Tag: 1989

Mark Farner – Wake Up – 1989

This is Mark’s second Christian release. It’s not quite as Rock & Roll as his first but it is still pretty good. Mark handled most of the instruments on the album and also produced it. Personally I feel the sound is a little hollow in places but I’m always overly critical on production and engineering. The tracks are well written and Mark really started to shine as a song writer on this album. Other than that there’s not a lot to say about the album other than give it a listen.

Tracklist
1 – Wake Up… – 4:23
2 – Into The Light – 3:59
3 – New Age – 3:22
4 – Come To Me – 3:58
5 – In Your Sight – 5:23
6 – Upright Man – 3:30
7 – Rocco – 3:48
8 – If It Wasn’t For Grace – 3:53
9 – Love Power – 4:00
10 – Role Model – 5:54
11 – Like I Was Before – 3:52

Credits
Backing Vocals [Background Vocals], Drums, Percussion – Mike Maple
Bass, Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Lawrence Buckner
Engineer – Bradley Jones
Engineer [Assistent Engineer] – Dave Jahnsen, Don Pushies
Keyboards – Mark Farner
Keyboards, Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Michael Blair
Lead Guitar – Arnie Vilches
Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar – Gordon vanEkstrom
Percussion – Mark Farner
Producer – Mark Farner
Rhythm Guitar – Arnie Vilches
Vocals, Backing Vocals [Background Vocals], Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar – Mark Farner

Companies, etc.
Manufactured By – Fun House Inc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Frontline Records
Copyright © – Frontline Records
Recorded At – Alliance Recording Co.
Mixed At – The Mixing Lab

Saint Attack – The First – 1989

This is the first of 2 demo’s from Saint Attack though I am completely unable to confirm the second one titled “First Watch”. So in the end this may be all we have from Saint Attack. They never went on to record an album and I can only find info one one member. Vocalist Frank Schepp went on to sing with Chryztyne on their one and only album. Other than Frank the 2 bands don’t appear to have anything in common so I don’t believe it was a rename. OK now onto the demo. It’s a metal album and is actually really well produced and mixed. As they were a German band I wonder why no record deal. I believe it was easier for metal bands to get record deals in Germany and that’s why we have all these oddball German metal releases. Anyway they never did an album and this is all we get form them. If your a metal head this one is for you. I predict you will really like it.

Tracklist
1 – Co’mon – 2:59
2 – Confession – 5:08
3 – Mama Doesn’t Know – 4:41
4 – Pleasure’an Pain – 3:20

Credits
Frank Schepp – Vocals
Walter Moch – Guitars
Gerhard Schlinck – Guitars
Uwe Uher – Bass
Ralf Rumpf – Drums

Benny Hester – Perfect – 1989

Benny Hester returns with another great Pop Rock album and as was pretty normal for him at this point it was very successful. It had 2 top 10 hits, “Perfect” made it to #5 and “You Weren’t Meant To Live Your Life Alone” to #6. Rounding out the singles was “Before You Know It” at #15 and “Shall We Gather At The River” crept into the chart at #34. As is normal for the CCM charts the best track on the album is actually “Headlights On The Highway” didn’t chart and doesn’t even appear to have been released as a single.

Tracklist
1 – Headlights On The Highway – 3:13
2 – Before You Know It – 4:15
3 – If You Die Before You Die – 4:20
4 – Perfect – 4:23
5 – Hungry World – 3:30
6 – You Weren’t Meant To Live Your Life Alone – 4:55
7 – Two Good Reasons – 3:50
8 – This One’s For Keeping – 3:30
9 – Passion, Possession, Position – 3:40
10 – Shall We Gather At The River – 3:48

Credits
Arranged By – Bill Baumgart, Tim Heintz
Art Direction – Ed McTaggart
Backing Vocals – Allison Beech, Benny Hester, Bill Baumgart, Bob Carlisle
Bass – Neil Stubenhaus
Drums – Jeff Porcaro
Engineer – Dave Jahnsen
Engineer [Assistant] – Beth Wisner, Doug Beiden, Eric Kibbe, Kirt Shearer
Guitar – Marty Walsh
Keyboards – Aaron Zigman, Tim Heintz
Mixed By – Bill Baumgart, Dave Jahnsen
Percussion – Pete Pfiefer*
Photography By – David Dobson
Producer – Benny Hester, Bill Baumgart

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Frontline Records
Copyright © – Frontline Records
Recorded At – Mixing Lab A
Mixed At – Mixing Lab A
Glass Mastered At – Nimbus

Altar Boys – Forever Mercy – 1989

This was the last real studio album from Altar Boys though they did come together in 2018 to release an album. At this point they simply weren’t the punk powerhouse they once were. If anything at this point they were more new wave than punk. That said I missed this one in the 80’s and was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. The band were super tight at this point and Steve Griffith was an excellent choice as producer. Though I preferred their commercial punk sound this album is good too.

Tracklist
1 – Forever Mercy – 4:20
2 – Listen Up – 4:28
3 – Faith! – 4:03
4 – The Meaning Of Life – 4:26
5 – Ride This Train – 4:26
6 – World Burning – 4:00
7 – Here Ends The Night – 3:53
8 – Love Eternal – 3:55
9 – More Than Words – 3:48
10 – Silent Night – 4:13

Credits
Art Direction – Ed McTaggart
Bass – Ric Alba
Drums – Jeff Crandall
Drums [Additional] – Steve Griffith
Engineer – Steve Griffith
Engineer [Additional] – Dave Jahnsen
Guitar – Mike Stand, Ric Alba
Guitar [Additional] – Steve Griffith
Harmonica – Mike Stand
Lead Guitar – Mike Stand, Steve Pannier
Lead Vocals – Mike Stand
Percussion – Jeff Crandall
Performer [Altar Boys Is] – Jeff Crandall, Mike Stand, Ric Alba
Photography – David Dobson
Producer – Steve Griffith
Vocals – Jeff Crandall, Ric Alba
Vocals [Additional] – Steve Griffith

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – Frontline Music Group
Copyright © – Broken Songs
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Alarma Records
Recorded At – The Mixing Lab
Marketed By – Frontline Records
Glass Mastered At – Nimbus, Virginia

Rosanna’s Raiders – Clothed In Fire – 1989

Australia’s Rosanna Palmer is on a par with other great female hard rock vocalists such Nancy Jo Mann (Barnabas), Wendy Kaiser (Resurrection Band), Sandie Brock (Servant), and Lisa Faxon (Ransom). Add to this her proficient guitar skills which are showcased on various tracks, especially ‘Crying in the Night’. Her husband, David Palmer, is a great bassist. Dave & Rosanna continue ministering through music and spoken word to this very day. They have performed as a duo at several of our Live at the Chapel live music events.
Clothed In Fire is the band’s second album released on an American record label. Here’s a review of this particular album by Steve Rowe (Lightforce & Mortification): – ‘When Rosanna’s Raiders release an album, you can expect a message straight from the heart of God. This is definitely the case with their latest effort Clothed In Fire. The production is world-class thanks to US producer Joey Powers who worked with the band at Grand Slam Studios in New York. The additional keyboards and back-up harmonies enhance Rosanna’s already catchy songs, making the album very memorable even after only a few listens. The highlight track is Crying In The Night – a song addressing the helplessness of children who are abused by adults. The passion of the chorus in this song is strong enough to move the hardest heart. All the songs, especially the final five, display the Raisers’ punchy Aussie hard rock at its best ever.’ (p. 32, On Being, April 1990)

Contributor – Frank Axel Rasenberger

Tracklist
1 – He Is The King – 3:54
2 – Blind Eyes – 4:26
3 – You Are Special – 4:11
4 – Crying In The Night – 4:05
5 – Hell On Earth – 4:28
6 – I’m Ready – 3:17
7 – Crazy World – 3:45
8 – Do It Right – 4:04
9 – The Loser – 3:32
10 – Love The Lord Your God – 3:56

Credits
Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals – Dave Palmer
Booking – Vic Campbell
Drums – Johno Zaffarese
Engineer – Doug Oberkircher
Engineer [Assistant Engineer] – Dan Rudin
Featuring, Backing Vocals – Carolyn Nieto, Gary Roz, Jo Clayton, Jonathan Pagano
Featuring, Guitar [Additional Guitars] – Gary Roz
Keyboards, Featuring – George Small
Lead Vocals, Guitar – Rosanna Palmer
Producer [Produced By] – Joey Powers

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Refuge Records
Copyright © – Refuge Records
Record Company – Refuge Music Group
Distributed By – Spectra Distribution, Inc.
Published By – Place Of Refuge
Recorded At – Grand Slam Studios

Kim Boyce – Love Is You To Me – 1989

It was 1989 and time for another winning album from Kim Boyce. I truly believe that Kim was better than Amy Grant but was just a little to Pop oriented so she didn’t get the worship crowd to listen to her. It was another successful album for Kim with 4 top 40 hits including 2 top 10’s. “Faith” made it to #6 and “For Every Lonely Heart” to #10. Now I do have one point of confusion on this album. Bryan Duncan was brought in to do a duet, “I’m Asking You” for the album. They did not release it as a single and it is by far the best track on the album. Maybe it was something to do with legalities or maybe just more bad decisions out of the industry but they missed a #1 song there in my opinion.

Tracklist
1 – Holdin’ My Hand – 3:46
2 – For Every Lonely Heart – 4:01
3 – Love Is You To Me – 3:37
4 – Dancin’ My Heart Away – 4:06
5 – Faith – 3:48
6 – Tender Heart – 5:03
7 – Best Friend – 3:32
8 – O Lord You’re Beautiful – 4:50
9 – I’m Asking You – 3:37
10 – It Always Comes Back To You – 4:06

Credits
Ken Allardyce – Assistant Engineer
Margaret Barnett – Choir Vocals
Paul Boone – Choir Vocals
Dave Boroff – Saxophone
Denny Bouchard – Songwriter
Kim Boyce – Songwriter, Vocals, Background Vocals
Nicole Bruce – Choir Vocals
Sharon Burton – Choir Vocals
Spencer Campbell – Electric Bass
Kristina Clark – Background Vocals
Claire Cloninger – Songwriter
Denny Correll – Songwriter
Bryan Duncan – Guest Vocals
David Ebensberger – Engineer
Angie Ebensberger – Choir Vocals
Dan Garcia – Engineer, Mixed
Keith Green – Songwriter
Michael Hodge – Guitar
Imperials – Duet Vocals
Win Kutz – Mixed
Rhett Lawrence – Producer, Arranger, Engineer, Songwriter, Keyboards, Bass, Drums, Fairlight CMI, Background Vocals
Brenda Marshall-McClure – Choir Vocals
Mark Maxwell – Executive Producer
Oscar McClure, Jr – Choir Vocals
Carrie McDowell – Background Vocals
Craig Miles – Choir Vocals
Tim Miner – Producer, Engineer, Songwriter, Vocal Arrangements, Keyboards, Background Vocals
S. O’Brien – Songwriter
Becky Pearce – Choir Vocals
Jimmie Pearce – Choir Vocals
Cindy Cruse Ratcliff – Background Vocals
Dona Robinson – Choir Vocals
John Andrew Schreiner – Arranger, Songwriter, Keyboards
Phil Sillas – Songwriter, Arranger, Synth Bass, Keyboards
Tommy Sims – Bass, Guitar, Background Vocals
Luis Chi Sing – Assistant Engineer
Jimmie Lee Sloas – Songwriter, Arranger, Keyboards
Brian Tankersley – Producer, Executive Producer, Mixed, Songwriter, Background Vocals, Drums, Percussion, Synth, Bass, Keyboards, Arranger
Don Wallace – Vocal Arrangements, Background Vocals
B. Weaver – Songwriter
Kirk Whalum – Saxophone
BeBe Winans – Songwriter

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Word, Inc.
Copyright © – Word, Inc.
Distributed By – Word Records Limited
Distributed By – Word (Uk) Ltd.
Manufactured By – Word, Inc.
Recorded At – GBT Studio, Hollywood
Recorded At – Oakshire Recorders
Recorded At – Knightlight Studios
Mixed At – Bill Schnee Studios
Mixed At – Knightlight Studios
Mastered At – Bernie Grundman Mastering

Bryn Haworth – Blue And Gold – 1989

This album was recorded right when Haworth started worked with the SW London Vineyard developing their worship and prison ministry. I always consider artists who do prison ministry to be one notch above others. Prison ministry is very difficult and just getting into a prison to play music is very labour intensive and requires a level of dedication few artists have. As for the album well it can best be classified as a rock album with some blues tracks but Haworth is really one of those artists that is difficult to pigeon hole into a genre. The album may also have the best version ever of Joy, Joy, Joy. Yes the one from Sunday School. The album was released on Edge records but strangely it was picked up and re-released by Refuge Records in 1991.

Tracklist
1 – We’re All One (’89) – 4:04
2 – Cover For Me – 3:26
3 – I Serve A Risen Saviour – 3:27
4 – Two Worlds – 4:11
5 – Give Me Your Heart – 5:04
6 – Joy, Joy, Joy – 3:27
7 – Word Of Our God – 4:24
8 – Waiting – 4:18
9 – Is This Love ? – 4:45
10 – Hurt People – 4:25
11 – Love, Acceptance And Forgiveness – 6:29

Michele Wagner – Michele Wagner – 1989

Michele grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and moved to Nashville in 1984 to begin her music career. She was signed as a staff songwriter with Meadowgreen Music Publishers in 1985 and in 1989 Benson signed Michele to a recording contract and this is the first album from that contract. It goes without saying that I missed this album back in the 80’s so this was the first time I heard this album. Quite frankly it didn’t sound that great to me. I just found it a little dull. But when I looked up how well the album did and I was surprised that it actually had 5 charting CCM singles with “Love’s On The Other Side” making it to #4. I re-listened to that track and it is a good track but I think it’s just too easy listening for my taste. One thing I will give Michele credit for is that she actually wrote her songs. This is a rare thing for a lot of female CCM artists of the era as usually the writing was left to songwriters. Interestingly the track “Psalm 1” had been written for Kim Hill and was a #1 hit for her a year earlier.

Tracklist
1 – I Care For You – 3:45
2 – In The Quiet – 3:52
3 – You’re Beautiful – 3:59
4 – Love’s On The Other Side – 3:59
5 – Holy One – 4:23
6 – Psalm 1 – 3:55
7 – Whatever You Ask – 5:01
8 – Simple Devoted And True – 3:03
9 – You Are So Good To Me – 3:03
10 – Patiently – 4:14

Credits
Arranged By – Bret Teegarden, Jonathan David Brown, Michele Wagner
Art Direction, Design – Jackson Design
Backing Vocals – Joe Hogue, JDB, Michael James Murphy, Michele Wagner
Bass – Gary Lunn, Jonathan David Brown
Drums – Jonathan David Brown
Executive-Producer – Dan Cleary
Guitar – Jerry McPherson, Mark Baldwin, Paul Brannon, Tom Hemby
Keyboards – Bret Teegarden, Michele Wagner
Keyboards [Additional Overdubs] – Jonathan David Brown
Keyboards [Overdubs], Strings [Overdubs] – Carl Marsh
Mastered By – Ken Love
Percussion – Eric Darken
Photography By – Peter Nash
Producer, Recorded By, Mixed By – Jonathan David Brown

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – The Benson Company, Inc.
Copyright © – The Benson Company, Inc.
Distributed By – The Benson Company, Inc.
Made By – Discovery Systems
Recorded At – Johnny dB’s Basement
Mixed At – Johnny dB’s Basement
Mastered At – Mastermix

Artie Dison – Forgiving Eyes – 1989

Awhile ago I reviewed an album by a band called Freeway that had a limited release in Canada. I remember us listening to the album in the 80’s but it wasn’t really our style. Then recently Artie Dison from the band contacted me to let me know he actually had 2 solo albums in 1989 and 1997. This is the 1989 album. Now I’ll be honest, I was not very excited going into this album as his previous work wasn’t my style. Wow was I surprised as this is a fantastic Rock album. This was several years after his Freeway work and boy did he mature. The album almost has a Kansas feel in places but I hate pigeon holing albums. Listen, it’s just a great Rock & Roll album that deserves to be heard. The best track on the album in undoubtedly “What About Home” which has a great message. That said my favourite track is “I Feel Love” which has an excellent commercial radio sound. If you missed this one in the 80’s don’t miss it now.

Tracklist
1 – Lonely Heart – 3:25
2 – Don’t Run – 4:42
3 – What About Home – 6:01
4 – Crying In The Night – 3:48
5 – Conquest Of Love – 2:45
6 – I’ll Show You The Way – 3:42
7 – Forgiving Eyes – 4:31
8 – Mysteries Of The Sky – 3:43
9 – I Feel Love – 3:06

Credits
Art Direction, Design – Pete Claproth
Bass [Additional] – Darrell Cook
Drums [Additional] – Jim Ripley
Drums, Backing Vocals – Donny Henderson
Engineer [Assistant] – Brian Davis, Josh West, Steve Vaughan
Executive-Producer – Lewis McVay
Guitar – Bob Somma
Guitar, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Artie Dison
Keyboards, Backing Vocals – Yabo Obien
Photography By – Dave rigg
Producer, Engineer, Mixed By, Backing Vocals – Tim Jaquette
Synthesizer, Programmed By – Dave Spurr

Companies, etc.
Made By – PDO, USA
Copyright © – Asaph Records
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Asaph Records
Recorded At – Asaph Recording Studio
Mixed At – Asaph Recording Studio

Rick Cua – Midnight Sun – 1989

This was Rick’s last real Rock & Roll album. Subsequent albums to this one too a far more easy listening sound. This however is a pretty good Rock & Roll album and personally is one of my favourite album from him. Rick was joined by his usual studio musicians including Keith Thomas whose keyboard work I always enjoy. I really hate to just classify this as “another Rick Cua” album because it’s quite good but there’s just not a lot to say about this album. Rick had making an album down to an art at this point so you knew you were going to get a great album if you bought one of his albums from this era. Probably the highlight of the album for me is Young Boy Young Girl on which he is joined by Rebecca Sparks wife of Greg Sparks on vocals.

Tracklist
1 – Streetwise – 3:45
2 – I Can I Will – 4:09
3 – Young Boy Young Girl – 4:13
4 – I’ll Be Satisfied – 4:26
5 – Dedicated – 3:33
6 – Somethin’ You Got – 3:35
7 – No Man Will Know – 3:43
8 – Plenty Of Love – 4:11
9 – Tear Down The Walls – 3:17
10 – The Lost Can Still Be Found – 3:30

Credits
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Drum Programming, Percussion, Keyboards [Additional] – Tom Hemby
Arranged By – Tom Hemby
Backing Vocals – Bob Halligan Jr., Jimmy Lee, Kim Fleming, Michael Mishaw, Ron Hemby, Vickie Hampton
Drums, Percussion – Mike Mead
Engineer – Bill Deaton
Guitar – Dave Perkins
Keyboards, Synthesizer – Keith Thomas
Producer – Tom Hemby
Vocals, Bass – Rick Cua
Vocals – Rebecca Ed Sparks

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – Word (Uk) Ltd.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Reunion Records