The latest part of the ongoing series chronicling, in no particular order, the greatest 1001 recordings made by Christian artists

198. THE SOURCE FTG CANDI STATON - YOU GOT THE LOVE, 1991. From the single, Total Record Co.
The dance and pop hit which took Candi, once a premier disco diva, momentarily back into the limelight after years of relative obscurity when she recorded a series of self-penned gospel albums which were in all honesty not very good. The strange thing was that the Source's producers got Candi singing this delicious house anthem by sampling her singing acappella on a video and putting her vocal over a track already making noise as an instrumental! Such stories are the stuff that dance music legends are made. Sadly, there were to be no follow ups and the penny still didn't drop with Candi that her delicious, creamily soulful voice sounds best on full tilt dance rhythms. One day Candi might forget trying to produce herself, bring in a dance producer and make a sanctified dance classic. 'Til then I'll keep playing this slight, but so infectious, hit.
Tony Cummings

199. SUNFLOWERS - WISHFUL THINKING, 1994. From the EP 'Sunflowers', independent.
Neil Costello is best known as a producer/engineer/guitarist on dozens of British Christian music albums but this demo shows he has the chops to make magnificent, earthy guitar-driven rock. Don't know if the Sunflowers are an on-going project or a pitch-for-stardom that didn't catch the ear of the major's (tone deaf) A&R men. But either way this is incisive, indie-ish rock that still gets the adrenalin pumping.
Tony Cummings

Tom Howard And Bill Batstone

200. T0M HOWARD AND BILL BATSTONE - THINK ON THESE THINGS, 1985. From the album 'One By One', A&S.
Two veterans of CCM and praise and worship only joined forces for one album but it's a gem, their cohesive pop rock voices and instrumentation forever engaging the listener with catchy melodic hooks. It's when they turn on their full acerbic lyric-writing skills that the duo really catch fire. Catch the lyric here, "Whatsoever is cute/Whatsoever is elating/Whatsoever favours you with heightened media ratings/Think on these things."
Tony Cummings

As published in CR27, 1st June 1995
201. PATRICK HENDERSON AND THE WEST ANGELES COGIC SANCTUARY CHOIR - LET THE SPIRIT FALL DOWN ON ME, 1981. From the album 'Look To Jesus', Newpax.
The question has to be asked (though not answered - in this review anyway) why it is that in the '90s such a vibrant stream of music as black gospel choirs has turned into a vast assembly line of whooping and hollering, "let's have church, wow, yeah, Lord have mercy, amen! amen" stereotypes with only one track in a thousand standing out from the huge mounds of recordings. Thankfully this one does stand out, thanks in part to veteran gospel and R&B producer Patrick Henderson making sure the WACOGICS have a good song to start with. Vibrant, soul-satisfying praise with a righteous sister soulfully asking the Spirit to do his work while those massed voices urge her on.
Tony Cummings

202. STEVE WIGGINS - 18" INCH JOURNEY, 1991. From the album 'Steve Wiggins', Sparrow.
A brilliant lyric from a fine new acoustic rock talent from Memphis. He didn't hit solo but now fronts the band Big Tent Revival of whom all manner of big things are predicted. Steve's solo sojourn produced this gem. Over a thudding, functional blues-rock groove Steve lays bare one of Western man's great dilemmas, the problem of confusing what we receive with our minds with that which takes up eternal residence in our hearts. That 18-inch journey is crucial for all of us.
Tony Cummings

203. JOHN DICKSON - MARANOOKA, 1993. From the album 'Maranooka', Heartland.
Judging from the wealth of top grade artists presented on the recent 'Harvest Of The Heartland' compilation, Australia is bristling with artists with the talent to impact the world Christian music market if only the nationalistic parochialism within Christian record companies can be broken down. For proof of the quality of Australian CCM I would refer everyone to John Dickson's marvellous album and particularly this classic. From the moment it opens with a didgeridoo it demands attention as John intones a semi-narrative song about the life of hero-of-the-faith Daniel Matthews. "Maranooka" is aboriginal for "friend" and the name given to Rev Matthews by the people he served as he gave of his energy, land, family and health in the service of the gospel. Haunting, inspiring Aussie rock by a consummate singer/songwriter.
Tony Cummings

204. THE CALL - FOR LOVE, 1990. From the album 'Let The Day Begin', MCA.
A gem that The Call/Michael Been's greatest aficionado James Lewis brought to my attention. A mystical song about meeting a vision of Jesus in the desert. "He just smiled and said it's all worth it/He did it all for a chance to die." Nagging guitar and harmonica hook with Harry Dean Stanton playing the harp.
Tony Cummings

205. ALTAR BOYS - FINAL HOUR, 1986. From the album 'Gut Level Music', Frontline.
Cathartic, surging rock - truly gut level music which demands to be played as loud as your ears (and your neighbours) can stand. The song, about Christ in the garden of Gethsemane, is a gem.
Tony Cummings

206. LARRY BRYANT - SHOPPING LIST, 1986. From the album The Artist'. Light.
A song that has attracted several CCM covers down the years but, as usual, the songwriter's original is best. A catchy, almost twee pop-dittie is arrested from anonymity by a lyric, which is the definitive exposé of the rampant materialism prevalent in some parts of America's church with a prayer quickly developing into a "shopping list" of things (new car, new hi-fi, new...etc, etc) that this deluded believer wants. Black, black humour and a song with volumes to speak to materialistic Christians everywhere.
Tony Cummings

207. WORLD WIDE MESSAGE TRIBE - ALLELUIA, 1994. From the album 'Dance Planet', N-Soul.
The moment that synth bass hits into overdrive all hope of coming off the dance floor in anything other than a panting, perspiring, joyful wreck is for me gone. Heavyfoot's tongue-twisting rap and that phlegmy, rasping chorus make this, for me, the definitive house praise track. In the relatively young history of sanctified dance, classics are already coming through.
Tony Cummings

208. BRIDE - HIRED GUN, 1991. From the album 'Kinetic Faith', Pure Metal.
Amazingly the band were later to diss this album in interviews. Can't think why as it's a gem full of bluesy sensibilities and serious Guns 'n' Roses' feel. It has what secular critics call "sass" and this cut has lyrics with a twist.
Tony Cummings

209. BILL MEDLEY - LOVE'S THE POWER, 1993. From the album 'Going Home', Essential.
Being sufficiently ancient and sufficiently into R&B to be a fan of Bill Medley's voice years BEFORE "You Lost That Lovin' Feeling'" (I bought the Righteous Brothers' "Little Latin Lupe Lu"...but I digress) I was thrilled at the news that the original blue-eyed soulman had found faith then disappointed when I heard the resultant album. Maybe I was expecting too much, maybe I was hoping they'd get Phil Spector out of retirement to produce it or maybe I was simply forgetting that years, and the Vegas cabaret circuit, are bound to take their toll. It took numerous radio plays by that dynamic find-the-hot-track specialist and Cross Rhythms producer Jonathan Bellamy to convince me that this was indeed a true diamond nestling in a bed of rubble. That gritty, searingly soulful voice, righteous sisters and a great hook, all make for a grow-on-you cut.
Tony Cummings

210. JON GIBSON - NATION IN NEED, 1985. From the album 'On The Run', Frontline.
A delightful track from the brilliant white R&B man. Although the album was derided at the time for being TOO close to Stevie Wonder (the similarity is at times uncanny) and being almost a secular album that had slipped into the Christian racks by mistake, there is in fact a clear Christian outlook here. Soulful and challenging music.
Tony Cummings

As published 24th June 2010

Kate Miner

211. KATE MINER - JESUS YOU ARE HOLY, 1999. From the album 'Live From The Strip', Sovereign Productions.
There's something about the raw, gutsy, stripped-down passion oozing from the 'Live From The Strip' album that makes it so wonderfully different from a great many worship outputs. The standout original song has got to be this Miner composition with a simple structure yet worshipful intensity that virtually compels you to participate. Kate seems less concerned about finely-honed production and clever sounds, and instead pours her heart and voice into lifting up the King of Kings. Surely one of the most eminently Jesus-exalting songs of the 1990s.
Tom Lennie
Tony Cummings

212. JARS OF CLAY - DEAD MAN (CARRY ME), 2006. From the album 'Good Monsters', Essential.
Nothing quite prepared us for this hugely catchy radio hit. The Jars, as we all know, are a class act with mega hits like 1995's "Flood" to prove the point. But Haseltine and co have also sounded indulgent and plain dull on some of their albums, relying a little too heavily on the poignancy of Dan's vocals, the stacked harmonies and instrumental craftsmanship failing to hide the fact that songs rambled rather than hit home. "Dead Man" though is a radio friendly gem. With a Talking Heads-style groove and lyrics which speak of a need to be dead to our self sufficiency - "Carry me, I'm just a dead man/Lying on the carpet/Can't find a heartbeat" - it manages to be both immediate yet profound.
Tony Cummings