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

384. DBA - 3-D, 1996. From the album 'Bubble', Orange.
The thinned down 65dBA, who by 1996 consisted of keyboard and studio whiz Robbie Bronnimann and singer Shaz Sparks, never got to achieve the dance culture crossover success they were striving for (and in truth, the duo weren't helped by a seriously cheesy sci-fi look on 'Bubble''s sleeve). But they did make some superlative dance music of which this is their best, a turbulent electro beat where Mr Bronnimann excels himself on the Roland samplers and the Novation bass station and where Shaz's ethereal, other worldly vocal purring "holy" sounds like an angelic visitation. Sanctified dance music (a phrase detested by the group) has never sounded better and though the 12 inch of the track got play in clubland it is Christian radio who were dba's most consistent supporters.
Tony Cummings

385. MATT REDMAN - BLESSED BE YOUR NAME, 2002. From the album 'Where Angels Fear To Tread', Survivor.
He's been as a mentor to scores of worship leaders all over the UK and beyond, not least to well known songsmiths like Tim Hughes and Martyn Layzell. Further, Matt Redman has inspired and blessed countless worshippers all over the world with his thoughtful songs of worship. The album 'Where Angels Fear To Tread' was recorded while on sabbatical leave in America in 2002, and from it "Blessed Be Your Name" was accorded a Dove Award in 2005 as Worship Song Of The Year though ironically in the States it was Tree63's inferior recording of the song that popularised the number. Matt is respected not only for his fresh, creative writing style and his fine vocal sound, but also for a lyrical content that is biblically orthodox, Christ exalting and often personally challenging. This potent anthem is all three and includes the refrain, "You give and take away/My heart will choose to say/Lord, blessed be your name", which, though based soundly on verses like Job 1:21 and Habakkuk 3:17-18, is annoyingly replaced in some churches by the less demanding opening words, "Whatever comes my way..."
Tom Lennie

386. FRUIT - DON'T WALK BLIND, 1998. From the album 'Don't Walk Blind', Independent.
At the height of the Britpop era, Fruit emerged from the south coast of England with an independent project built around the singing and songwriting skills of Aaron Frith. The band later mutated into Sabio and then Oversol but this is from their one album as Fruit. There are two versions of this song, one with a full band and one played simply on acoustic. There are also different lyrics for each version but on both Frith takes a look at what is happening in the world and asks the listener to open their eyes to what is truly happening. For me the acoustic main version of this song is the superior rendition and in feel has a strong chorus to rally the troops. It's easy to dig ourselves into distractions that stop us from feeling what is happening in the wider world; instead "Don't Walk Blind" offers an invitation to live in a more enlightened way. "This world's crying out for someone like you to make a conscious stand."
Mike Rimmer

387. THE CALL - LET THE DAY BEGIN, 1989. From the album 'Let The Day Begin', MCA.
When Michael Been's band of mainstream rockers first emerged they picked up plenty of prestigious fans like Bono and Peter Gabriel, the latter calling The Call "the future of American music." But it took this classic from 1989 to propel them high into the pop charts and 20 years and more on it still sounds like one of the finest rock records ever recorded. From its opening line "Here's to the babies in a brand new world" to its titular chorus the song shines with a jubilant optimism seldom heard in Been's angst-imbued lyrics. With its jogging rhythm punched home by blasting power chords and Been's bluesy, Springsteen-ish vocal it remains a definitive song of blessing to the travellers of the open road, the preachers of the sacred word, the doctors and their healing work and many more in the beautiful mess of this world of ours. As Mark Allan Powell wrote, "'Let The Day Begin' remains the group's masterpiece and an almost quintessential statement of what Christian musicians have to offer the world: a wish or prayer for all humanity to know the 'blessings from above' and the joy of life renewed."
Tony Cummings

Rising Star Gospel Singers

388. RISING STAR GOSPEL SINGERS - WHAT ABOUT ME, 1945. From the various artists album 'The Gospel Train Is Coming: West Coast Gospel Quartets 1945-1951', P-Vine.
The singer Paul Foster was to become a hugely admired traveller of the Gospel Highway who in the '50s shared leads with Sam Cooke in the wonderful Soul Stirrers. His rich, lead baritone made him one of the best singers of his era. In 1945 Bob Geddins, a record producer and entrepreneur who was the boss of many Bay Area record labels including Big Town Records, went to a radio station in Berkeley, California, with the newly formed Rising Star Gospel Singers. Geddins told researcher Lee Hilderbrand how he came to record "What About Me" by the first group to feature Paul's richly expressive lead. "The first time I ever made a record [was with] Rising Stars at KSFO studios. Boy, they gave me a beautiful sound. My father-in-law gave me the money to go cut the record. I bought some dubs back with me to my record store on 7th Street and played them over the speakers in front of the shop. We had people lined up all the way across the street. The police had to come by and get them off the street because they had it blocked. They were coming in there and we were getting 50 cents deposit from everybody that wanted the record. When we got through, we had two or three hundred names of people with 50 cents deposits." Decades on the track is still a "beautiful sound".
Tony Cummings

389. JOHN AUSTIN - THE EMBARRASSING YOUNG, 1992. From the album 'The Embarrassing Young', Glasshouse.
This is the title track from Austin's 1992 debut album from back in the day when Christian labels were willing to release interesting music. Produced by the late great Mark Heard and featuring a host of strong players like Buddy Miller, David Miner, Steve Hindalong and Derri Daugherty, they were able to add deft accompaniments to an intriguing singer/songwriter who'd honed his craft singing for change in Chicago subways. The resulting album is a taut piece of what back then might have been called "alternative" singer/songwriter fare. One thing is for sure, John Austin was capable of creating these emotive, hooky songs and "The Embarrassing Young" is a great example, a song that offers social commentary on youth culture that "doesn't believe in God or Heaven, and has no room for the sick and meek." With a memorable chorus and an extra female hook "Les enfants terrible" sung by the wonderfully named Erin Echo, this is packed with powerful imagery and a smattering of humour. At one point Austin sings some random French words and then drawls, "I don't know the language, but I've got the accent down". Priceless.
Mike Rimmer

390. JEREMIAH BOWSER - HALLELUJAH, 2002. From the album 'Sound Of Rain 3', Independent.
A worship songwriter from Jacksonville, Florida, Jeremiah Bowser has recorded a number of solo projects, having additionally travelled to numerous countries as a missionary worship leader. One nation to which he is frequently invited is Brazil. Here, at the Sound Of Rain Conference in the city of Belo Horizonte in 2002, Jeremiah opened his set with one of the most popular, yet also certainly the most basic song in the worship world, one so lyrically sparse that it's not to be found in any songbook! Aided by captivating percussion, Bowser turns the simple "Hallelujah" refrain into a dynamic expression of adoration to the King of Kings. He builds unhurriedly on this simple structure, adding an additional refrain, sung alternately in English and Portuguese, and allowing a female vocalist to add harmony tones. It's raw energy, but with the added effect of a stirring lead guitar break and some congregational participation towards the close, makes for one of the richest expressions of worship you'll hear anywhere - and it continues for a full 12 minutes!
Tom Lennie

391. MARGARET BECKER - GRACE, 1995. From the album 'Grace', Sparrow.
For me, this song represents Margaret Becker at the height of her powers as a Christian pop artist. "Grace"'s mid '90s' "everything but the kitchen sink" production from Charlie Peacock is pure genius built, as it is, on Tommy Sims' pulsating rhythm track which seems to echo the swinging hammer blows of the first verse as Margaret illustrates how impossible it is to earn God's grace. Creatively, there is so much brilliance squeezed into this five minute song. Sims' jazzy piano adds an ethereal quality to the undulating funky rhythm and then there's that memorable chant of "lay it all down my brother, my sister, lay it all down at the feet of grace." To cap it all, at 3:48 there's the explosive false stop to the song which further heightens the drama of the whole thing! And if all that wasn't enough, what better than to remember that grace is "still free"!
Mike Rimmer

392. DUST - GONE, 1972. From the album 'Dust', Myrrh.
Most Jesus music was ignored by the Christian record labels but one exception was the Dust album which was the fourth release on Word's Myrrh label. With a sleevenote that conveys no information about the group other than they play "pure folk to the hardest of hard rock", what is evident is that Dust were a band of believers who had been hugely influenced by Cream and the mainstream exponents of psych rock. "Gone" is a propulsive gem with jamming wah-wah rhythm guitar churning behind a reverb-drenched lead axe. Dust's career in music soon turned to.ahem.dust but they left behind a little classic of Jesus rock.
Tony Cummings

Mahalia Jackson

393. MAHALIA JACKSON - EVERYWHERE I GO, 1968. From the album 'What The World Needs Now', Columbia.
Mahalia unquestionably possessed one of the greatest voices ever to grace a recording studio. Unfortunately, many of her recordings haven't stood the test of time. The early years of the gospel matriarch (1947 to 1954) with Apollo Records were often crudely recorded with perfunctory accompaniments while the slew of albums Mahalia cut for Columbia/CBS were too often weighed down with easy listening arrangements. The 1969 album 'What The World Needs Now' was typical of later Mahalia albums with the inclusion of inappropriate pop songs endeavouring (unsuccessfully) to update her sound. But there, tucked away alongside the sedate covers of Jackie DeShannon and Peter, Paul & Mary is this gem of gospel blues. Who precisely the J Dixon who wrote "Everywhere I Go" is is a mystery as is the identity of the pianist (my guess is arranger H B Barnum) who adds some downhome drive to Mahalia's bluesy exultant vocals. What such tracks do prove though is that given the right song and sympathetic accompaniment Mahalia could testify like few others.
Tony Cummings

394. FRACTAL EDGE - HERE I AM!, 1997. From the album 'Path Of Time', Proost/Serious Music.
Down the years Jonny Baker's Proost setup has produced some intriguing music and this compelling cut from a short lived Youth For Christ band is an unrecognised gem which combines the hooky appeal of the best pop rock, a highly underrated female lead Philippa Berry and a touch of club music rhythmic propulsion. It sounds completely fresh a decade and more on from its release.
Tony Cummings

395. U2 - I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR, 1987. From the album 'The Joshua Tree', Island.
One of the most well-known 'Christian' songs throughout the world; misunderstood by the Church, but often celebrated by non-believers - it remains an anthem like "My Generation" or "Like A Rolling Stone". Covered many times, Bono and The Edge knew that THIS WAS THE ONE and took their time over it. Not an affirmative gospel song in the classic sense, it contains all the yearning of over 40 years of post-war popular music, bottled-up into one rootsy, folk-influenced number. 40 years of looking for Heaven in the wrong places. Four decades of rock'n'roll as search-for-redemption, condensed into a single articulation. Here, the human condition (in the West) is placed into an eternal perspective; by a group of Christians, thankfully. As if the groundbreaking recording wasn't enough there are also two videos for the song which both capture its essence. There's the original promo version, shot in colour in Las Vegas, showing Bono kissing a beautiful woman, Larry and The Edge walking past all the expensive cars and the neon-lit entertainment parlours, before Adam turns his back on it all, smiles, shrugs his shoulders, mouths "I still haven't found what I'm looking for.", and disappears in a taxi, outta there. The other, shot in Harlem in black and white, finds the band rehearsing the song in church with a black gospel choir, Voices Of Freedom. The sheer joy of this version encapsulates the Christian journey - knowing the salvation found in Christ and realising that it doesn't end, there: that each of us is called to help bring about the Kingdom on earth, as it is in Heaven. Until that day comes, none of us can say that we've found what we're looking for.
John Cheek

396. KINGDOM FAITH - LORD OF GLORY (spontaneous track), 1997. From the album 'More Faith - Faith '97', Kingdom Faith Ministries.
Although its live worship celebrations have been recorded and released over many years, the output from the annual Kingdom Faith conferences, founded and led by Colin Urquhart, have never achieved anything like the popular recognition of events like Spring Harvest, Stoneleigh and Soul Survivor. Yet there is much hidden treasure to be unearthed in Kingdom Faith's in-house expressions of intimate worship, even if the worship leaders are hardly household names. The double-recording from the Faith 1997 camp is loosely divided into praise (disc 1) and worship (disc 2). This second platter, in particular, is deep stuff indeed; ponderous, cross-centred songs of inspiration, some of which are purely spontaneous. One of these, the 16-minute(!) closing track, begins with an unrehearsed trumpet solo which glides along majestically and is added to variously by delicious violin, sax and keyboard hues over the course of many minutes, before the introduction of added spontaneous vocal praise, which, rather than sounding discordant, truly gels together. Surely one of the finest expressions of spontaneous worship on record.
Tom Lennie

397. MARIA MULDAUR - KEEP MY EYES ON YOU, 1982. From the album 'There Is A Love', Myrrh.
With her jazz, Latin and blues fusion Maria will probably be forever linked with her huge hit of 1974 "Midnight At The Oasis". But it was the 'There Is A Love' album, recorded for Word Records after her Christian conversion in 1980 that briefly put this most engaging of singers in the Christian bookshops. "Keep My Eyes on You" is a song written by 'There Is A Love''s producer and fellow believer T-Bone Burnett and is a long way from the stripped-down Americana for which the studio maestro was to be subsequently renowned for. In fact, with its sassy horn section and driving soul feel "Keep My Eyes On You" almost sounds like a long overlooked Stax classic. With a lyric declaring the need to keep looking to Jesus we can but hope that Maria, who hasn't spoken of spiritual things for many a long year, has continued her Christian walk.
Tony Cummings