Zion (OR) – Cry Out – 1987

There are several “Zion”s in the CCM market. This is the one from Jacksonville, Oregon. They were an excellent Pop Rock band that released two self financed albums. This is the second one of those albums. I’m a little mystified how these guys didn’t get a record deal. They are really good in my opinion. The vocals are shared between Dave Day and Linda Holt Morrison. I’m a big fan of Dave’s vocals but I struggle with Linda’s. That said I think it could be fixed in post production but what do I know. I don’t like Sandie Brock from Servants vocals either so I think it comes down to personal preference. My other small criticism is that the tracks are a touch long but again that would be fixed in post production. But lets toss all that aside because this is a great album and it’s pretty well engineered. The credits say it was mastered by Steve Hall. I don’t know if it’s THE Steve Hall but if it is wow, he’s one of the best. Anyway this is a great Pop Rock album and there are a couple tracks here that are going on my playlist for sure.

Tracklist
1 – Cry Out – 5:10
2 – The Edge – 4:03
3 – Kidz – 5:31
4 – Take My Life – 5:46
5 – Heaven Help Us – 6:17
6 – Rad – 4:16
7 – Love You To Life – 4:43
8 – I’ll Be There – 5:57

Credits
Bass, Vocals, Guitar – Larry Wick
Drums, Percussion – John Scott Armas
Guitar, Lead Vocals – Dave Day
Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals, Producer – Jeff Bates
Lead Vocals – Linda Holt Morrison
Mastered By – Steve Hall

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Starlight Recording, Applegate, Oregon
Mastered At – Future Disc
Published By – Crosstalk Music
Published By – D-Day Music

Split Level – Sons Of Liberty – 1987

This is the second album from Split Level and what a great album it is. Their first album was released on a label I’ve never heard of and can’t find any record of, Big Feet Records. I also can’t find a copy of the album. The band went into the studio with Andy McCarroll who was about to produce his first album. Reportedly when the album came out the band said the album didn’t sound like them. I just watched a live cut of them and I think it did represent them well. Maybe the band wasn’t used to a studio album toning down the rawness that band has live. From the one track I saw live the album is a pretty good representation. Anyway the album was popular and the band kept on touring and playing gigs where they thought they could reach people who wouldn’t normally listen to Christian music. It should be noted that the released album track order was not the same as the album label. I have no idea if this was intentional or a gimmick but here we’ve presented the tracks in to order on the record label. Word only released the album in the U.K. and why they did that is beyond me. I’m sure this album would have done well in the North American market.

Tracklist
1 – Land Of Freedom – 3:45
2 – Peace Of Home – 3:02
3 – I Will Live – 3:25
4 – Into The Fire – 3:40
5 – It Won’t Be Long – 4:27
6 – Sons Of Liberty – 3:58
7 – View Of A World – 3:48
8 – Desertland – 3:21
9 – God Is – 4:13
10 – Dove – 3:54

Credits
Design – James Kessell
Keyboards – Brian Jones
Keyboards, Programmed By [Engineering Programming] – Enda Walsh
Mixed By – Neil Costello, Pat McCarthy
Photography By – Jim Loring
Photography By [Additional] – Branka Jukić
Producer – Andy McCarroll
Vocals, Bass Guitar – Derek Currie
Vocals, Drums – Barry Kennedy
Vocals, Guitar – Adrian Thompson

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Gap Music
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Word (UK) Ltd.
Mixed At – ICC Studios
Recorded At – Homestead Studios
Copyright © – Word (Uk) Ltd.
Copyright © – Gap Music (2)
Printed By – Shorewood Packaging
Made By – Shorewood Packaging
Mixed At – Windmill Lane Studios

Steve Green – Joy To The World – 1987

Here’s a collection of Christmas tracks that the record company put together for Steve Green to sing. I say this because this is about the 3rd CCM artist Christmas album I’ve listened to that had nothing contemporary about it and doesn’t seem to have that touch from the artist. That said it’s an okay album but it won’t go on my Christmas playlist.

Tracklist
1 – Joy To The World – 2:25
2 – Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / Angels We Have Heard On High – 2:41
3 – Angels From The Realms Of Glory / O Come, All Ye Faithful – 3:06
4 – Silent Night, Holy Night – 3:19
5 – The Birthday Of A King / O Holy Night – 4:24
6 – Jesus Is Born – 3:24
7 – Messiah Medley – 3:16
8 – Rest – 4:09
9 – Adorar Al Niño (Go And Worship Jesus) – 2:08
10 – O Come, O Come Emmanuel / Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne – 4:21

Credits
Arranged By [Percussion Arrangement] – Don Hart
Arranged By [Rhythm Arrangements] – Greg Nelson, Phil Naish
Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Don Hart
Arranged By [String and Vocal Arrangements] – Alan Moore
Arranged By [Vocal Arrangement] – Don Hart
Arranged By [Vocal Arrangement], Conductor – David T. Clydesdale
Arranged By, Orchestrated By, Conductor – David T. Clydesdale
Art Direction – Barbara Catanzaro-Hearn
Bass – Craig Nelson
Contractor [Background Vocalists] – Beverly Darnall
Contractor [Orchestra] – Carl Gorodetzky, The Nashville String Machine
Design – Jackson Design
Drums – Mark Hammond
Engineer – Brent King
Engineer [Assistant] – Bill Whittington, David Murphy
Engineer, Mixed By – Bob Clark
Guitar – Jon Goin, Mark Casstevens
Keyboards – Phil Naish
Percussion – Farrell Morris
Photography By – Steven A. Heller
Piano [Acoustic], Harpsichord – David Huntsinger
Producer – Greg Nelson
Sleeve Notes – Steve Green

Companies, etc.
Copyright © – Word Music
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – The Sparrow Corporation
Distributed By – Word (Uk) Ltd.
Recorded At – Great Circle Sound
Recorded At – OmniSound Studios
Recorded At – Downstage Studio
Mixed At – Great Circle Sound
Published By – LCS Songs
Published By – Pamela Kay Music
Published By – Beckengus Music
Published By – River Oaks Music
Published By – New Wings Music
Published By – Greg Nelson Music

Paul Janz – Electricity – 1987

This is Paul’s second solo album. His first album was released almost worldwide but not in the United States. As he’s Canadian that’s where his main audience was though he also did well in Germany where he has also lived and produced music. This album was released world wide including the U.S. Strangely A&M Records decided to take the most successful single from his first album and put it on this album. I am guessing the thinking was that it would re-single in the U.S. market. The album was not selling well but the record company decided to release “Believe In Me” as the final single and it caught making it to #26 on the Canadian Charts and #25 on the U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary chart but that was it for U.S. chart success. It did much better in Canada with 3 other top 100 singles. All in all it’s a solid pop album and as I grew up in Canada it is an album I remember and still quite like.

Tracklist
1 – One Night (Is All It Takes) – 3:42
2 – Electricity – 3:51
3 – I Won’t Cry – 4:45
4 – We Touch – 4:50
5 – I’ll Be Your Eyes – 3:57
6 – Send Me A Miracle – 3:51
7 – Believe In Me – 4:46
8 – I Go To Pieces – 3:29
9 – Angel – 5:00
10 – Alien – 4:39
11 – One Last Lie – 3:51

Credits
Art Direction – Richard Frankel
Bass – Bob Press
Design – Melanie Nissen
Drums – Michael Root
Engineer – Dave Slagter, Mike Fraser
Guitar – Tim McKenzie
Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Percussion – Paul Janz
Mastered By – Doug Sax
Mixed By – Greg Ladanyi
Photography – James O’Mara
Producer – Paul Janz

Companies, etc.
Manufactured By – A&M Records Of Canada Limited
Distributed By – A&M Records Of Canada Limited
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – A&M Records Of Canada Limited
Copyright © – A&M Records, Inc.
Mastered At – THE MASTERING LAB
Pressed By – Electrosound Group Midwest, Inc.
Pressed By – Cinram
Printed By – Ever Reddy

Arlen Salte – Winner Like You – 1987

This is Arlen’s fourth album but you’ve probably never heard it or even heard him. Why have you never heard of him? Well it’s because his albums were never released outside of Canada. We’re not talking about someone who had one or two albums either. He had six albums in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. The albums are for them main part great. Lot’s of good Rock & Roll and great lyrics. This album is no different it’s fantastic. The cover is horrible but it was his first release on label Image 7 and I have seen many times that a new label lobes to do a portrait cover for some reason. I’ve never understood it. So give this one a listen as I doubt you’ve ever heard it and it’s a great Pop Rock album.

Tracklist
1 – Hoping & Coping – 4:26
2 – Falling In Love Again – 4:11
3 – I’ve Been Hiding – 4:18
4 – Verdict – 3:46
5 – A Winner Like You – 4:13
6 – Sing Out His Name – 2:41
7 – Love Showed Us The Way – 3:19
8 – Outrageous – 3:35
9 – Let My Light Shine Bright – 3:13
10 – Rock On Which I Stand – 4:14

Avion – Live – 1987

Avion Live is Sydney band Avion’s swansong independent release. The album was dedicated to the memory of the late Evan Murray, the band’s previous keyboard player who died in a motor vehicle accident. This album captures what they did best – performing their own particular brand of AOR live. The band’s last studio album, White Noise, features very strongly, as 7 of its tracks are performed live. Only 3 tracks from the band’s self-titled album are featured, which leaves the following 4 songs that, to my knowledge, have never been recorded – Long Night, Ransom, Money Or Love, and The Bigger You Are. On Being’s music editor, Vic Campbell, wrote: ‘These 14 tracks – five recorded in September ’86 at Sydney Entertainment Centre, the others at Selina’s in June ’87 – serve as a powerful reminder of this now-defunct Aussie band of talented rock ‘n’ roll Christians. Avion came so close to achieving widespread commercial success. This cassette-only release is a genuine collector’s item.’ (On Being, May 1989)

Tracklist
1 – Long Night – 3:34
2 – Where Do We Go From Here – 3:17
3 – In My Mind – 3:38
4 – Ships – 5:14
5 – Secrets – 4:06
6 – Warrior – 5:00
7 – Ransom – 4:09
8 – On And On – 5:06
9 – Money Or Love – 3:37
10 – Berlin Wall – 3:56
11 – Celebration – 4:17
12 – I Need You – 4:46
13 – The Bigger You Are – 4:15
14 – Never Too Late – 4:29

Credits
Bass, Vocals – Kendall Waller
Drums, Vocals – John Waller
Guitar, Vocals – Paul Gannell
Keyboards – Evan Murray
Lead Vocals, Guitar – Randall Waller
Producer, Engineer – John McConnell
Recorded By – Wyn Wynyard
Remix – John McConnell

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Selina’s Nightclub
Recorded At – Sydney Entertainment Centre

Bebe & Cece Winans – Bebe & Cece Winans – 1987

In 1987 Bebe & Cece left the PTL Club singers to strike out on their own. This is their first album after striking a deal with Sparrow Records. The album was hugely successful with the first single, “I.O.U. Me” topping R&B and inspirational charts. It generated a Grammy nominations as well as making it to #1 on the CCM charts. CeCe also earned a Grammy for “Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female” for the track “For Always.” They also won the 1988 Dove award for New Artist Of The Year. That’s a pretty successful album. It was also the first heavily played R&B album on many CCM radio stations and it also received heavy airplay on secular R&B radio stations.

Tracklist
1 – I. O. U. Me – 4:42
2 – I Don’t Know Why – 3:58
3 – For Always – 4:02
4 – No Hiding Place – 3:17
5 – Still In Love With You – 4:02
6 – Call Me – 5:18
7 – Love Said Not So – 4:30
8 – Change Your Nature – 4:56
9 – In Return – 3:47
10 – He’s Coming Soon – 4:21

Credits
Arranged By [Backing Vocals] – BeBe Winans, CeCe Winans, Keith Thomas, Marvin Winans
Arranged By [Strings] – Keith Thomas
Backing Vocals [Additional] – Angie, Bebe & Cece Winans, Constance Jackson, Debra, Debra, Kevin Jackson, Michael, Regina, Ronald, Vicki
Bass – Jimmie Lee Sloas
Drums, Drum Programming – Mark Hammond
Engineer [Assistant] – Bill Heath, Billy Whitington*, Michael Koreba
Guitar – Tom Hemby
Keyboards – Keith Thomas
Mastered By – Steve Hall
Producer – Keith Thomas
Producer [Associate] – Brett Perry
Recorded By, Mixed By – Jeff Balding
Saxophone – Mark Douthit

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Bullet Recording
Recorded At – Gold Mine Studio East
Recorded At – Hummingbird Studio, Nashville, TN
Recorded At – The Winans Studio
Recorded At – OmniSound Studios
Mastered At – Future Disc
Manufactured By – Capitol Records, Inc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Capitol Records, Inc.
Copyright © – Capitol Records, Inc.
Pressed By – Allied Record Company

First Call – Somethin’ Takes Over – 1987

This is the third album from First Call. It features the same lineup as their previous two albums and the magic continued with this combo. The album had 4 top 10 CCM charting singles including “The Reason We Sing” which sat at #1 for 6 weeks. The other three top 10 singles were, O Sifuni Mungu at #9, Back To His Heart at #10, and Lord Of All also at #10. The band actually never thought they would be as popular as they were and in fact when they started they just wanted to put out a Christmas album while still working on their solo careers. This album is a more worship oriented album and while not my style there is no denying that its a great album.

Tracklist
1 – The Comin’ Of The Lord – 3:21
2 – Somethin’ Takes Over – 3:23
3 – The Reason We Sing – 3:33
4 – Billy On The Boulevard – 4:14
5 – Forever In His Care – 4:03
6 – O Sifuni Mungu (All Creatures Of Our God And King) – 5:41
7 – The Look – 4:46
8 – Back To His Heart – 3:05
9 – Double Talk – 4:17
10 – Lord Of All – 4:59

Credits
Wayne Berry – Songwriter
George Binkley III – Strings
Mike Brignardello – Bass
Jonathan David Brown – Engineer
Cole Burgess – Contractor, Alto Sax
Paul Butcher – Trumpet
Paul Butcher – Trumpet
J.T. Cantwell – Engineer
John Chisum – Songwriter
John Darnall – Acoustic Guitar
Randall Dennis – Songwriter
Mark Douthit – Soprano & Alto Sax
Connie Ellisor – Strings
First Call – Vocal Arrangements
Carl Gorodetzky – Strings
Barry Green – Trombone
Mark Hammond – Drums, Percussion
Mike Haynes – Trumpet
Tom Hemby – Guitar
Robert Heuer – Horn
JB Baird – Engineer, Mixed
Neal Joseph – Producer
Bonnie Keen – Vocals
Shane Keister – Songwriter
Lee Larrison – Strings
Les Mas – Vocal Percussion
Sam Levine – Alto Sax
David Maddux – Producer, Songwriter, Arrangements, Piano, Keyboards, Drum Programming, Vocals
Ted Madsen – Strings
Asukulu Yunu Makalay – Songwriter
Pam Mark Hall – Songwriter
Rich Mayes – Bass Trombone
Tom McAninch – Horn
Marty McCall – Songwriter, Vocals
Paul McCusker – Songwriter
Chris McDonald – Trombone
Phill McHugh – Songwriter
Jerry McPherson – Guitar
Doug Moffet – Tenor Sax
Dennis Molchan – Strings
Laura Molyneaux – Strings
Farrell Morris – Percussion
Mmunga Mwenebulongo Mulongoy – Songwriter
Nashville String Machine – Strings
Craig Nelson – Acoustic Bass
John David Parker – Mix Assistant
Bill Pearce – Trombone
Brett Perry – Assistant Engineer
Rick Ricker – Horn
John Rommel – Trumpet
Clarke Schleicher – Engineer
Pam Sixfin – Strings
Buddy Skipper – Tenor Sax
Chris Teal – Strings
Keith Thomas – Track Arrangements, Programming, Keyboards
Becky Thurman – Songwriter
Geoff Thurman – Songwriter
Dick Tunney – Songwriter
Melodie Tunney – Songwriter, Vocals
Hank Williams – Mastered

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – The Bennett House
Mixed At – 16th Avenue Sound
Recorded At – The Lawrence Welk “Champagne” Studio, Nashville, TN.
Recorded At – Gold Mine Studio
Recorded At – Audio Media Recorders
Mastered At – Mastermix
Manufactured By – Word, Inc.
Distributed By – Word, Inc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Word, Inc.
Copyright © – Word, Inc.

The Bond – Won By One – 1987

This is yet another Geoff Mann project. Geoff must have been a pretty busy guy because he must have put out 10 albums using different names in the mid 80’s. As I said in a previous review of his work I am sorry I didn’t know about him in the 80’s as his music is exactly what I was listening to back then. As near as I can tell this album was only released in the UK which is probably why I never heard of him. Geoff is joined by Dave Mortimer, and Steve Ridley to form “The Bond”. It’s another excellent new wave album but less conceptual than his other work I have listened to.

Tracklist
1 – Trumpet Call – 5:58
2 – Rest Assured – 4:11
3 – New – 3:59
4 – Cry Out – 4:37
5 – His Love – 4:18
6 – Too Modern – 4:59
7 – After The Storm – 6:03
8 – Certainly – 5:47
9 – Willy Welsh – 8:04

Credits
Backing Vocals [Backing Voices], Keyboards, Wind [Wind Instruments] – Steve Ridley
Bass Guitar – Adrian Cathcart
Engineer – Clive Davenport
Guitar [Ghastly Green Gibson] – Dave Mortimer
Lyrics By – Geoff Mann
Mastered By – Jack Adams
Music By [Music Written], Arranged By, Performer – Dave Mortimer, Geoff Mann, Steve Ridley
Producer – Clive Davenport, The Bond
Voice [Voices], Guitar [Wobbly/Non-Wobbly Guitars], Programmed By, Drum Programming [Realtime Drum Machines] – Geoff Mann
Written-By – Dave Mortimer
Written-By [Songs By] – Geoff Mann

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Marshall Pickering Records
Copyright © – Marshall Pickering Records
Copyright © – Geoff Mann
Recorded At – Charter Studio

Take 6 – Take 6 – 1987

This is the first album from Take 6 and I believe it’s the only A Capella album we’ve uploaded to YouTube. The group started out in 1980 when Claude McKnight started to assemble a group of singers who would be know as Gentleman’s Estates Quartet. Once the band was complete they changed their name to Alliance. When they signed with Reprise Records/Warner Bros. in 1987, it was discovered that there was another group with the same name. So the band sat down and picked a new name using the level of laughter as the deciding factor and Take 6 was born. The band won two Grammy awards for this album, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo Or Group, and Best Soul Gospel Performance By A Duo, Group, Choir Or Chorus. Humorously the song that won Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo Or Group only made it to #25 on the CCM charts. If this isn’t proof of the idiocy that was the CCM charts then I don’t know what further proof I would need.

Tracklist
1 – Gold Mine – 3:52
2 – Spread Love – 3:29
3 – If We Never Needed The Lord Before (We Sure Do Need Him Now) – 4:59
4 – A Quiet Place – 2:43
5 – Mary – 3:31
6 – David And Goliath – 4:25
7 – Get Away, Jordan – 4:23
8 – He Never Sleeps – 3:10
9 – Milky-White Way – 4:47
10 – Let The Words – 0:55

Credits
Arranged By – Mark Kibble, Mervyn Warren
Art Direction, Design [Cover] – Kav Deluxe
Engineer – Don Cobb
Executive-Producer – Jim Ed Norman
Hair – Jeffrey Johnson
Lacquer Cut By – Denny Purcell
Make-Up, Stylist [Wardrobe] – Vanessa Ware
Management – C.H.O.I.C.E., Nashville
Mastered By [Originally] – Denny Purcell
Mixed By – C. McKnight, D. Cobb, M. Kibble, M. Warren
Percussion [Finger Snaps], Effects [Sound] – David Humphries
Photography By – Jeff Katz
Producer – Claude V. McKnight III, Mark Kibble, Mervyn Warren
Vocals – Alvin Chea, Cedric Dent, Claude V. McKnight III, David Thomas, Mark Kibble, Mervyn E. Warren

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Reprise Records
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – WEA International Inc.
Copyright © – Reprise Records
Copyright © – WEA International Inc.
Copyright © – Mervyn Warren Music
Copyright © – Claude V. Music
Copyright © – Warner-Elektra-Asylum Music, Inc.
Copyright © – Winston Kae Music
Copyright © – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Produced For – JEN Productions, Inc.
Recorded At – Digital Recorders
Mixed At – Digital Recorders
Mastered At – Georgetown Masters
Published By – Winston Kae Music
Published By – Warner-Elektra-Asylum Music, Inc.
Published By – Mervyn Warren Music
Published By – Claude V. Music
Published By – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Pressed By – Specialty Records Corporation
Record Company – Warner Communications