1995 – Page 2 – Real 80s CCM

Rick Cua – Times Ten – 1995

This was Rick’s first album after the formation of his new label “United Christian Alliance”. Well technically he did release a compilation album first but I generally don’t classify compilation albums the same. Unfortunately the label didn’t appear to have been a success having only ever signed one artist, Morgan Cryar, and only to a one album deal. I am assuming Rick was seeing the decline of the CCM market and thought he could step in and help but alas the industry was in a decline that was not within artists reach to fix. Rick also produced this album and did a real good job. If the industry hadn’t been tailing off I think he could have done some real good production work. The album itself is pretty good but suffered from lack of distribution. I hadn’t heard any of Rick’s later work and I was pleasantly surprised. It’s a good pop rock album and had the industry been healthier it likely would have had a few singles. “Build A Bridge” definitely would have been a fan favorite and a top 40 single.

Tracklist
1 – Italo Americano – 4:17
2 – Never Give Up – 4:07
3 – High Country – 3:57
4 – Slow Salin’ – 4:32
5 – Build A Bridge – 3:26
6 – Brothers & Sisters – 3:52
7 – Whenever I – 2:59
8 – Can’t Come Down – 3:28
9 – I Know You’ll Be There – 4:08
10 – Bull By The Horns – 4:05
11 – Italo Americano (Reprise) – 0:49

Credits
Leonard Ahlstrom – Songwriter
Larry Arlotta – Piano
Mike Caputy – Drums
Chris Carmichael – Violin, Cello
George Cocchini – Guitars
Rick Cua – Producer, Songwriter, Bass, Vocals
Tony DeCrescenzo – Translation
Bob Halligan, Jr. – Songwriter, Background Vocals
Robert White Johnson – Background Vocals
Andreas Krause – Technical Assistance
Tom Lane – Acoustic Guitar
Randy Leroy – Mastered
Russ Long – Engineer, Mixed
Phil Madeira – B3
Will McFarlane – Guitars
Terry McMillan – Harmonica
Mike Mead – Drums
Dino Pastin – Accordion
Dave Perkins – Engineer, Guitars
Emedin Rivera – Percussion
Pino Squillace – Translation

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Salt Incorporated Music, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Salt Incorporated Music, Inc.
Recorded At – Dave’s Garden Of Eden
Recorded At – The Carport
Mixed At – The Carport
Mastered At – Final Stage Mastering

Mark Heard – Fingerprint – 1980/1995

The story goes that in 1980 Mark was having difficulties with Larry Norman and Solid Rock Records. As he was on contract in the USA he went to Europe to record and release this album. However there is a secondary story that is much simpler and in my opinion more possible. It is that Mark was essentially living in Europe and as such chose to release his next album there. The album was originally released on his own label in Switzerland which is a relatively odd business decision. All that aside this album was missed by most Mark Heard fans as it wasn’t released in the US until 1995. By now he was free and clear of Larry and Solid Rock Records so he released it on VIA Records. The album is about three quarters Mark’s signature acoustic guitar work but there are a few 70’s style rocking tunes. Mark rerecorded a few of these tracks between 1980 and 1995 to put on his North American releases so some of these versions may surprise you.

Tracklist
1 – I’m In Chains – 3:30
2 – Nowadays – 3:25
3 – One More Time – 3:03
4 – Epistle – 2:57
5 – Just The Same – 3:16
6 – Well-Worn Pages – 2:48
7 – Gimme Mine – 3:51
8 – All The Sleepless Dreamers – 3:33
9 – Negative Charge – 3:58
10 – Brown-Eyed Sue – 3:20
11 – Es Tut Mir Leid – 2:04
12 – Remarks To Mr. McLuhan – 2:02
13 – Threefold Amen – 0:20

Credits
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass, Lead Guitar, Slide Guitar, Mandolin, Synthesizer [Moog], Percussion, Vocals, Backing Vocals – Mark Heard
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Lead Vocals, Slide Guitar – Jon Linn
Backing Vocals, Photography By – Janet Sue Heard
Drums – Peter Johnson
Piano, Synthesizer – Tom Howard
Producer, Engineer, Mixed By, Written By, Photography By – Mark Heard

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – King’s Records
Recorded At – Peace In The Valley Recording
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Palmfrond Communications
Copyright (c) – Palmfrond Communications
Manufactured By – King’s Records
Pressed By – Turicaphon AG

The 77s – Tom Tom Blues – 1995

A lot of stuff happened between 1984’s All Fall Down and Tom Tom Blues. Six other albums in fact, so the fact that this one stands stark against their 1980s style isn’t that strange. However, here at Real 80s CCM we really like the 80s stuff so I have to talk about it. I first discovered this album in the used CD bin at a local record shop in the mid-90s. I think someone else must have bought it expecting that cutting, pop-new wave and found something else instead. Not that this isn’t a good collection of songs, but it required seriously resetting some expectations. Having said that, I don’t like it as much as some of their other work, such as their self-titled album in 1987. This 1995 release isn’t what I would call grunge, but it came from the grunge era and in retrospect, that is probably the most noticeable influence on the sound. 77s do not really excel at the grunge sound. The lead track, Rocks In Your Head comes on strong, and may be the most memorable one here. Throughout the album there is a lot of rumbly bassline and gutsy guitar. It did make me think back to Ping Pong Over the Abyss with the guitar sound. If there is such a thing as new wave grunge, maybe this is it.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPcTOx34g9XRXbJ9vRQ1CpVQtjCAKdvOn

Tracklist
1 – Rocks In Your Head – 3:37
2 – Honesty – 6:21
3 – You Still Love Me – 5:22
4 – Outskirts – 4:42
5 – Flowers In The Sand – 4:51
6 – Don’t Leave Me Long – 4:21
7 – Gravy Chain – 3:17
8 – Five In The Nave – 1:01
9 – Earache – 6:06
10 – Deliverance – 8:53

Credits
Band [Seventy Sevens Are], Bass, Backing Vocals, Other [Bottom] – Mark Harmon
Band [Seventy Sevens Are], Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals, Other [Everything In Between] – Bruce Spencer
Band [Seventy Sevens Are], Guitar [Guitars], Lead Vocals, Other [Top] – Michael Roe
Cover, Illustration – Rachel Thornton
Design Concept [Art Concept By], Design – Seventy Sevens
Engineer [Engineered By] – Craig Long, Kirt Shearer, Scott Reams
Engineer [Engineered By], Mixed By – Guy Niosi, John Flanagan
Executive-Producer – Gene Eugene, Ojo Taylor
Featuring, Percussion, Other [Cool Vibes] – Cary Avery
Illustration [Inside B/W Illustration] – Kathryn Garcia Smith
Mastered By – Michael Romanowski
Photography By – Pat Johnson
Producer [Produced By] – The 77’s
Songwriter [All Songs Written By] – The 77’s

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Brainstorm Artists International
Copyright © – Brainstorm Artists International
Distributed By – Diamante Music Group
Recorded At – Paradise Studios, Sacramento, CA
Recorded At – Plaid Jacket
Mixed At – Plaid Jacket
Mastered At – Rocket Lab
Pressed By – Disctronics USA – 138314
Published By – 7 And 7 Is Music

Wild Blue Yonder Featuring Crystal Lewis – Wild Blue Yonder – 1986/1995

Wild Blue Yonder were a new incarnation of the CCM Rockabilly band The Lifters minus Rex Harvey and of course the addition of Crystal Lewis doing lead vocals. The album essentially came out on Crystal’s 17th birthday so ignore the “she was 15” stuff on the internet. The album was released September 9th 1986 and her birthday is September 11th 1969. Both Terry Taylor and Rob Watson from DA were involved in the project and they bring some quality production to the album. The album has a Rockabilly sound in places and is often referred to as Cow-punk but it’s not really Cow-punk in my opinion. It’s just a fun 80’s album with Rockabilly influences though Crystal’s vocals are so strong she really dominates the album almost making you forget about the rest of the band. The album was re-released in 1995 with 2 bonus tracks (this upload is that 1995 release) and is catalogued as being a Crystal Lewis album titled Wild Blue Yonder.

Tracklist
1 – Just One Look – 3:49
2 – You And Me – 3:07
3 – This Love’s For Real – 4:05
4 – Where Can I Go (Bonus Track) – 2:24
5 – Heart Beat – 2:34
6 – Over The Rainbow – 3:20
7 – Every Day (Bonus Track) – 3:23
8 – Only One – 3:42
9 – Revival Meeting – 2:35
10 – You’re My Love – 3:19
11 – Only You – 2:45
12 – Crying Eyes – 3:07
13 – If I Could Write A Poem – 5:01

Credits
Art Direction, Layout [Original] – Phillip Kim
Artwork By [Logo] – Dave Gibson
Artwork, Design [New] – Timothy McCaig
Backing Vocals – Terry Taylor
Bass – Paul Martin
Drums – Joey Mitchell
Engineer – Doug Doyle
Guitar – Chris Brigandi
Pedal Steel Guitar – Garry Brandon
Photography By – Brian Ray
Piano, Organ, Backing Vocals – Rob Watson
Producer – Terry Taylor
Remastered By – Dave Hackbarth
Remix – Chris Brigandi, Gene Eugene
Vocals – Crystal Lewis

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Metro One, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Metro One, Inc.
Distributed By – Diamante Distribution
Glass Mastered At – Disctronics USA – 131230

The 77’s – Ping Pong Over The Abyss – 1982/1995

This was the introductory album from The 77s and many consider it to be one of the most important albums in the history of CCM music. This album premiered a new wave sound listeners were waiting for though there are a couple songs that lean more to Rock and Roll. Lyrically this album was way ahead of the curve in CCM music which I believe was one of the reasons it was so well received. In 1995 the album was re-released on CD with 6 bonus tracks. Those tracks are represented here.

Tracklist
1 – A Different Kind Of Light – 4:17
2 – How Can You Love – 4:38
3 – It’s So Sad – 5:04
4 – Falling Down A Hole – 4:18
5 – Someone New – 4:21
6 – Renaissance Man – 3:35
7 – Ping Pong Over The Abyss – 4:13
8 – Time Is Slipping Away – 5:04
9 – Denomination Blues – 4:54
1995 CD Bonus Material
10 – A Different Kind Of Light (Live) – 3:25
11 – How Can You Love (Demo) – 4:33
12 – It’s So Sad (Live) – 5:04
13 – Falling Down A Hole (Live) – 3:53
14 – Ping Pong Over The Abyss (Demo) – 4:17
15 – Denomination Blues (Live) – 5:05

Credits
Backing Vocals – Jan Eric Volz
Bass – Jan Eric Volz
Drums – Mark Proctor
Engineer – Daryl Zachman, Larry Hirsch
Guitar – Jan Eric Volz, Mark Tootle, Mike Roe
Keyboards – Mark Tootle
Mastered By – John Golden
Mixed By – Larry Hirsch
Producer – Steven Soles
Vocals – Mark Proctor, Mark Tootle, Mike Roe