Nov 22

Top 100: #37 The Answer (Collingsworth Family)

Release Year: 2009

Album Rank for Group: #2 of 3

Here’s a blurb: Those Collingsworth kids were suddenly all grown up on The Answer, their most mature and polished album up to that point.  Previously, the family’s biggest songs were sung by their standard trio of Phil, Kim, and Brooklyn, but here they really begin branching out and letting the other configurations shine.  As usual for this group, the three big ballads are the defining performances of the recording.    But the midtempo and uptempo numbers show some improvement here as well.  The only problem is the length: there are 14 songs, and a couple of them could have been cut with no ill effects.

Knock my socks off: Fear Not Tomorrow, I Want Jesus More Than Anything, Jesus Is Still the Answer

Don’t skip that one: I Could Never Praise Him Enough, Oh the Thought That Jesus Loves Me, I Know

I could honestly do without: When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder, Great Is They Faithfulness (the instrumentals)

Nov 21

Top 100: #38 This Time (Mark Trammell Trio)

Release Year: 2005

Album Rank for Group: #3 of 8

Here’s a blurb: The last recording by the original Mark Trammell Trio lineup contained the group’s strongest collection of songs up to that point.  Trammell is featured on the album’s best ballads and does his usual fine job, but the uptempo songs are the best.  This might be a head-scratcher to some ranked this high, but some of my earliest exposure to the Mark Trammell Trio came through this project, and it got me hooked.

Knock my socks off: Keeper of the Keys, With God as My Witness

Don’t skip that one: This Time, When Mercy Came Down, I Needed to Hear That Today, It’s the Blood, More Than You’ll Ever Know

I could honestly do without: That’s All That Matters

Nov 18

Jackie Wilburn: Memories

Jackie Wilburn: Memories | The Southern Gospel Music Magazine | SingingNews.com.

 

Nov 18

Jackie Wilburn Passes Away

Daniel Mount has reported that Jackie Wilburn has graduated on to Heaven this morning.  I won’t attempt to add to what he has written because his article, along with the comments by reader “Jordan”, were simply fantastic and fitting.  I just wanted to express how deeply saddened I am to hear this today.  No one group had an impact on my life quite like the Wilburns did.  It was because of their ministry that I came to know Jesus and I am eternally grateful for their stand for The Lord and their obedience to travel and sing the Gospel. Bro. Jackie has made it inside the gates and I believe if he could relay a message to us he would say this:

My sincerest condolences go out to the entire Wilburn family.

Nov 18

Top 100: #39 God Makes No Mistakes (Inspirations)

Release Year: 2011

Album Rank for Group: #1 of 6

Here’s a blurb: The venerable Inspirations sound better than ever on their newest recording.  The classic Inspirations sound is still there, but is infused with an energetic breath of fresh, young air.  No matter what the critics may think, there is no doubt that the people love this quartet, and one of the major reasons is that they continue to find some great songs.  The title track is one of the best.  If you like traditional quartet music, this album is a complete joy throughout.

Knock my socks off: God Makes No Mistakes, Living in the Land of Canaan, That’s Why We Came Here

Don’t skip that one: Talk About Dying, My Lord Is Taking Good Care of Me, He Made a Way, I Choose the Lord

I could honestly do without: Nothing Less Than Grace

Wait, there’s more!: A full album review

Nov 17

Top 100: #40 When You Look at Me (Kingdom Heirs)

Release Year: 2009

Album Rank for Group: #5 of 10

Here’s a blurb: The Kingdom Heirs’ 2009 release is difficult for me to rank because it doesn’t have the balance that many of these top albums have.  There are some songs on When You Look at Me that I love, including one of my all-time favorite Kingdom Heirs songs (“He Locked the Gates”).  But it also contains more “skippable” songs than the quartet’s other recent offerings.  With twelve songs, I think this is one album that would have been better served knocking off a couple of tracks.  Still, this recording has some awesome quartet songs, and the Kingdom Heirs sound terrific throughout.

Knock my socks off: He Locked the Gates, The Empty Tomb Says It All, On the Gloryland Way

Don’t skip that one: Fire Away, Biblically Correct, When the Story of My Life Is Told, When You Look at Me

I could honestly do without: As Good as I Can Be, Steppin’ on the Stars, Turnin’ Loose

Nov 16

Top 100: #41 On a Journey (Greater Vision)

Release Year: 1991

Album Rank for Group: #6 of 13

Here’s a blurb: Greater Vision’s debut major label recording with Riversong got them off to a tremendous start and set the standard for what the trio would sound like for those first few years with Mark Trammell at baritone. This lineup had a tremendous blend (in my opinion, the best trio blend in the history of gospel music) and the songs showcased that, without heavy orchestration.  They recorded mostly uptempo and mid-tempo songs, with only a few power ballads thrown in.   On a Journey has all of these characteristics and is a deep recording, with not a really weak song in the bunch.

Knock my socks off: I Sing the Mighty Power of God, On a Journey

Don’t skip that one: (Oh Lord) I Need a Miracle, The Love That Lifts Me, Feeling at Home in the Presence of Jesus, In the Shelter of His Arms

I could honestly do without: None