ALBUM REVIEW - "RUN FROM THE DARKNESS" BY THE DANIEL BAND

 

A friend of mine, Concert Fotos photographer Chad Fenner, told me this was his third favorite album. Ever.

As a fan of the Daniel Band, and hearing some of the songs in isolation, I wasn't surprised. But a couple of weeks ago, I finally listened to the complete project, and concur that this is a great album.

I can talk about all the great songs on this project. It's easier to say they all fit that category. One song, however, stands out, which is the title track. That song has joined "He's The Creator" (from On Rock), "Spiritual Game" (also On Rock), and "Here I Am" (from Straight Ahead) as my favorite Daniel Band songs.

In other words, I really enjoyed it.

One other note - the final two tracks on this version were originally on other projects. "My Children" was the finale on the fourth album, "Rise Up," while "In The Sky" was originally on  their dubut project, "On Rock." Listening to the latter on Spotify, it gives the time as being 6 minutes, about twice as long as the "On Rock" version, but on Spotify, the extra time is silent.

ALBUM REVIEW - "STRAIGHT AHEAD" BY THE DANIEL BAND

In the early '80's, Christian music saw not one, not two, but three albums called "Straight Ahead": Jamie Owens-Collins in '81, Amy Grant in '84, and in between, The Daniel Band ('83). Which do I like best? Technically, it's a two way tie, but one of those two is The Daniel Band. Their debut project, "On Rock," has always been one of my favorite albums, and "Straight Ahead" is a worthy follow-up.

Let me divide the songs in two categories. I'll start with the majority - those with bassist Dan McCabe doing lead vocals. All of them were good, but five of the seven stand out: "You're All I Need," "Here I Am," "Reality," "Come Into My Life," and "Comin' Home." "Here I Am" is a song that has always had a special place in my life. By the way, two of the songs are demos from "On Rock": an extended version of "Free From Sin" and "I'm Sorry." (I didn't note anything different standing out on the latter.)

Guitarist Tony Rossi did the singing on the remaining three songs. The title track was a typical hard rock song; the others were not. "T'ank You" is a pop/island style song, while "In My Mind" (the last track before the two demos) was more of an acoustic ballad.

I absolutely love this album, and highly recommend it.

ALBUM REVIEW - "ON ROCK" BY THE DANIEL BAND

 Back in the early '80's, Orange County CA station KYMS would broadcast Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa's live Saturday concerts. In '81, The Daniel Band, not to be confused with Daniel Amos, was one of the artists. At first, I thought they were a little too hard rock for my tastes. But a year later, they came back, and a friend heard them practice and raved about them. So I listened to them over the radio, and was hooked. For the next month I looked every week to find out if their new album was out, and when I saw "On Rock" on the shelves, one of those albums came home with me.

There are certain artists that have such a strong first song on their debut album that it sounds like they're making sure everybody knows they've arrived. Songs like "More Than A Feeling" by Boston or "Feels Like The First Time" by Foreigner or "Loud and Clear" by Stryper. Add "He's the Creator" from The Daniel Band to that list. Guitarist Tony Rossi's opening riffs capture my attention, combined with lead vocalist Dan McCabe reminding us that, yes, God is the Creator of the universe. Somebody, please talk your group into covering it, because we need to hear that song again. That's not the only song on the project that needs to be heard by today's audience: "Undercover Christian" and "Spiritual Game" both are strong messages to the church to return to their first love.

There is not one mediocre song on the project, but some stand out. "I'm  Sorry" features unforgettable guitar picking by Rossi, and if you need a pick-up, "You Don't Need The Blues," one of the few times Rossi takes the lead vocals, will deliver. "Never Again" was entered into a contest in Toronto and came in 3rd place in a tough competition. If you hear it, you'll not be surprised. 

I can talk about the other songs, too, but I first want to mention a difference between the album that came out in '82 and the collecter's edition. The latter adds two songs to the 11 original tunes: "It All Turns To Rain" (a song that immediately made my list of Daniel Band favorites) and "I Give You All."