Don't Censor Me
{{Short description|1993 album by Audio Adrenaline}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Don't Censor Me
| type = Album
| artist = Audio Adrenaline
| cover = AudioAdrenalineDon'tCensorMe.jpg
| alt =
| released = October 1, 1993
| recorded = 1993
| venue =
| studio =
- Gaga Studios and Fun Attic Studio (Franklin, Tennessee)
- Sound Stage Studios (Nashville, Tennessee)
| genre = Christian rock
| length = 42:39
| label = ForeFront
| producer =
| prev_title = Audio Adrenaline
| prev_year = 1992
| next_title = Live Bootleg
| next_year = 1995
}}
Don't Censor Me is the second studio album by Audio Adrenaline, released on ForeFront Records on October 1, 1993. The album features the track "Big House", which is considered the band's most popular song.[http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/DontCensorMe.asp Don't Censor Me review] on Jesus Freak Hideout; Portell, Paul[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p43305/biography Audio Adrenaline profile] on AllMusic; Ankemy, Jason
Background and concept
According to the band, the album is aimed at a young audience like they were at the time. In an interview with CCM Magazine in 1996, they described the songs as "cheerleader songs" for their upbeat and cheerful rhythms. In the same interview, the band agrees that Don't Censor Me better approached the style and concept they wanted, when compared to their first album, but "it still didn't hit the mark".[http://flickerofhislight.homestead.com/ccm96.html 100% Adrenaline] on CCM Magazine; Selby, Marykay (April 1996)
Recording
Don't Censor Me was recorded in 1993 at various studios in Tennessee, Gaga Studios and Fun Attic, both in Franklin. Steve Griffith and Joe Baldridge were in charge of recording. Griffith, Baldridge, and Dave Frank were also in charge of the mixing, some of which was done at SoundStage, in Nashville, Tennessee. The mastering was done by Hank Williams at MasterMix in Nashville.Don't Censor Me slip cover; Audio Adrenaline (1996)
Reception
{{Music ratings
|rev1 = AllMusic
|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}[http://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-censor-me-r202463 AllMusic review]
|rev2 = Jesus Freak Hideout
|rev2score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}[http://jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/DontCensorMe.asp Jesus Freak Hideout review]
}}
Don't Censor Me was well received by the audience, selling more than 250,000 copies.[http://flickerofhislight.homestead.com/ccm96.html 100% Adrenaline] on CCM Magazine; Selby, Marykay (April 1996) Thom Granger, of AllMusic, gave the album 3 stars out of 5 calling it "more pop-savvy".[http://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-censor-me-r202463 Don't Censor Me review] on AllMusic; Granger, Thom Paul Portell, of Jesus Freak Hideout, gave the album 3.5 stars out of 5. Portell wrote that the album "showcases the band's rising maturity both lyrically and musically" and that it "may not be Audio Adrenaline's best effort, but at the same time a stepping stone in the band's growth spiritually and musically". Portell also compared their style to Collective Soul, Maroon 5, and John Mayer.[http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/DontCensorMe.asp Don't Censor Me review] on Jesus Freak Hideout; Portell, Paul
The album produced the hit singles "Can't Take God Away" and "Big House".[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p43305/biography Audio Adrenaline profile] on AllMusic; Ankemy, Jason The latter reached number 1 on Christian radio,{{cite web |url=http://www.soulshine.ca/features/featuresarticle.php?fid=216 |title=Audio Adrenaline: Until Their Heart Caves In and Beyond|publisher=Soulshine.ca|accessdate=2009-08-08|date=2006-07-20}} and is often regarded one of the band's biggest hits of their career.{{cite web |url=http://jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/DontCensorMe.asp |title=Audio Adrenaline, "Don't Censor Me" Review |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout |author=Paul Portell & John DiBiase |accessdate=2009-08-08}}{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p43305/biography|pure_url=yes}} |title=Audio Adrenaline > Biography |publisher=AllMusic|first=Jason|last=Ankeny|accessdate=2009-08-08}}{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r202463|pure_url=yes}} |title=Don't Censor Me > Review|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=2009-08-08|first=Thom|last=Granger}} It received the Song of the Decade title from CCM Magazine for the 1990s.{{cite web|url=http://christianmusic.about.com/od/upcomingreleases/a/AAfinalalbum801.htm|title=Audio Adrenaline Releasing Final Album On August 1|publisher=About.com|first=Kim|last=Jones|accessdate=2009-08-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090616024610/http://christianmusic.about.com/od/upcomingreleases/a/AAfinalalbum801.htm|archive-date=2009-06-16|url-status=dead}}
Music videos
Music videos were made for the songs "A.K.A. Public School", "Big House", and "We're a Band". dc Talk appeared as three "cool guys" in the video for "A.K.A. Public School".[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF9L3MSj5GQ A.K.A. Public School video] on YouTube[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVGJcL5NKrE "Big House" music video] on YouTube[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT9YXB3Fvns&ob=av2nm "We're a Band" music video] on YouTube
Track listing
{{track listing
| all_writing = Barry Blair, Bob Herdman, Will McGinniss, Mark Stuart except where noted
| title1 = Can't Take God Away{{Ref label|hitp|a|a}}
| length1 = 3:59
| note1 = writers: Toby McKeehan, Todd Collins, Blair, Herdman, Stuart, McGinniss
| title2 = A.K.A. Public School
| length2 = 3:32
| title3 = Soulmate{{Ref label|hitp|a|a}}
| length3 = 3:37
| title4 = My World View
| note4 = cameo appearance by Kevin Smith
| length4 = 4:24
| title5 = Big House{{Ref label|hitp|a|a}}
| length5 = 3:33
| title6 = Jesus & the California Kid
| length6 = 2:55
| title7 = Don't Censor Me{{Ref label|hitp|a|a}}
| length7 = 3:15
| title8 = Let Love
| length8 = 4:35
| title9 = We're a Band{{Ref label|hitp|a|a}}
| length9 = 4:02
| title10 = Rest Easy{{Ref label|hitp|a|a}}
| length10 = 4:42
| title11 = Scum Sweetheart{{Ref label|hitp|a|a}}
| length11 = 4:09
| total_length = 42:39
}}
:{{note label|hp|a|a}} Live recording later appeared on Live Bootleg (1995)
Personnel
Audio Adrenaline
- Mark Stuart – vocals
- Bob Herdman – keyboards
- Barry Blair – guitars
- Will McGinniss – bass
Additional musicians
- Blair Masters – musician (1, 9)
- Todd Collins – musician (1, 9), backing vocals (1, 9)
- Steve Griffith – musician (2–8, 10, 11), backing vocals (2–8, 10, 11)
- Dave Frank – musician (2–8, 10, 11), backing vocals (2–8, 10, 11)
- Tony Miracle – musician (2–8, 10, 11)
- Greg Herrington – musician (2–8, 10, 11)
- Nicole Coleman-Mullen – backing vocals (1, 9)
- Jimmie Lee Sloas – backing vocals (1, 9), vocal arrangements (1)
- Kevin Smith (of DC Talk) – cameo appearance (4)
Production
- Eddie DeGarmo – executive producer
- Dan R. Brock – executive producer
- The Gotee Brothers – producers (1, 9), mixing (1, 9)
- Steve Griffith – producer (2–8, 10, 11), engineer (2–8, 10, 11), mixing (2–8, 10, 11)
- Joe Baldridge – engineer (1, 9), mixing (1, 9)
- Dave Frank – mixing (2–8, 10, 11)
- David Hall – assistant mix engineer (1, 9)
- Hank Williams – mastering at MasterMix (Nashville, Tennessee)
- Joan Miller – production assistant (1, 9)
- Jeff Frazier – photography
- Jeff and Lisa Franke – design
- Carol Maxwell – make-up
''Don't Censor Me: Extended Play Remixes''
Don't Censor Me: Extended Play Remixes was released in 1994. The EP contains two remixes of "Can't Take God Away" and one each of "We're a Band" and "Big House". "Big House (Aquatic Dub Mix)" was remixed by Ian Eskelin; the remaining three tracks were remixed by Scott Blackwell.
{{Infobox album
| italic_title = no
| name = Don't Censor Me: Extended Play Remixes
| type = EP
| artist = Audio Adrenaline
| cover =
| alt =
| released = 1994
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Christian rock
| length = 22:44
| label = ForeFront
| producer =
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
{{Track listing
| headline =
| total_length = 22:44
| title1 = Can't Take God Away (Eternal Life Mix)
| length1 = 5:54
| title2 = Can't Take God Away (House Mix)
| length2 = 6:42
| title3 = We're a Band (Hardcore Mix)
| length3 = 6:00
| title4 = Big House (Aquatic Dub Mix)
| length4 = 4:08
}}