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From the Vault...
06/21/2015
#1469 |
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info
Candle
"The Music Machine"
© Birdwing Records
Year of Release: 1977
Rating:
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track listing
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A Land Called Love
Music Machine
The Whistle Song
Smile
The String Song
Patience
Gentleness
Faith
Joy
Peace
Goodness
Love
Self-Control
Kindness
Reprise
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WSVNRadio Archives
Candle related sites:
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Candle
"The Music Machine"
The Christian group called Candle released The Music Machine in 1977. It would become the first album to reach #1 on Billboard's Christian
Albums Chart. Although released in 1977, documented listings of the #1 Christian albums started in March of 1980. The Music Machine was #1 on the
Christian Albums Chart for three weeks. This album is a Christian album for young children.
The Music Machine is also titled as The Music Machine: The Fruit of the Spirit. It is a musical adventure teaching the Fruit of the
Spirit to all ages. It is set in Agapeland, and teaches children about the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It features the characters Stevie and Nancy. Stevie
and Nancy were prortrayed by Winton Nicholson and Jeanne Vetter. It spawned a series of spin-off Music Machine albums, books, a video game and
movies. The children singers were from the Agape Force Prep School, located in Lindale, Texas. This is how the name Agapeland was formed.
Candle is a Christian band, best known for their Agapeland related children's albums. Their other Children series include Bullfrogs and Butterflies
and Ants'hillvania. Other albums were Once Upon a Christmas: The Original Story, Sir Oliver's Song, and Nathaniel the Grublet.
They have accomplished many Dove awards, and have been nominated five times for Grammys.
The Music Machine: The Fruit of the Spirit is the first CD in the Agapeland Music Machine 3 CD set series featuring Stevie, Nancy and the
Conductor. It features the original recording by the Agapeland Singers. This is where Stevie and Nancy enter Agapeland and are introduced to the Music
Machine and its wonders. The second CD is entitled Music Machine: All About Love, and third is entitled Music Machine: The Majesty of God.
The 3-CD set can be found on Amazon.com, or
at the Agapelandmusic.com site.
A children's album for young and old alike, it features songs of the Holy Spirit, and Christian faith. It can also be compared to the Christian Sesame
Street. "A Land Called Love" starts the album, yet it is a boring sounding track. However, the title track is a great children's song. With it's
train-like sound effect throughout the album, this is another standout. "The Whistle Song" and "Smile" are also great Sesame Street'ish
children tracks.
"The String Song" is another track that is the same in style as the first track, "A Land Called Love" - kinda boring. "Patience"
is one of those songs that will not only be enjoyed by children, but by adults. It's humourous, and quite funny. Herbert the Snail sings along on this one,
and he makes this track, with how he sings. Funny ... Humourous .. Perfect Children's Track.
The early years of Christian music definitely has "Gentleness" -- with it's soft touches, and Christian lyrics. The next three songs will have
children enjoying throughout: "Faith," "Joy" (a groovin' track for the kids), "Peace" (Sesame Street-ish). Is "Goodness" a Country
tune? Kinda sounds like it is, and not a bad idea to introduce Country for the kids. "Love" has a more Pop Rock (70s) style. Yet the next track
just may appeal more to the kids than adults -- "Self-Control" and "Kindness." The last track, "Reprise" is set to the track "Music
Machine" -- so we can easily identify this track as "Music Machine (Reprise)".
The Music Machine by Candle is a great introduction of Christian lyrics for children. For us "old folks," Sesame Street was the program to
watch in learning reading, writing and arithmetic. Another program was The Electric Company. Both programs were on PBS Television. The Music Machine
is a good method of "Sesame Street for Christian Children." A great introduction of children's Christian, it should achieve the future of children to listen
more to today's Christian music, as they get older. The Music Machine for this review was from the original vinyl, however, in researching this album,
it is on CD, yet the album artwork is different. Likewise, there was a booklet with the original vinyl, as most children's albums have. The music alone
is great for children, as listening to the Christian content. The original first album of Sesame Street from the early 1970s is available on CD, as it is
released as part of a box set [Sesame Street: Old School, Volume 1: 1969-1974] -- consisting of the first, second and third Sesame Street albums
on CD: Original Cast Album (1970), Big Bird Sings (1974), and Bert & Ernie Sing Along (1975). There is a Volume 2 CD, continuing
with the next three Sesame Street albums: Grover Sings the Blues, My Name Is Roosevelt Franklin and The Count Counts. I only had the first
album when I was younger, as Volume 1 would be a must. I do have the original vinyl (found on ebay), so that alone, is worth the memories of the vinyl and
booklet. The Electric Company LP is yet to surface on CD, and it would great to see this album reissued on CD, with its appropriate booklet.
Candle's The Music Machine is another addition of great albums for children. Today's children will enjoy it (as they should give an open ear to
educating themselves on the children's entertainment and Christian music). Their parents will enjoy it as well, especially those parents who fondly
remember Sesame Street, Elecric Company from the late 1960s to 1970s.
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