lord – 3:25
10 – Why? – 2:40

Credits
Arranged By [Orchestra Arranger], Conductor – Greg Nelson
Bass – David Mackay
Design – Lynn Robb, Stan Evenson
Lead Guitar – Al Perkins
Mastered By – Lanky Linstrot
Photography By – Gary Heery
Producer, Engineer – Al Perkins
Strings – Edinburgh Symphony
Vocals, Drums, Percussion – James Kehn
Vocals, Rhythm Guitar – Dave Kelly, Derek Jeffery

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Spirit
Distributed By – Sparrow Records, Inc.
Recorded At – Soundcastle
Mastered At – ABC Records

Amy Grant – My Father’s Eyes – 1979

Amy’s second album showed her maturing as a singer. She wrote or co-wrote eight of the tracks making this album a learning opportunity for her. Of course the production and high quality studio musicians gives it a strong polished fresh album sound. I believe at this point everyone, but possibly Amy, could see where she was headed. A&M records couldn’t jump on the bandwagon quick enough with dollar signs in their eyes. The album was pretty straight forward and really the only thing that garnered any extra attention was a cover of Jesse Winchester’s song “Lay Down”. It was a secular song but someone changed the line “Let your daddy kiss it” to “Let your Daddy lift it” and POOF you have a worship song. Pretty lame in my opinion. The album was a huge success garnering the #1 spot on the Billboard Inspirational Albums chart as well as a Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary. Of course it blew up the CCM charts but at this point she could have sung the alphabet and charted. That said it is a good album and I won’t take that away from her.

Tracklist
1 – Father’s Eyes – 4:03
2 – Faith Walkin’ People – 3:26
3 – Always The Winner – 2:28
4 – Never Give You Up – 3:20
5 – Bridegroom – 2:48
6 – Lay Down (The Burden Of Your Heart) – 2:44
7 – You Were There – 2:29
8 – O Sacred Head – 2:04
9 – All That I Need Is You – 3:30
10 – Fairytale – 3:11
11 – Giggle – 2:49
12 – There Will Never Be Another – 3:37
13 – Keep It On Going – 1:04

Credits
Acoustic Guitar – Jon Goin (tracks: 1, 4, 12), Larry Byrom (tracks: 6, 10), Ron Elder (tracks: 3)
Banjo – Larry Byrom (tracks: 11)
Bass – Bob Sinkovic (tracks: 5), Bob Wray (tracks: 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 11), Jack Williams (tracks: 4, 10), Steve Schaffer (tracks: 1)
Drums – Roger Clark
Electric Guitar – Jon Goin (tracks: 1, 5, 7, 9, 10), Larry Byrom (tracks: 2 to 4,)
Flute – Denis Solee (tracks: 1, 5, 11)
Keyboards – Bobby Ogdin (tracks: 1 to 3, 7, 9), Marty McCall (tracks: 5), Randy Goodrum (tracks: 4)
Organ – Shane Keister (tracks: 2, 6, 10)
Percussion – Farrell Morris (tracks: 2, 7, 9)
Producer – Chris Christian
Xylophone – Farrell Morris (tracks: 11)

Moral Support – Just Where It’s At Tonight – Sin 7″ – 1979

This little gem of a 7″ has an unreleased song “Just Where It’s At Tonight” and a alternate mix of “Sin”. We only got one album from Andy McCarroll & Moral Support so it’s a real treat to find another song.

Tracklist
A – Just Where It’s At Tonight
B – Sin

Credits
Bass – Alan Gillespie
Drums – Ian Sloan
Guitar – Jimmy Davis
Keyboards – William Hilary
Producer – Andy Kidd
Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards – Andy McCarroll

Barnabas – Directory Assistance & Nicodemus 7″ – 1979

This appears to have been a demo release from Barnabas in 1979. Directory Assistance was released on their debut album but Nicodemus was not released until 1999 where it appeared on some copies of the Barnabas CD re-release of Hear The Light / Find Your Heart A Home .

David and the Giants – Step In My Shoes – 1979

This was the third album from David and the Giants after their conversion to Christian music in 1977. They departed from their previous sound to a more subdued Jesus Music style for this album. This style did not sell well and this album was considered to be a bit of a failure. I will admit that it is not my favourite album by them but I really don’t consider it a failure. It’s just a bit of a different attempt by them. I think it’s well done and the songs are well written but I guess it just wasn’t quite the right time for this sound.

Tracklist
1 – I Love Him More Today (Than I Did Yesterday) – 4:16
2 – San Francisco – Help Is On His Way – 3:50
3 – Gonna Take A Ride – 4:25
4 – Israel – 5:15
5 – I’m In Love With Love – 4:02
6 – If You Ain’t Living For Jesus (You’re Just Dying) – 3:31
7 – He’s Got The World In His Hands – 4:22
8 – It’s Not A Dream – 0:45
9 – Lift Up Your Eyes – 4:27
10 – Step In My Shoes – 4:04
11 – The End Of Time – 5:14

Credits
Bass Guitar, Vocals – Clayborn Huff
Drums – Owen Hale
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Cymbal [High Sounding Cymbal], Piano, Synthesizer [Arp], Vocals – David Huff
Engineer – David Huff, Rayborn Huff
Keyboards [Fender Rhodes], Synthesizer [Arp, Korg, Polykorg], Organ, Vocals – Rayborn Huff
Mixed By [Re-Mixed By] – David Huff
Piano, Synthesizer [Arp], Vocals – Gerald Hagan
Producer – David And The Giants

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Huff Recording Studios, Laurel, MS
Pressed By – Houston Records – LH-18463
Pressed By – Houston Records – LH-18464

Fireworks – Shatter the Darkness – 1979

This is the second album from Fireworks. What strikes me as odd with this album is that the title is subtitled with “Featuring Marty McCall”. Marty was with the band for their previous album and all subsequent albums so I have no idea why for this album he got such special billing. He hadn’t really done anything before Fireworks so he wasn’t some well known singer from another band or anything either. Very strange. Sound wise this album is a nice progression from their previous album which was painfully easy listening and their next album which was quite upbeat. This album settles into the middle nicely so no matter which version of Fireworks you like you should like this album.

Tracklist
1 – Change My Heart – 2:59
2 – Beautiful Woman – 4:17
3 – After The Rain – 2:07
4 – Calling My Name – 3:55
5 – Rock Band – 3:24
6 – Like Children – 3:11
7 – I Know Power – 2:39
8 – Love You Tonight – 3:37
9 – Shatter The Darkness – 5:05
10 – The World – 3:50

Credits
Bass – Bob Sinkovic, Chris Harris
Drums – Lanny Avery
Guitar – Jerry Gaston, Mark Christian
Keyboards, Vocals – Marty McCall
Producer – Chris Christian

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Word, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Word, Inc.
Mastered At – Masterfonics

Oden – Come For The Children – 1979

This was Oden’s first album after the dissolution of Mustard Seed. The album has hints of the 60’s and the 80’s but is really a solid 70’s album with Rock overtures. The album was well received but didn’t chart, but that’s not unusual for the time it came out. According to the liner notes there were some very well known appearances on the album including John Mehler, Alex MacDougall, Michelle Pillar, Bob Bennett and it was produced by the legendary Jonathan David Brown.

Tracklist
1 – The Mask – 3:15
2 – Natural Man – 4:29
3 – Crazy Voices – 3:40
4 – White Eagle – 4:46
5 – Selfish Man – 4:09
6 – Again And Again – 4:31
7 – Ready To Fly – 3:26
8 – Come For The Children – 7:19
9 – She Begins To Sing – 3:16

Credits
Cover, Illustration – Rick Griffin (2)
Layout – Neal Buchanan
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Producer, Engineer, Mixed By – Jonathan David Brown
Sleeve Notes [Lettered By] – Tim Barela
Written-By, Arranged By – Preston Fong

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – Word, Inc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Asaph Records
Copyright (c) – Asaph Records
Published By – Maranatha! Music
Recorded At – Maranatha! Studio
Mixed At – Maranatha! Studio
Mastered At – A&M Studios

The Morning Stars – I’ve Been Blessed By The Hands Of The Lord – 1979

I really don’t know much about The Morning Stars other than they are good. I had someone ask for a Southern Gospel album so I went and searched our library for one that perhaps was not as well known. I found this gem and although I know nothing about it I quite liked it. I have always had a soft spot for southern gospel music as it is my belief that this is where Rock & Roll came from. So if you like this style of music sit back and enjoy.

Tracklist
1 – I’ve Been Blessed (By The Hands Of The Lord) – 3:35
2 – He’s Using Me – 4:20
3 – Rock Of Ages – 3:07
4 – It’s In My Mind – 2:10
5 – What If Jesus Came To Your House – 4:33
6 – Walking With Jesus Everyday – 2:35
7 – God’s Got My Name – 5:05
8 – Just A Closer Walk With Thee (Instrumental) – 3:10

Credits
Cover – Harvey
Executive-Producer – Fred Mendelsohn
Liner Notes – Edward Garvin
Written-By – W. Johnson (tracks: A1, B1 to B3)

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Savoy Records, Inc.
Manufactured By – Arista Records, Inc.
Distributed By – Arista Records, Inc.
Published By – Savgos Music Inc.
Published By – Hill & Range Music, Inc.
Recorded At – Mastersound Studios, Atlanta
Mastered At – Masterdisk
Pressed By – Hub-Servall Record Mfg. Corp.

Leon Patillo – Dance Children Dance – 1979

This was Leon’s first solo album after leaving Santana and his first Christian album. The album is very easy listening and has a good amount if the funk sound Leon is known for. The album spawned 2 singles, “Dance Children Dance” which made it to # 12, and “Temple To The Sky” made it to #7. Pretty impress result from a first album but then again Leon’s sound was tailor made for the adult CCM charts.

Tracklist
1 – Dance Children Dance – 3:29
2 – High On You – 3:27
3 – These Signs – 3:31
4 – Born Again – 2:59
5 – Temple To The Sky – 3:58
6 – Trinity – 3:31
7 – He Is Comin’ – 4:21
8 – Come – 3:15

Credits
Artwork – Larry McAdams
Backing Vocals – Jackie Patillo, Joyce Luis, Leon Patillo
Bass Guitar – Leon Patillo
Drums – Leon Patillo
Horns – Darrel Gardner
Keyboards – Leon Patillo
Lead Vocals – Leon Patillo
Mixed By, Recorded By – Chris Taylor
Photography By – Stephen Kelly

After the Fire – Laser Love – 1979

I was surprised to discover that this was After the Fire’s second album. In case you don’t know, none of After The Fire’s albums were released in the U.S. until the band broke up in 1982. Quite frankly while listening to this album I kept thinking, these guys do “The Cars” better than The Cars. This album came out in 79 and The Cars in 1978 so they were probably recorded around the same time so who knows who came first. I swear I will never understand why none of these After The Fire’s album were released in the U.S.A. or Canada for that matter.

Tracklist
1 – Laser Love – 3:28
2 – Joy – 3:17
3 – Take Me Higher – 4:31
4 – Life In The City – 4:13
5 – Suspended Animation – 4:52
6 – Like The Power Of A Jet – 3:07
7 – One Rule For You – 3:24
8 – Time To Think – 3:28
9 – Timestar – 4:36
10 – Check It Out – 3:21

Credits
Band – Andrew Piercy, I. A. J. Twidell, John Russell, Memory Banks
Design – Roslav Szaybo
Producer – After The Fire, John Leckie, Muff Winwood, Rhett Davies, Rupert Hine

Companies, etc.
Copyright (c) – CBS Inc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – CBS Inc.
Marketed By – Gramophone Record Co. (Pty.) Ltd.
Distributed By – Gramophone Record Co. (Pty.) Ltd.
Published By – M.P.A.
Printed By – Interpak