Various – The Strait Tapes – Volume III – 1986

Here’s Volume 3 of the Strait Tapes and I believe the last in the series but we’ve had a few surprises in this series so I will will say I think it is the final one. Again we have quite a few unreleased tracks to enjoy. I didn’t do a count but I think this one has the most examples of secular bands of Christians. Anyway it’s another fantastic offering and we should give credit the the gang over at Strait Magazine for putting together such a great series of tapes. I’ve listed below what album these tracks showed up on if they did.

1 – The 77’s – The Lust, The Flesh, The Eyes And The Pride Of Life. – Released on their 1987 album The 77’s
2 – Talking Drums – You Do Cry A Lot – Released on their 1985 album Reassembly
3 – Maldwyn Pope – Reunion Of The Heart – Released on his 1990 album Love Will Find A Way
4 – Bryan McGlynn – Soul Doctor – still unreleased
5 – The Good Guys – Still A Mistake – Released on their 1984 album A System Of Grooves
6 – Charlie Peacock – Down In The Lowlands – Released on his 1986 album Charlie Peacock
7 – Trade Secret – With Or Without You – Released on their 1987 album Trade Secret
8 – One A.M. – Over And Over – still unreleased
9 – Mike Starkey – I Became A Johnson’s Baby – still unreleased
10 – Vector – America – Released on their 1984 album Please Stand By
11 – Deniece Williams – Straight Ahead – Released her 1986 album
12 – The Refuseniks – Quiet Time – Gag track as intro to next track
13 – Terry Scott Taylor – Old Time Gospel Camp Meeting Hour – Released on his 1986 album Knowledge & Innocence
14 – Bruce Cockburn – Wondering Where The Lions Are – Released on his 1979 album Dancing In The Dragon’s Jaws
15 – Steve Scott – Not A Pretty Picture – Released on his 1988 album Lost Horizon
16 – Jump The Nile – Proud To Be A Warrior – still unreleased
17 – First Strike – Power – Released on their 1987 album Crank It Up!
18 – Bryan McGlynn – Stranger At The Party – still unreleased

Tracklist
1 – The 77’s – The Lust, The Flesh, The Eyes And The Pride Of Life. – 3:25
2 – Talking Drums – You Do Cry A Lot – 3:07
3 – Maldwyn Pope – Reunion Of The Heart – 4:31
4 – Bryan McGlynn – Soul Doctor – 3:28
5 – The Good Guys – Still A Mistake – 2:16
6 – Charlie Peacock – Down In The Lowlands – 4:28
7 – Trade Secret – With Or Without You – 3:42
8 – One A.M. – Over And Over – 3:12
9 – Mike Starkey – I Became A Johnson’s Baby – 2:01
10 – Vector – America – 4:05
11 – Deniece Williams – Straight Ahead – 4:07
12 – The Refuseniks – Quiet Time – 0:44
13 – Terry Scott Taylor – Old Time Gospel Camp Meeting Hour – 3:17
14 – Bruce Cockburn – Wondering Where The Lions Are – 3:27
15 – Steve Scott – Not A Pretty Picture – 4:03
16 – Jump The Nile – Proud To Be A Warrior – 4:13
17 – First Strike – Power – 4:51
18 – Bryan McGlynn – Stranger At The Party – 3:13

Terry Scott Taylor – A Briefing For The Ascent – 1987

If you like footsteps you’ll love this album. I ride Terry pretty hard for his conceptual album ideas because a lot of the time it just comes off as silly to me but in this case it really worked on this album. I feel he thought through his idea and didn’t silly it up and because of it this is probably my favourite solo album from Terry. One of the odder tracks on the album is “Long, Long, Long” which is actually a cover of a Beatles song. I didn’t like the original so I kind of struggle with this track but I will say for the record that I believe Terry’s version is much better than the original. That said the song fits where it is on this album. At one time artists and producers really thought about the order of tracks on their albums and this album is an example of a perfectly structured album.

Tracklist
1 – A Briefing For The Ascent – 4:34
2 – Somewhere To Elsewhere – 2:02
3 – Beyond The Wall Of Sleep – 3:13
4 – The Wood Between The Worlds – 3:49
5 – Changeless – 4:02
6 – My Love, My Love – 4:18
7 – Wars Of The Heart – 0:45
8 – Capture Me – 4:08
9 – Where Dreams Come True – 2:59
10 – Long, Long, Long – 3:38
11 – Prelude – 1:26
12 – Going Home – 2:08

Credits
Art Direction – Ed McTaggart
Backing Vocals – Crystal Lewis, Jerry Chamberlain, Montebello First Baptist Church Choir, Rob Watson, Terry Taylor, Tom Howard
Bass – Tim Chandler
Concept By [Conceived By], Directed By – Terry Taylor
Design Concept [Album Cover Concept] – Ed McTaggart, Terry Taylor
Drum Programming – Ed McTaggart, Ed McTaggart, Terry Taylor
Drums – Ed McTaggart, Steve Hindalong
Engineer – Dave Hackbarth
Graphics [Photographics] – Ken Baley
Guitar – Greg Flesch, Terry Taylor
Keyboards, Synthesizer – Greg Flesch, Terry Taylor
Mastered By [Digitally Remastered] – Doug Doyle
Mastered By [Originally Mastered] – John Matousek
Mixed By – Doug Doyle, Terry Taylor
Mixed By [With] – Greg Flesch
Orchestrated By [Orchestrations Constructed By], Arranged By [Orchestrations Arranged By] – Greg Flesch, Terry Taylor
Percussion – Alex MacDougall, Greg Flesch
Photography By – Bob Rowe
Producer [Produced By] – Greg Flesch, Terry Taylor
Synth [Treatments] – Greg Flesch, Terry Taylor
Vocals – Terry Taylor

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Frontline Records
Copyright © – Frontline Records
Record Company – Frontline Music Group
Distributed By – FMG Distribution
Recorded At – 3-D Studios, Costa Mesa CA.
Mastered At – Hitsville
Remastered At – Digital Brothers
Glass Mastered at – Nimbus, Virginia
Published By – Broken Songs

Terry Scott Taylor – Knowledge & Innocence – 1986

One would never expect an album about death to be so beautiful and uplifting. Born out of the ashed of the death of his grandfather and miscarriage of his first child, Knowledge and Innocence is the prettiest and sweetest album in Terry Scott Taylor’s lengthy and fabled career. Delayed for what seems like an eternity, when the album finally came out in 1986, the album did what was probably expected; TST’s rabid fan base ate it up and the majority of CCM and Christian radio never noticed it’s passing. Oddly enough, it remains possibly the most commercial and accessible album in Taylor’s repertoire. Lush, beautiful, stunning, haunting and completely unforgettable. The only negative is the computerized and electronic instrumentation, especially the drums. This though possibly adds to the other-worldly feel of the project. That’s a plus since the album focuses so much on “the other world.” Dancing on Light and Song of Innocence should have been radio favorites. The latter features a duet with long time friend randy Stonehill. Oddly enough, considering the long term friendship and partnership between these two men over the years, this was the first time they sang a duet together. Taylor’s love for his grandfather is prevalent here and on other recording. But here we see a glimpse of the softer, loving father side of Taylor as he addresses the loss of a child before birth. Songs like Light Princess delve into the heart of an artist unlike others. There is a wonderful tension between loss and the future reunion awaiting those who are left that creates a beautiful and faithful listening experience.

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

Tracklist
1 – Dancing On Light – 4:54
2 – (Out Of) The Wild Wood – 5:43
3 – Here He Comes, Second Time – 3:06
4 – Waiting – 3:08
5 – Picture Of You – 3:56
6 – Song Of Innocence – 3:48
7 – The Old Time Gospel Camp Meeting Hour – 0:37
8 – The Riders Of The Western Skies (Medley) – 3:15
9 – Picture Of “U” (Reprise) – 1:43
10 – Ever After – 3:32
11 – Home Movies – 1:17
12 – One More Time – 3:41
13 – Baby’s Heartbeat (6 Months) – 0:15
14 – Light Princess – 3:59
15 – (Inner Cut) Waiting (Reprise) – 1:14

Credits
Arranged By [All Arrangements] – Rob, Terry
Arranged By [Gospel Medley Adaption & Vocal Arrangements By] – Rob
Arranged By [String Arrangements] – Rob Watson (tracks: 11, 13)
Art Direction, Layout – Ed McTaggart
Backing Vocals – Beau MacDougal, Bob Bennett (3), Chuck Girard, Jay Truax, Jerry Chamberlain, Rob Watson, Terry Taylor, Tom Howard, Tom Coomes
Bass Guitar – Tim Chandler (tracks: 7)
Design Concept [Cover & Inner Sleeve Art Concepts] – Terry
Drums – Ed McTaggart (tracks: 2), Terl Bryant (tracks: 9)
Electric Guitar – Greg Flesch (tracks: 4, 7), Tim Chandler (tracks: 4)
Engineer [Engineered By] – Doug Doyle
Guitar – Lenny Wagonmaster (tracks: 1)
Guitar [Nylon String] – Greg Flesch (tracks: 5, 14)
Illustration – Jon Fraze
Illustration [Lyric Illustrations] – Connie Watson
Keyboards, Synthesizer [Synthesizers], Guitar [Guitars], Backing Vocals [B.G.V.’s], Bass, Percussion – Rob Watson
Lead Vocals [Duet], Acoustic Guitar – Randy Stonehill (tracks: 6)
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Arranged By [Reprise & Incidental Arrangements] – Terry Scott Taylor
Mastered By – John Matousek
Percussion – Alex MacDougal (tracks: 5), Terl Bryant (tracks: 1, 4, 7)
Photography By – Doug Doyle
Producer [Produced By] – Rob Watson, Terry Taylor
Remastered By [Digital Re-mastering By] – Doug Doyle
Written-By [All Songs Written By] – Terry Taylor (tracks: 3 to 14)

Companies, etc.
Copyright (c) – Refuge Records
Record Company – Alternative Music Group
Produced For – R.B. Productions
Recorded At – 3-D Studios, Costa Mesa CA.
Mastered At – Motown Recording Studios
Remastered At – Digital Brothers
Designed At – Stunt Productions
Published By – Snellsongs
Pressed By – Disc Manufacturing, Inc., Huntsville – 30177