Avalon
More than any other year, 1998 was a near-mythical year for Avalon. So much so, one might begin to think their name was a foretelling of sorts. After all, Avalon is a legendary, mythical island paradise where King Arthur sailed off to at the end of his life, having long searched for the Holy Grail. Avalon, mythically speaking then, is heaven. For the vocal group Avalon, comprised of Jody McBrayer, Janna Potter, Michael Passons and Cherie Paliotta, this year was about as close to heaven as a vocal group can get:
Along with the attention and accolades, Avalon has experienced first hand the glorious and grueling year spent in the whirlwind of success. Early morning flights, days full of interviews and in-store appearances, evening concerts and meet-n-greets, and mid-night flights to new cities . But what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger, right? "A lot of days, running to catch flights, its easy to feel like, ‘Okay, why am I doing this again?’" says Janna. "And while this year has been very trying, I am reminded of the answer over and over again."
"We’ve seen God do some amazing things this past year. It has been a tough year and a wonderful year," Jody says of 1998. "We’ve been exhausted and yet so encouraged by the affirmation we’ve received. Its great to know that people are hearing the music, and it’s making a difference."
It has been a year of growth and change. From the obvious, the departure of Nikki Hassman and arrival of Cherie Paliotta, the renewed (fresh) vitality and depth of their music, Avalon has managed to sail beyond expectations to become the most exciting vocal group on the Christian music scene today. Refusing to be content with the status quo, which in light of the past year is quite overwhelming, Avalon is making the most of the gifts they’ve been given. As Avalon’s sound continues to evolve, the harmonies are more layered and multi-dimensional. With high-energy pop songs, beautifully emotive ballads and stirring anthems, Avalon delivers a vocal punch that entertains, encourages and inspires a multi-faceted audience. Over the years, they have learned what it takes to be a vocal group, undefined by soloists, but distinguished by four equal parts, four individuals with distinctive personalities and distinctive gifts who have melded into one distinctive sound-reverberating one heart and one mind when it comes to the music. As Avalon has grown, they’ve grown in their desire to sing from their hearts and out of their unique experiences. Their latest album, In A Different Light is an expression of that collective desire.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The New Fab Four - Avalon!
They've come a long way. Since the group formed in 1995, they've toured with Crystal Lewis and Anointed, produced three albums with the great Brown Bannister and Charlie Peacock, racked up eight consecutive number-one singles, and won two Dove Awards. But there's more to Avalon than meets the eye.
Avalon's creation has served as fuel for their critics' fires. Avalon was formed in early 1995 by executives at Sparrow Records. Critics have called the group "shallow" and likened them to the Spice Girls and the Backstreet Boys. If you bring this up, everyone involved is quick to defend themselves - and Avalon. Grant Cunningham, Sparrow's A & R director and co-creator of Avalon, defended the origins of Avalon in an interview with CCM Magazine. "I think it certainly would have been {less honest} if we sat down and auditioned people, picked the four people we thought looked the best, sounded the best and could really pull this off, then bought them a bus and made them a record . . . It started so much more grass roots than that . . . None of us would have done it if there was a question about authenticity . . . As they assembled, my vote began to count less and less. They ultimately found each other, chose each other and then committed to each other . . . It was as honest as possible, in an unconventional way."
Cunningham chose Michael Passons first for Avalon. Next, Cunningham and Passons chose Janna Potter. Janna worked with Jody McBrayer during a stint with the musical group Truth, and he became the third member. The three then chose Nikki Hassman. When Nikki left, they chose Cherie Paliotta as her replacement.
Each member of Avalon has their own nickname, some of which require some explanation. Michael is the founding member of Avalon, hence the name "Father Avalon." "The independent sister" is Janna. Jody is the "peace-keeping puppy," a title given to him by Janna. "I want to peg Jody as the puppy of the family. It's like when there's something wrong, {puppies} want to be right there with their loved one and comfort them." Finally, Cherie is referred to as "the unexpected pregnancy." Huh? The three original Avalon members spent exactly nine months looking for Cherie, Nikki's replacement.
With the release of their new album, "In a Different Light," Avalon charts new musical territory. However, the message a song conveys is more important. Janna expresses the group's mission. "The four of us have been very blessed, but if you look a little deeper, you'll find out that we're just like anybody else. We want tell you how the Lord got us through those struggles and how he can do the same for you."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avalon
[Oxygen]
produced by
Brown Bannister
(2001/Sparrow)
그룹의 이미지가 변한다는 것은 쉬운 일이 아닙니다. 하지만 음악적인 역량의 한계치에 다다랐을때 완연한 스타일의 전환을 시도하는 경우는 종종 있지요. 이럴때 성공하는 경우라면 엄청난 반향을 몰고 옵니다. 우리가 기억하는 경우도 상당히 많이 있지요.
하지만 그것이 오히려 더 어색한 결과를 초래하기도 합니다. 먼 곳을 바라볼 필요도 없어요. [Jesus Freak] 출반후 상업적인 성과가 하늘을 찔렀음에도, 몇몇 팬들은 너무나도 완연히 바뀐 디씨 토크의 음악에 대해서 볼멘 소리로 투덜거렸던 적이 있으니까요. 음악적인 전환은 보편적인 선택이 될 수도 있지만, 결코 일반적인 선택은 될 수 없습니다.
아발론은 이런 사실을 잘 알고 있는 팀입니다. 약간 어눌했던 데뷔 앨범을 제외하고 이후의 두 장, 아니 [Oxygen]까지 포함해서 이들의 앨범에서는 어떤 기복감을 느낄 수 없습니다. 혹자는 니키 해스먼이 탈퇴한 시점에서 이들의 전환을 기대하기도 했지만, 세리 팰리오타가 너무나도 기세좋게 해스먼의 빈자리를 메꿨기 때문에 별반 차이가 없었습니다. 제 관점으론 [A Maze of Grace], [In a Different Light], [Oxygen] - 이 세 장의 앨범은 순서가 바뀌어서 출반 되었어도 전혀 이상하게 느껴지지 않았을 겁니다. (물론 [Joy]는 예외로 두어야 겠죠.)
말해놓고 보니까 혹평같군요. 전제를 하나 두죠. 언제나 최고의 음악을 들려주는 그 절정의 순간에서 한치의 변화도 없었다는 것으로요. 그리고 두말할 것도 없이 이것은 엄청난 아티스트리의 표본입니다.
[Oxygen]도 전례에 충실한 앨범입니다. 심지어 그 구성마저도 [In a Different Light]와 비슷하기에 전작을 좋아했더라면 추호의 주저함도 없이 [Oxygen]의 음악적인 완성도에 열광할 겁니다. 첫 곡인 "Wonder Why"의 한방 쏘는 듯한 스타트에 이어서 세련된 분위기의 "The Best Thing"으로 이어지는 루틴은, 마치 전작에서 "Take You at Your World"와 "In Not of"의 이어짐 같습니다. 물론 그 이후에 변조는 좀 있어요. 하지만 구성상의 순서 뒤바꾸기 뿐이지, 대응되는 노래들을 찾는 것은 그리 어렵지 않습니다. 예를 들어 "I Don't wanna Go"나 "The Glory" 의 초반은 팰리오타가 리드했던 "Can't Live a Day"와 비슷하고요... 기타등등. 하지만 이 모든 느낌이 '재탕'보다는 '친숙함'으로 와닿는다는 점이 [Oxygen]이 갖는 장점입니다.
새로운 요소도 있습니다. 첫 발라드인 "By Heart, By Soul"에서 아론 네빌의 참가는 정말 신선합니다. 사실 이 곡은 네빌의 앨범 [Devotion]에 먼저 실렸던 곡이긴 합니다만, 아무튼 네빌의 보컬이 차지하는 비중이 많지 않음에도 그의 독특한 창법때문에 아발론의 노래 치고는 대단히 색다른 느낌을 주면서 앨범 초반을 이어갑니다.
"Wonder Why", "Make It Last Forever"같이 전형적인 리드미컬한 사운드를 타고 가는 곡들도 한껏 당당함을 보이고 있습니다. 반면 "The Glory", "Oxygen" 같은 곡들은 비교될 정도로 차분함을 보이고요. 뒤의 두 곡들은 참 좋습니다. 인터넷 프리세일 구매자들은 "The Glory"에 대해서 굉장한 호평을 보내더군요. 곡이 주는 감동에 있어서 "Can't Live a Day"의 뒤를 이을만한 곡이 어쩌면 이 곡일지도 모르지요.
예의 가사들도 상큼함을 보입니다. "당신은 산소와도 같습니다. 난 주님을 들이마시고, 주님을 내쉽니다. 당신은 나의 사랑. 내 인생의 목적입니다"라는 고백의 "Oxygen"은 순백색의 심플한 자켓과 더불어 함축적으로 이 앨범의 이미지를 완연하게 대변하고 있습니다. [Oxygen]의 패키징은 앨범의 음악들, 타이틀 곡의 테마와 함께 단연 발군입니다. (그런데 자꾸 '산소같은 주님'이라는 표현이 떠오르네요. 우리나라 사람이라면 어쩔 수 없을거 같아요. ^^; )
안정적인 음악을 보여준 만큼 안정적인 성공을 기대할 만한 앨범입니다. 차트와 2002년 도브상을 떠들썩하게 만들 그런 앨범 말이지요.
늘 변함없는 그들의 모습에 다소 단조로움을 느낄 수도 있겠지만, 언제나 최상의 음악을 들려준다는 점에서 아발론의 프로정신은 우리가 늘 상기해도 될만하지 않을까 싶네요. 우리에게 좋은 표본이 될겁니다.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executives at Sparrow Records wanted another group to come onto the music scene. They had the name picked out and knew what they wanted for the group. But, it wasn't that easy. They needed people. Enter Michael Passons, a talented pianist and vocalist that had been trying to get a recording contract. One Sparrow worker heard him sing and asked him to join the group as its first member. He obliged. Then, the first female was chosen. Janna Long, a beautiful, strong-voiced singer left her previous career with Truth to join Avalon. Then they found Rikk Kittleman and Tabitha Fair who toured with the group during the "Young Messiah" tour in 1995. Rikk left and since they needed another male singer, Janna recommended her talented friend from Truth, Jody McBrayer. After Tabitha left to pursue a solo career, in came the sweet-voiced soprano, Nikki Hassman, who completed the foursome. Avalon was set.
They burst onto the Christian music scene with their self-titled debut album. "Avalon" produced the hits "Give it Up," "This Love," "The Greatest Story," and "Picture Perfect World."
But, Avalon was being compared to groups like 4Him and Point of Grace. That wasn't what they wanted since they wanted to establish their own unique sound. So, with their second album, "A Maze of Grace," they took hold of the music and made it their own. Jody admitted later that their first album was "safe," but with "A Maze of Grace," they established their own sound. "A Maze of Grace" thrilled fans and picked up the #1 hits "Reason Enough," "Adonai," "Knockin' On Heaven's Door," and "Testify to Love." Another thing that made Avalon more popular was the fact that "Testify to Love" stayed at the top of the charts for six weeks----something that was record-breaking for the 90's.
But after the release of "A Maze of Grace," Nikki dropped a bombshell: She was leaving the group to pursue a solo career with Sony Records. Fans were devastated. Was this the end of Avalon? But, when people found out that Janna, Jody and Michael were replacing Nikki with someone else, they were glad, because Avalon was staying together. However, they were still worried that Avalon's music would never be the same. They were wrong.
With the appearance of Cherie Paliotta, an energetic singer from Rhode Island, fans relaxed. Cherie's beautiful voice and instant acceptance were just what the group needed. After Cherie came into the group, she memorized all their songs and Avalon went to work recording their third album.
About a month before "In a Different Light" released, their first single from the album "In Not Of" was spinning on Christian radio stations across the country. After hearing the sound of Cherie's clear, beautiful voice and the upbeat, catchy song, comments came flooding into the feedback section of Avalon's web site raving about how great the song was and how they were glad Avalon was still Avalon.
And with the release of "In a Different Light," people were more enthusiastic than before. Cherie fit right into the group as if she'd always been there. Other than "In Not Of," other #1's so far are "Can't Live a Day" and "Take You At Your Word." But, Avalon isn't stopping there.
In 1999, Avalon released "Can't Live a Day" to secular radio, altering a few words to meet the needs of mainstream. Fans complained that the group shouldn't have compromised their message. While Avalon has said they don't want to do a complete crossover, releasing this song was done is hopes of getting a new audience and introducing more people to Jesus.
The year 1999 was a huge one for Avalon. In addition to releasing "In a Different Light" to book/music stores and "Can't Live a Day" to mainstream radio, they had even more going on. One of the biggest things was when Jody tied the knot with Stephanie Harrison.
Also in 1999, Avalon, was the subject of the first book in the CCM LIFELINES series. Merrill Farnsworth wrote an in-depth book about one of the best groups in Christian music. Avalon also had the chance to host their own television special, "Live at the Factory." The show had a concert, interviews and the premier of their first music video, "In Not Of," which fans were thrilled to get after three albums. They also made other television appearances including "Eye to Eye With Al Denson" and "Crook and Chase." They were even featured on Crosswalk.com's weekly "Live at the Lambs" concert.
2000 was also a big year for Avalon. Not just professionally, but personally as well.
Professionally, in September, 2000, Avalon transformed some of everyone's favorite Christmas songs. They took old and new songs and made them their own, combining many different musical styles on their album, "Joy." Be prepared for a pleasant surprize on this album.
On the personal side, in May, 2000, Janna married fellow Christian artist, Greg Long. The other members of Avalon sang at her wedding. Then, sadly, several months later in September, Jody lost his father, Sonny, very suddenly due to an arterial infection. Jody took some time off from touring, then later rejoined the group.
In late summer, 2000, Avalon began recording their new album. "Oxygen" is already one of the most anticipated albums in Christian music right now and is some of Avalon's best work. "Oxygen," a stunning mix of extremely catchy pop and absoultely beautiful ballads, releases on May 22, 2001. It has already produced two hits -- "The Glory" and "Make it Last Forever."
|
