Voices in Shadows
Voices in Shadows | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 1985 | |||
Recorded | 1985 | |||
Studio | Whitefield Studios, Santa Ana, California | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 37:16 | |||
Label | Broken | |||
Producer | Thom Roy | |||
Youth Choir chronology | ||||
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Voices in Shadows is the first studio album by alternative rock band the Choir (known as "Youth Choir" at this point), released in 1985.
Background
Youth Choir was part of a group of Christian alternative rock bands, primarily based out of
Recording and production
Youth Choir returned to Whitefield Studios to record their debut.
Before the album's release, the band convinced the label brass to let them re-record "A Million Years" as a full band, with Mark Heard as producer, Bill Batstone on bass and including newly-hired Dan Michaels on Lyricon, before issuing that single to Christian radio. While in the studio with Heard, Youth Choir also re-recorded "Another World" as well as two new tracks: "We Should Be Dancing," and an early version of "All Night Long," the latter of which would be recorded again for the Shades of Gray EP.[10] The re-recorded version of "A Million Years" and the early version of "All Night Long" would officially be released on the compilation album Love Songs and Prayers: A Retrospective in 1995, with the other two tracks appearing on the "Nevermind the Extras" disc in the Choir's Never Say Never: The First 20 Years boxed set in 2000.[11]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
CrossRhythms | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
At the time of the album's release, CCM Magazine (during its brief run as the retitled Contemporary Christian Magazine) did not do a formal review of Voices in Shadows, but included a brief overview of the album as part of a special section entitled "New Faces in Music." Writer Scott Pinzon was critical of Youth Choir's first effort, saying the album "lacks variety, so the tunes tend to blend." Including the Imitators’ first EP in his assessment, Pinzon wrote that, "both bands suffer from low budgets, relatively inexperienced producers, and heavy-handed lyrics."[12] Contemporary Christian Magazine′s sister publication Musicline was far more charitable. Reviewer Brian Quincy Newcomb called the "Flock of Seagulls- and Police-influenced" album "a fine debut," saying that the trio of Daugherty, Hindalong and Sauerbrey "have captured a sound that is vital and interesting, while speaking with sincerity and sensitivity."[13] Martin Smith, writing for the Red Deer Advocate, agreed, calling Voices in Shadows "a masterful bit of atmospheric new wave seasoned with dashes of rambling guitar and rolling drums." He highlighted "Why Are All the Children Crying" as the centerpiece of the album, saying "it goes beyond the let's-send-money approach of Live-Aid, and examines our attitudes towards children, be they in Ethiopia or Los Angeles."[14] Smith would later select Voices in Shadows as the No. 5 contemporary Christian album of 1985.[19]
Retrospective critical reaction has also been more favorable. Mark Allender at
Accolades
- Red Deer Advocate
- No. 5 Contemporary Christian Album of the Year (1985)[19]
Track listing
All songs written by Derri Daugherty, unless otherwise specified.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Someone's Calling" | 4:27 | |
2. | "Wounds of a Young Heart" | Brian Healy, Derri Daugherty, Steve Hindalong | 2:38 |
3. | "Dreams" | Daugherty, Hindalong | 3:48 |
4. | "Another Heart" | Daugherty, Mike Sauerbrey | 3:32 |
5. | "Why Are All the Children Crying" | 4:31 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Another World" | Daugherty, Sauerbrey, Hindalong | 3:54 |
2. | "Here in the Night" | 4:17 | |
3. | "Alright Tonight" | 2:54 | |
4. | "Anyone But You" | 3:34 | |
5. | "A Million Years" | Daugherty, Hindalong | 3:41 |
Total length: | 37:16 |
Personnel
Youth Choir
- Derri Daugherty – guitars, vocals
- Steve Hindalong – drums, vocals, percussion
- Mike Sauerbrey – bass guitar
Production
- Thom Roy – producer, engineer
- Dave Hackbarth - engineer (live sound)
- Bob Salcedo, Tim Curiel - crew
- Ed McTaggart - design (sleeve)
- Kevin Short - design, layout, illustration (photo)
- Scott Lockwood - photography
- Linda Baley - photography (back cover)
References
Footnotes
- ^ News: Revelatory reunion - OCRegister.com
- ^ Conant, Palmer (2001), p. 4
- ^ Conant, Palmer (2001), p. 5
- ^ Conant, Palmer (2001), pp. 4-5
- ^ Conant, Palmer (2001), p. 6
- ^ a b c d e f Conant, Palmer (2001), p. 8
- ^ Thompson (2000), p. 123
- ^ Alfonso (2002), p. 140
- ^ a b Powell (2002), p. 168
- ^ Conant, Palmer (2001), p. 10
- ^ Woodroof, Adam (October 2001). "The Choir Releases Collection Spanning Two Decades". CCM Magazine. Nashville, Tennessee, USA: Salem Publishing.
- ^ a b Pinzon, Scott (June 1985). "Special Section: New Faces in Music – The Applaus-O-Meter Says 3-D Wins". Contemporary Christian Magazine. Laguna Hills, California, USA: CCM Publications, Inc. p. 35.
- ^ a b Newcomb, Brian Quincy (May 1985). "Reviews: Youth Choir – Voices in Shadows". Musicline. Laguna Hills, California, USA: CCM Publications, Inc. p. 22.
- ^ a b Smith, Martin (December 28, 1985). "Gospel Music: Children examined". Red Deer Advocate. Red Deer, Alberta, Canada: Black Press. p. 7B.
- ^ a b Allender, Mark. "Youth Choir: Voices in Shadows". allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
- ^ a b Myatt, Wayne (April 30, 2007). "Youth Choir: Voices in the Shadows / Shades of Gray". jesusfreakhideout.com. Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
- ^ a b Farmer, Michial (September 7, 2000). "Youth Choir: Voices in Shadows / Shades of Gray". tollbooth.org. The Phantom Tollbooth. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
- ^ a b Rimmer, Mike (December 1, 2000). "Youth Choir: Voices in Shadows". crossrhythms.co.uk. CrossRhythms. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
- ^ a b Smith, Martin (January 4, 1986). "Gospel Music". Red Deer Advocate. Red Deer, Alberta, Canada: Black Press. p. 7B.
Bibliography
- Thompson, John Joseph (2000). Raised by Wolves: The Story of Christian Rock & Roll. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: ECW Press. ISBN 1-55022-421-2.
- Conant, Andy; Palmer, Dave (2001). The Choir: Never Say Never: The First 20 Years. Brentwood (Nashville, Tennessee), USA: Galaxy21 Music. ISBN 0-688-12672-3.
- Alfonso, Barry (2002). The Billboard Guide to Contemporary Christian Music. New York, New York, USA: Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-7718-7.
- Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music. Peabody, Massachusetts, USA: Hendrickson Publishers. ISBN 1-5656-3679-1.
External links
- Voices in Shadows at Discogs (list of releases)