Description
Love Beyond Reason is the eighth studio album by the American singer and songwriter Randy Stonehill, released on Myrrh Records in June 1985, a division of Word. Also manufactured and distributed by A&M Records. The album was recorded and mixed by Mark Heard at his studio Fingerprint Recorders in Montrose, California; with Barry Miller Kaye producing and arranging.
The album includes the classic “Until Your Love Broke Thru”, a song Stonehill co-wrote with Keith Green and Todd Fishkind in the mid-70s (actually first recorded by Phil Keaggy on his 1976-release entitled Love Broke Thru ), “I Could Never Say Goodbye”, a duet with Amy Grant, as well as “Cross That Line” (co-written by Stonehill and Tom Howard) featuring background vocals by Tonio K. and “Bells” featuring background vocals by Richie Furay of Buffalo Springfield and Poco fame.
Stonehill is a survivor, and a darn good one. Like Dion, his music still seems rooted firmly in the ’60s. But with ‘Love Beyond Reason’ and ace producer Kaye, there’s a definite ’80s studio gloss that is, for the most part, successful.
The album’s most notable cut (and the one that’s going to get the most airplay) is «I Could Never Say Goodbye», a duet with Amy Grant. This is slick and shiny pop, catchy and smooth, and both voices meld effortlessly. But for me, the most interesting cut is the extended “dub” version of «The Gods of Men», found only on the cassette. The extended version is hotter, more dramatic, and much closer to mainstream music (a la Duran Duran) than the wimpy original.
Stonehill’s greatest drawback continues to be a reedy, thin voice, but he manages to compensate with listenable melodies and a real sense of conviction. Other good cuts include the traditional rock ballad «Bells», the ’60s pop/rocker «You’re Loved Tonight», and the “Bo Diddley” beat of «Angry Young Man». The rest of the tunes don’t fare quite as well, including the strangely unfocused synthesized reggae of the title track. [Bob Darden, CCM, June 1985]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/love-beyond-reason/1167739630)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “I Could Never Say Goodbye” (duet with Amy Grant) – 3:34
A2. “Love Beyond Reason” – 3:36
A3. “The Gods of Men” – 4:12
A4. “Bells” – 4:19
A5. “You’re Loved Tonight” – 5:47
Side Two
B1. “Until Your Love Broke Thru” – 4:01
B2. “Hymn” – 2:46
B3. “Angry Young Men” – 3:36
B4. “Judgement Day” – 4:54
B5. “Cross That Line” – 3:31
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Myrrh Records. Later re-issued on CD. The cassette and CD versions feature one bonus track; “The Gods of Men” (Extended Version). “I Could Never Say Goodbye” was released as both a Limited Edition 12-inch vinyl maxi-single/EP and cassette single by Myrrh, featuring three tracks: “I Could Never Say Goodbye” (3:44), “Love Beyond Reason (Album Mix)” (3:36), and “Love Beyond Reason (Extended Mix)” (5:34). Myrrh also released a video album on both VHS and Beta formats, which included videos of “Love Beyond Reason,” “Until Your Love Broke Through,” “Hymn,” “You’re Loved Tonight,” and “The Gods of Men,” as well as “Still Small Voice” from Stonehill’s Celebrate this Hearbeat album. Available at Bandcamp: https://randystonehill.bandcamp.com/album/love-beyond-reason-deluxe
The Love Beyond Reason Session Team – BACK ROW (L-R) 1. Mark Heard. 2. Tonio K. 3. Bryan Duncan. 4. Dan Reed. 5. Rick Geragi. 6. Tim “Repo Man” Aller. MIDDLE ROW (L-R) 1. Barry “The Bear” Liss 2. Andrea Saparoff. 3. Bob Garrett. 4. Caryn Robin. 5. Danny Jacob. 6. Tata Vega. FRONT ROW (L-R) 1. Milo Carter 2. Steve Wilkinson 3. Barry Miller Kaye 4. Randy Stonehill 5. David Raven (a.k.a. Dave McSparran) 6. Jay “Shotgun” Leslie.
A full-page advertisement for the Randy Stonehill album Love Beyond Reason was featured in the July 1985 issue of CCM Magazine.
Love Beyond Reason: The Video Album (VHS), 1985
CREDITS. Produced and Arranged by Barry Miller Kaye. Recorded and Mixed by Mark Heard at Fingerprint Recorders, CA. Second Engineer: Dan Reed. Basic tracks recorded using the Fingerprint Recorders Mobile Unit at the Sound Vault Studios, Sunland, CA. Simmons Drums Programming by Tim “Repo Man” Aller. Fairlight C.M.I. (Computer Musical Instrument) programming by Andrea Saparoff. All Fairlight C.M.I. textures developed by Barry, Andrea and Randy at the Computer Music Lab, California State University, Northridge. Fairlight C.M.I. technicians: Jeff Forehan at Byte Size Productions for High Tech Instruments; and Bob Garrett at C.S.U.N. Mastered by Steve Hall ar Future Disc Systems, Inc. Art Direction and Design by Roland Young. Cover Photography by Lisa Powers. Make-up by Dolli Melaine. Group photo taken by Rose Berger at the La Brea Studios, Hollywood, CA. Additional Photos by Ray Ware. Executive Producers: Ray Ware and Tom Willett. All songs by Randy Stonehill except track B5 co-written with Tom Howard and track B1 featuring lyrics by Randy Stonehill and Keith Green and music by Keith Green and Todd Fishkind.
Musicians: The Players (on all songs) – Randy Stonehill (Acoustic Guitar), Don Griffin (Guitar), Milo Carter (Guitar), Barry Miller Kaye (Fairlight C.M.I.), Steve Wilkinson (Bass), David Raven – a.k.a. Dave McSparran (Drums).
Additional Musicians: Track A1: Lead vocals by Amy Grant and Randy Stonehill. Background vocals by Caryn Robin, Tata Vega, and Randy Stonehill. Lead guitar by Danny Jacobs. Congas, bongos, and claves by Rick Geragi. Additional Synthesizers and M.I.D.I. technician: Denver Smith. Track A2: Featured background vocalist: Tata Vega. Background vocals by Caryn Robin, Tata Vega, and Randy Stonehill. Guitar solo by Danny Jacobs. Bongos by Rick Geragi. Track A3: Featured background vocalist: Bryan Duncan. Background vocals by Tata Vega, Bryan Duncan and Randy Stonehill. Sweaty, golden guitars: Danny Jacobs. Track A4: Featured background vocalist: Richie Furay. Background vocals by Richie Furay and Randy Stonehill. Track A5: Background vocals by Tata Vega, Bryan Duncan and Randy Stonehill. All other voices by Randy Stonehill. Track B1: Featured background vocalist: Richie Furay. Background vocals by Tata Vega, Bryan Duncan and Randy Stonehill. Congas by Rick Geragi. Track B2: Featured background vocalist: Bryan Duncan. Background vocals by Caryn Robin, Tata Vega, Bryan Duncan and Randy Stonehill. Fairlight C.M.I. orchestral arrangement by Andrea Saparoff. Track B3: Featured background vocalist and all background vocals: Tata Carmen Rosa Vega. Harmonica solo by Barry “The Bear” Liss. Tambourine and cabasa by by Rick Geragi. Track B4: All voices by Randy Stonehill. Soprano sax solo by Jay Leslie. Congas, bongos, and percussion by Rick Geragi. Track B5: Background vocals by Tonio K. and Randy Stonehill. Additional guitar by Mark Heard.
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