Daniel Amos, The English Band, S'Dance & More
Of space oddesseys and sci-fi memes
Hi Pal,
Welcome to this edition of Retro Corner, a newsletter where we explore Christian alternative sounds from the ‘70s to the ‘90s.
Stick around for the updated playlist at the end. Also, you can check out the albums on all platforms using the embedded links on the titles.
We have some fascinating artists and albums to get through today and I’m glad to have you along for the ride.
One More Song For You by The Imperials (1979) – Soul, Pop, Funk
This group started out as a Southern Gospel quartet led and created by the legend Jake Hess. Originally named Jake Hess and The Imperials, the group would evolve and go through numerous member changes between 1964 and 1976. Prominent events of this period include the retirement of Jake Hess due to health issues and the addition of Sherman Andrus in 1972, who was known as the first African-American lead singer of a prominent Christian music group in America.
In this period, they remained faithful to their Southern/Gospel roots and it was not until 1979 that they shifted gears to contemporary music. With the help of producer Michael Omartian, the band — which now consisted of original member Armond Morales along with David Will, Jim Murray and Russ Taff — created and released One More Song For You.
What You Need by The English Band (1985) — Synthpop, Indie Rock
Joe English may always be more famous for the music he created before he started this band. Prior to salvation, Joe English was the drummer for Paul McCartney & Wings and he recorded four albums with the band between 1975 and 1978. After this, he left the band and spent another two years with bands like Kingfish and Sea Level.
It wasn’t until 1980 that he began The (Joe) English Band. During the early years, he toured many popular Christian bands/acts of the time while simultaneously writing and recording what would become What You Need.
Fearful Symmetry by Daniel Amos (1986) — Synth Pop, Post Punk, Art Rock
Daniel Amos (now stylized as DA) is one of those bands that deserves to be listened to at least once. In today’s music scene, the terms “concept” and “experimental” albums have become incredibly familiar. However, in the early days of this band, they were just seen as weird.
In 1981, DA began releasing a four-volume album series titled The Alarma! Chronicles. Kicking off with Alarma! (1981), the band went on to release Doppelgänger (1983), Vox Humana (1984) and Fearful Symmetry (1986).
The first two albums had a nice balance between the new wave sounds of that era and contemporary Christian rock and even with these two albums, it was clear that the band was becoming more experimental.
By the time Fearful Symmetry rolled around, many CCM listeners had a difficult time connecting with it. In many ways, this album was ahead of its time and Terry Scott Taylor’s songwriting and composition are to thank for that.
Pain by Veil of Ashes (1989) – New Wave, Indie Rock, Pop Rock
The rise of Christian alternative music through the ‘70s and ‘80s was not the smoothest ride for all the bands involved. For every major success, as it is in every generation, there were bands that never quite got the rub of the green.
This album — Pain — was originally intended to be a part of a trilogy and thanks to Sean Doty’s energetic vocals, Veil of Ashes managed to stand out even amidst the avalanche of bands that had begun to come up in that era.
One of the best things about this album is its willingness to address sensitive issues like depression and suicide, especially for the time that it was realized. As the name suggests, this is not a happy album — although it has upbeat moments — it is an honest one.
In the end, these bright spots were not enough to keep the band afloat. The reality was they were faced with pretty daunting odds. Perhaps in a different era and with different circumstances, this band would not have burned bright way too quickly.
…And The Angels Raved On by S'Dance (1992) — Eurodance, Pop, House
S'Dance — pronounced 'stance' — is a three-piece dance band. For a band that is relatively unknown and is quite frankly a “deep cut” on the scene, this album is surprisingly good.
The album is a nice blend of thumping dance tracks and contemporary pop/worship ballads which makes for a thoroughly engaging experience. For anyone who is a fan of modern electronic interpretations of house, trance and dubstep; and the angels raved on is the retro blanket where these sounds comfortably rest on.
To Chase Away The Birds by Waterdeep (1995) – Alternative, Folk
Waterdeep is primarily made up of husband and wife duo, Lori and Don Chaffer. Their first album, To Chase Away The Birds, is a good introduction to what this band stands for.
One of the more fascinating things about them is that there is a pseudo-dichotomy between their live performances and the way the albums generally sound. At their shows, they are very vocal about their testimony and their faith, coming across almost like a worship band.
Their albums, however, are quite different in tone. This is not to suggest that they do not sing Christian songs, but their uniqueness lies in a specific theme.
They have the uncanny ability to capture the mundane hassles, pleasures and dregs of everyday life. It can be jarring and sometimes uncomfortable, but it’s always real. This album is a wonderful introduction to this theme.
Delicate Fade by Common Children (1997) - Alternative Rock
Marc Byrd, one of the original members of Common Children, is an established name in the ambient/post-rock scene producing music alongside Andrew Thompson — who also joined the band for a while — under the name Hammock.
With the success of Hammock, it is sometimes easy to forget that Common Children was one of the bands that greatly influenced the rise of Christian alternative rock between the late ‘90s and early 2000s.
The band recorded just three albums and Delicate Fade — the second — is the best of the bunch. It’s beautiful alternative rock at its finest.
That’s it for today.
See you soon!
Don’t forget to let me know what you think. What are your favourite songs from the playlist so far?
Haven't even heard of one single band! I'm gonna have fun with this