From: ajw@cbnews.cb.att.com (andrew.j.whitman)
Subject: Re: Mark Heard
Organization: AT&T
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 21:07:04 GMT

In article <1992Nov16.181702.2609@wdl.loral.com> trw@spl1.spl.loral.com (Tim R Witort) writes:
>  I just picked up Mark Heard's "Dry Bones Dance" CD this
>week end. It's quite a piece of work! I also listened to
>the demo tape of "Satellite Sky" which also had a great 
>sound. I would characterize "Dry Bones" as a mix of good ol'
>acoustic rock/folk and cajun styles. The couple of songs
>I listened to on "Satellite" were more electrical and modern
>sounding. Does anyone have an evaluation of all of Mark's
>albums? I'd like to know what styles his various projects
>have had.

I haven't heard everything that Mark has done, but I'll at least 
comment on what I know.

"Appalachian Melody" - A folk album from the late seventies.  Nice
acoustic guitar work, pleasant singing, better-than-average lyrics.
At times he sounds like James Taylor's Born Again Clone.  Is it
worth getting?  Sure, I think they're all worth getting.

"Stop the Dominoes" - Late seventies/early eighties? - Half ballads,
half rock 'n roll.  The ballads work better than the rock 'n roll,
in my opinion.  If you like Randy Stonehill then I'd bet that you'd
like the rock 'n roll on this album too.  It's a little too slick-
late-'70s-SoCal-Eagles-Fogelberg-Fleetwood-Mac sounding to me.  

"Victims of the Age" - Another mixture of rock 'n roll and ballads,
with a little heavier emphasis on the rock 'n roll.  I like this 
album a lot.  The guitars have more bite to them, and the lyrics
are great - a wonderful, creative exploration of what it means to
be a Christian in The Big City.

"Ashes and Light" - Okay.  More of the same, but less inspired.  Some
nice background vocals from Larry Norman, though, and a couple of
*great* songs - "I Know What It's Like to be Loved" and "We Believe 
So Well" - the latter being a mournful dirge about Christians who
believe all the right things and beat one another over the head
with all those right things.  Sadly, I can really relate to that one.

"Tribal Opera" - Made as part of Mark's short-lived group Ideola.
This is a strange album - sort of a James-Taylor-tries-to-do-
techno-dance workout, and I've never bought it for that reason.  
To me, this one is a noble but failed experiment.

"Dead Bones Dance" - You know about this one.  It's great.  Musically
it's a vast leap forward from anything Mark has done before.  Mark
was always a wonderful lyricist, but this one is lyrically better too.
One of my favorite albums.  Period.

"Second Hand" - Somewhat of a return to the folk/acoustic roots.  
Some very articulate poetry, some brooding introspection, and a Beatles
cover.  Who could ask for more?  This one is very good as well.

"Satellite Sky" - The best album lyrically.  A rock 'n roll mandolin
extravaganza.  Really bad production, for some reason, which really
muddies the sound.  But it's still great.  I posted a review a while
back calling it the best CCM music I've ever heard.  And I still
think so.  

Mark kept getting better and better.  I really miss him.  I hope
these opinionated ramblings are good for something.  

>thanks and Go with God,
>-- Tim

Andy Whitman
AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio
att!cblpn!ajw  or
ajw@cblpn.att.com