A Place to Stand

Description

A Place to Stand is the debut album by the American rock band Geoff Moore & The Distance, released on Sparrow Records in 1988. (It is actually Geoff Moore‘s fourth album overall, but his first album backed by his live band The Distance.) The album was recorded by David Schober at OmniSound Studios in Nashville, Tennessee; with Billy Smiley of White Heart fame producing. Mixed by Smiley and Schober at Center Stage Studio in Nashville.

‘A Place to Stand’ is the album Geoff Moore was meant to make. While ‘Over the Edge’ tested the rock waters in a pseudo-White Heart setting, ‘The Distance‘ was an endearing, if at times awkward, attempt to find his own sound and songwriting niche. Here, on his fourth album (but first with Sparrow), Moore – with his own band backing him for the first time on a record – makes a mature rock statement of street-wise spiritual values.

On barrelhouse rockers like «Go to the Moon» and «Outsiders», Moore exhibits no small bias toward straight-ahead Midwestern rock sounds, a la Bob Seger and Bryan Adams, yet ballads like «Tender Hearts» and «Heart and Soul» are clear indicators of an awareness of the needs of Christian radio. Uniquely, Moore & The Distance move comfortably, and without that distracting “now for a Christian airplay single” feeling, through a number of styles while maintaining the integrity of the whole.

The Distance – Dale Oliver on guitar, Arlin Troyer on bass, Tom Reynolds on keyboards, and Lang Bliss on drums – with guest soloist David Martin on «On a Night Like This», Dave Perkins on «Calling Londontown», and Petra‘s Bob Hartman on the title track give a warm, live feel to some very substantial material. Moore & Co. address Christian separatism in the tongue-in-cheek «Go to the Moon», stewardship in «Heart and Soul», worship in «Night Like This», the incarnation in «One of Us», while showing sensitivity and honesty in dealing with the uninitiated in «Outsiders» and «You’ve Heard it Before».

Clearly ‘A Place to Stand’ is a watershed album for Geoff Moore & The Distance, a firm affirmation that he is a major league Christian rock act, worthy to stand with the best. Just as sure as you’ve heard the guitar lick in «Go to the Moon» somewhere before, we’ll be hearing a lot more of Geoff Moore. And gladly so, at that. [Brian Quincy Newcomb, CCM, March 1988]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/a-place-to-stand/715761415)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “A Place To Stand” – 4:53
A2. “Go To The Moon” – 4:11
A3. “Heart And Soul” – 4:29
A4. “Outsiders” – 4:34
A5. “On A Night Like This” – 3:54

Side Two
B1. “I Come Out Fighting” – 4:03
B2. “Tender Hearts” – 4:53
B3. “Calling Londontown” – 4:35
B4. “You’ve Heard It Before” – 4:04
B5. “One Of Us” – 4:17

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by Sparrow Records.

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A full-page advertisement for Geoff Moore & The Distance’s A Place to Stand was featured in the March 1988 issue of CCM Magazine.

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