The band here is actually Writz but they had to do a name change for their U.S. release due to a conflicting band name. Now everything after this is up for debate as I’ve read a few different stories of how this album came to be. Apparently some time in 1981 Bev Sage and Steve Fairnie joined up with David Hewson to form the Techno Twins. Apparently this album had been recorded but not mixed or even accepted by the record company. There’s some back biting and accusations involved but I’m not going to repeat them. Simply enough I will explain it as, it’s Rock & Roll. Anyway apparently Steve Rowles had possession of the album and it found it’s way on to the internet. I tend to believe that this is a pre-production mix as it just has that feel. Anyway if you liked Writz then this should be a treat for you. I really liked it but it does suffer from a poor mix but who cares, it’s bonus music.
I really can’t find much about Donn. This was his first album but he had to have done some work before this. His singing style is very similar to Andraé Crouch and he would have fit in perfectly with that group of singers but I can’t find any record of him working with them. So that leaves us with this his first album and what a great album it is. Soul is not really my preferred genre but even I can appreciate how great this album is. The album contains the song “A Shield About Me” which has been covered many times but probably the most significant a cover by Tom Howard in 1985. Something rather odd is that we were searching for this album and we found several copies. They were all in horrible condition. I suspect that is was a poor pressing as that’s a little too coincidental.
Tracklist 1 – Live Wires – 3:57 2 – God’s Love (Is What The World Needs) – 4:04 3 – Not Now Doesn’t Mean Never – 4:17 4 – Walking With My Father – 4:32 5 – Oh My Livin’ Brother – 5:14 6 – Soul’d Out – 3:13 7 – A Shield About Me – 2:19 8 – Can’t Make It Without You, Lord – 4:34 9 – You Got Me Through – 4:22 10 – Soul’d Out – Reprise – 1:23
Credits Alto Saxophone – Dave Boruff Backing Vocals – Bob Carlisle, Carol Rogers, Denise Hunt, Donn Thomas, Elicesia Wright, Lillian Tynes, Steve Hunt Design Concept [Cover Concept] – Garry Whitlock, Harry Langdon Design, Layout – Dennis Hill Engineer [2nd] [Davlen] – Ernie Sheesley, Jeff Borgeson, Steve Crimmel Flute – Dave Boruff, Jim Coile Lead Vocals – Donn Thomas Mastered By – Steve Hall Mixed By – Bill Bottrell Photography By – Harry Langdon Producer, Arranged By – David Diggs Recorded By – Christopher Banninger Strings – Doug Cameron String Section Tenor Saxophone – Gary Herbig, Jim Coile Trombone – Alan Kaplan, Bill Reichenbach Trumpet – Charles Davis, Danny Ackerman, Jerry Hey, Terry Winch
In my quest to find all things Iva Twydell I stumbled across this album that he produced. This is essentially the band that backed Iva on his “Secret Service” album. This is the only album we got from these guys though there was another UK band with the same name who released another album in 1986 but none of the members were the same. Anyway this is a great Pop album that definitely feels like ATF and or Iva Twydell in many spots. It’s another one I would have loved to have heard in the 80’s but I missed it due to it’s UK only release.
Tracklist 1 – King’s Business 2 – Open Door 3 – Misty Skies 4 – Smiling People 5 – Speak To Me 6 – Prayer 7 – Feet On Solid Ground 8 – City Of Gold 9 – Sleep In Your Eyes 10 – What Can I Do For You? 11 – Countdown 12 – Take A Little Interest
Credits Backing Vocals, Producer – Iva Twydell Guitar, Vocals – Andy Balmer Synthesizer, Piano, Vocals – Dave Balmer Drums, Backin]g Vocals, Art – Tim Burgess Bass, Crowd Vocals – Pete Dillet Engineer – Bryan Smith
Companies, etc. Label – Rio Records, BANANA 500, Banana Records
This album has a bit of an interesting backstory. Before this album Ivor Twidell left the band to work on a solo project and the band had Nick Brotherwood (Alwyn Wall Band) step in on drums. They recorded it at Utopia Studios and Tony Mansfield mixed and produced the album. It was presented and subsequently rejected by CBS records. CBS sent them back to a studio in Germany with ex-Fly’s drummer Peter King and producer Reinhold Mack. They reworked the album dropping 4 tracks and added 3, Wild West Show, Why Can’t We Be Friends, and Joanne. Somehow in all this confusion Epic Records ended up releasing the newly recorded album. Now here’s where it gets really interesting. In 1982 after the band had split Epic released a compilation album but used the Nick Brotherwood versions of Love Will Always Make You Cry, Starflight, and 1980-F. Anyway now I’ll give my opinion of the album. Bottom line CBS wrecked it. The 3 tracks they added are the 3 weakest tracks on the album. I have heard bits and pieces of Tony Mansfield’s production it was far superior. Tony knew the sound the band was trying to achieve and was able to mix it to that sound. Instead this album is poorly mixed and produced by Reinhold Mack and completely misses what the band was trying to record. Unfortunately I can only assume this didn’t help the morale of the band and probably contributed to the band splitting in 1982. ON a high note the album has one of the greatest songs of all time “Who’s Gonna Love You When You’re Old And Fat And Ugly?”
Tracklist 1 – 1980-F – 2:32 2 – Love Will Always Make You Cry – 3:30 3 – Can You Face It? – 3:15 4 – Who’s Gonna Love You (When You’re Old And Fat And Ugly?) – 4:05 5 – Starflight – 4:13 6 – Wild West Show – 3:30 7 – Billy, Billy – 4:40 8 – It’s High Fashion – 3:07 9 – Why Can’t We Be Friends? – 2:46 10 – Joanne – 4:10
Credits Bass, Vocals – Andy Piercy Drums – Pete King Engineer – Pete Hammond Guitar, Backing Vocals – John Russell Mastered By – Kevin Metcalf Producer [Backing Track] – Tony Mansfield Producer, Mixed By, Engineer – Reinhold Mack Synthesizer, Backing Vocals – Peter “Memory” Banks
Companies, etc. Phonographic Copyright ℗ – CBS Records Produced At – Utopia Studios Mixed At – Utopia Studios Engineered At – Utopia Studios Published By – Heath Levy Music Co. Ltd.
I seriously can not find a single piece of information about Tom Karlson. I can honestly say that this is the first time I have found absolutely nothing about an artist. So all we can talk about is the album itself. It’s a seventies style light rock album with a couple real rock tunes on it. I can hear a little early Larry on a few tracks but for the main part Tom makes this album his own. The album does have help from Benny Hester and Rick Crawford so this wasn’t a completely unknown project. The jacket is horrendous and does not let you know in any way that this is a rock album. There is zero chance we would have bought this in the day with that cover unless it was promoted as a rock album. It would appear it wasn’t promoted because I’ve never heard of it and I can’t find anyone else that ever heard of it either. That said it’s a pretty good album and I fully suggest giving it a listen.
Tracklist 1 – Take ‘Em – 3:52 2 – Questions – 3:53 3 – Look For Love – 4:07 4 – Yesterday, Today, Forever – 4:54 5 – Living On The Edge – 3:40 6 – Service To The Son – 3:24 7 – Dead End Street – 3:55 8 – If I Love You – 3:18 9 – Right Thru The Heart – 3:21
Credits Gary Arthur – Bass Bubba Chambers – Background Vocals Rick Crawford – Background Vocals Benny Hester – Arrangements, Background Vocals Greg Jerden – Engineer Tom Karlson – Songwriter, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals Jeff Lams – Keyboards Jerry McPherson – Electric Guitar Paul Mills – Assistant Engineer, Synthesizer John Parenti – Percussion Brian Tankersley – Producer, Engineer, Electric Guitar, Background Vocals Rick Thigpen – Assistant Engineer Bobby Walzel – Saxaphone John Wickham – Electric Guitar
Apparently After The Fire played 3 years in a row at the BBC Paris Theatre, London, England. Luckily these appearances were recorded but they stayed on a shelf somewhere until Angel Air Records released them in 2009. You can buy the CD on their website below. ATF were an excellent live band and this is a great release. Thank you Angel Air Records.
1 – Joy – 3:17 2 – A Little Sun, A Little Rain – 3:11 3 – Laser Love – 3:05 4 – Time To Think – 3:31 5 – One Rule For You – 3:15 6 – Suspended Animation – 4:52 7 – Check It Out – 3:06 8 – Like The Power Of A Jet – 2:50 1980 In Concert 9 – Laser Love – 3:26 10 – Life In The City – 4:04 11 – Can You Face It? – 3:50 12 – Who’s Gonna Love You? – 4:14 13 – Billy Billy – 6:07 1981 In Concert 14 – Frozen Rivers – 4:06 15 – Dancing In The Shadows – 2:53 16 – Sailing Ship – 3:39 17 – Bright Lights – 4:09 18 – Take Me Higher – 7:06 19 – Starlight – 5:03
While this is David & The Giants 4th Christian album it’s the one where I started listening and in my opinion is there best album. It has the original version of “Almost Midnight” which is much better than the 1985 remake which is probably the better known version. This album also welcomed back Keith Thibodeaux on drums. He was the original drummer for the band but left during their Christian transition but he’s back and you can tell as on this album I think the band was much tighter. A bit of trivia about Keith is that he played “Little Ricky” on the I Love Lucy show. Anyway here’s a great rock album that was perfectly timed for 1980.
Tracklist 1 – Almost Midnight – 2:55 2 – Keep On Keeping On – 3:47 3 – Keep On Singing My Song – 2:45 4 – Thank You Lord (For Coming Into My Heart) – 3:12 5 – Upper Room Experience (Recorded Live) – 6:02 6 – The Well (Will Never Run Dry) – 4:32 7 – Ten Miles High – 2:22 8 – Borrowed Time – 5:48 9 – Holy Rain (Recorded Live) – 5:15 10 – Daddy – 4:30
Credits Bass, Backing Vocals – Clayborn Huff Cover – Jim Paris Drums – Keith Thibodeaux Engineer – David Huff, David Yelveton (tracks: A5,B4), Rayborn Huff Guitar, Mandolin, Piano, Vocals – David Huff Harmonica – Lance Appleton Organ, Synthesizer [Arp Quadra, Poly Korg], Strings [String Ensemble], Backing Band – Rayborn Huff Piano, Synthesizer [Quadra], Backing Vocals – Gerald Hagan Producer – David And The Giants Written-By – Clayborn Huff, David Huff, Rayborn Huff
This is the third album for Thomas Steven Smith who released his first 2 albums using his nickname Moose Smith. Strangely for an artist with 4 albums I really can’t find much about him. There are a few notes around the interwebs of people who saw him in concert saying how great he was but that’s about all I can find. So let’s talk about the album. It has a great 70’s sound and feel. It’s not particularly my style but there’s a couple tracks I quite liked. “You’ve Gotta Hear It To Believe It” is a great rock tune that deserves to be heard and “Loco Boy Made Good” also had a great seventies rock sound. I’m looking forward to hearing his other albums as there is some real talent here. It is absolutely the wrong cover for the album but it does have a cool 3d effect which makes it stand out.
Tracklist 1 – Love Will Find A Way – 3:28 2 – And When All Is Said And Done – 2:50 3 – Holy, Holy, Holy – 2:39 4 – Loco Boy Made Good – 3:50 5 – Anything Worth Doin’ Is Worth Doin’ Right – 3:57 6 – There Is A Way – 4:07 7 – Turn Around And See – 2:46 8 – Fresh Start – 3:26 9 – One Song – 4:04 10 – You’ve Gotta Hear It To Believe It – 3:03
Credits Art Direction – Michael Harris Design Engineer – Brian Tankersley, Paul Mills Executive-Producer – Phil Brower Horn [Arrangements] – Fletch Wiley Photography By – Michael Borum Producer – Fletch Wiley Synthesizer [Programming] – Paul Mills
Glad was, for a time, one of the most influential and important groups in Christian Music. An incredibly high standard of quality, interesting and creative arrangements and some of, if not the best, harmonies in CCM history. After their debut showed a much more “progressive” rock and jazz influence, Beyond a star would carry their original form into the 1980’s with more pop and the introduction of the a capella vocal style they would later by primarily known for. Though less progressive than their debut the album still contain several classic influences such as the Yes sounding “Away” and a touch of the 2nd Chapter of acts on “Sing a New Song.” “Iron Sharpens Iron” has a Steely Dan or Alan Parsons Project feel. The opening track, “The Reason” would introduce the a capella vocal style that would end of being the trademark for the band through much the 1980’s. In fact, their biggest selling album would be the firs “A Capella Project,” going gold and beyond. This would not have been possible without the perfect combination of voices the band possessed. Many members are still actively involved in music, most notable Bob Kauflin, who is spearheading a great modern worship label based on more doctrinally solid lyrical content than what is found in most of today’s worship music.
Contributor – David Lowman https://ccms500bestalbums.wordpress.com/
Tracklist 1 – The Reason – 1:50 2 – Take A Stand – 3:32 3 – Beyond A Star – 3:49 4 – Away – 4:11 5 – Sing A New Song – 3:37 6 – Iron Sharpens Iron – 3:36 7 – Lying – 3:25 8 – Lonely Love – 4:31 9 – It Is Good – 4:54 10 – Pierce My Ear – 3:19
Credits Arranged By [Special Assistance, Strings & Horns] – Dan Wolgemuth Arranged By [Strings & Horns] – Bob Kauflin, Ed Nalle Arranged By [Vocals] – Bob Kauflin Booking – Logsdon Associates Design [Art Design] – Michael Harris Drums – Brad Currie, Mark Farley, Roger Clark Electric Guitar – John Goin Engineer – Brown Bannister, Skip Plant Executive-Producer – Michael Blanton Flugelhorn – George Tidwell Mastered By – Larry Nix Photography By [Back Cover] – Mimi Roth Mandel Photography By [Front Cover] – Michael Borum Producer – Brown Bannister, Ed Nalle Saxophone – Billy Puett, Dennis Solee Strings – The Shelly Kurland Strings Trombone – Dennis Good Trumpet – Don Sheffield Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Jim Gheen Vocals, Bass [Alembic] – Don Nalle Vocals, Electric Guitar – John Bolles, Wayne Farley Vocals, Keyboards – Bob Kauflin Vocals, Percussion – Ed Nalle
This is Twila’s first album. Well that’s not entirely true she actually had a self released kids album all the way back in 1965 recorded when she was 5 years old. She said in an interview that when she was a teenager her friends would torment her by playing the album, but this is essentially her first album. It’s pretty well what you would expect for a first album from a female artist in 1980 but I do need to give Twila credit in that she was involved in the song writing. Generally first album female artists have all the tracks written for them but not in this case. If you’re a fan of female 80’s artists then this one is for you.
Tracklist 1 – Spring Water – 2:46 2 – Angel Band – 3:09 3 – I’ll See You Sunday – 3:55 4 – Knowin’ You’re Around – 3:28 5 – Morning Sunrise – 1:57 6 – I’m Singing Again – 3:13 7 – Turn Around – 2:58 8 – Victory Song – 3:05 9 – Elijah – 2:50 10 – Sing Me A Lullaby – 4:18
Credits Drew Barlow – Engineer Stephanie Boosahda – Background Vocals Wayne Boosahda – Producer Cornerstone Strings – Strings Larry Dalton – Piano Mike Demus – Electric & Acoustic Guitars Bob Farrell – Background Vocals Rocky Gribble – Electric Guitars Sandra Halgendale – Oboe Jim Hochanadel – Acoustic Guitars, Saxophone Maurice Love – Bass Glenn Meadows – Mastered Twila Paris – Songwriter, Keyboards, Vocals Kenny Sarkey – Producer, Engineer, Mixed, Keyboard, Acoustic Guitars, Arp Omni, Mini Moog, Orchestra Bells, Background Vocals Julianne Siens – Background Vocals David Stearman – String Arrangements, Acoustic Guitar Rhenda Edwards Tull – Background Vocals Genevieve Winkenbach – Harp Steve Wright – Drums, Percussion
