Ten Stories

Description

Ten Stories is the sophomore album by the American singer and songwriter Rick Elias, released on Alarma Records in August 1991, an alternative imprint of Frontline Music Group. The album was recorded by Dave Jahnsen with Rick Elias producing. Mixed by Jahnsen and Elias.

After an acclaimed debut, the poor old artist then has to do it all again…but better. Cross Rhythms has shouted the praises of ‘Rick Elias and The Confessions‘, one of the most devastating albums to ever smack its way through the protective walls of America’s safe Christian music industry. Here was a voice which spoke with much of the authority of a Springsteen into the world of feelings and vision, ecstasy and pain, faith and fear that we believers call the Christian life. Here was a man with a voice gnarled and battered enough to sound believable when he sang about the twisted tracks of life without Christ and passionate and declamatory enough to sound believable when he sang of the joy of finding a pearl of great price. On Ten Stories’, Rick uses the same musical framework as before, pokey rhythm and blues stylings where acoustic strums can suddenly slam into raw barroom rock, loud enough to make your speakers’ woofer move. Lyrically, his words often read like entries from a personal spiritual journal, but never for a second descend to the stream of conscious artiness so beloved by some singer songwriters but which is anathema to this reviewer. Not that it’s all observations on Rick’s personal walk with God; «John Doe» has the man growling out a commentary on the chain of abuse while the «I Wouldn’t Need You (Like I Do)» contrasts the God of hope with a hopeless world. As I write, the song is at number one on America’s ‘Christian rock’ chart. The lyric states: “This man stares unblinking at the centre/ Of the crossroads and barely withstands/ That devil’s curse/ I am the man and more I’m afraid that/ I’ve uttered such words and so much worse/ And they tell us down here/We should save ourselves/ But that isn’t very good news/ Because if we could have/ We would have wouldn’t need you/ Like we do/ I wouldn’t need you like I do.” Amen. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, February 1992]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/ten-stories/386699875)

CD tracklist:

01. I Wouldn’t Need You (Like I Do) – 5:19
02. John Doe – 4:33
03. Don’t Rain On Me – 5:19
04. My Very Own Hero – 5:07
05. When You Lose Someone You Love – 4:28
06. Steps – 4:31
07. Wondering Why – 4:11
08. Pray For The Day – 5:17
09. Only Your Love – 4:34
10. Leave One Light On – 5:55

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Alarma Records. Rick Elias’ two first albums, Rick Elias and The Confessions and Ten Stories, were re-issued by KMG Records in 1998 as a 2 CD Set containing all the songs from both albums. When this re-pressing was sold out, KMG Records opted to re-package it with new artwork rather than re-manufacture the 2 CD Set. However, to keep costs down they switched to a ‘2-for-1’ re-issue, cramming 15 of the 20 songs onto one disc, entitled Confessions of A Ragamuffin Man.

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CREDITS. Produced by Rick Elias with additional production by Dave Jahnsen and Linda Elias. Engineered by Dave Jahnsen with additional engineering by Bill Baumgart and Rick Elias. Mixed by Dave Jahnsen and Rick Elias. Art Direction by Ed McTaggart. Design by Brian Godawa. Photography by Wayne Armstrong. All songs written by Rick Elias.

Musicians: Rick Elias (Lead Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards), Linda Elias Vocals, (Keyboards, Percussion), Jay York (Additional Keyboards), Glenn Pearce (Electric Guitar on track 8), Kelly Burns (Bass), Glen Holmen (Acoustic Bass on track 5), Doug Mathews (Drums). Backing Vocals: Dave Jahnsen (tracks: 2,6), Kenny Hicks (tracks: 7), Linda Elias, Pete Shambrook (tracks: 7), Rick Elias.