Description
Voices in Shadows is the debut album by the American alternative rock band Youth Choir (a band name later simply abridged to The Choir), released on the short-lived Maranatha! Music related imprint Broken Records in February 1985, distributed by Word. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by Thom Roy at Whitefield Studios in Santa Ana, California. Written and performed by Youth Choir.
The album track “Here in the Night” was also included on the multi-artist 7-inch vinyl EP Broken Samples, released on Broken Records in 1985.
Due to budget limitations, the album was recorded at off-peak hours, and guitarist Daugherty and bassist Mike Sauerbrey recorded their tracks over a basic drum machine, with the assumption that Hindalong would replace the machine with live drums. Unfortunately, the budget didn’t allow for more than cymbal crashes and the sound of a hubcab being thrown across the studio floor during the instrumental break of “Someone’s Calling.”
Trivia: The very first recording by the band, the non-album track “It’s So Wonderful”, was featured on the multi-artist compilation What’s Shakin’ released by MRC Records in 1984, a sub-label of Maranatha! Music. In March 1984, Youth Choir was asked to be part of the initial Cornerstone Festival later that summer; the band quickly pressed up a 7-inch single of two live tracks, “I Can’t Take It,” and “Here in the Night,” to have something to offer attendees besides the What’s Shakin’ compilation.
When I began selling my record collection and converting everything to CD, one of the few Christian rock albums I refused to part with even though I no longer owned a record player was Voices in Shadows by Youth Choir a.k.a. The Choir. As far as I knew, it was lot forever on out-of-print vinyl.
Imagine my inexpressible joy when I recently came across this 1985 debut as a CD re-issue in my local Christian bookstore. Yes!!! What a way to start the new year. (Maybe one of my New Year’s resolutions should be to pray for other Christian music executives to follow suit and begin re-issuing early works by The 77’s, Charlie Peacock, Elim Hall, Ideola and others on CD.)
For those who are unaware. The Choir was originally a trio by the name of Youth Choir and included Derald “Derri” Daugherty on guitar and lead vocals, Steve Hindalong on drums and Mike Sauerbrey on bass. Sauerbrey left after the debut, but has since returned to fold with the band’s 1990 release Circle Slide.
If you’re a recent Choir fan, listening to their current music without being familiar with their debut is like reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy apart from The Hobbit. Sure, it’s possible, but why miss out on so much background, so much foundation? On Voices in Shadows, The Choir began sowing the seeds of musical greatness, and this re-issue helps put their later recordings in the proper context.
In terms of sound quality, this conversion to compact disc is acceptable, although digital remastering would have been nice, but beggars can’t be choosers.
Granted, Voices in Shadows is somewhat dated musically speaking because of the electronic, syncopated drums, but seven years later it’s still a thrill to hear how the band began to develop their trademark sound be experimenting with guitar harmonic chords, feedback and rim shots. Every song has a hook and is worth a careful listen, but my personal favorites have always been «Another Heart», «Dreams» and «Why Are All The Children Crying?»
Lyrically, this is one of the band’s darker releases, filled with questions, pain and cynicism. Glimmers of hope, however; shine through on songs like «Someone’s Calling», «A Million Years» and «Alright Tonight», saving this release from over-indulgent despair.
All told, The Choir’s present catalog includes Voices in Shadows, the EP Shades of Gray (now only available as part of their fourth release) Diamonds and Rain, Chase the Kangaroo, Wide Eyed Wonder and Circle Slide. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for a live release in the future, but until then or a new studio recording, go out and complete your Choir collection by picking up Voices in Shadows while supplies last. [Scott J. Drachnik, Syndicate, Vol. 7 Issue 2, 1992]
MULLETS AHOY! Back in the mid-80s the esteemed members of the band that would become the darlings of the Christian indie scene were known as Youth Choir. Presumably to avoid being mistaken for 50 toothsome singing Baptists, they soon became The Choir and these early recordings were lost in the atmospheres and vibe of the recordings that established them in the past 15 years. Steve Hindalong and Derald Daugherty have certainly made an impact on the Christian music scene since these recordings were, made so a trip back in time is even more interesting! Apart from the dodgy haircuts, the ever-present undercurrent U2 guitar influence is jangling away along with some distinctly 80s synth sounds, making these recordings very much a product of their age. Even here, going back to where it started, there are the embryonic traits that will make their later recordings so evocative. Hard subjects are given sensitive atmospheric treatment so a song like «Why Are All The Children Crying» cut through to the soul. Elsewhere, the 80s vibe is strong on the synth driven «Here In The Night» and «A Million Years» with their poppy production. «15 Doors» sounds like October-period U2 whilst «More Than Words» is slower and brooding with a hard-hitting message to narrow the reality gap between words and actions. Definitely an album for Choir completists who want to get a hold of these rarities or for fans of 80s music! [Mike Rimmer, Cross Rhythms, December 2000]
I’m not sure if Steve Hindalong and Derri Daughtery cringe when they look at the photography from their first three albums, but maybe they should. For their debut, Voices in Shadows, they went for the British new-wave look, clean-cut and nicely dressed. But upon the release of Shades of Grey, the E.P. follow-up, the two of them grew mullets, and by the time Diamonds and Rain came out, they’d begun using V05 pink hairspray to make their hair as “big” as possible. Thank goodness those days are over.
M8 Distribution has done us the favour of making The Choir’s first two albums available on one CD, complete with all the original artwork and photography. Voices in Shadows/Shades of Grey is actually one of the better put together re-releases in M8’s canon (aside from, of course, the Daniel Amos Alarma! Chronicles book set, which is above reproach), with full lyrics to every song, and the aforementioned original artwork. Also, thankfully, that obnoxious gold border the label was in the habit of putting around their covers is absent.
As for the music… while the band’s early material never quite reached the magnitude of such classics as Circle Slide and Speckled Bird, there are quite a few excellent songs among these two albums. «Someone’s Calling», for example, which opens Voices in Shadows, is an excellent minor-key rocker which has a definite sense of urgency. «A Million Years» and «Fade Into You» are two excellent early worship songs, and «All Night Long» may well be the band’s first “twisted love song.”
All in all, this disc is a good buy for fans of The Choir (I don’t think Voices was previously available on CD), as well as fans of early 80s alternative and those who want to learn the history of Christian rock. [Michial Farmer, The Phantom Tollbooth, 9/7/2000]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/voices-in-shadows-deluxe-edition/1820593322)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Someone’s Calling” – 4:27
A2. “Wounds Of A Young Heart” – 2:38
A3. “Dreams” – 3:48
A4. “Another Heart” – 3:32
A5. “Why Are All The Children Crying” – 4:31
Side Two
B1. “Another World” – 3:54
B2. “Here In The Night” – 4:17
B3. “Alright Tonight” – 2:54
4B. “Anyone But You” – 3:34
B5. “A Million Years” – 3:41
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Broken Records. Later re-issued on CD by Broken Records, distributed by Benson. Also re-issued on CD by M8 Distribution in 2000, featuring the Shades of Gray EP as bonus tracks. Available at Bandcamp: https://thechoir1.bandcamp.com/album/voices-in-shadows-plus-bonus-tracks
A full-page advertisement for the new Maranatha! Music associated imprint Broken Records – a progressive label featuring artists like Undercover, Youth Choir, Crumbächer, and Altar Boys – was featured in the March 1985 issue of CCM Magazine.
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