Description
Red Alert is the sophomore solo album by the British singer and songwriter Malcolm Wild (on this album credited as Malcolm and the Mirrors) of Malcolm & Alwyn fame, released on A&S Records in 1982, a sub-label of Maranatha! Music. The album was engineered by Thom Roy assisted by Chip Cimino at Whitefield Studios in Santa Ana, California; and was produced by Malcolm Wild with Roy, assisted by Alwyn Wall and Cimino. All songs written by Malcolm Wild or co-written with either Richard Cimino or Sheryl Olguin. Album cover artwork by Kernie Erickson.
Featuring Malcolm Wild on lead vocals, Rob Watson on keyboards (soon to join Daniel Amos), Mike Minardi and Richard Cimino on guitars, and a rhythm section consisting of Stan Linder on bass and Greg Gustafson on drums. (Apart from Rob Watson, all these musicians also appeared on Malcolm Wild’s solo debut album Broken Chains released in 1979.) Backing vocals by Wild, Watson, Linder, Alwyn Wall, and Tommy Coomes of Love Song fame. Tom Howard is as well sitting in on keyboards on one track, “Paint Your Windows White”.
The album track “Can’t Live Without Him” was featured on the multi-artist compilation Back to the Rock released on A&S Records in 1981. Malcolm and the Mirrors was also featured with the non-album track “Apathy” on the multi-artist compilation What’s Shakin’ released on MRC Records in 1984, another sub-label of Maranatha! Music.
After the ending of the British folk-rock duo Malcolm & Alwyn Malcolm Wild had settled in Southern California, become a part of the Maranatha! Music Group, and actually was leading the musicians’ fellowship at Maranatha. Through this he got a chance to form a band – The Mirrors – that started to tour England, spesifically in schools. Thus most of the songs on the Red Alert album were written for the spesific reason of reaching the kids in schools in England. Three of the band members (Mike Minardi, Richard Cimino, and Rob Watson) actually released a sole album as The Mirrors on Asaph Records in 1990 (the “music ministry of Calvary Chapel”), entitled I Am Not Afraid.
After three memorable albums with Malcolm & Alwyn and a solo project or so, Malcolm Wild is still Malcolm but he’s wilder than ever. On ‘Red Alert’ (A&S AS0004A) with Malcolm and the Mirrors he leaves behind the romantic troubador of the ’70s to become a prophetic rocker for the ’80s. The Simon & Garfunkel-like harmonies that made ‘Fool’s Wisdom‘ a classic of early ccm are left behind for the high-energy sound of the newest waves of rock. That’s right; no autoharps this time.
From the rocking opener, «Gotta Give», to ‘Red Alert’s power-pop closing, «Alright By Me», Malcolm leads the Mirrors through their paces. Richard Cimino (who co-wrote half the songs with Wild) and Michael Minardi play the guitars, while Stan Linder and Greg Gustafson lay down the driving rhythms. Malcolm’s British accent, his strong vocals, and a short newscast from his wife Carol give the album a decidedly English feel, though it comes from Southern California, where the Wilds now reside. The energetic arrangements, the band’s tight playing, and Wild’s fine production with Thom Roy give ‘Red Alert’ a hot sound from start to finish. It is a completely professional and purely enjoyable set of sounds and songs. The subject matter is pretty much the usual ccm fare, except for a series of studies on finding true love in the ’80s: («Where Did All The Love Go», «Gotta Give», «Love Your Love», and «You Are My Love»), and two strong anti-nuclear statements («Paint Your Window White» and «Red Alert»). It’s a real pleasure to hear a good album like ‘Red Alert’, one that presents the Gospel in such thoroughly modern music. [Quincy Smith-Newcomb, CCM, October 1982]
In the ’70s Malcolm Wild had been the Malcolm half of the Jesus music pioneers Malcolm & Alwyn. After the duo split in 1976, he disappeared for a while and got into other types of ministry until he re-emerged in 1982 with some Californian musicians, Malcolm & The Mirrors, and this album seems determined to do some more work in reaching “the kids”. It’s ’80s eschatological rock with all the usual subtexts of the era including fear of the bomb and Malcolm’s continued focus on the return of Christ. What you get musically is some edgy rock on tracks like «Gotta Give», «She’s Gonna Go Through Changes» and the title cut. You get the edginess and humour of «Paint Your Windows White» which includes some great Gary Numan type synth work. «Where Did The Love Go» is mid-paced but has that memorable hook that Malcolm was always great at writing and the obligatory power guitar solo. The anthemic guitar propelled «Can’t Live Without Him» is the catchiest thing on this album whilst «Alright By Me» is a cool way to end things. This is ’80s rock with plenty of bite, lyrics designed to intrigue and challenge and plenty of catchy tunes all topped by Wild’s great singing and multi-tracked vocal harmonies. [Mike Rimmer, Cross Rhythms, June 2007]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/red-alert/1342124486)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Gotta Give” – 2:28
A2. “Paint Your Windows White” – 2:28
A3. “Red Alert” – 5:38
A4. “Where Did All The Love Go” – 3:15
A5. “Can’t Live Without Him” – 2:57
Side Two
B1. “She’s Gonna Go Through Changes” – 3:00
B2. “Love Your Love” – 2:02
B3. “You Are My Love” – 3:18
B4. “Look Up! (His Coming Is Near)” – 3:15
B5. “Alright By Me” – 3:00
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by A&S Records. Later re-issued on CD by Maranatha! Music. Also re-issued on CD by Footstep Records. The album track “Where Did All The Love Go” (mono/stereo) was released as a 7-inch vinyl single housed in plain white sleeve.
“Apathy” (Bonus Track)
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