THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(12-TRACKS)
1-WON'T FADE AWAY
2-ALL OVER ME
3-KING OF MY WOLRD
4-I LOVE MY LIFE
5-HALLS OF HEAVEN
6-HOW I LOVE YOUR NAME
7-SWEET COMMUNION
8-CAPTIVATE
9-FOR THE LOVE OF MY KING
10-MERCY SEAT
11-I DO LOVE YOU
12-BE GOOD
RICK CUA -MIDNIGHT SUN/1991
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-STREETWISE
2-I CAN! I WILL
3-YOUNG BOY,YOUNG GIRL
4-I'LL BE SATISTIED
5-DEDICATED
6-SOMETHING YOU GOT
7-NO MAN WILL KNOW
8-PLENTY OF LOVE
9-TEAR DOWN THE WALL
10-THE LOST CAN STILL BE FOUND
RICK CUA - THE WAY LOVE IS /1992
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-WHAT IF
2-CAN'T MAKE ME STOP
3-BETTER THAT EVER
4-WHEN LOVE COMES HOME
5-WALK ON THROUGH THE FIRE
6-NO OTHER LOVE
7-I WOULD'VE WAITED FOREVER
8-I BELIEVE
9-MAKE TIME FOR LOVE
10-LOVING YOU HAS MADE IT RIGHT
RICK CUA - WITHIN REACH /1991
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-MESSAGE OF LOVE
2-HEAVEN WON'T STOP THE RAIN
3-SOMEWHERE TONIGHT
4-STAND YOUR GROUND
5-FIFTEEN
6-POWER OF THE LORD
7-BIG GUN
8-KEEPER OF MY SOUL
9-DO IT
10-DIAMOND GIRL
RICK CUA - CAN'T STAND TOO TALL / 1988
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(9-TRACKS)
1-HARD TIMES
2-CAN'T STAND TOO TALL
3-TUNNE VISION
4-FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
5-RECKLESS FAITH
6-CRASH THE PARTY
7-WE ARE ALL THE SAME
8-SHAKEDOWN
9-FOREVER YOURS
RICK CUA - WEAR YOUR COLORS /1988
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-WEAR YOUR COLORS
2-FLEX
3-THIS RAGING FIRE
4-HUNGRY
5-LEMME AT 'EM
6-GOT TO ROCK
7-UNCHAINED
8-NIGHTFALL
9-HATS OFF TO YOU
10-LINE OF FIRE
RICK CUA - YOU'RE MY ROAD - 1985
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-DON'T SAY SUICIDE
2-YOU'RE MY ROAD
3-ONE CHILD IN PAIN
4-WE ARE THE CHOSEN
5-YOU'VE ONLY GOT ONE LINE
6-HOUSE CALLS
7-RUNAWAY
8-WE ARE YOURS
9-THE OLD MAN
10-CAN'T STOP
RICK CUA -NO MESTERY - 1983
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-HE LIVES IN ME
2-ONE WAY OUT
3-CHANGED
4-JUST VISITING
5-THE POWER
6-HIGH SCHOOL REUNION
7-CREATE IN MY HEART
8-A.S.S.E.F.
9-BRIGHT LIGHT
10-HELP ME OUT
RICK CUA KOO-AH - 1982
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-FLY ME TO HEAVEN
2-SPIRIT
3-THE ROCK WAS ROLLED AWAY
4-ETERNITY
5-HEAVEN WA MADE FOR EVERYBODY
6-YOU CAN STILL ROCK & ROLL
7-CROSSFIRE
8-JUST A LITTLE BE MORE
9-I WANNA BE LIKE YOU
10-MELT MY HEART
BIOGRAPHY:
(Rick Cua )The Bass Player of Southern Rock Band The Outlaws, from 1980 until 1982, Rick Cua has expressed his spiritual convictions through music for nearly two decades. The vice-president of the creative department of EMI Christian Music publishing, Cua continues to inspire spiritual awareness with his tunes. Initially rooted in Hard Rock, Cua has increasingly veered towards commercially-accessible Pop-Rock anthems. Christian songstress Angela recorded Cua's tune, "Young Boy, Young Girl", co-written with Bob Halligan, Jr of Celtic pop-rock band, Ceili Rain. Cua has resisted several invitations to return to secular music. He reportedly turned down an invitation to join jazz-pop ensemble.Rick Cua was a member of the Secular Rock Band The Outlaws from 1980 to 1982. In 1993, along with his wife Diana, Rick started UCA Records. Between 1995 and 1997, he joined several industry professionals to create The Celtic pop/rock band Ceili Rain. From 1998 to 2003, he was on the staff of EMI Christian Music Publishing as creative director.
REVIEW FOR THE ALBUM()
The Ex-Outlaw offering his eighth or ninth CCM album presents music that is...pleasant. Too soft to be called metal and too hard for pop this album does not immediately demand attentive listening. Bassist Rick does not put a foot out of line but also doesn't dare to venture into uncharted territory, maintaining a safe clean sound, at times reminiscent of Go West ("Can't Make Me Stop") or even Huey Lewis ("Make Time For Love"). The subject matter of the songs focuses mainly on romantic relationships, Rick emphasizes the importance of commitment and faithfulness in such relationships through songs such as "When Love Comes Home" or "Make Time For Love" ("It used to be for better or worse/But now the question is who leaves first/We say the words but we don't want to live it/It falls apart and we still don't get it."). Ironically, the best track on the album, "I Believe" (check out The Anthemic Guitar solo) is the only one which speaks openly about the Christian walk. You won't miss this album if you don't buy it but if you like your rock on the MOR side you won't be disappointed.
REVIEW AND A Short Extra Biography(Midnight Sun)
Rick Cua was a bassist for the southern rock band, the Outlaws. In 1982 he became a Christian and left the group to embark on a solo Christian music career. Since he was a player, rather than a front-man or solo artist, the crossover wasn't that earth-shattering, but his professional roots served as a strong foundation for the music he would create in the name of Christ. His first album, YOU'RE MY ROAD, was released in 1985, and it was followed up in 1986 and 1988 by the two stellar projects WEAR YOUR COLORS and CAN'T STAND TOO TALL. Both albums personified Gritty AOR, influenced by his southern rock roots as well as some Bluesy Rock. In 1989 Rick released the album MIDNIGHT SUN, which would signal a change in musical direction. MIDNIGHT SUN opened with the one/two punch of "Streetwise" and "I Can I Will," both of which recalled the style of his previous records. The songs are infused by the funk of Cua's Bass and some Talented BGVs. "I Can I Will," in particular, stands out as a true rock anthem, declaring that it's "time to stop debating, you've got nothing to lose..."I can I will" And "I stand I do believe." Definitely one of Cua's best-ever tracks. In a sharp u-turn, the tempo is slowed down considerably with "Young Boy Young Girl," a duet with Bash-N-the-Code's Rebecca Sparks. The song, which was made into a video for the Fire By Night youth series, is a classic Christian "why wait" ballad, crying "I know the passion when it seems like you've waited forever, hold on be strong tonight." The rest of the album wavers between ballad/mid-tempo territory to upbeat, edgy pop/rock . "Dedicated" is straight out of the late 80's in its synthesized style. "Somethin' You Got," with its sax and horn arrangement, is a funky little ditty that talks about the results of living a visible Christian life. "No Man Will Know" turns it up a notch, with a stripped down sound that, again, highlights Cua and producer Tom Hemby on the stringed instruments. Lyrically, the song, like the majority of the album, is straight ahead in its Christian message and themes. Cua co-wrote on six of the tracks. After the hot start, MIDNIGHT SUN tuned it down and it is clear that the album was produced to garner increased airplay on adult contemporary stations. The results are mixed--a lot of the tracks here are done well, but Cua's voice and comfort zone just seem to be crafted for harder music. The transition that he started here would continue in his following albums, though. On WITHIN REACH he would team with the Elefante's to create more melodic pop/rock, and on THE WAY LOVE IS, which was his last album for Reunion, his rock days were completely behind him.Rick Cua first found fame as a member of Southern rock band The Outlaws and then later turned his reawakened faith in Christ into a second career with arena rocker-style albums like WEAR YOUR COLORS and CAN'T STAND TOO TALL. The strictures of Christian contemporary radio, though, dictated that what Cua did was ignored. There were next to no radio outlets for actual rock with a Christian message to be aired. To sell more copies in the late 70s and 80s, you needed to get a "radio hit"...something light and "safe" that Christian radio of the time would air. (The situation has improved as time goes on though CCM radio is still pretty fearful of electric guitar and R&B sounds.) As time went on, Cua began to soften his sound, veering closer and closer to pop and A/C sounds.
HIGHLIGHTS:
"I Can, I Will" exemplify the type of material Cua delivers best at: shout along rock strutters with simple choruses. ("I can, I will/I am the warrior/and I'll fight for You/I can, I will..") Although I feel the softer sound isn't Cua's strongest suit and the album as a whole suffers from it, I will admit that the other 2 best tunes are ballads "I'll Be Satisfied" ("When all the tears run dry/When all the hearts stop breaking/When all the fears just pass them by/That's all that I ask for/That's all that I pray for...") and "Dedicated", which is very 80s in sound, perhaps like a lost Journey song. ("I'm dedicated to loving You/Committed to You heart and soul..")
LOWS: Brassy opener "Streetwise" is bland and false advertising as it's way too slick to remind me of 'the streets'. It's not a solid rocker or a tight R&B raver. "Young Boy, Young Girl"'s celibacy message has its heart in the right place, but some of the verses are too over-the-top for its own good ("Young boy/It may wreck your night!...please don't give in to 'the world'".
BOTTOM LINE:
Cua is at his best as a gritty rocker not an adult contemporary balladeer/popster. Skip this one and get WEAR YOUR COLORS or CAN'T STAND TOO TALL instead.This album is good, but I prefer his earlier works, such as "Can't Stand Too Tall". As his career progressed, his music became more mellow and mainstream(http://www.holymetalrob.com)
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