David Bruce Murray
Diana Brantley
Kyle Boreing
Phil on Southern Gospel
Steve Eaton
I trust everyone had a wonderful Christmas. This week we’ll ring in 2011 but before that happens let’s take one final look at 2010. I am down to the top three albums of the year. The album finding a place at #3 for the year is Jeff & Sheri Easter’s, Expecting Good Things.
There are valid arguments that this is not even a 2010 release. It is true that the group had this recording available in late fall of 2009, but Springhill Records officially released it to retail outlets in January of 2010. Therefore I am counting it as a 2010 release.
Personal favorites from this recording include: “Born To Climb”, “Love Remains”, “I Need You More Today”, “Hear My Heart”, “In The Name Of Jesus”, “I Don’t Wanna Cry”, “Workin’ On A Road” and “Expecting Good Things”.
No matter the year you consider this album released, it is one of Jeff & Sheri Easter’s finest and one of the best Southern Gospel album releases of the entire year.
Landing at #3 among the top recorded songs of 2010 is a cover song. The Hoppers have become masters at cover songs. There are usually several on each new recording. I chose the Hoppers 2010 album, Something’s Happening, as #9 among the best albums of the year.
The title track, penned by Kyla Rowland, finds a place at #3 among the best recorded songs of the year. Mercy’s Mark Quartet released this song nearly five years ago on an album titled the same. As great as their version of this song was, the Hoppers took it to another level.
Adding the recitation in between verses was a nice feature, when combined with the vocals turned the song into a powerhouse. It is the type of song that has to be heard live to be truly appreciated. A clip has been provided.
This one is tricky. I don’t consider “Expecting Good Things” to be a 2010 album because I bought it at NQC 2009, but I do see your point about the official release date. If I had considered this a 2010 release it would be in my top 10 (probably fifth or sixth) because I agree it is one of the Easters best projects.
Signature Sound’s “Tribute to the Cathedral Quartet” earns my pick for third favorite album for 2010. I grew up in the 80′s and the Cathedrals where my favorite quartet from the time I was old enough to know a quartet was until their retirement. Since then Signature Sound has become one of my favorite groups, so it is logical that this project was a hit for me. My favorite songs on this CD are “Boundless Love”, “Step into the Water”, “Can He, Could He, Would He”, and “We Shall See Jesus” but there are many other great songs as well. Does Signature Sound do these songs better than the Cathedrals? Of course not…but they make them there own in a fresh, new way. I highly recommend this album to any southern gospel fan.
Brad I would say that in some cases Signature Sound definitely improves on the originals… or does them just as well.
Anyway, it’s nice to see someone else putting that album in a top 5 list where it belongs!