We’ve always been a ‘glass is half full’ bunch of critics, but some years more than others have certainly tested our optimistic outlook. But this year – despite the recession and the down-and-dirty politicking, we’ve kept our heads held high and our musical sensibilities, well, sensible…and finely tuned.
And now… we’ve finally done it! After much deliberation and bantering back and forth via the net in Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Nashville and Atlanta (and wherever else Deborah Evans Price happens to be traveling) we’ve merged our passionate picks for the year’s best new releases. By no means is this a comprehensive list of the many exciting, well-executed, and radio-worthy Gospel and Christian projects of the year – such a collection would be more laborious than Walmart on payday. (No blood was shed in the making of this list.)
To make the bitter pill of choosing only 10 go down a bit better, we’ve included a hearty ‘honorable mentions’ list. So…with all due disclaimers aside, gmclife.com presents (in no particular order) 2010: The Best of the Best.
Lecrae
Rehab
Reach Records
This will be one of the most definitive holy hip hop albums we’ve heard. If the commercial response is any indication, this is not only a breakthrough CD for this artist, whose talent to see it through is as powerful as his testimony, but a breakthrough for the genre he represents. – Lisa Collins
Lecrae is seriously amazing, and Rehab captured my attention at first listen with fresh beats, really clever lyrics and a redemptive message that never comes across as contrived or hokey. – Christa Banister
Ricky Skaggs
Mosaic
Skaggs Family Records
Skaggs’ rousing and moving new album, Mosaic, is a testament to his personal faith. The Cordell, Ky. native worked closely with fellow GRAMMY-winner Gordon Kennedy, known for his work with Eric Clapton, Garth Brooks and Bonnie Raitt, to create an album that mixes elements of country music with Beatles-esque melodies, making “music that is in my head and in my heart,” says Skaggs.
With Mosaic, Skaggs takes his music in a new direction, reincorporating electric instruments, keyboards and drums. While the songs will resonate well with AC Radio, Skaggs hasn’t abandoned his acoustic, bluegrass roots and mixes a pop/rock/ country sound with strains of acoustic guitar, mandolin and fiddle. – Deborah Evans Price
Josh White
Achor
BEC Recordings
Loved this at first listen. He writes intelligent, thought-provoking worship that’s musically substantive, too. I’ll be listening to this for a good long while, I just know it. – Christa Banister
This record, and Josh’s voice, has a rawness that captured my attention. It feels like you’re sitting in a coffee house, enthralled by these gritty, gospel-y songs, and next thing you know, you’re encountering a brand of folk smooth as molasses. – Jenny Bennett
Disciple
Horseshoes & Handgrenades
INO Records
With secular placements landing on everything from WWE to ESPN, these hard rockers are amongst the hardest hitting crossovers in recent memory. – Andy Argyrakis
The Rend Collective Experiment
Organic Family Hymnal
Kingsway/EMI-CMG
Just when I thought worship was getting a little boring, this group comes along with one of the best efforts of the year. Love the unorthodox songwriting, instrumentation, and their clever music videos are among some of our favorites this year.
– Christa Banister
Gungor
Beautiful Things
Brash Music
It is, perhaps, one of the greatest worship projects I’ve EVER heard, let alone in 2010. – E.J. Gaines, GospelPundit.com
Marvin Sapp
Here I Am
Verity Records
This follow up to the record-setting and chart-topping Thirsty tells the story of why Marvin Sapp is where he is – at the top of the charts. You can’t contain his talent, you can’t harness his spirit or his phenomenal vocal range; and you cannot ignore this album for a top slot on anyone’s top 10 list. – Lisa Collins
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SOURCE: Gospel Music Channel
