DREAM COME TRUE

The Proverbs originally began in 1967.  The original roster was Dave Daw, his brother Frank, and cousin Ken.  In 1983 when the Proverbs released DREAM COME TRUE the group was comprised of Dave Daw, his wife Kathy, and his sister Karyl.  Their website says: “The Proverbs have been voted Canada’s top mixed gospel group more than a dozen times and have also shared billings with many of gospel music’s top U.S. artists, including those who are regularly featured on the popular Gaither Homecoming video series.”  DREAM COME TRUE was a favourite of mine growing up.  It was recorded and remixed at Summit Sound Studio in Westport, Ontario.

The album starts off with a fun, upbeat number ‘Jesus is Your Ticket to Heaven’.  The song reminds us that our good works can’t earn us salvation: “You can buy a ticket for a boat and you can buy a ticket for a plane/You can buy a ticket for a subway/But you can’t buy a ticket for that heavenly train/You see Jesus is your ticket to heaven/Lord, it’s gonna be so nice/Jesus is your ticket to heaven/He’s already paid the price.”  ‘Who is on the Lord’s Side?’ has an old country music feel to it.  Lyrically, it points out that we can either serve Christ or the devil.  It’s a very important decision: “Now to God is granted all the praise and glory/For He gave His Son on Calvary to die/Oh and that same Son who gave His life on old Golgotha/Now tell me, who is on the Lord’s side tonight?/Who is on the Lord’s side among you?/Who will help us join in the fight?/Who is on the Lord’s side among you?/Who is on the side of the right?”

The easy listening song ‘He Came to Love You’ is next.  It speaks of how Christ can transform our lives if we only ask: “So if you can believe that you are the one He died for/And if you will believe that Jesus is Lord and Saviour/He’ll replace your grief with gladness/And give you joy for all your sadness/He’ll set you free/Don’t you know/He came to love you?”  ‘I’ll Just Lay it Down’ is a ballad of testimony: “I’ve carried this burden of sin for so long/Life scarcely had meaning for me/I was a prisoner to Satan and blinded by sin/Believing I’d never be free/But in my desperation I called on the Lord/At an altar where I prayed through/And the chains fell away like the darkness at dawn/And He told me just what I must do/I’ll just lay down and leave it/I’m gonna lay down and leave it/I’ll carry this burden no more.”

‘It’ll Be Alright’ finds the Proverbs in Happy Goodman territory.  It is a real toe-tapping song of rejoicing: “The Lord has gone away to prepare a mansion in glory for me/Someday by His grace I’ll see His face and I’ll live eternally/It could be on the land that I’ll shake His hand, in the air, or maybe on the sea/I don’t care as long as Jesus is there/It’ll be alright with me (3X)/Jesus saved my soul and I’m ready to go/It’ll be alright with me.”  ‘In My Robe of White’ is a rousing Southern Gospel classic that has been performed by Gold City.  This one anticipates the Rapture: “It’s gonna be a wonderful time when I get to the other side/And see my loved ones gone before.../We’ll be walkin’ on streets of gold/Surrounded by riches untold/When I first look at Jesus’ face/I know I’ll be safe in His amazing grace.”

The title track ‘Dream Come True’ is an inspirational song that again reflects on the Rapture: “And I rise into the sky as I fly away to my new home to reign with God in peace and love everyday/Then I wake in the morn/The birds softly singing/And the song of the night plays strong on my mind/And I smile as the sun shines brightly around me/Cause Jesus has come to call me away.”  1 John 1:9 reads: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  ‘The Sweetest Words He Ever Said’ is upbeat and uses fiddle to good effect.  It gladly tells of the total forgiveness Christ gives us if we just ask: “Well, if you’re tired of living with some wrong that you have done/Just come on home to Jesus/You know He’s the cleansing One/In His arms He’ll hold you/You’ll just begin to live/When you hear Him gently whisper ‘I forgive’/The sweetest words He ever said were ‘I forgive’/The sinner’s sin was wiped away and I could live/I like the part where He told about a mansion He would give/The sweetest words He ever said were ‘I forgive’”.

‘He Will Forgive’ recalls the New Testament story of the woman caught in adultery: “Now a woman was brought to Jesus one day/Condemned for the life that she lived/Her accusers said death was the price she should pay/But He said ‘I will forgive’/He will forgive/Live and let live/So if wrong you have done/Remember, He is God’s Son/He will forgive”  ‘Already Mine’ closes off the album and reminds us of our spiritual inheritance in Christ: “Now Satan may tempt you and offer his prize/But I’ll say ‘No thank you, it’s already mine/You see I became rich when He became mine’/I’ll say ‘No thank you, for everything is mine/Already mine, already mine/I’m an heir to His Kingdom and it’s already mine/My Father is rich, loving, and kind/I am His child (2X)/So, it’s already mine/It’s mine.’”

Dave, Kathy, and Karyl’s harmonies are great on this terrific retro release which features a nice mix of faster and slower paced numbers.  It should appeal to a wide age group and presents a clear Gospel message.  I’m rating it 88%.  For more info and to purchase please visit www.theproverbs.com.  You can catch the Proverbs in concert on August 18/13 at Camp Carrick (Walkerton) at 7pm.

 

ANTISEPTIC BLOODBATH

According to thefreedictionary.com a tourniquet is: "A device, typically a tightly encircling bandage, used to check bleeding by temporarily stopping the flow of blood through a large artery in a limb." The Christian metal band Tourniquet formed in Los Angeles, California in 1989. The band says a tourniquet is: "a metaphor for a lifelong process by which a personal God, through the atoning blood, death, and resurrection of His only Son-Jesus Christ-can begin to stop the flow of going through life without knowing and serving our Creator. He is our Tourniquet." According to Wikipedia, Tourniquet "are known for incorporating elements of thrash, neo-classical, and progressive metal into their music." Tourniquet's first album was 1990's STOP THE BLEEDING. The video for the song 'Ark of Suffering' got played on MTV. Two of my favourite Tourniquet albums are 1991's PSYCHO SURGERY which had a Dove nomination for Metal Album of the Year, and 1994's VANISHING LESSONS. Today, Tourniquet is: Ted Kirkpatrick (drums, rhythm guitars, dulcimer, 8 string bazouki), Luke Easter (lead vocals), and Aaron Guerra (guitars, bass, vocals). Founding member Kirkpatrick has studied world literature and loves Edgar Allan Poe. He also has a background in medical equipment sales, and does a lot of travelling. Tourniquet's 8th and latest studio album is ANTISEPTIC BLOODBATH (2012, Pathogenic Records). Fans had to wait 9 years for it! Here's some words from the liner notes: "It's an album about each of us learning and choosing to show compassion and mercy to all of the living, created beings we see around us-and those we owe so much to but cannot see-the millions who suffer carefully hidden away from the world." The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by Neil Kernon. The memorable cover artwork and layout is by Travis Smith.

'Chart of the Elements (Lincchostbllis)' starts things off. It begins with a cheer squad but is a heavy rocker with the vocals shouted, growled, and sung. Bruce Franklin from Trouble and Supershine plays lead guitar. The song reminds us that science is prone to error but God is not: "The chart hung on the wall of the school-learn every element, the golden rule/Written in stone, we were told it was true-to question it would make you look like a fool/A shocking discovery was recently made/Some facts were messed up on the chart we obeyed.../God lives/God is truth/God breathes/God is truth/God loves/God is truth/God lives/God is truth."

In a 2012 interview with 'Beyond the Riff', Ted Kirkpatrick made it clear he was for the ethical treatment of animals. He is fascinated with the tiniest aspects of God's creation. He points out that elephants and rhinos are being poached at high rates in Africa and that organized crime is responsible for a lot of it. Ted is obviously against testing on animals. He also speaks of pigs that spend their entire lives in stalls they can't even turn around in so we can have cheap bacon. Ted is for organizations such as The Humane Society and PETA when all is said and done. In the album liner notes Ted writes: "Compassion and mercy should be a part of who we are. It's a part of being a decent human being, whether or not we claim to be Christians. God's compassion and mercy doesn't stop at humans. He is compassionate to all He has made-and He created every animal." Pat Travers, a Canadian guitarist, plays lead on the album's title track, 'Antiseptic Bloodbath'. It finds the band in thrash music territory with shouted and sneered vocals. The song speaks of the violent manner in which Christ died and the violent ways animals die: "The Bible is given to those who receive/But never forget what it took to achieve/The black ink on white tames the bloodiest price/The pages are dripping with the blood of Christ/The blood of cloven hoof and feathered fowl stains the floor/And no one but the workers hear their screams and the gore/Their miserable lives were never meant for us to see/So we who do not kill them we accept it by degree/We sanitize brutality (2X)." The song even includes part of 'Onward Christian Soldiers'.

'The Maiden Who Slept in the Glass Coffin' is a great metal song with Marty Friedman on lead guitar. He was with Megadeth for almost ten years. The song begins with a long instrumental. It goes on to talk of how we tend to isolate ourselves in today's society: "Ignore the need for others in your life/Stuff all your feelings deep within/Block out the gentle Voice from above/Be sure to deflect most of all love/Let your hardened heart close up and die/'Live for myself' the words you live by." The song then talks about the 7 Dwarfs watching Snow White in her coffin, before getting spiritual again and urging us to let Christ bring us back to full spiritual life: "There lives the Prince of Peace who waits for you/Just open the door."

Karl Sanders plays lead guitar on 'Chamunda Temple Stampede'. He is a founding member of the American Egyptian-themed technical death metal band Nile. On September 30, 2008 over 100 people were killed and 200 injured during a big stampede at Chamunda Temple in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The lyrics tell the tragic story of the Hindu devotees: "Darshen goddess, kneel at her throne/3:45 A.M./No way they could have known/Ancient holy site/We pay our homage here/And to your honor we will solemnly adhere/Crushed under the feet of countless rushing devotees/Lungs gasping for breath, while standing in the massive queue." It is a hard rock song with growled vocals.

The titan arum is a flowering plant that has the odor of a decomposing mammal. The plant grows in the rainforests of Sumatra. Its cluster of flowers can reach over 10 feet high. The next song is called 'Flowering Cadaver'. It finds Luke Easter in Vengeance Rising territory vocally part of the time. The song speaks of inner spiritual battle: "Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing/Out of the same heart comes beauty and ugliness/The very thing that I want to do, I end up doing the opposite/Out of the same mouth comes building up and tearing down/Out of the same heart comes kindnesss and cruelty/The very thing that I want to do, I end up doing the opposite."

'86 Bullets' is one of the most commercial sounding metal songs on the album. Santiago Dobles, a founding member of Aghora, plays lead guitar. The song tells the story of Tyke, an African elephant who performed with Circus International of Honululu, Hawaii. On August 20th of 1994 during a performance, she killed her trainer and mauled her groomer. She left the arena and ran through the business district for over 30 minutes. Police shot her 86 times and she was killed. Here are some of the song's lyrics: "We were not put here just to entertain you/Just like humans-we've got our own lives too/You take away all the things God created us to do/Profit from our misery as we dance on cue/Step right up (2X)/The cruelest show on earth is ready to entertain you."

Neil Kernon is responsible for orchestral textures on 'Duplicitous Endeavor'. The song reminds us that our true character will always come out sooner or later: "True colors always shine through/Tell me, is this the real you?/It seems you'd sell your soul for fame/You trade in lies to build a name/Insisting you're misunderstood/Deception/Breeding destruction/As you deny." The song includes the voices of Rick Muehlback and Tyler Margritz reading a quote from A. W. Tozer's 1961 book 'The Knowledge of the Holy'. The quote reminds us that God is indeed just: "The vague and tenuous hope that God is too kind to punish the ungodly has become a deadly opiate for the consciences of millions/It hushes their fears and allows them to practice all pleasant forms of iniquity while death draws every day nearer and the command to repent goes unheeded."

In February of 2010 telegraph.co.uk reported: "One of the world's most endangered languages has disappeared forever after the last remaining member of a unique tribe that inhabited the Andaman Islands for as long as 65, 000 years died of old age." Boa Sr. was about 85 years old. 'Lost Language of the Andamans' starts off as a classical, instrumental piece with violin, trumpet, and cello. It turns into a real headbanger as it goes on. Ted Kirkpatrick hopes that we have not lost our ability to hear God. He hopes that has not become a lost language: "Have you forgotten the language of our Lord?/He speaks in the rustling leaves/He speaks in the blackest darkness/He speaks when there are no words/He heals the brokenhearted/He binds up their wounds/He speaks when there are no words."

'Carried Away on Uncertain Wings' is the album's shortest song at 4:52, but is still heavy musically. This song urges us to think about the end of our earthly lives: "I lay in this bed of brokenness/With my last breath I bid farewell/Life flashes before my eyes/I choke on regret with no surprise/What of your life?/Open up your eyes and see/The narrow gate far away from those who stray/The path is wide, I hear the Sirens sing/You'll be carried away on uncertain wings." The lyrics go on to offer us a way to make our peace with God before we cross over to the other side: "Surrender all to Him, nothing else to gain/Empty cup now filled with hope/Living by His grace/When your soul is troubled, your will begins to sink/Call out to the One who created all things."

'Fed by Ravens, Eaten by Vultures' is the longest track at 8:08. It is quite a heavy metal masterpiece, but includes elements of classical music. Pastor Bob Beeman lends his voice to the track. The song is based on 1 Kings 12:16-1 Kings 17. Elijah prophesied to King Ahab that Israel would face three and a half years of drought because of disobedience. Elijah ended up hiding near the brook Cherith. Ravens fed him morning and evening. These words from the song speak of God's care: "God provides when hope is gone today/God provides when you must hide away/God provides when hope is gone today."
Ted Kirkpatrick says: "I write songs about what is important to me-what matters to me. And what happens to animals and the environment-our forests, jungles, swamps, deserts, backyards-matters greatly to me, as it does to God." Ted believes we will see animals in the afterlife. ANTISEPTIC BLOODBATH reinforces Tourniquet's reputation as a thinking man's metal. It is deep, thought provoking, creative, and artistic. They certainly are a group that stretches the definition of Christian music. I'm rating this album 95%. For more info visit www.tourniquet.net.

I PREDICT 1990

In 1987 Steve Taylor released a new project on a new record label.  It was I PREDICT 1990 on Myrrh Records.  The cover was designed and painted by Steve’s wife Debbie.  It was meant to resemble early 20^th century French poster art.  What controversy ensued!  Some Christian folks said it looked like a tarot card.  A televangelist said Steve was saluting Satan.  Steve was also charged with incorporating secret and new age messages in his new songs.  The project was produced by The Beautiful Twins (Taylor and Dave Perkins).  Instrumentalists include: Dave Thrush (saxophones), Jeff Stone, Gym Nicholson and Dave Perkins (guitars), Glen Holmen (bass), and Greg Husted (accordion). 

The song ‘I Blew Up the Clinic Real Good’, along with the aforementioned controversies, caused this album to be pulled from some Christian stores.  Why?  They thought that in this song Steve was advocating violence and suggesting that Christians should murder abortion doctors.  These critics forgot somehow, that all throughout his career Steve had used tongue-in-cheek sarcasm to make his points.  With this song, Steve was trying to show how absurd it was to murder people you accuse of murdering babies.  This fun sounding rock song includes these lyrics: “The other day when the clinic had its local debut/Some chicks were trying to picket/The doctor threatened to sue/I don’t care if it’s a baby or a tissue blob/But if we run out of youngsters/I’ll be out of a job/And so I did my duty/Cleaning up the neighborhood/I blew up the clinic real good/Try and catch me coppers/Your stinkin’ badges better think again/Before you mess this boy around.  Annie McCaig sings backing vocals on ‘What is the Measure of Your Success.’  The song speaks about people with big egos: “In this city I confess/I am driven to possess/Answer no one, let them guess/Are you someone I impress/I am a big boss with a short fuse/I have a nylon carpet and rubber shoes/And when I shake hands, you’ll get a big shock/You’ll be begging for mercy when the champ is through/You better believe I’ll put the clamps on you.”

Papa John Creach of Jefferson Airplane plays fiddle on the playful, jumpy pop song ‘Since I Gave Up Hope I Feel a Lot Better’.  It pokes fun at pessimists: “While the world winds down to a final prayer/Nothing soothes quicker than complete despair/I predict by dinner/I won’t even care/Since I gave up hope I feel a lot better.”  ‘Babylon’ is a ballad that sounds darkly mysterious and includes Ashley Cleveland’s  vocal stylings which are great.  The song is a cry to Father God for spiritual liberation: “Babylon/Born in your walls/Bred in your will/Captive and still/I hear the heavens cry/Aftershocks/And the sorrow grows/Some make their slow descent/Some repent/Rescue me/These idols lie/I cannot bear the shame/Make this desert rain.”

Jim Morrison was frontman for the Doors.  He died at the age of 27 and had been involved with intoxicating substances.  ‘Jim Morrison’s Grave’ is an energetic rocker that finds Steve lamenting the mortality of Jim and all of us: “It’s getting cold here and there ain’t a lizard in sight/Did the end begin when you shed your skin in the home of the brave?/Somebody shake him from the land of larger than life/Where the remnants warn of a legend born in a dead man’s cave/Jim Morrison’s grave.”  According to merriam-webster.com a ‘svengali´ is “a person who manipulates or exerts excessive control over another.”  Svengali was also “a villainous hypnotist in the novel TRILBY (1894) by George du Maurier. “ Here are some of the lyrics to Taylor’s next song, ‘Svengali’: “Blue shadows/A Venetian parade/Eyes on a starlet who was yet to be made/He had the thin blue lips/And a fingerless glove/He was a hunter for a prey/To put his prints on/Oh, Svengali (2X)/Wide eyes mesmerize/Ain’t he clever/Oh, Svengali.”

Carl Jung (1875-1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist.  In ‘Jung and the Restless’ by Taylor, we see a female patient who has given up too much control and power to her therapist: “Patient-I was in a mental ward/For a little shock treatment/When a sudden power surge zapped me with 2000 volts/Then I  floated down a tunnel to a shining man in white/And when I could finally make it out, his face was...It was you doctor!’/Doctor-‘So what’s the problem?’”  ‘Innocence Lost’ finds a lady, maybe a nun, visiting a death row inmate and trying to give him hope: “Innocence, innocence, innocence lost/All souls want it back/Some uncover the cost/Innocence, innocence lost/She said ‘Look at me. Don’t you, don’t you lose your innocence.  Don’t you lose your innocence’/He said ‘God’s own angels couldn’t give me hope/When you leave me hanging, just leave me enough rope’/But in her eyes he glimpsed of an innocent way.”

‘A Principled Man’ points to Christ as the one to model ourselves after: “Bleeding and hushed/Hung between thieves/There the foundation began/Are you the one/Taking your cross?/Are you a principled man?”  Mary Bates performs operatic vocals on ‘Harder to Believe than Not To’ which was orchestrated by Del Newman.  The song reminds us not to throw away our entire faith when we have doubts.

To support I PREDICT 1990 Steve Taylor went on his most extensive tour yet.  It included stops in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.  Those who want their Christian music to only say ‘Jesus’ and ‘Praise Jesus’ probably won’t care for this album.  These lyrics require some thought and deciphering.  This album is artistic, innovative, and relevant today for the most part.  I'm rating it 95%.

ON THE FRITZ

Steve Taylor’s second full length album was 1985’s ON THE FRITZ (Sparrow Records).  It was produced by Foreigner’s Ian McDonald along with Taylor.  It was Taylor’s first album to use all studio musicians rather than his usual backing group.  Musicians on this album include: Tony Davillo, Hugh McCracken, and Carmine Rojas.

The title track, ‘On The Fritz’, is a great rock song.  It warns of the dangers of celebrity: “So the crowds grew and their praises did too/And a mailing list sent you money/So they love Jerry Lewis in France/Does that make him funny?/It’s too late for apologies when trust has been betrayed/Now victims of your double life are naming names.”  ‘This Disco (Used to Be a Cute Cathedral)’ is a stellar, fast paced dance number.  It was inspired by the New York Limelight Club, once known as the ‘Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion.’  The song laments the deflection of many of us from church: “Got no need for altar calls/Sold the altar for the mirror balls/Do you shuffle? Do you twist?/Cause with a hot hits playlist now we say/This disco used to be a cute cathedral/Where the chosen cha-cha every day of the year/This disco used to be a cute cathedral/Where we only play the stuff you’re wanting to hear.”

‘Lifeboat’ is a humorous story song with Steve doing his best female voice impression.  In the song, a teacher helps her class determine who is really worthwhile to society and who isn’t.  It is, of course, meant to be an absurd notion: “Throw over grandpa cause he’s getting pretty old/Throw out the baby or we’ll all be catching its cold/Throw over fatty and we’ll see if she can float/Throw out the retard and they won’t be rockin’ the boat.”  ‘I Manipulate’ is a dark rock song.  It takes aim at Bill Gothard and other heavy handed Christian leaders: “Does your soul crave center stage?/Have you heard about the latest rage?/Read your Bible by lightning flash/Get ordained at the thunder crash/Build a Kingdom with a cattle prod/Tell the masses, it’s a message from God/Where the innocent congregate, I manipulate.”

‘It’s a Personal Thing’ is a mix of talking and singing by Steve.  He critiques politicians who don’t stand up for their beliefs in the political arena: “It’s a personal thing and I boldly state/That my views on morality will have to wait/’Till my personal life’s out of the public eye/And the limitations statute can protect my alibi/I’m devout, I’m sincere, and I’m proud to say/That it’s had exactly no effect on who I am today/I believe for the benefit for all mankind/In the total separation of church and mind.”  ‘To Forgive’ is a great pop song inspired by the personal appearance of Pope John Paul II with his attempted assassin, Mehmet Ali Agca: “I saw a man/He was holding the hand/That had fired a gun at his heart/Oh, will we live to forgive?/I saw the eyes/And the look of surprise/As He left an indelible mark/Oh, will we live to forgive?/Come, find release/Go, make your peace.”  The song also speaks of Christ’s forgiveness.

‘Drive, He Said’ includes finger snaps by Cactus Moser and Debbie Taylor.  It is a memorable story song that has the devil interacting with an individual in a car in the desert.  The song has Carman-style lyrics: “Scratch!  Dressed in red-pointy tail and a horn-rimmed head/And a widow’s peak like Eddie Munster sat frozen in my seat-‘We haven’t had the chance to meet/Are you a singing telegram or something?’/He just flashed a hellish smile-‘Let’s go driving for a while’/He held something in his hand I’d never seen before/It was my Chevrolet’s pink slip.”  Taylor sings ‘You’ve Been Bought’ with attitude.  He takes aim at less than noble rock stars: “We don’t need another manufactured rebel/We don’t want your twisted doctrines of despair/If your music’s saying nothing save it for the dentist chair/You’ve been bought/Interests are conflicting/You’ve been bought/Chemicals addicting/You’ve been bought/What goes around comes around/You’ll get caught.”

Ian McDonald plays alto sax on ‘You Don’t Owe Me Nothing’¸while Dave Thrush plays tenor sax.  On this song Steve sets his sights on prosperity teachers: “There was a time in Christendom/The road to God was hard to tread/Till charlatans in leisure suits/Saw dollars dancing in their heads/You don’t owe me nothing.”  Steve says we need to rely on God, not wealth: “I know You’ll give me what I need/They say I need a shopping mall/I claim the victory over greed/Lord Jesus, I surrender all/You don’t owe me nothing.”  ‘I Just Wanna Know’ is a ballad with a slow groove.  It finds Steve desiring to be a pure vessel for God: “Search me Father and know my heart/Try me and know my mind/And if there be any wicked way in me/Pull me to the Rock that is higher than I/I just wanna know, am I pulling people closer?/I just wanna be pulling them to You/I just wanna stay angry at the evil/I just wanna be hungry for the true.”

ON THE FRITZ really sees Steve hitting his musical and lyrical stride.  By now his tongue-in-cheek craft was near perfected.  He proved that Christian music could have a bite to it.  His intent was not to hurt people but to challenge the status quo.  I’m rating ON THE FRITZ 95%.

 

STEVE TAYLOR'S MELTDOWN

The year after Steve Taylor released his debut Christian music ep, he released his first full length project MELTDOWN (1984, Sparrow Records).  That year during his performance at Cornerstone Festival he fractured his ankle jumping off the stage.  More importantly, he won a Grammy nomination for ‘Best Male Gospel Performance’ and a Dove nomination for ‘Best Contemporary Album.’  MELTDOWN was produced and engineered by Jonathan David Brown.

‘Guilty by Association’ is a pop song with touches of jazz.  It takes on critics of Christian rock: “I have found a new utensil in the devil’s toolbox/And the heads are gonna roll if Jesus rocks/It’s a worldly design/God’s music should be divine/Try buying records like mine/Avoid temptation, guilty by association.../If the Bible doesn’t back it/Then it seems quite clear/Perhaps it was the devil/Who whispered in your ear.”  ‘Hero’ is a memorable rock ballad.  It points to God as bigger and better than all superheroes.  He never lets us down: “When the house fell asleep/From a book I was led to a Light that I never knew/I wanna be your Hero/And He spoke to my heart from the moment I prayed/Here’s a pattern I made for you/I wanna be your Hero.”

‘Jenny’ is about a small town girl who falls for the wrong guy and abandons her faith.  She thinks she can’t return.  She meets a tragic end: “On a train, stowaway/Jesus loves you still and your mama wants you home/But oh, bridges burn/When you carry your shame and you think you can’t return.../When they finally found her body on a cold dog day/It was in a cattle car, buried in the hay.../In her right hand, Jenny held the Bible of her mother/Jenny had a pistol in the other.”  ‘Baby Doe’ is sparse musically.  It is about a couple whose baby is born with a defect.  The courts allow them to let their child starve to death.  Steve issues a call to action: “I bear the blame, believers are few/And what am I to do?/I share the shame, the cradle’s below/And where is Baby Doe?”

‘Meltdown (At Madame Tussaud’s)’ is a fun, party sounding, pop/dance tune.  It is one of Steve’s hits.  The video even made it onto MTV!  The song is as relevant today as it was when it was written.  It is an indictment of celebrity: “Celebrity status only got in the way/Had my hands in my pockets on the Judgment Day/You can’t take it with you-there’s a fire in the hole/Had the world by the tail, but I lost my soul/Meltdown at Madame Tussaud’s/The queen is losing face/Meltdown at Madame Tussaud’s/A national disgrace.”  ‘We Don’t Need No Color Code’ is a dancefest using gang vocals and saxophone.  It is a criticism of Bob Jones University’s anti-interracial dating policy: “Whose translation do you read?/True believers won’t be snowed (2X)/We don’t need no color code!”

‘Am I in Sync?’ is cutting edge musically.  It may just be the best track on the album.  Singing in a lower register on this one, Steve speaks of the foolishness of chasing after fame: “Am I in sync?/Paint a picture on a subway train/Carve my name in a video game/Am I in sync?/Out looking for the camera crews/Sell my soul for a second on the evening news/Am I in sync?/Live ‘til the bubble pops/Hold my breath when the big one drops/Am I in sync?/Immortality is what I’m buying/But I’d rather be immortal by not dying.”  ‘Meat the Press’ has a punch to it.  It takes aim at mainstream media: “A Christian can’t get equal time/Unless he’s a looney committing a crime/Listen up if you’ve got ears/I’m tired of condescending sneers/I’ve got a dog who smells a fight/He still believes in wrong and right.”

‘Over my Dead Body’ uses electric guitar to good effect.  On it, Steve gets political: “After the Nazis we were baited by the Russian bear/Our liberators wanted Poland for a thoroughfare/Rise up my brothers, don’t despair the Iron Curtain rod/Someday we’ll draw the strings assisted by the hand of God/I was a victim of December 1981/I took a final beating from the blunt end of a Russian gun/You made a memory, the memory will multiply/You may kill the body but the spirit it will never die.”  ‘Sin for a Season’ has a dark, plodding feel to it.  This song reminds us our sins will always find us out despite our excuses: “But he reaps his harvest as his heart grows hard/No man’s gonna make a mockery of God/I’m only human, got no other reason/Sin for a season.”

Admittedly, MELTDOWN does have some songs that sound like B-sides.  That being said, there are also several songs here that helped secure Steve Taylor’s place as a leading pioneer in Christian alternative music.  Today’s Christian rock is missing some of the directness of message that Steve brought to the table.  I’m rating MELTDOWN 86%.

 

I WANT TO BE A CLONE

Steve Taylor, better known at birth as Roland Stephen Taylor, was born on December 9, 1957.  His Dad was a Baptist minister.  Steve graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music and theater.  He was signed to a recording contract by Billy Ray Hearn, president of Sparrow Records, and in 1983 released his debut ep I WANT TO BE A CLONE.  It was produced and engineered by Jonathan David Brown who would work with the likes of Petra, Glen Campbell, and Daniel Amos.  Taylor performs vocals and keyboards and Brian Tankersley plays bass.

‘Steeplechase’ starts things off.  It has a quirky sound and is a statement about approaching church with a consumer mentality and reminds us our main concern should not be what a church can do for us: “A change of habit/Used to go bar hopping/You started church shopping, did ya?/It’s been a problem finding one to fit ya/You didn’t feel good, did ya?/It’s a steeplechase/Blame your failures on/Churches where you’ve gone/Steeplechase/Ice cold Christian fakes/Turn to frosted flakes.”  Next up is one of my favourite Christian rock songs of all time, the title track ‘I Want to Be a Clone.’  Musically, it sounds like you’re on a pogo stick-in other words it has lots of bounce to it!  Lyrically, it calls out the church for trying to force people into uniformity of belief: “They told me that I’d fall away/Unless I followed what the say/Who needs the Bible anyway?/I want to be a clone/Their language it was new to me/But Christianese got through to me/Now I can speak it fluently/I want to be a clone.../So now I see the whole design/The church is an assembly line/The parts are there/I’m feeling fine/I want to be a clone/I’ve learned enough to stay afloat/But not so much I rock the boat/I’m glad they shoved it down my throat/I want to be a clone.”  Uniformity is a far cry from unity!  Taylor even does a Bob Dylan impression at the end of the song.

‘Whatever Happened to Sin?’ uses sax and is a fast number that would be fun to dance to.  It would also be a good song to work out to.  The song is a call for Christians to wake up from their slumber, apathy, and complacency.  It specifically targets abortion, homosexuality, and less than noble politicians: “When the closets are empty/And the clinics are full/When your eyes have been blinded/By society’s wool/When the streets erupt/In your own backyard/You’ll be on your knees/Praying for the national guard/If you don’t care now/How the problems get solved/You can shake your head later/That you never got involved/Cause the call came ringing/From the throne of gold/But you never got the message/Cause your mind’s on hold.”  I could hear Sting singing the next song, ‘Written Guarantee’ for some reason.  It is about the benefits of surrendering all to the Father: “Full of feelings that I couldn’t afford/Till I up and threw my heart overboard/Take it all cause I remember when/I lost my life so You could find it again/It’s a written guarantee/When I give it up to You/You give it back to me/Who is gonna disagree?/When I give it up to You/You give it back to me.”

Steve Taylor tries out his rap skills, possibly tongue-in-cheek on ‘Bad Rap (Who you Tryin’ to Kid, Kid?)’ and does a decent job.  The lyrics address skeptics of the Christian faith bluntly and with gusto: “Convictions make your skin to crawl/You act like you’re above it all/You say faith is a crutch for a mind that’s closed/You guzzle your crutch and shove it up your nose.../Can’t understand those Christians/So you type us all in stereo/They’re hypocrites/They’re such a bore/Well, come on in/There’s room for one more.”  ‘Whatcha Gonna Do When Your Number’s Up?’ brings the funk musically.  Harry Bruckner is on bass for this one.  It sounds like a song a fundamentalist would write to a liberal: “You say humanist philosophy/Is what it’s all about/You’re so open minded/That your brain leaked out/Whatcha gonna do when your number’s up?/Time to lay diplomas down/Whatcha gonna do when your number’s up/And you’re buried six feet underground?”  My caution would be that education and learning should not be seen as enemies of the Christian faith.  We need Christian intellects who know what they believe and why.  Ravi Zacharias comes to mind.

I WANT TO BE A CLONE is a strong debut ep from Mr. Taylor.  Each song makes a statement and is not afraid to challenge both individual Christians and the church as an institution.  Fans of new wave and pop music should check this one out.  Though it runs less than twenty minutes, it says a lot.  I am rating it 87%.

               

RAY BOLTZ

We need more of this in evangelical Christian circles. More of what? Authenticity and honesty about what one believes about sexuality and other moral issues. While I don't agree with all of Ray's conclusions/beliefs I appreciate his vulnerability. Too often in Christian circles if one is not willingly fighting every area of sin in their lives, we right them off. We think "God could not be as pleased with them as he is with me and my other church members". Or we think "If that person really was a Christian and loved the Lord like they should, they would achieve total victory or at least be pursuing it". Truth be told, we all, whether we admit it or not have areas in our lives as Christians we probably justify. The Christian music industry is rampant with divorces and even remarriages. And churches accept common-law attendees. I long for the day when evangelical churches will have more openly gay couples in their congregations. Notice I did not s...ay I long for the day they condone homosexual activity. I just don't think we need to get so worked up about it and say that is the 'biggie' when it comes to sins. If most of us in the pews are honest, the likelihood is that some have had homosexual fantasies regarding men or women, and if studies are to be believed, a lot of Christians don't have it any more together when it comes to sex (thought life included), than non-Christians do. By alienating homosexuals from our evangelical churches, we are aiding in them finding acceptance in churches that no longer believe in Christ as the way to heaven. If we can find room in our churches for gossips, liers, properity teaching, materialistic people, and Christian celebrities, can we not look past someone's sexuality and embrace a gay/lesbian as our brother and sister. When we take the burden off of ourselves of playing God, God is given His rightful place. Please watch the following video interview of singer Ray Boltz: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWAzfiQVEL0

 

SOMETHING NEW UNDER THE SON

Larry Norman’s voice probably wouldn’t have won him American Idol.  He shares that distinction with other influential singer-songwriters such as Neil Young and Bob Dylan.  Norman’s greatest achievement was founding what later became known as Contemporary Christian Music and then finding ways to expand its definition.  In 1977 Norman recorded SOMETHING NEW UNDER THE SON.  The record label would not release it, in part, because they deemed it too dark and moody.  Norman would release the album on his own Solid Rock Records, but not until 1981.  The album is influenced by Bob Dylan’s BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME and EXILE ON MAIN STREET by the Stones.

‘Hard Luck, Bad News’ is upbeat musically, but begins with these depressing lyrics: “Hard luck and bad news/Has followed me from town to town/All my life my luck’s been down/I’m getting so weary/I don’t have one friend/Folks turn their backs when I’m around/Where I walk the grass turns brown/No one will come near me.”  ‘Feeling So Bad’ has a slow groove to it and finds Larry again down in the dumps: “Well, I saw you last week/You went out on the sly/You walked into some church/I suspected the worst/Bet you met some guy/Then I waited outside/But you came out alone/With a satisfied look/And a little black book/Then you went straight home.”

Larry delivers a haunting vocal on ‘I Feel Like Dying’.  Those who have lost in love will be able to relate to these words: “I feel like dying/I’ve done all I can/But I’ve lost my woman/She ran off with another man/I think I’m dying/I’m feeling such pain/My life is trouble/And I cannot take the strain...”  ‘Born to Be Unlucky’ would be a fun song to dance to with its musical mixture of rock and roll and blues.  It is a story song about one realizing Someone powerful cares about them: “I jumped into the river to try to put myself away/A man jumped in and saved me/Spoiled a perfect day/He dragged me to the river’s edge/He said he knew I had a need/Then He pulled out a soggy Bible/And that man began to read/Well he told me things I did not know/I’m glad I did not die/’Cause he told me God’s my Father and my real home is in the sky.”

‘Watch What You’re Doing’ is Norman’s most well know song from this CD.  It begins with some of most unique lyrics to a CCM song ever: “Mamma killed the chicken/She thought it was a duck/She put it on the table/With its legs sticking up/Papa broke his glasses/When he fell down drunk/Tried to drown the kitty cat/Turned out to be a skunk/You gotta watch what you’re doing/Didn’t you know?”  ‘Leaving the Past Behind’ is a fast paced track.  It reminds us not to hide our Light under a bushel: “Man is born in trouble/Everybody got the blues/People looking for an answer/People listenin’ for Good News/So if you got the answer/Then there’s one thing you must do/You must  tell them what you know/And you must live a life that’s true.”

‘Put Your Life into His Hands’ has a catchy sing-a-long chorus that continues the theme of witnessing: “So put your life in Jesus’ nail scarred hands/Put your life in Jesus’ nail scarred hands/You have heard the wondrous story/Now go and tell it ‘cross the land/Tell ‘em put your life in Jesus’ nail scarred hands.”    ‘Larry Norman’s 97^th Nightmare’ is one of my Dad’s favourites.  It showcases Norman’s humour: “I was standin’ on the corner/When I heard my bulldog bark/I looked up into the sky/And saw lights moving through the dark/They were coming down from Heaven/Each one was brighter than a star/And I said to my bulldog/I wonder what they are.../I was standing at the gates of Heaven/When a hand reached out to touch my head/Then I fell through a hole in Heaven/I landed back in my bed.”

‘Let that Tape keep Rolling (’69 Bio Version)’ has a party feel to it musically and has Norman reflecting on getting his start as a Jesus music artist: “Well, I started out ten years ago/My guitar in my hand/I took the music in my heart/And played it with a band/I went down to the tower/To record UPON THIS ROCK/I sang it like I felt it/I just let the music talk/I know where I am going/And I know who I must be/Don’t care how long it takes me/Cause there’s lots of things to see/C’mon let that tape keep rolling!”  A feel good demo version of ‘Twelve Good Men’ follows.

‘Deep Blue (Rough Mix)’ is a wonderful song that again finds Larry lamenting lost love: “I’ve been thinking about you for a long, long time/I’ve been sinking in deep blue and my future’s black.../The days and weeks fly by/And I watch my feelings slowly die/I can feel the hope inside me pass away/I lost my health, I lost my love/I lost my will to live/I’m a heartbroken fugitive.”  A rough mix of ‘It’s Only Today That Counts’ is laid back and closes off the album.  It offers us timeless good advice: “There’s no use dreaming of a perfect future/Or regretting a troubled past/It’s only today that counts/So live it like it might be your last.”

SOMETHING NEW UNDER THE SON is to be applauded for its blues guitar licks.  Larry Norman is responsible for vocals, guitars, percussion, piano, harmonica and sax.  Jon Linn is credited with guitars and flaming fingers.  Randy Stonehill and Tom Howard are responsible for loose strings and lost paperwork, while Billy Batstone is one of the bass players.  This album is artistic and innovative.  Larry did not shy away from exploring the emotional highs and lows one experiences as he/she walks through this life.  Refreshingly, these songs don’t sound like they were written to fit on Christian radio.  Larry Norman marched to the beat of his own drum and we are all the better for it.  This record garners a 95% from this critic.  For more info visit: www.larrynorman.com

 

WALKIN' ON FAITH

Brandy Allison grew up in small town South Carolina, the baby of blue-collar cotton mill workers.  She married a country boy named Josh, but they got into drugs.  Five years later they began delving into the Bible and were planning to start a family.  Brandy became a widow at the age of 27 on August 20, 2010 when Josh was killed in a motorcycle accident.  Brandy recalls: “In that instant, everything changed for me.  I surrendered my life to God, knowing that without Him, there was no way I could make it.”  She adds: “You hear all your life that God is with you, but when you have nothing left and there He is, you can feel the Truth.”  Brandy got clean and sober.  She was greatly encouraged by the music and message of Contemporary Christian artists such as Third Day and Amy Grant.  Of her new ep WALKIN’ ON FAITH (2013, Salvation Road Records), Brandy says: “Every song is a conversation, something I have to sing about, something I’ve experienced on this road to healing.”

‘Walkin’ On Faith’ is a R&B influenced pop song of surrender to God written by Jason Phelps: “I lay it all in Your hands/All my world, all my plans/Only You bring out the best in me/When I’ve made a mess of me/When my hope is almost gone/And I’m barely hangin’ on/I’ve taken just about all I can take/Suddenly You light the way/With Your grace/I keep walkin’ on faith.”  Eliot Sloan, Michael Lorello, and Alex Lacasse wrote the cheery sounding pop song ‘Trust in You’.  It offers a spiritual cure for insomnia: “It’s the middle of the night/I got too much on my mind/And I can’t find a way to fall asleep/I keep starin’ at the clock/And I swear it must have stopped/Till I speak Your Name and know You’re here with me/Ain’t gonna worry tonight/It’s not my fight/Cuz I put all my trust in You/I put all my trust in You.”

‘Your Word’ assures us of God’s faithfulness to us in the hard times: “Your Word is right there, yeah shinin’ like a beacon/When I’m hurt and I’m scared, I’m falling in the deep end/You give me hope, You give me strength/I know what I’m worth/When I turn to Your Word/Some days can be so hard to handle/But Your love is like a candle/Calling the broken/With Your arms wide open.”  ‘Like You Do’ is a danceable track with a very positive message: “I’m wakin’ up to see this beautiful sun/And look around at all the great things You’ve done/See you took my life and made it exactly what it’s meant to be/And there’s an old me I just don’t recognize/Before You came and put Your light in my eyes/I’m so glad that You’ve created a world that You made just for me.” 

Brandy’s first single was ‘My Hallelujah’ penned by Marti Dodson.  It was one of Christian Music Weekly’s Top 40 Inspirational Songs of 2012.  It is a song of praise and worship: “The poor, the sick, the lost, the weak/There’s no one Lord, You cannot reach/Deliverer of all good things/I will forever sing/My hallelujah/Hands to heaven/Every minute, every hour/I’m surrounded by Your power/Holy, holy/My King forever/Your mercy is a gift I’ll never earn/And all I have to offer in return (2X)/Is my hallelujah.”  A strong song ‘Soul Strings’ closes out the ep and reminds us that God requires true repentance: “While I’m on my knees/I feel Him tuggin’ at my soul strings/Askin’ me to put away the old things/It’s keepin’ me from growing closer to His love/I hear Him asking for my whole heart/I’ve never given Him the best part.” 

WALKIN’ ON FAITH was produced by Mark Ligget (New Kids on the Block) and Jerry Lane (Blessid Union of Souls).  It is dedicated to Brandy’s late husband, Josh.  Fans of other female inspirational pop artists such as Tammy Trent, Zoegirl, and Britt Nicole, should download this ep.  Brandy has a good heart and a nice voice to listen to.  I’m rating this ep 86%.  For more info visit: www.brandyallison.com.

 

THE CATHEDRALS LIVE IN CHICAGO

The Cathedrals began as a trio comprised of Glen Payne, Bobby Clark, and Danny Koker in 1963.  Evangelist Rex Humbard hired them on to accompany him at his services at The Cathedral of Tomorrow in Ohio.  In 1964 bass singer George Younce joined what became The Cathedral Quartet.  In 1969 they broke off on their own.  They appeared on the Gospel Singing Jubilee tv show and at Bill Gaither’s Praise Gathering in Indianapolis, TN.  This gave the quartet more exposure and put them in demand.  The quartet was a favourite on the Gaither Homecoming videos in the 1990’s.  In 2012 StowTown Records released the cd THE CATHEDRALS LIVE IN CHICAGO.   It was recorded live at Moody Memorial Church in Chicago on March 16, 1996.  The group’s roster at the time was the same from 1991 until their farewell in 1999. 

The Cathedrals are introduced by Moody Radio personality Chris Fabry.  ‘O Come Along’ penned by Dianne Wilkinson, is the first song performed.  It is a happy song that features pianist Roger Bennett tickling the ivories: “Oh, come along with me and go to that land/Where milk and honey flow so free/God has prepared that city with His own hand/And there’s a mansion waiting me/We’ll spend the endless ages praising His Name/As we sing redemption’s song/Oh, we’ll be leaving just any day/Suddenly called away/Don’t stay behind, oh, come along.”  ‘Step into the Water’ penned by former group member Kirk Talley, is one of the most popular Cathedrals songs of all time.  Some may not like its militant lyrics: “It’s time we the people stand up for what is right/It’s time we squared our shoulders back and raised our swords to fight/For the Bible is my weapon and the Spirit is my shield/The Church needs more of its members to be workers in the field.”

George Younce affectionately jokes about lead singer Glen Payne being an ‘old man.’  Payne had been in full time music ministry for 52 years at the time!  ‘Your Blesser ain’t never Been Blessed’ has a cool, relaxed sound to it: “When the saints begin to gather just to sing about the Savior/It’s a blessed time for me/You really know you’re livin’, it’s the closest thing to heaven/Hear that old-time harmony/When the singers get inspired and the tenor sings up higher/And the bass goes lower than the rest/If you haven’t ever listened to an old-time singing/Then your blesser ain’t never been blessed.”  Adger M. Pace and JT Cook wrote ‘The Heavenly Parade’, a song dating back to 1937.  Here we have a fast paced acapella version of it.  Lyrically, it offers spiritual motivation for those who are weary: “Our traveling days will soon be over here/And we shall cross the rolling tide/For we are down here for just a little while/Our home is on the other side/Ambassadors true for Jesus our Redeemer/And it’s a love crusade/For right against wrong/But soon we’ll join the throng in Heaven when the saints parade.”

Stuart Hamblen wrote the lively song ‘This Ole House’ in 1954.  It reminds us that this physical life we live is only temporary and greater things are to come: “Ain’t gonna need this house no longer/Ain’t gonna need this house no more/Ain’t got time to fix the shingles/Ain’t got time to fix the floor/Ain’t got time to oil the hinges/Nor to mend the window pane/Ain’t gonna need this house no longer/I’m getting ready to meet the saints.”  The Cathedrals even break into ‘When the Saints Go Marching In.’  ‘Life Will Be Sweeter Some Day’ was penned by Luther G. Presley.  It is a slower paced number featuring talented harmonica player Buddy Greene.  The song shares the hopes so many Christians have for eternity: “Don’t you know I’m gonna sing, sing/With the angels above?/I’m gonna talk, talk/To the ones that I love/I’m gonna tell Him/About my troubles/After awhile, after awhile.”

Marvin P. Dalton wrote ‘Oh, What a Savior’ in 1948.  This powerful ballad spotlights tenor Ernie Haase: “Once I was straying in sin’s dark valley/No hope within could I see/Oh, but they searched through heaven/And they found a Savior/To save a poor lost soul like me/O what a Savior, O hallelujah!/His heart was broken on Calvary/His hands were nail scarred/His side was riven/He gave His life-blood for even me.”  ‘Jesus Saves’ features baritone Scott Fowler.  The song admits that not everyone is excited about the Gospel message: “But the world still tells us daily that God is not alive/And salvation’s plan is just a fairy tale/But their lies don’t change the truth that Jesus died for you/And the Word says His returning could happen any day.”  ‘I Thirst’ by Beverly Lowry is a reverent song that reflects on Christ’s time on the cross: “He said ‘I thirst’/Yet He made the rivers/He said ‘I thirst’/Yet He made the sea/’I thirst’ said the King of the ages/In His great thirst/He brought water to me.” 

‘Because He Lives’ written by Bill and Gloria Gaither is a wonderful song of hope we sang during my grandfather’s  burial: “God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus/He came to love, heal, and forgive/He bled and died to buy my pardon/An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives/Because He lives I can face tomorrow/Because He lives, all fear is gone/Because I know He holds the future/And life is worth the living/Just because He lives.”

At this point in the concert, pianist Roger Bennett gives a testimony.  In August of 1995 he was diagnosed with leukemia.  He felt as if life had stopped.  He began praying that God would heal him so he’d have a great testimony.  God showed him though to praise Him even while he was sick and going through chemo.  The Bible says God is with us as we go through the valley of the shadow of death.  At the time of this 1996 concert Roger’s leukemia was in remission, but he had made peace  with the fact that it could come back.  The Cathedrals proceed to sing a song Roger and his wife Debbie wrote (‘Don’t Be Afraid’) a year and a half before they found out Roger had cancer.  Here are some of the words: “The disciples were tossed on a cold, raging sea/But Jesus was sleeping so peacefully/They cried, ‘Master, don’t you care that we die?’/He spoke three soft words, ‘Peace, be still’/It was the storm that had to die.”  Appropriately the last song performed is an acapella version of William Cowper’s ‘There is a Fountain.’

I’m rating THE CATHEDRALS LIVE IN CHICAGO 90%.  They are one of the best quartets of all time and really put on a good show balanced with humour and sincerity.  It’s hard to believe three of the five group members on this recording are deceased (Payne, Younce, and Bennett).  What a legacy they left though!  Visit: www.southerngospelblog.com, www.erniehaase.com, and www.legacyfive.com.

 

SOME PEOPLE CHANGE

Michael English was born on April 12, 1962 in Kenansville, North Carolina.  Over the years he has been a member of The Singing Samaritans, The Singing Americans, The Goodmans, and The Gospel Couriers.  He is currently a member of The Gaither Vocal Band.  His debut solo disc which was self-titled won two Dove Awards for him in 1992 for Male Vocalist and New Artist of the Year.  In 1994 he confessed to having an affair with Marabeth Jordan of First Call, a group that was touring with him.  She suffered a miscarriage.  English divorced and tried his hand in mainstream music.  He recorded the duet ‘Healing’ with Wynonna Judd.  Later, his cover of John Berry’s 1994 hit ‘Your Love Amazes Me’ did well.  Eventually English would return to Christian music. He also remarried.  SOME PEOPLE CHANGE (2012, Curb Records) is his eighth solo album.

The album begins with an upbeat country number ‘I Ain’t Givin’ Up on Jesus’.  CCM vet Chris McHugh plays drums, and banjo and fiddle are also  used.  This song makes it clear where Michael places his faith: “Hard times can make a grown man cry/Some folks wanna cuss their Maker/I say just give Him time/I ain’t givin’ up on Jesus/He ain’t never give up on me/Ain’t nothin’ gonna come between us/I ain’t givin’ up on Jesus.”  ‘Come to the River’ features Michael’s vocal hero and former Imperial, Russ Taff.  This song has an old time gospel feel.  It is an invitation to be spiritually rejuvenated: “You weary soldier with battered shield/Come bathe your wounds and you will be healed/Your heart renewed and your hope restored/Just go under the water and thirst no more/Come wash in the river/Come drink your fill/Let healing waters/Bear away your guilt/Lay down your burdens/On that beautiful shore/Come wash in the river/Come be reborn.”  ‘I’d Rather Have Jesus’ was penned in 1939 by Rhea Miller and George Shea.  Michael delivers a moving version of it here, with Charlie Judge on strings.  The song describes our Saviour as a priceless treasure: “I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold/I’d rather have Him than have riches untold/I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands/I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand/Than to be the king of a vast domain/And be held in sin’s dread sway/I’d rather have Jesus than anything/This world affords today.”

Neil Thrasher, Jason Sellers, and Michael Dulaney wrote the mid-tempo country song ‘Some People Change’.  What a wonderful title track!  It is a story song about the evils of racism and alcoholism.  It encourages relatives of those trapped in sin not to give up on their loved ones: “Thank God for those who made it/Let them be the Light/Here’s to the strong; thanks to the brave/Don’t give up hope, some people change/Against all odds, against the grain/Love finds a way, some people change.”  ‘I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)’ features super talented vocalist Crystal Lewis.  It is a groovy song with horns and saxophones.  It is about the power of romantic love: “When the river was deep, I didn’t falter/When the mountain was high, I still believed/When the valley was low, it didn’t stop me, no/I knew you were waiting/I knew you were waiting for me/With an endless desire/I kept on searching/Sure in time our eyes would meet.”

‘On That Great Day’ is a mellow track featuring The Martins.  It looks forward with anticipation to the glorious future awaiting us as believers: “We’ll meet at the river/We’ll be delivered of every chain/Down into the water/Children, mothers, and fathers in His sweet Name/To drown all our sins/And come up again forever changed/Never to return/To the people we were before that great day/We will patiently wait ‘til we see His face.”  A creative remake of Michael’s signature song from 1991 ‘In Christ Alone’ follows.  Ilya Toshinskiy plays acoustic guitar, Kenny Greenberg and Sean Neff play electric, and harp is also used.  The lyrics point to Jesus as the only reason to boast: “In Christ alone/I place my trust/And find my glory/In the power of the cross/In every victory/Let it be said of me/My source of strength/My source of hope/Is Christ alone.”

A new imagining of the old gospel classic ‘I Wouldn’t take nothing for my Journey’ (1964) for a younger audience, is up next.  Harmonica, fiddle, and dobro are used, while Gaither Vocal Band members Mark Lowry, David Phelps, and Wes Hampton lend vocals.  This is a song of gratitude: “There’s nothing in the world that’ll ever take the place of God’s love/Silver and gold could never buy a mighty touch from above/When my soul needs healing and I begin to feeling His power/I can say ‘Thank the Lord, I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now.```  Jennie Lee Riddle and Michael Farren wrote `Waking Up the Dawn` which finds Michael in CCM territory.  It is a song of celebration: ``With the yearning for our King to come/Every tribe and tongue with a voice of one/Hear the melodies of hearts in love/Arise and shine one and all/We’re waking up the dawn/Soon the sun will never set again/All our sorrows will finally end/With the waking of the dawn (2X).”  ‘Stubborn (Psalm 15)’ is a mighty fine CCM ballad that finds Michael struggling with the devil: “There’s a molecule of faith in this room/What they used to call a mustard seed/There’s a molecule of faith in this room/And a book that says that’s all I’ll ever need/I don’t know where it is, but I hope I find it soon/’Cause nothing else will ever set me free/There’s a molecule of faith in this room/And even though it’s much too small to see/If I have the courage to believe/I’ll find the One who left it here for me.”  As a special bonus cut, Michael covers ‘I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry’ (1949) by Hank Williams.  It is a sad tune: “Did you ever see a robin weep/When leaves begin to die?/That means he’s lost the will to live/I’m so lonesome I could cry/The silence of a falling star/Lights up a purple sky/And as I wonder where you are/I’m so lonesome I could cry.”

SOME PEOPLE CHANGE finds Michael’s voice in fine form.  It is an album of great maturity and depth.  Fans of Guy Penrod, Russ Taff, and Clay Crosse will enjoy it.  Michael is one of my all time favourite male vocalists.  You can catch him live at Church on the Queensway this New Year’s Eve.  I’m rating SOME PEOPLE CHANGE 90%.  It was mainly produced by Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts.  Visit www.michaelenglishmusic.com for more info.

 

WHAT KIND OF CHURCH

Psalm 104:33 reads: “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;/I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.”  In 2000 The Watchmen released the album WHAT KIND OF CHURCH recorded at Sound on Sound Recording Studio in Kitchener, Ontario.  At this time the group members were: Doug Jones (lead), Tim Harden (tenor), Dave Yake (bass), Dave Jantzi (baritone), and Brian Winger (pianist).

The album begins with ‘We Represent the King’ which has a cheerful sound and an evangelistic message: “Hear ye, hear ye, people of all nations/We have all been called to spread the Word/To tell the whole world of His mercy and His love/So they might come to know the Master that we serve/Oh, we represent the King, He’s the reason that we sing/The life we live is dedicated to His majesty/From His mighty throne He rules by grace alone/We’re here to praise His Name in everything/We represent the King.”  ‘Arise My Love’ is an inspiring ballad about the resurrection of Christ: “Sin, where are your shackles?/Death, where is your sting?/Hell has been defeated/The grave could not hold the King/Arise my love, arise my love/The grave no longer has a hold on you/No more death’s sting, no more suffering/Arise, arise, arise.”

‘I Will Build My Church’ penned by Tim Harden, has as its subject matter the Bride of Christ: “A shining light for you and a beacon clear/Over the years O Lord, you’ve seen our joy, our tears/Come fill our hearts anew with holy awe/As we exalt and lift Jesus high, Your people draw/And He said, ‘I will build My church, I will make it strong/I will manifest My glory as you worship and share My story/Yes, I will build My church.”   ‘What Kind of Church’, the title track, is an upbeat, introspective Southern Gospel number: “How many times have I said I loved Jesus but turned a deaf ear to a need?/How many times have I said I’m a Christian but never one soul did I lead?/How many luxuries have I passed by to have more to give to the Lord?/Jesus I promise as long as I live from now on, I’m gonna do more/I wonder what kind of church would my church be if every member was just like me?/How many souls would be saved today/If it all depended on what I say?” 

The familiar gospel song ‘In the Presence of Jehovah’ is next.  It is about finding one’s refuge and sense of belonging in Father God: “Through His love the Lord provided a place for us to rest/A place to find the answers in the hour of distress/Now there’s never any reason/For you to give up in despair/Just slip away and breathe His Name/He will surely meet you there/In the presence of Jehovah/God Almighty, Prince of Peace/Troubles vanish, hearts are mended/In the presence of the King.”  ‘Once in Every Life’ written by Brian Winger, is a song that lovingly calls out to those who are spiritually lost: “Once in every life we must realize that there’s a choice for all eternity/O come to Him today/Please don’t delay/This chance may never come again my friend/Won’t you let Him in, Christ the sinner’s friend?/God’s own priceless treasure given at Calvary.”

‘City of Gold’ has an upbeat country feel to it and looks forward to the eternal home we as believers will dwell in: “There will be no more sorrow, pain, sickness, or death/And the saints they will never grow old/How I long for that city.../Where the sun never sets/And the leaves never fade/And the righteous forever will shine, shine like the stars/In that beautiful city of gold.”  ‘When the World Looks at Me’ is a ballad about living with a sure purpose: “I want my life to be a light to those around me/I want my life to be a roadmap that says home/I want my life to be a beacon on life’s raging sea/I want the world to see Jesus when they look at me.”

‘Out of His Great Love’ is a short, catchy ditty about God’s love, care, and salvation.  ‘Great, Great Morning’ is however this album’s shortest track at 1:39.  The song equates earthly faithfulness to God with eternal rewards: “O  it’s a great, great morning your first day in heaven when you stroll down the golden avenue/There are mansions left and right and you thrill at every sight/And the saints are always smilin’ sayin’ ‘How do you do?’/O it’s a great, great morning your first day in heaven/When you realize your worryin’ days are through/You’ll be glad you were not idle/You took time to read your Bible/It’s a great, great morning for you.”

The album’s longest track runs 6:29.  It is a decent cover of Ray Boltz’s 1986 classic story song ‘Watch the Lamb’.  The song tells the story of Simon, the man made to carry Jesus’ cross for Him before the crucifixion.  It is an emotional song.  Here are some of the lyrics: “And someone said ‘There’s Jesus’/I scarce believed my eyes/A man so badly beaten He was barely still alive/Blood poured from His body, from the thorns upon His brow/It was running down the cross He bore and spilling on the ground.”  ‘I Love to Tell the Story’ is a happy hymn: “I love to tell the story, t’will be my theme in glory/To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.”

The Watchmen say: “It is the deep desire of the group to minister to and for the Lord first, and then to provide good Christian entertainment as well.”  WHAT KIND OF CHURCH is on the traditional side and features great instrumentation.  The musicians are: Brian Winger (keyboards), Dave Lonsbury (guitar), George Lonsbury Jr. (bass), and Dale Lonsbury (drums).  The album is well produced and fans of the 100 Huntley Street Trio should enjoy the vocals.  I’m rating it 84%.  For more info and to purchase visit: www.watchmenquartet.ca.

 

HALLELUJAH

The Watchmen began their ministry in 1968 as a group of friends wanting to sing for a talent contest sponsored by Emmanuel Bible College in Kitchener, Ontario.  Their latest recording is HALLELUJAH (2008).  The CD booklet lists seven men as being part of the group at the time.  Tim Harden (tenor) pastored ten years at Sauble Christian Fellowship and is now at Rosebank BIC.  Doug Jones (lead) joined the group about a year after it began and has been involved in selling Canadian solid wood furniture in Markham.  Dave Jantzi (baritone) pastors at Glenridge Bible Church.  Filling out the group at the time of this recording were: Dave Yake (bass), Brian Winger (piano/keys), Nick Succi (bass guitar), and Dave Roth (audio tech).

This album begins with ‘Heaven’ which is an upbeat track that looks forward to the eternal home of believers in Christ: “Now when I feel discouraged and my burdens get me down/I’ll pray till I touch heaven/Now my feet are on higher ground/Heaven, had a little taste of heaven, had a little touch of heaven, had a little glimpse of heaven/Wanna go where the milk and honey flow/No more sorrow, pain, or woe/Had a little taste of heaven and I wanna go there.”  ‘Had it not Been’ reverently reflects on the atonement: “Had it not been for a place called Mount Calvary/Had it not been for the old rugged cross/Had it not been for a man called Jesus/Then forever my soul would be lost.”

‘My Name is Lazarus’ is a peppy song about the miracle working power of our God: “My name is Lazarus, could I testify?/My name is Lazarus, feels good to be alive/When I in chains of death was bound this man named Jesus called me out/If you think your little problem is too big for Him to solve, take it from the one who’s heard the mighty voice of God/A living testimony of His death defying touch/My name is Lazarus.”  ‘I am Redeemed’ reveals a God who actively pursues and changes us for the better: “I was a slave in a foreign land/So very far from the Father’s loving hand/He rescued me one glorious day/He brought me out and paid the debt I could not pay/I am redeemed, I am redeemed/Jesus loosed the chains of sin and set me free/I am redeemed, I am redeemed/Jesus loosed the chains of sin and set me free.”

‘Loving God, Loving Each Other’ is a pretty ballad that boils Christianity down to two basics: “We tend to make it harder, build steeples out of stone/Fill books with explanations of the way/If we’ll stop and listen and break a little bread/We will hear the Master say/’Loving God, loving each other/Making music with my friends/Loving God, loving each other/And the story never ends.’”  ‘Grace and Glory’ is a hand-clapper and toe-tapper that speaks of the gratitude of those God redeems: “There’s splendor for the sinner saved by God’s amazing grace/There’s glory in their story as they run this pilgrim race/They spend their days to give their praises to the Lord and King/Till the work is done they’ll serve the One who gave them everything.”

‘I Will Glory in the Cross’ is a mellow ballad that should humble us all spiritually: “I boast not of works, nor tell of good deeds/For naught have I done to merit His grace/All glory and praise shall rest upon Him/So willing to die in my place/I will glory in the cross, in the cross/Lest His suffering all be in vain/I will weep no more for the cross that He bore/But I will glory in the cross.”  ‘Try Jesus’ speaks of the faithful and reliable nature of God: “If you ever need a healer when the doctor walks away, friend, try Jesus/If you never thought you’d have the strength to face another day, try Jesus/If you ever needed someone to walk with you to the end, try Jesus/And if you ever need to hear the words ‘I forgive you’ again/Try Jesus.”

‘Hallelujah Chorus’ joyfully declares that Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords, and that He will reign forever over His Kingdom.  This familiar song of praise is no doubt where this album’s title comes from.  ‘Haven of Rest’ calls us all to find refuge, security, and salvation in Christ: “I yielded myself to His tender embrace/In my faith I took hold of His Word/My fetters fell off and I anchored my soul/The haven of rest is my Lord/Oh, come to the Saviour, He patiently waits to save by His power divine/Anchor your soul in the haven of rest/And say my Beloved is mine.”  A beautiful instrumental version of Andrae Crouch’s ‘My Tribute’ showcasing Brian Winger on piano is included as a bonus track on the CD.

HALLELUJAH presents a clear Gospel message and features great harmonies.  Fans of the Torchmen and the Nations Quartet should pick this album up.  Since this recording Brian Winger retired from the group.  Don McNiven, who is Executive Director of the International BIC Association, is the new pianist.  Also, Dave Yake had to depart due to health issues.  Roy Lewis from Belfast, Northern Ireland now sings bass.  You can catch The Watchmen live on July 27/13 at 7pm at Stayner Missionary Camp.  Visit www.watchmenquartet.ca.  I'm rating HALLELUJAH 87%.