We’ve been featuring here all the ’80s DeGARMO & KEY albums fully remastered for the first time, and the last from this 2022 reissue campaign is their 1984’s LP “Communication”.
”Communication” was an exhilarating experience for D&K as they became the first Christian group to have a music video appear on MTV. The clip “Six, Six, Six” became the first song to be placed in MTV’s regular rotation, however, it was pulled due to ‘violent content’. MTV had misinterpreted the song “Six, Six, Six” as an anti-Christian statement. Executive Sandra Sparrow was unaware that DeGarmo & Key were a Christian band when she included the video in a list of videos to be banned. MTV allowed them to submit a re-edited version without the Antichrist being set on fire.
Musically, “Communication” is the most Classic American AOR album from DeGARMO & KEY. The preceeding record showcased some of this sound, but this record sports that full 1983-1984 feeling with clean melodic guitars, smooth vocals, and fine keys akin PREVIEW, I-Ten, DAKOTA, FRANKE & THE KNOCKOUTS, etc.
With is radio friendly sound from the era, “Communication” did it very well in the Billboard chart, with two successful singles for a CCM act. The album doesn’t really have any filler – most of the other songs belong to the melodic AOR style with some pop elements which could be considered D&K’s trademark at the time.
You also can find some nice piano/keys-based ballads with epic vocals and choruses, namely ‘Everyday a Celebration’ and ‘Blessed Messiah’, and some pure AOR tunes like ‘Rejoice’, the pumping ‘Are You Ready’ and ‘Perfect Reflection’, so the variety is pretty wide.
While D&K’s are obviously religious oriented, any AOR fan that is not biased towards anything Christian should be pretty satisfied with what ”Communication” has to offer: mid-Eighties American sound for the genre and first class production, even better with this fresh remaster.
Tracks
1 Are You Ready 3:20
2 Rejoice 3:36
3 It’s A Shame 3:28
4 Alleluia, Christ Is Coming 2:49
5 Everyday’s A Celebration 2:47
6 Blessed Messiah 3:49
7 Perfect Reflection 3:48
8 He Has Risen 2:52
9 Six, Six, Six 3:53
10 Man Of His Word 3:49
11 Dear Friend 1:44
Credits
DANA KEY -Lead Vocals, Guitars
ED DEGARMO – Vocals, Keyboards, Fairlight C.M.I.
TOMMY CATHEY – Vocals, Bass
GREG MORROW – Vocals, Drums