Tag: 1989

David & The Giants – R U Gonna Stand Up – 1989

David & The Giants finished off the 80’s with what I think is their best album. If for no other reason than the title track. They turned David Huff loose with his guitar and probably came up with their best Rock song ever. The album was a “commercial” success with three singles. “Here’s My Heart” made it to #2, “Count On Me” to #24, and finally “Love Has A Place” made it to #12. It’s rare when I agree with the CCM charts but on this album I do, though their choices of singles doesn’t line up with mine. This album however did mark the departure of Keith Thibodeaux, long time drummer of the band (though he would return in 2007). Lance Huff (David’s Son) stepped in with drum duties for the subsequent tour and future albums. This album falls in the “should listen to” category in case you missed it in 89.

Tracklist
1 – R U Gonna Stand Up – 3:59
2 – I’ll Stay With You – 4:19
3 – Love Has A Place – 4:30
4 – Joy Up In The Sky – 3:40
5 – Evolution Is Pollution – 4:20
6 – Here’s My Heart – 4:08
7 – Everybody Got A Story – 3:52
8 – Living On High Hopes – 3:36
9 – Count On Me – 3:58
10 – Everybody Needs Love – 3:52
11 – He’ll Be There – 4:22

Credits
Arranged By – Tommy Sims
Backing Vocals – Kellye Huff (tracks: 9), Tim Pedigo
Bass, Backing Vocals – Clayborn Huff
Drums, Backing Vocals – Keith Thibodeaux
Guitar, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Remix – David Huff
Harmonica – Terry McMillan
Keyboards, Programmed By, Backing Vocals, Arranged By – Rayborn Huff
Mastered By – Hank Williams
Percussion – Lance Huff
Photography – Richard Gazowski
Producer – David Huff
Remix [Assistant Remix Engineers] – Terry Ostovich
Remix [Assistant Remix Engineers], Arranged By – Scott Carter

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – The Benson Company, Inc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Giant Records
Copyright (c) – Giant Records
Published By – Huff, Huff And Huff Publishing
Recorded At – Huff Recording Studios
Recorded At – Sound Barrier Studio, Nashville
Mastered At – Mastermix
Glass Mastered At – Nimbus, Virginia

Scarlet Red – Don’t Dance With Danger – 1989

Scarlet Red started out as a secular band called Lust but upon the drummer becoming saved they actually broke up. The story goes that the entire band became saved but not together but instead each separately and then came back together and chose a new name that honoured the blood of Christ. This appears to be the only album, they released which is too bad because it’s a pretty good commercial metal album. Personally I always liked my hard rock/metal with a female lead so this band fits well with my taste. Like I said this is a very commercial metal band and wit the female lead vocals it’s an album that must have played well.

Tracklist
1 – You Live Fast – 4:48
2 – Cry Out – 2:47
3 – Never – 3:33
4 – Knock Down The Walls – 4:06
5 – Fight Fire – 2:47
6 – Don’t Dance With Danger – 3:21
7 – Lost And Found – 2:42
8 – Hold On To Love – 4:20
9 – Why – 3:37
10 – Break The Chains – 3:57

Credits
Bass – Jeff Warner
Cover – Jim Null
Drums – Davy Ledford
Guitar – Curtis Lee
Photography By – Dennis Carney
Producer – Armand John Petri
Vocals – Danis

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Pure Metal
Copyright (c) – Pure Metal
Distributed By – Mainroads Music Group

The Violet Burning – Chosen – 1989

This was the first album from The Violet Burning. The band filled a gap in CCM music for alternative new wave performance music. Their style of music was not really anything new but the fact that they mixed in a bit of performance art did make them different. This album wasn’t all that well received but I think that might have had more to do with the style of the music than the quality as I think this is a sound that was still struggling to get a foot hold in the CCM market. That said their second album was very well received and is consistently ranked in the top 100 CCM albums of all time. At this time in my personal life this is exactly the style of music I was listening to in the secular market so I thought I would really enjoy this album. Unfortunately I felt this album was just trying a little too hard. It just didn’t feel like a natural performance. That said the quality of musicianship is very high but the vocals are average for this style. All in all a pretty good album but really it was their next album that knocked it out of the park.

Tracklist
1 – There Is Nowhere Else – 4:30
2 – If You Let Me – 3:41
3 – I Will Always Stand By You – 4:31
4 – Rise Like The Lion – 4:37
5 – Love Is The Loaded Gun – 4:47
6 – The Killing – 6:47
7 – The Last Ones – 5:09
8 – Groove Baby – White Soul – 3:16
9 – Violet – 3:56
10 – Sweet Mercy – 4:16
11 – Heart Wide Open – 4:01
12 – New Breed Children Rise – 3:15

Credits
Arranged By – The Violets
Backing Vocals [Additional Backing Voices] – Chris Lizotte, Gary Are Williams, Jaime Record, Lance Whitson, Leslie Dupré, Lorri Dupré, Michael Ann Arce, Nena, Sean Wimber
Band [The Violet Burning], Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals – Kirt Gentry
Band [The Violet Burning], Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals – Lonnie Tubbs
Band [The Violet Burning], Vocals, Guitar [Guitars], Backing Vocals – Michael J. Pritzl
Engineer [Engineered By] – Chris Wimber
Guest [With], Bass Guitar [Additional Bass Guitars], Backing Vocals – Scott Tubbs
Guest [With], Guitar [Additional Guitars], Backing Vocals – Glenn Pearce
Guest [With], Guitar [Additional Guitars], Bass [Fretless Basses], Backing Vocals – Shawn Tubbs
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Mixed By – Jeff Dykehouse
Musician [Additional Musicians], Guitar – Dave Koval
Musician [Additional Musicians], Keyboards – Rob Watson
Musician [Additional Musicians], Piano, Keyboards – Sue Costantini
Photography By [Cover Photograph] – Vince Limongelli
Photography By [Portraits] – Tracy Albrecht
Producer [Produced By] – Chris Wimber, The Violets
Songwriter [All Songs Written By] – Michael J. Pritzl (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8 to 12)

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Vineyard Ministries International
Copyright (c) – Vineyard Ministries International
Distributed By – Frontline Music Group
Mastered At – Bernie Grundman Mastering
Recorded At – Vineyard Studios
Mixed At – Vineyard Studios

Larry Howard – Into the Light – 1989

This is the 3rd solo album from Larry Howard. This album was between labels (Refuge & Forefront) so it’s a one record deal with Spark Music. Strangely this album was only released in Europe. I’m a little confused at this as Larry was well liked and popular in North America, but with record companies you never really understand what’s going on. Anyway here it is yet another great blues album from Larry. Blues was not well represented in CCM in the 80’s though in the 90’s Kaiser and Mansfield brought it to the forefront. Yes I understand there was lots of Christian blues songs but full fledged CCM Blues artists were a very thin crowd. This album has a more classic blues sound with overtures of Big Band. In places it has a musical Blues Brothers feel but the vocals are all Larry. This one didn’t make it to North America so if you haven’t heard it you should, it is a great album.

Tracklist
1 – Why I Sing The Blues – 2:46
2 – A New Heart – 5:16
3 – One Day At A Time – 3:46
4 – I Need To Know For Sure – 4:15
5 – Livin Example – 3:08
6 – Trouble No More – 2:10
7 – Into The Light – 5:03
8 – Overcomer – 4:09
9 – Holy Ground – 3:38
10 – Guess Who – 3:15
11 – Find Out For Yourself – 4:15
12 – Jesus Is Here – 4:34

Credits
Arranged By [Horn Arrangements] – Tony Dorsey
Backing Vocals – Barbara Ice, Charles Jones, Karen Barlow, Kim Welch, Sherri Nunmmally
Bass Guitar – Slim Powell
Design – Gransch Bakker Design
Design Concept [Cover Concept], Artwork [Graphic Art] – Andy Anderson
Drums – Clarence Roddie*, Rick Burnett, Willie Smith
Piano [Acoustic Piano], Organ [B-3 Organ], Synthesizer, Producer, Recorded By, Remix [Re-Mix] – Paul Hornsby
Synthesizer – Kenny Smith, Steve Sawyer
Tenor Saxophone – David Klee
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Elbert Durham
Trombone – Kelly Graves
Trumpet – Jerry Mullins
Vocals, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Sitar, Producer, Remix [Re-Mix] – Larry Howard

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Spark Music
Copyright (c) – Spark Music
Distributed By – GMI Records
Recorded At – Muscadine Studio

Daniel Winans – Brotherly Love – 1989

This album originates from a side of Christian music I never had much interest in. In fact I had no idea who this guy was until I noticed that this album won the Grammy for Best Soul Gospel Vocal Performance Duo, Group, Choir Or Chorus in 1989. I was pleasantly surprised how much I actually enjoyed this album especially considering the soul sound is not usually in my listening list. While the album won a Grammy it wasn’t all that successful in the CCM market with only one single, “Let Brotherly Love Continue” which only made it to #27. Now to be clear I doubt I would have been even vaguely interested in this album in the 80’s but right now I kind of enjoyed it. Maybe this was something we were missing out on in the 80’s.

Tracklist
1 – Better Things For You – 3:48
2 – Let Brotherly Love Continue – 4:02
3 – When Love Shows – 3:34
4 – You Got A Choice To Make – 3:56
5 – Walk In The Light – 4:17
6 – One Of A Kind – 4:36
7 – No More I – 4:24
8 – America’s My Island – 3:08
9 – Chinatown – 4:20
10 – Just Fine – 2:15

Credits
Art Direction – Terri Short
Design – Bill Brunt Designs
Engineer – Hal Sacks
Executive-Producer – Lynn Keesecker
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Mixed By – Bill Maxwell, Doug Rider, Mike Ross
Photography By – Russ Harrington
Producer – Bill Maxwell

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Word, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Word, Inc.
Manufactured By – A&M Records, Inc.
Distributed By – A&M Records, Inc.

David Mullen – Revival – 1989

In the summer of 1988, the year I was married and would also move to Maryland to begin working for the Benson Company I attended the Christian Artists event known as Estes Park in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Somehow I ended up meeting and hanging out with a new artists who was in the midst of recording his debut project. He would perform during the week and I became an instant fan. Less than a year later David Mullen’s debut, “Revival” hit the stores and went beyond anything i had imagined from meeting and spending time with him. That amazing, razor edged and strained voice, the pounding rock and blues were only outdone by some amazing songwriting. Mullen would record only three albums but would win a shelf full of songwriting awards for his wife, Nicole C Mullen (aka Nicole on two Frontline released projects), as well as a who’s who list of CCM artists. When Nicole was an artist on Frontline David came with her to a Frontline sales conference and we played a game of softball. I played shortstop and robbed him of a sure double by stabbing a smoking line drive (that’s just a reminder to David in case he ever reads this). The title track rocks in a real Mellencamp, Americana fashion. His voice gravels through and killer hook in the chorus. “Sho’ Love You” keeps the same theme of true American rock with a phenomenal backing band. “Heaven’s to Betsy” takes the popular phrase and twists the meaning and turned it into a radio hit. The real centerpiece of the album is “Backstreet.” The Springsteenesque song builds from a quiet, nearly whispering introduction into a huge chorus that drives the point home both musically and lyrically. This is Mullen’s best vocal performance on this or any of his albums. the emotional ferocity that builds is the stuff spine tingling is made from. It is not just the voice but the attitude with which the voice derives. Empathetic and prophetic simultaneously where the words both exhort and condemn, mainly because they are to be believed. Later albums would no longer feature the same rock and passion, but for fans of Rick Elias, Carson Cole, John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen this album was a sheer delight.

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

Tracklist
1 – Revival – 5:20
2 – Sho’ Love You – 3:56
3 – Heaven’s To Betsy – 4:34
4 – Backstreet – 4:56
5 – Somebody Say Amen – 3:29
6 – Fallen World – 4:48
7 – Still Here – 2:15
8 – Live So God Can Use You – 3:43
9 – The Blood – 4:46
10 – Hang My Head And Cry – 5:31

Credits
A&R [A&R Direction] – Danny Kee, Mark Maxwell
Art Direction, Design – Laura LiPuma
Backing Vocals – Ashley Cleveland, Kim Fleming, Vicki Hampton
Engineer [Assistant Engineers] – Barry Dixon, Carry Summers, Kevin Twit, Steve Bishir
Mastered By – Doug Sax
Mixed By – Jeff Balding
Mixed By [Assisted By] – Ken Allardyce
Musician [The Players], Bass – Tommy Sims (tracks: 1 to 5, 8, 10)
Musician [The Players], Drums, Percussion – Chris McHugh (tracks: 1 to 5, 8, 10)
Musician [The Players], Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Classical Guitar, Dobro – Gordon Kennedy (tracks: 1 to 5, 8, 10)
Musician [The Players], Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Slide Guitar – Tom Hemby (tracks: 1 to 5, 8, 10)
Overdubbed By [Overdubs Recorded By] – Bill Deaton, Brent King, Lee Groitzsch, Lynn Fuston, Ronnie Brookshire
Photography By – Mark Tucker
Producer [Produced By] – Chris McHugh, Mark Gersmehl
Recorded By [Additional Tracks Recorded By] – Ronnie Brookshire
Recorded By [Basic Tracks Recorded By] – Jeff Balding

Companies, etc.
Record Company – Warner Communications
Copyright (c) – Warner Bros. Records Inc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Warner Bros. Records Inc.
Manufactured By – WEA Manufacturing
Recorded At – OmniSound Studios
Recorded At – Digital Recorders
Overdubbed At – Hummingbird Studio, Nashville, TN
Overdubbed At – OmniSound Studios
Mixed At – Bill Schnee Studios
Mastered At – The Mastering Lab
Published By – Word Music
Published By – Kutable Music

Mylon & Broken Heart – Big World – 1989

It was 1989 and time for another Mylon LeFevre album. In the late 80’s Mylon was consistently putting an album out every year. His offering for 1989 was another successful album. It actually received a Grammy nomination for “Best Gospel Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group, Choir Or Chorus” but lost out to Daniel Winans. Having listened to both albums I believe Mylon’s was better but I wasn’t an academy voting member. The album spawned 3 singles with “Jesus, It’s You” making it to #1, “Movin’ On” to #12, and “Love Comes Down” to #22. While touring with Whiteheart in support of this album Mylon suffered a heart attack. Ironically the tour was called the Heart Attack tour, you can’t make up irony like that. It should be noted that he continued touring in the Philippines in 1990 against his doctor’s advice. Doctors stated that Mylon’s previous involvement with alcohol and drugs had a large role in his heart attack. As for the album I think it was toned down a bit from his previous release but still has some good Rock tracks on it.

Tracklist
1 – Big World – 5:11
2 – Love Comes Down – 3:12
3 – Falling In Love – 3:36
4 – Face To Face – 4:21
5 – Jesus, It’s You – 4:26
6 – Turn The Tables On Me – 4:02
7 – Remember The Future – 3:57
8 – Let Love Conquer – 4:15
9 – The Distance – 3:09
10 – Movin’ On – 4:21

Credits
Art Direction – Mike McCarty, Toni Thigpen
Bass, Vocals – Kenneth Bentley
Coordinator [Ministry Coordinator & Booking] – Greg Menza
Design, Illustration – Mike McCarty
Electronic Drums [Digital Drums], Vocals – Ben Hewitt
Engineer – Greg Archilla, Joe Hardy, Ricky Keller
Engineer [Stage Sound Engineer] – Dave Wagner
Guitar, Vocals – Scott Allen, Trent Argante
Keyboards, Vocals – Paul Joseph
Lighting [Technician] – Darin Pope
Lighting Director [And Lighting Designer] – Michael Murden
Management [Road Manager], Engineer [House Sound Engineer] – Clay Spivey
Mixed By – Joe Hardy
Photography By – Jimmy Collins
Producer – Joe Hardy, Mylon LeFevre
Programmed By [Fairlight Programming] – Joe Hardy
Stage Manager [And Rigging And Pyrotechnics] – “Punky” Higginbotham*
Vocals, Guitar – Mylon LeFevre

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Star Song
Copyright (c) – Star Song
Distributed By – Sparrow/Star Song Distribution
Published By – Angel Band Music
Published By – Jerome Olds Music
Recorded At – Ardent Studios
Recorded At – Southern Tracks
Recorded At – Southern Living Studios
Mastered At – Masterdisk
Glass Mastered At – Nimbus, Virginia

Deliverance – Deliverance – 1989/2008

Deliverance was another band coming out of the California metal scene in the mid 80’s. They had a demo in 1987 that was very well received and then got two tracks on the first California Metal compilation. Then they got a deal in 1988 with Intense Records for this 1989 release. Though they are usually better known for their second album this album was well received but there was only a short pressing so there wasn’t as much promotion. The album ranked at No. 3 on Heaven’s Metal fanzine Top 100 Christian metal albums of all-time. The album was also well received in the secular metal community though I think it could be better referenced as having a secret secular fan club. The album was produced by Bill Metoyer who was working with top secular metal bands of the period. The album was re-issued by Retroactive Records in November of 2008 with new album artwork and “Attack” and “A Space Called Your” as bonus tracks. This playlist includes those two tracks. It was again re-issued in 2017 by Roxx Records & No Life ’til Metal Records with the same two bonus tracks.

Tracklist
1 – Victory – 3:44
2 – No Time – 4:28
3 – Deliverance – 3:03
4 – If You Will – 3:03
5 – The Call – 3:40
6 – No Love – 3:30
7 – Blood of the Covenant – 4:50
8 – Jehovah Jireh – 3:35
9 – Temporary Insanity – 5:25
10 – Awake – 6:03

2008 Bonus Tracks
11 – Attack – 3:54
12 – Space Called You – 3:45

Credits
Art Direction – Ed Taggart
Bass – Brian Khairullah
Cover [Cover Concept By] – Deliverance
Drums – Chris Hyde
Executive-Producer – Caesar Kalinowski
Guitar – Glenn Rogers
Music By [All Songs By], Vocals, Guitar – Jimmy P. Brown II
Producer – Bill Metoyer
Remastered By – Rob Colwell

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Intense Records
Copyright (c) – Intense Records
Distributed By – The Benson Company, Inc.
Distributed By – Mainroads Music Group
Recorded At – Mixing Lab A
Recorded At – Mixing Lab B
Published By – Broken Songs
Glass Mastered At – Nimbus, Virginia

Bryan Duncan – Strong Medicine – 1989

This was Bryan’s last album on Modern Art Records which I think was his own label as he is pretty well the only artist on it. This is another strong pop album from him and falls in line with this album’s predecessors. I liked most the tracks but was a bit taken aback by “Don’t Ya Wanna Rap”. It reminded me of a Jazzy Jeff Rap song but after listening to it a few times I came to think it’s just a fun silly song and now I kind of like it. The album did very well on the charts with 4 singles. Strong Medicine made it to #2, Let Me Be Broken to #3, Stand In My Place to #5, and Wonderful barely edged on at #30. Pretty successful album which probably helped lead Bryan to a record deal with Word/Myrrh Records.

Tracklist
1 – Let Me Be Broken – 4:13
2 – Recognize A Lover From A Thief – 4:20
3 – Stand In My Place – 4:19
4 – Strong Medicine – 5:07
5 – Don’t Ya Wanna Rap – 3:55
6 – Inside Out – 4:25
7 – Lies Upon Lies – 3:00
8 – Hand It Over – 4:14
9 – Wonderful – 3:52

Credits
Backing Vocals [Obvious Female Vocals With Phyllis] – Edna Wright
Backing Vocals [Obvious Female Vocals] – Phyllis St. James
Co-producer, Keyboards, Bass, Drums, Percussion, Songwriter [Songwriting], Arranged By [Arrangements], Engineer [Additional Engineering “the Executioner”] – Chuck Barth
Creative Director [Creative Direction] – Jim Fitzgerald
Creative Director [Creative Direction], Art Direction – Gary Whitlock
Engineer [Additional Engineering] – Jeff Park
Graphics – Gina Phelps
Management [Personal Management] – Ray Ware Artists
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Other [Stunt Double For Bryan] – Brad Duncan
Percussion – Dave Romero
Photography By – Stew Ivester
Producer, Engineer, Arranged By [Arrangements], Recorded By, Mixed By – Larry Brown
Programmed By [Additional Programming] – John Stenstrom
Songwriter [Songwriting], Arranged By [Arrangements], Other [Direction], Concept By [Album Concept], Keyboards – Bryan Duncan

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Modern Art Records, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Modern Art Records, Inc.
Manufactured By – Word, Inc.
Distributed By – Word, Inc.
Recorded At – 440 Sound Recorders
Mixed At – 440 Sound Recorders

Crossection – Before The Dawn – 1989

Crossection were a band out of central Alberta Canada. They actually released this album as a independent release in 1988 but Image 7 Records picked it up and released it in 1989. The album is self produced and usually this is not a good thing but this album is actually very well produced and engineered. My only criticism of the album is that it has several tracks over the 4 minute mark including a whopper at a few seconds short of 7 minutes. That said it’s not much of a criticism as the tracks are good and their length may actually be a plus to most people. Most of the tracks lean to arena rock but there a few that are more pop oriented. Their rock tracks are the best and they really could have had some real success had they just shown up a few years earlier. Unfortunately they joined the market at the start of what I consider it’s demise. They released another album the next year and it’s even better.

Tracklist
1 – Stephanie – 3:23
2 – Things Aren’t The Same – 3:28
3 – How Long – 3:35
4 – Heartbreak City – 3:00
5 – Shadow Land – 4:54
6 – What About Forever – 5:54
7 – Battle For The Minds – 5:31
8 – Cover Feelings – 6:54
9 – Love Is Who You Are – 4:28
10 – Break The Chains – 3:16
11 – If The Son Sets You Free – 4:15

Credits
Arranged By, Keyboards, Vocals – Dale Johnson
Bass, Vocals – Bruce Rawling
Drums – Martin Zinger
Lead Guitar, Vocals – Nevin Eggum
Producer – Crossection
Vocals, Guitar – Doug Rawling

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Image 7 Records Inc
Copyright (c) – Image 7 Records Inc
Manufactured By – Image 7 Records Inc