Description
Brow Beat: Unplugged Alternative is a multi-artist project released on Alarma Records in 1993, a division of Frontline Music Group, distributed by Diamante Distribution. A number of Christian alternative rock’s best known bands contributed stripped-down, acoustic performances of mostly new songs to this collection. A follow-up album entitled Browbeats presents: Wither Wing was released on KMG Records in 1998. As well, in 1994 Terry Scott Taylor, Michael Knott and Gene Eugene recorded an album titled Alternative Worship: Prayers, Petitions and Praise, released on Alarma Records.
The brainchild of alternative rock artist/entrepreneur Michael Knott, ‘Brow Beat’ is an unprecedented gathering of 11 of alternative music’s finest, turning off the juice for an acoustic session. From the “New Wave” years come Terry Taylor (solo, and with Lost Dogs), Ojo (Undercover) and Knott (solo, and with L.S.U.); the generation of modern rockers they fostered in represented by The Choir and Adam Again; while The Throes, Mortal, DigHayZoose and poor old lu come from among Christian music’s hottest new bands. But the artists didn’t just throw some leftovers together for the sake of cashing in on the “unplugged” fad; with a few exceptions, these songs were written specifically for this project and all the tunes rank among their best.
DigHayZoose’s «Keep Me in Mind» is a plea for rememberance (written from God’s viewpoint); given the usual blistering nature of the band’s music, it’s a treat to hear them performing what sounds like a jazz version of a Burt Bacharach tune sung by Dionne Warwick. Terry Taylor, whose love of The Beach Boys and The Beatles is no secret, checks in with «Will Have to Do for Now», which may be his most inspired tribute to those artists to date. Taylor expertly segues from the sunny sound of the California band to the Fab Four’s psychedelic period, replete with staccato cello accents and slightly off-kilter harmonies. But the price of admission is more than covered by the disarming beauty of Mortal’s «Bleeder». The cloak of industrial clangor aside, you may learn (perhaps for the first time) that Jyro is not only an accomplished lyricist but an expressive vocalist. It’s the sort of thing which makes ‘Brow Beat’ a rarity in the hype-laden world of “unplugged” albums. [Bruce A. Brown, CCM, February 1994]
Remember MTV Unplugged, which featured acoustic performances from Paul McCartney, Sting, De La Soul, Nirvana, 10,000 Maniacs, and George Michael, to name but a few? At its best, the series – which ran regularly between 1989 and 1999, and then less so in subsequent years – was a win-win for artists and fans alike. The series offered artists an opportunity to explore their sound in new ways and pay tribute to their influences, often in smaller, more intimate settings, while fans got to hear different sides to their favorite artists.
From that perspective, it’s tempting to consider Alarma Records’ Brow Beat compilation a “Chrindie” version of MTV Unplugged, with its eclectic assortment of some of the most important figures in ’90s Christian alternative music. An when I say “eclectic,” I mean it. After all, the whole reason I bought my copy of Brow Beat was because it featured Mortal.
Back in the early-to-mid ’90s, Mortal was one of my favorite bands, and certainly my favorite Christian band, thanks to albums like Lusis and Fathom. Musically, «Bleeder» is a far cry from the duo’s trademark industrial intensity, but the sparse ballad still features the same passionate vocals and lyrics, with Jyro drawing existential solace from the natural world (“If not for wood and river/ I would to my fate resign”).
Similarly, it’s still weird, even now, to see Dig Hay Zoose’s name in the track list of an unplugged album, especially since they also delivered the ambitious, psychedelic-oriented MagentaMantaLoveTree in 1993. But «Keep Me in Mind» is a fun, breezy track highlighted by Jimmy Flores’ jazzy drumming and Phil Schlotterer’s flexible vocals.
Brow Beat was notable – for me, personally – because it was also my introduction to major figures like Terry Taylor, The Choir, Lost Dogs, and Adam Again. Prior to Brow Beat, I’d only known Taylor as a producer on albums by Dig Hay Zoose, Mortal, Saviour Machine, and Scaterd Few. «Will Have to Do For Now» was the first proper Terry Taylor song I’d ever heard, and it remains one of my favorites. With its Beatles-esque melodies, soaring arrangements, and evocative lyrics (e.g., “I live and learn that the rain against the window’s saying, ‘Life is grace‘”), it’s of a piece with Daniel Amos’ MotorCycle (also released in 1993) and a definite highlight here.
The Choir’s «Wilderness» – which later appeared in electric form on 1994’s Speckled Bird – explores faith and doubt (“Is your faith so right/ Are you so blessed?/ Everybody wanders in the forest”) with the help of a haunting musical backdrop highlighted by Steve Hindalong’s percussion and Dan Michaels’ plaintive sax. Meanwhile, Lost Dogs – an alt-country supergroup featuring Terry Taylor alongside members of The Choir, Adam Again, and The 77s – contribute a playfully ramshackle ode to love and fidelity with «No Ship Coming In».
Finally, «Don’t Cry» might just be my favorite Adam Again song of all time, and everything about the unplugged version – Gene Eugene’s understated lyrics, his and Riki Michele’s harmonies, Paul Valadez’s graceful bassline, Jon Knox’s scattered rhythms, Rick Rekedal’s cello – is sublime. (A slightly altered version of «Don’t Cry» was released on 1995’s Perfecta.)
Years, if not decades, have passed since I last listened to Brow Beats. But after all this time, it’s more than just a collection of excellent songs; it’s also a time capsule from an era of Christian music the likes of which we’ll probably never hear again. An era when artists who didn’t fit comfortably in either Christian or secular settings carved out a sort of parallel universe all their own, and in the process made music driven by faith and artistic expression.
I certainly don’t mean to over-nostalgify that era – reading even just a handful of accounts reveals that it had plenty of its own faults, flaws, and scandals – but that sense of purity and artistry comes through all the more clearly in this acoustic context. [Jason Morehead, Opus, February 2, 2024]
PROMO, LP/CD Re-issue, Retroactive Records 2024
The Christian Alternative scene of the 90’s was one that seemed to have a hard time fitting in anywhere: far too curious and challenging for the CCM bubble, but it’s not like 120 Minutes was filled with poetry to drum loops either. So somewhere in the middle sits this glorious album putting together two of the most mid-90’s phrases around: Unplugged and Alternative. Songs of praise, reality, depression, joy, confusion, confession, invitation and separation fill this record by some of the best musicians of the scene. The original 1993 Brow Beat, Unplugged Alternative is hard to top. The album served as such an eye-opener to so many – simultaneously introducing our ears to good acoustic music, as well as to Michael Knott, LSU, The Choir, and others. Their quiet rebuking of legalism and abusive, rigid dogma was a turning point for a good many spiritual lives. The songs on this release had an undeniable impact on those in the 90’s scene seeking something more…no, NEEDING something more. Espousing one poetic message of truth after another, Unplugged Alternative offered hope that maybe we had found that very thing our souls craved. Even if we couldn’t wrap our heads around what we were hearing, we felt the powerful, emotional impact it was having on us as it resonated deep within us.
It can be hard to pick a favorite. The Choir does a fine job of their song «Wilderness», while Michael Knott puts together a song called «Deaf and Dumb» that sounds a little like a take on Rocket and a Bomb. Knott shows up later on an LSU track as well. Arguably, the show stoppers are Mortal and Terry Taylor. Taylor’s «Have to Do For Now» has a dirge-like feel with a touch of dread included, implying there may be no quick solution to denying oneself or getting through life. Mortal, which up to this point was largely known as a screaming industrial band, puts out a melodic pensive song about the faithfulness of God and the Holy One’s promises that includes winds and mournful strings accompanied by a unique drum beat that accents the music, rather than fills the space. It’s one of Mortal’s best and possibly one of the best tracks in the 90’s Christian Music scene. The glut of worship music over the past 20 years has yet to approach the simple beauty of this song. It’s hard to resist the soul-melding tracks from the down-and-out Lost Dogs, an inventive jazzy tune by Dighayzoose, The Throes, Undercover, and Poor Old Lu. The album closes with Adam Again’s «Don’t Cry» which will have the opposite effect and is the perfect goodbye to a near perfect listening experience. Brow Beat – Unplugged Alternative is one of the best kept secrets of the 90’s Christian Alternative scene. Yet, after all this time, this reissue is more than just a collection of excellent songs; it’s a time capsule from an era of Christian music the likes of which we’ll probably never hear again. An era when artists who didn’t fit comfortably in either Christian or secular settings carved out a sort of parallel universe all their own, and in the process made music driven by faith and artistic expression. We don’t need to over-nostalgify that era — it had plenty of its own faults, flaws, and scandals — but that sense of authenticity and artistry comes through all the more clearly in this acoustic context. The 2024 Retroactive Records reissue comes on red vinyl, mastered for vinyl by Rob Colwell, and includes a 12×12 lyrics insert. Limited to just 200 copies.
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/browbeats-unplugged-alternative-unplugged/390307203)
CD tracklist:
01. The Choir – Wilderness – 4:12
02. Poor Old Lu – Drenched Decent – 3:50
03. Michael Knott – Deaf And Dumb – 3:08
04. Terry Taylor – Will Have To Do For Now – 4:06
05. Dig Hay Zoose – Keep Me In Mind – 4:43
06. The Throes – Monday World – 3:10
07. Lost Dogs – No Ship Coming In – 3:45
08. Mortal – Bleeder – 3:33
09. LSU – Crack – 7:53
10. Undercover – Symbol – 3:54
11. Adam Again – Don’t Cry – 4:09
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Alarma Records. Remastered by Rob Colwell and re-issued on Limited Edition 12-inch vinyl LP by Retroactive Records/Limited Run Vinyl in 2024, pressed on New Purple Vinyl (Limited to 200 copies). Also re-issued on CD (housed in a 6-panel wallet with lyrics, limited to just 300 copies).
Brow Beat: Unplugged Alternative, Remastered and pressed on New Purple Vinyl, Retroactive Records, 2024
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