by J. Matthew Cobb
PRAYZEHYMN Editor-In-Chief
Some albums shaped us, some shocked us, some even spoiled us, some even challenged us. Regardless on how great or weak the album was this year, it can be stated that 2005 was a very different year for the gospel music industry. With a very slow start of gospel projects during the first quarter and some unexpected musical entries failing impress the bulk of gospel music consumers, gospel music in 2005 fails to compare with the entries from previous years (2002, 2000, 1998). But all is not lost since the summer months picked up some momentum for us and the fall quarter provided grounds for energetic arrivals. Based on our reviews and a few glimpses back on the months that have transpired, we have finally figured out the TOP 12 gospel albums of the year of 2005. As we embark a new year in the days ahead, we hope this list of projects have filled your home with pleasant blessings and abundant joy and are sitting in your CD changer at this time. If not, please make it a priority to add these collections to your Christmas list...before it's too late.
Now here we go...the TOP 12...
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Rev. Timothy Wright & the N.Y. Fellowship Mass Choir II
Let's Celebrate (He Is Risen)
Label: AIR Gospel || Release Date: 5/10/2005
With the well-received return to delivering slamming gospel with "Live In New York", Rev. Timothy Wright found his niche' with the raw and infectious vocals of the New York Fellowship Mass Choir. 2005 brought a quick follow up to that project featuring Wright's brand of feel-good gospel; a worthy mix of groovy contemporary hooks and catchy melodies. Plus the improvement in the production department was a step-up on this one compared to the previous offering (even though that project possessed stronger material and a lengthy list of guest stars). But this project allows Wright's light to shine and proves he's still in the game. "Let's Celebrate", "Draw Me Nearer", "Time Is Winding Up" and the spunky remake of "I Made It Over" definitely prove to be the strongest content on this project.
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VaShawn Mitchell
Believe In Your Dreams
Label: Tyscot || Release Date: 4/5/2005
After writing for everybody else, Mitchell steps out on his national debut on the Tyscot music label. Though this project has a good number of technical errors (editing, the reprises, album fillers, and over-used melodies), the good outweighs the bad and proved to be a worthy collection filled with unforgettable moments and relevant lyrical content. While upbeat, funky tunes including "No Way" and "Destiny" showcased Mitchell's heart for jams, he proves his best skills on the prophetic, personal selections like "S.O.S" and "Lost In Your Presence". Plus, hearing Monique Walker on the emotional roller-coaster "Your Tears Have Paid Off" quickly proved to become an underground favorite.
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Kirk Franklin
Hero
Label: GospoCentric/Zomba || Release Date: 9/20/2005
The popular and controversial gospel artist experienced a "nu"birth this year in both the media and on the charts. Franklin, who pushed the gospel industry to the limits with "The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin", steps back a few steps with this studio follow-up full of suspicious samples of R&B and pop favorites. Some may label this project as highly original, but sampling is never original. Yes, the choice of songs may be different, but not the brand used here. Everything here is suited for the modern hip-hop/pop/R&B audience that have no clue of what the music during the 70s and 80s sounded like. "Looking For You" proved to be a good single from the album, but keynote selections such as "Could've Been", "Keep Your Head" or "Better" would have been even better choices. Many guest appearances from gospel and pop icons (Dorinda Clark-Cole, tobyMAC, Marvin Winans, Tye Tribbett, J. Moss, Stevie Wonder) are tucked within; helping to cover up Franklin's absence on lead vocals. Overall, the project is pretty good and has to be one of the better studio presentations by Franklin since "The Nu Nation Project".
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Tunesha Crispell
Just As I Am
Label: PotBelly Music
|| Release Date: 2005
Known for her vibrant, jazzy and sultry vocals, Tunesha Crispell steps away from James Hall & Worship and Praise for a minute to showcase a zesty collection full of crunk and brilliance. Kudos to her husband Melvin Crispell (renowned songwriter for Hezekiah Walker, DFW Mass Choir, Rev. Timothy Wright, James Hall and others) whom handles the musical direction here and bumps the juice on the organ. With this being a debut project, many may have doubts on this being such a winner, but their doubts are utterly shattered after a few listens to songs like "I'm On My Way", "Victory In Jesus", "Open My Mouth" and the amusing arrangement of "Just As I Am". Jonathan Nelson & Purpose won it last year in the independent category, but this year surely goes to Crispell. Fine work indeed. |
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James Grear & Nu Friends
Live
Label: Alliant Music Group || Release Date: 6/21/2005
Grear has released several projects in the past that failed to gain a substantial dose of success; due to weak productions, poor choices of song selections and bad marketing. And while the industry fell asleep on this project for a period of time on "Live", Grear changes paces and adapts to the stylings of Excelsior, the late Thomas Whitfield and Ricky Dillard. The change of direction fits like a warm glove and the husky harmonies are hard to resist. Plus, with F. Darnell Davis (Excelsior) on board, along with spectacular selections from Jack Yates, this project deserves a considerable amount of attention. Heavy hits include "Just Hold On", the churchy "He Kept Me", "It Shall Come To Pass", "He's My Help" and the lengthy-epic rendition of Rudolph Stanfield's "Perfect Peace". Ricky Dillard fans should really embrace this one.
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Yolanda Adams
Day By Day
Label: Atlantic || Release Date: 5/03/2005
With a new music label and a fresh start after several setbacks which include a poorly-marketed and unbalanced project ("Believe") and a shocking divorce procedure with NFL star Tim Crawford, Yolanda Adams bounces back into what she is best in doing; well-crafted, R&B-influenced songs spiced with her soulful vocals. Far from outdoing 1999's "Mountain High Valley Low", this project still features graceful presentations of Adams and contains remarkable material including Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis' "Be Blessed", "This Too Shall Pass", "Someone Watching Over You" and the stellar "Lift Him Up" (which features Donnie McClurkin and Mary Mary) and the silky "Alwaysness". There is a calmer mode here, comparable to the styles of Toni Braxton and Anita Baker, yet Adams never fails to showcase her powerful vocal deliveries. Definitely an improvement for one of Gospel's most celebrated superstars and greatly sophisticated from beginning to end.
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Ron Winans Family & Friends V
A Celebration
Label: Entheos || Release Date: 3/08/2005
2005 was a year full of bittersweet moments - one of those moments included the release of Ron Winans' finer collections recorded at his Family & Friends conference (or family reunion). Surprisingly, Winans was called home to glory right after the project was released due to his failing health and detoriating heart conditions. But make no mistake about it - this project surely overshadows his previous musical offerings significantly. The material is much stronger, the music is more crafty and well-worked, and the guest appearances of R&B/pop/gospel heavyweights are too much to count. The album opens with the spunky "The Lord Has Been Good" and features wealthy offerings including "Can't Help But Love Him" (featuring Gladys Knight and Marvin L. Winans), Ron leading on the declarative "I Shall Not Die But Live", the Katinas' powerful appearance on "My Father's House" and a tour de force featuring Rance Allen, Ron, Shawn McLemore and Marcus Cole on "I Made A Promise". Who can resist the infectious remake of "Salvation Is Free" featuring Vanessa Bell Armstrong and that mean organ performance from Antun Foster. They are too many powerful moments captured here, and even though the project didn't obtain its rightful share of overdubbs and top-notch mastering, it is raw and highly energetic. The slower cuts are more to count, but those cuts captures the sensational magic of the Winans style. Passing up on this collection is a true mistake.
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Israel & New Breed
Live From South Africa
Label: Integrity || Release Date: 10/25/2005
If you were to list in order the best of Israel's projects, New Season would probably result at the top with "Live From Another Level" coming second. It just was a little too hard for Israel to top those projects. He tries to do so with his latest offering "Alive In South Africa"; released during the fall quarter of this year. But it falls short because he attempts to pull tougher musical sequences, complex rhythms and not enough catchy melodies. Not to say the previous collections didn't possess those features, it was just less of it. This one is tougher to chew and harder to swallow. But the project is quite favorable and manages to appeal to gospel fanatics with Israel and Aaron Lindsley's brand of R&B funk and chunky praise-and-worship. "Favor Of The Lord" rocks hard, while tunes like "Turn It Around", "Alive", "Not Forgotten", "You've Been A Friend" and the moving "No Limits" definitely leave good impressions. A good follow-up to "Live From Another Level", even though this was a very quick response to it. But it's still gratifying and is a pleasant ride from beginning to end.
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New Life Community Choir featuring John P. Kee
The Reunion
Label: Verity || Release Date: 12/06/2005
There are some major problems resulting on John P. Kee's latest adventure with the legendary New Life Community Choir...but who cares when we have been awaiting for a good live "remix" of Kee's treasured favorites. A good number of classics are revamped on this two-CD collection (notice everyone is doing the double disc thing) including the contemporary romp on "I Must Tell Jesus", "Wash Me" and the remarkably J.Moss-sounding remake of "Wave It Away". Some tracks ("It's Possible, "Rhema Word", "More Than Anything") that escaped our ears from previous Kee collections even resurface with satisfying changes. Add a few new tracks to the list and a reunited alumni featuring Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Issac Carree, Lowell Pye, Lejune Thompson and Rhonda McLemore and you have yourself a winner. Lots of songs to listen to here and it's pretty much a good representation of conventional John P. Kee material dating back to the days of "Show Up!" and "Strength" - minus the drumwork of Ledell Abrams, the keyboard touches of Ivan Powell and the unforgotten heroes such as Drea Randle, Erick Matthews, Shawn McLemore, Montrell Darrett, Bruce Parham, etc.
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Micah Stampley
The Songbook of Micah
Label: EMI Gospel || Release Date: 3/29/2005
The irresistible vocal prowess of this newcomer is totally mind-blowing. With strong comparisons of Donnie McClurkin, William Murphy and Smokie Norful surfacing to the top, Micah sets himself in a class of his own due to his complicated list of gifts and talents. He has a pen of a modern-day psalmist, a voice and range unlike any other in gospel and a style that is unique and refreshing. Enough of the adjectives. His debut presentation, glossed with a good production handled by Cedric Thompson (Donald Lawrence, Twinkie Clark, T.D. Jakes) is filled with heartfelt emotion and contemporary zeal, which can be traced on hard-hitters such as "War Cry", "Holiness (Take My Life" and the upbeat album opener "Worthy To Be Praised". There are one or two tracks one may want to avoid, but above all, this project is quite a charm and showcases a young and vibrant singer; proving to reign on the gospel charts for sometime.
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Mary Mary
Mary Mary
Label: Columbia/Sony || Release Date: 7/19/2005
Coming close to the #1 spot, Mary Mary exceeds with their self-titled album; a triumphant recovery from the over-looked, yet suspicious "Incredible" project. It is easy to say that Mary Mary are super large beacons in the gospel industry due to their well-received blend of urban hip-hop and contemporary R&B, but their talents within their songwriting and glorious vocals, especially revealed on this project, places them in the forefront of innovativing the face of gospel music. This project is a good balance of big-bangers ("Believer", "The Real Party", "Heaven") and gospel-infused tunes touched with a taste of jazz ("Yesterday", "The Biggest Greatest Thing"). With renowned producer Warryn Campbell producing the bulk, if not all, of the cuts here, and a successful run of satisfying marketing (and a good mix maxi-single for "Heaven"), Mary Mary delivers a fine mix to this year's best collections.
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Youthful Praise
Live The Worship, The Praise
Label: Artemis || Release Date: 8/23/2005
And the winner is: Didn't think it would be, did you? Well, the Teens of T.F.T., better known as Youthful Praise, highly impressed the staff at PRAYZEHYMN. Tough decision, but YP brings home a wondrous set of gospel-friendly praise and worship material along with a good mix of ol' skool grooves and fine melodies. It's a balanced project and the choir's vocals are good to the ear. More memorable tracks that the rest of this year's essentials, such as "I Am Your Help", "Shift This Place", "Incredible God, Incredible Praise", "You Are So Awesome", "The Presence", "He Reigns", "Holy", "He's Worthy" and "The Lifter". Please note that this project was definitely welcomed with hard and bitter disgrace, since "Thank You For The Change" failed to identify with most of YP's original fanbase, but this collection is a strong and wealthy improvement and pulls in a feast of styles ranging from praise-and-worship to traditional gospel.
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