The latest part of the ongoing series chronicling, in no particular order, the greatest 1001 recordings made by Christian artists
Continued from page 51
694. MYCHILDREN MYBRIDE - KING OF THE HOPELESS, 2010. From the
album 'Lost Boy', Solid State.
When I want to get up and
dance around like a giddy idiot I tend to reach for this fist-pumping
anthem. It all builds beautifully until two minutes in when we get a
beatdown of epic proportions followed by lead singer Matthew Hasting
bellowing "Even though we feel dead inside we can say AT LEAST WE
TRIED". Recorded in Atlanta, Georgia with Matt Goldman (Underoath, The
Chariot) this captures the metalcore team from Madison, Alabama at
their very best.
Greg Sammons
695. ARLO GUTHRIE - WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?, 1979. From the
album 'Outlasting The Blues', Warner Bros.
Two years
before Bob Dylan shocked the world by announcing his conversion to
Christianity, one of his most famous protégés - and the son of his
mentor - went through his own spiritual transformation. Arlo Guthrie,
perhaps the quintessential East Coast hippie, became a committed
Catholic Christian. "Which Side Are You On?" is a fine folk-sounding
number which described the trek of Moses in the wilderness and then of
Jesus' journey to the cross as exemplary examples of people living out
their beliefs. It concludes with the memorable lines, "Some men work
for little things/And some men work for more/Some men work for
anything/And some don't work at all/But me, myself, I'm satisfied/To
sing for God's own Son/And ask you what I ask myself/Which side are
you on?"
Tony Cummings
696. WORLD WIDE MESSAGE TRIBE - RE:REVIVAL, 1995. From the
album 'We Don't Get What We Deserve', Movation.
There
was no way that editing fragments of a testimony by historic church
figure Duncan Campbell, speaking in his lilting but rather odd
highland accent about the Hebridean Revival, and putting it to a dance
groove was ever going to work. But thanks to studio maestro Zarc
Porter work it does. The Manchester musicianaries were really on their
game in the mid-'90s.
Tony Cummings
697. PETRA - JUDAS KISS, 1982. From the album 'More Power To
Ya', StarSong.
During a period when the evangelical
church, fuelled by the tirades of uninformed TV preachers, made a
monumental cultural and theological blunder by denouncing all manner
of albums for their hidden "Satanic" messages (everyone from the
Beatles and Led Zepelin through to, ludicrously, Stryper and Amy Grant
were denounced by those modern day Pharisees) Petra cleverly made
their perspective on the debacle eminently clear. On the start of
"Judas Kiss" there's a short, backward message. Anyone who bothered to
record it and play it the right way 'round would hear the pointed
question, "What are you looking for the Devil for, when you ought to
be looking for the Lord?" As it turned out, the backward-masked intro
was only the start of what some consider the veteran Christian
rockers' finest ever track. They had finally, in 1981, brought lead
singer Greg X Volz into the Petra fold. His abrasive tones, similar to
Boston's Bradley Delp, were a perfect fit with Bob Hartman's guitar
lines while the production, from Jonathan David Brown, took the band
up to the arena-rock levels of REO Speedwagon, Styx, et al. But it's
Bob Hartman's lyrics which are truly unforgettable. First he asks the
question, "I wonder what it's like for you when a lamb has gone
astray/I wonder what it's like for you when your children disobey."
Then he answers it with heart-stopping precision - "It must be like
another thorn stuck in your brow/It must be like another close
friend's broken vow/It must be like another nail right through your
wrist/It must be just like, just like Judas' kiss."
Tony
Cummings
698. LIES DAMNED LIES - LAMENTATIONS, 1996. From the
album 'Lamentations', Sticky Music.
They may have
saddled themselves with a lousy band name but there's no doubting that
the Scottish trio Lies Damned Lies made some of the most thought
provoking art rock of the '90s. One critic described their music as
"moody, spacious and complex" which on occasions resembled some of
Sting's denser works. Whatever their influences, Steve Butler, Charles
Irvine and Dot Reid's occasional recordings released on their own
Sticky Music company were of the highest standard and the
'Lamentations' album is probably their best. As the sleeve note
succinctly points out, "the lament is the song without which our
claims to happiness turn to lies" and certainly the heart cries of the
prophet Jeremiah take on a whole new resonance in the trio's billowing
soundscapes.
Tony Cummings
699. EDITH & SHERMAN COLLINS - I CAN'T FEEL AT HOME IN
THIS WORLD ANY MORE, 1938. From the various artists album 'Prayers
From Hell: White Gospel & Sinner's Blues 1927-1940,
Trikont.
It was the 'O Brother Where Art Thou' movie
soundtrack which opened millions of ears to the eerie, haunting music
of the pre-war rural south. So if the Coen brothers ever decide to
return to the film adventures of Dapper Dan and his ex-convict
buddies, this plaintive opus from yesteryear is a natural for the next
soundtrack. Edith and Sherman harmonise every bit as well as the more
illustrious Carter Family and, even more impressively, you believe
Edith when she intones, "Angels taking me to Heaven's open door/I
can't feel at home in this world any more."
Tony
Cummings
700. ROCK'N'ROLL WORSHIP CIRCUS - GIFT OF COOL, 2003. From the
album 'A Beautiful Glow', INO.
Their independent
releases were much praised by Cross Rhythms but it was their record
label debut album 'A Beautiful Glow' that promised to catapult the
band from Longview, Washington into the CCM big time. That never quite
happened, despite enthusiastic support from Delirious?, and soon after
this album's release the band began winding down. What they brought to
modern worship and Christian rock were knowing touches of retro
(everyone from the Beatles to Floyd) while in Gabriel Wilson they had
a passionate frontman. On "The Gift Of Cool" the songsmith reflects on
the excitement of a full-on revival. "I remember the day when the love
of God came to town/He took all the silent and broken hearts and fixed
them up and gave them a sound/He had almost every kind of kid from
every kind of social background/Taking all the "cool" they had in
praising God as he spun them around." Let's pray for another one.
Tony Cummings
701. HOI POLLOI - THE OTHER NAME, 1992. From the album 'Hoi
Polloi', Reunion.
This band of alternative garage
rockers from New Zealand should have made it big in the US but somehow
a blend of a record company that weren't good at selling rock music
and conservative Christian radio meant they never quite conquered the
US Christian music scene that their barnstorming performance at the
1990 Cornerstone Festival suggested they might. Fronted by Jenny
Gullen they did deliver some powerful songs on their debut album which
had True Tunes comparing them to Lone Justice and CCM magazine the
Pretenders. The powerful "The Other Name" pinpointed the pain caused
by marital infidelity.
Tony Cummings
702. WHOSOEVER SOUTH - GOIN' HOME, 2013. From the album 'Goin'
Home', Pitbull Productions.
Fusing three musical forms -
old spirituals, hip-hop and bluegrass - into a coherent whole would be
a stretch for anyone. But the trio from Southern Georgia, with
sterling assistance from top producer Asaf Fulks, delivered something
deliciously fresh and spiritually uplifting. This cut is an evocation
of the hereafter with a hambone beat and lyrics which make any
believer long for Heaven. Trying to describe Rowdy, Sarah and Mike's
sound has been tying critics in knots. "Country crunk" was one effort.
Whatever it's labelled, one thing is certain - a more uplifting rap
variant is impossible to imagine.
Tony Cummings
703. DRYVE - RAIN, 1997. From the album 'Thrifty Mr
Kickstart', SaraBellum.
Dryve were a San Diego-based
band which artfully mixed Hammond B3 organ with abrasive guitars on
folk rock songs with a sound which resembled the Counting Crows and
Gin Blossoms. The six minutes plus "Rain" begins simply enough before
building into an overwhelming wall of sound in an extended
instrumental jam. It's a praise song of passionate sincerity. "When I
wake, you're there/When I run, you run for me/When I call, you
listen," sings Cory Verner who clearly believes every word.
Tony Cummings
704. SOUL STIRRERS - CRYING ON THE MOUNTAIN, 1976. From the
various artists album 'Holy Spirit: Spirituals, Soul & Gospel Funk
From Shreveport's Jewel Records', Demon Music.
It's
seldom acknowledged that the Soul Stirrers continued to make fine
recordings long after Sam Cooke left them for fame and fortune. This
mid-'70s version of the group, recorded by Jewel Records, showed they
were still a magnificent blend of voices and on this pleading doo-wop
ballad made music that zeroed straight to the soul.
Tony
Cummings
705. VIGILANTES OF LOVE - VET, 1994. From the album 'Welcome
To Struggleville', Capricorn.
Forget R.E.M. and the
B52s, for me Athens, Georgia's greatest band were the Vigilantes.
Fronted by one of the music world's most underrated songsmiths, Bill
Mallonee, their blend of country rock jangle, wistful folk, Americana
and college rock in a steamy mix that, thanks to Mr Mallonee's
songwriting craft, is never derivative. This gem tells the tale of a
Vietnam veteran who Mallonee used to care for in a mental hospital. It
has a memorable melody that one reviewer suggested sounded like a lost
TV theme. All I know is "Vet" is a poignant, compassionate and
brilliant example of finely crafted folk rock.
Tony
Cummings
706. CHAGALL GUEVARA - VIOLENT BLUE, 1991. From the album
'Chagall Guevara', MCA.
Now widely regarded as a cult
classic amongst the Christian rock cognoscente, this is the only album
by the short-lived band. Fronted by CCM star Steve Taylor it should
have opened doors into the mainstream for Steve and his cohorts (Lynn
Nichols, Dave Perkins, Wade Jaynes and Mike Mead) but with little or
no promotion sunk without trace. What the general public missed were a
dazzling musical mish mash which took in elements of Bowie, the Doors
and the Clash and songs which sizzled with telling, if sometimes
oblique, lyrics pinpointing many of society's ills all sung in Steve's
unmistakeable tones. My favourite is this incisive denouncement of the
hippie dream: "We were headed for somewhere," Steve sings, "but that
was before you traded in your peace sign for a finger." He continues,
"Don't you recall when the perfume of belief was all we needed."
Ignoring youth culture's excuses the prophet/singer concludes with the
observation, "I don't believe it's the way you were raised/Or the
cards you were dealt/Or a poor self-image/I think you loved yourself
too much."
Tony Cummings
707. MARTIN SMITH - BACK TO THE START (GOD'S GREAT DANCE
FLOOR), 2013. From the album 'God's Great Dance Floor: Step 01',
Gloworks.
On this, his first full album since Delirious?
stopped gigging/recording, Martin has delivered a classic up there
with the very best d:boy songs. The theme, returning once more to the
loving arms of our Saviour, reminds me of Matt Redman's classic "Heart
Of Worship" ("Back to the start where you found me/I give you my heart
again/Take everything, I'm all I can bring/I'm coming home again")
while the production, starting with a nagging piano figure and growing
into a wall-of-sound crescendo as Martin exultantly roars, "All of
Heaven shouts 'Let the future begin'/I feel alive, I come alive/I am
alive in God's great dance floor," is, quite simple, one of the
greatest moments in Christian music history.
Tony
Cummings
again thank you Tony for your efforts greatly appreciated, mind you l go back to the tour of the top twenty at GB 84