Stone Hill

Description

Stone Hill is a five-track 45 RPM 12-inch vinyl EP by the American singer and songwriter Randy Stonehill, released in the UK on Street Tunes in 1985. The various tracks on the EP were recorded and mixed by Mark Heard (tracks: 2,4) at his studio Fingerprint Recorders in Montrose, California; and by Britt Bacon (tracks: 1,3,5) at his Skyline Recording in Topanga, California; with Barry Miller Kaye producing. All songs written by Randy Stonehill.

This EP, originally released in 1985 and subsequently given a Limited Edition re-issue, featured five songs designed originally as demos to try to establish popular CCM man as a mainstream songwriter. Originally distributed as publishing demos, imagine Randy’s surprise when he was confronted with a copy of the album to sign. He had no idea the songs had been released from captivity into the wider world. Produced by Barry Miller Kane who produced two other Stonehill releases in the mid-’80s, these songs sparkle with the veteran’s songwriting skills and distinctive vocal delivery. The opener «Everything But Love» and «She Walked Into My Life» are both catchy ’80s rockers while «Empty Eyes» is moody and reminds the listener that Stonehill possessed a great talent for communicating the emptiness of an existence without God. «Dangerous Heart» is an urgent rocker and the set is completed by what is probably my favourite song on here. «Lonely Days» is a post relationship ballad painted in sad scenarios familiar to anyone who ever had their heart broken. This superb song really deserved to be picked up and recorded by a mainstream act, but that never happened. [Mike Rimmer, Cross Rhythms, September 2016]

StoneHill, CD re-issue

So now it raises it’s odd little head once again in a very limited quantity for what I can only hope will be your listening pleasure. I thought, given the renegade nature of the project to begin with, it would be fun to include a few bonus tracks that also surface from out of left field (cuz basically, I’m the boss of me!) You will find a live recording of one of my earliest songs, «I Love You», which was to be included on the ‘Live at Spirit West Coast’ CD. The project never came to fruition due to record company politics, but at least this one song has found a new home! The other song is an alternative rendition of the title song from my latest studio recording for Fair Oaks records. Happy listening, my friends. I hope you enjoy this random sampling of “Mutant Vinyl”!! [Randy Stonehill]

EP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Everything But Love”
A2. “Empty Eyes”
A3. “She Walked Back Into My Life”

Side Two
B1. “Dangerous Heart”
B2. “These Lonely Days”

Note: Remastered and re-issued ond CD by ChristianDiscs in 2006 featuring two bonus tracks; “Edge Of The World” and a live recording of “I Love You”. Available at Bandcamp: https://randystonehill.bandcamp.com/album/stonehill-uk-ep-deluxe

---

---