Quick Note About The Best Of 2011 Album List

I wanted to make a quick statement about the album list posted before the annual count down began.  It was a list of 50 albums I received this year.  It was a list of 50 albums listed alphabetically, not my ranking of the best albums of the year.  I thought that was obvious since I am doing a count down now of the 20 best albums.

I saw posted on another website a misquote stating I ranked a certain album for the year that I did not.  If anyone plans to quote my ranking of the best albums of 2011 please use the actual count down ranking and not an arbitrary alphabetical list spot.  Thanks.

Best Of 2011 – #9

The best of 2011 count down rolls on today with the album and recorded song at #9.  The Kingsmen will start 2012 with the #1 song in Singing News on “He’s Everything I Need”.  That particular song is found on the album that lands at #9 for 2011; Grace Says.

This is the most surprising spot of any album on the year’s best count down.  Why?  Like the Perrys Blue Skies, I gave this particular album a ‘No’ on the ‘must buy or not feature’.  I made the comment the recording was stylistically schizophrenic.  Stylistically the album is all over the map and the ‘No’ I gave this album was only a slight ‘No’.

This was one case that over the course of the year, the more I listened to the recording, the more I realized how strong the recording was.  This was probably one of the best vocal recordings the Kingsmen ever recorded.  It was also one of the best quartet recordings of 2011.

Personal favorite songs from this recording include:  ”That’s When I Knew It Was Him”, “He’s Everything I Need”, “Loving Shepherd Gracious God”, “I Can Hardly Wait”, “There Is A Way Back To Grace” and “Grace Says”.

One of the best ‘turn it up’ songs of 2011 was the song that lands at #9 among the best recorded songs of the year.  Wayne Haun and Joel Lindsey collaborated on “Blue Skies Coming”.  This up tempo number recorded by the Perrys has one of the best song introductions of the year.

Another top five hit for the Perrys, “Blue Skies Coming” is one of a few up tempo numbers to find a home among the best recorded songs of the year.  Listen to the first verse and chorus of “Blue Skies Coming”.

Tomorrow:  #8.