Smack Down!! – Hoppers – Round 1

This week’s artist album smack down finds the first match up for the Hoppers.  Listen to sound bytes of each recording and then vote for the album you think should win.

• Album – Forever Settled
• Release Year – 1997
• Vocal Line Up – Dean Hopper (lead), Kim Hopper (soprano), Connie Hopper (Alto), Claude Hopper (baritone), Shannon Childress (bass)
• Song List – (1) “When We Get Home” (2) “It’s Called Calvary” (3) “There’s Something Going On” (4) “Once For All” (5) “I’m Building This House On The Rock” (6) “Forever Settled” (7) “The Cross Now Is Empty” (8) “Shouting Time” (9) “This Ship Will Sail” (10) “Look The Other Way” (11) “What You Talk On Sunday” (12) “Midnight Train To Jordan”

• Album – One More Time
  
• Release Year – 1993
• Vocal Line Up - Dean Hopper (lead), Kim Hopper (soprano), Connie Hopper (Alto), Claude Hopper (baritone), Shannon Childress (bass)
• Song List – (1) “The King’s Highway” (2) “I Will Praise Him” (3) “He’s Worthy” (4) “Fan The Flame” (5) “No Time At All” (6) “One More Time” (7) “I’m Looking Forward” (8) “Sunday School” (9) “From Disgrace To His Grace” (10) “Cry Of His Child”

A Southern Gospel Valentine

A lot is made over Valentine’s Day nowadays.  It seems the gift giving is just as important to your significant other as giving gifts at Christmas.  As the concept of love comes in many forms, there is none greater than God’s love for man in the form of Jesus Christ.  The ultimate expression of love shown in the form of dying for another.  That is what Jesus did for us.

So, I thought I would spread a little love this Valentine’s Day by giving you some of my favorite Southern Gospel love songs.  Enjoy! What are some of your favorite Southern Gospel love songs?

Best Of 2012 – #2

I trust everyone had a wonderful Christmas day.  As we get close to turning the page on 2012 and starting 2013, it is time to take a final look at the best Southern Gospel album and recorded song of the year.  Today we take a look at the runner-up (#2).

Runner up for the best Southern Gospel album of 2012 is Count Me In by the Hoppers.  Released in October, Count Me In is a different album for the Hoppers, in comparison to their last half-dozen.  This time the group called on Michael Sykes to produce and the end result is an album that hearkens the listener back to the Hoppers of the early 1990′s.

I had the opportunity to see the Hoppers in concert at the beginning of December and Taranda Greene happened to be with them that weekend.  If this revamped Hoppers 2.0, with Taranda, is going to be a regular part of the group’s tour in 2013 prepare yourself now for one power house performance.

Personal favorites from this recording include:  ”I’ll Take You Home”, “I’ll Worship Only At The Feet Of Jesus”, “He Didn’t Just Carry The Cross”, “Count Me In”, “I Wish We’d All Been Ready”, “That’s What I Love About Him” and “I Am Whatever You Need”.

Roger and Debra Talley were both members of the Hoppers back in the late 1970′s/early 1980′s.  Here we are, 30+ years later and both groups are still at the top of their field releasing the best Southern Gospel music of 2012.

I named the Talleys 2012 album Love Won #4 among the best albums released this year.  There were several strong songs on that album, but there was one in particular that stood out above the rest.  ”Broken World” sounded like a follow-up to another Talleys mega-song, “Broken Ones”.

Bev Herrema, Sean Smith and Terry Wilkins penned this power house tune that found a home in my iPod all year.  Lauren Talley’s vocal work coupled with the strong lyric made this one of the best songs recorded in Southern Gospel music is 2012.  Listen to a clip of “Broken World”.

Tomorrow will crown the #1 album and recorded song of 2012!

Best Of 2012 – #13

The best of 2012 continues today with the Southern Gospel album and recorded song at #13.  Jeff and Sheri Easter had another consistent year with another top album release.

Eyes Wide Open is the album to rank 13th among the best Southern Gospel albums released in 2012.  Giving the listener their long tradition of country/bluegrass flavored Southern Gospel music.  Sheri’s performance of “I Know How It Feels To Survive” is the stand out moment on Eyes Wide Open.

Consistency keeps Jeff and Sheri Easter at the forefront of Southern Gospel music.

Personal favorites from this recording include:  ”I Know How It Feels To Survive”, “I’ll Take It”, “I Won’t Have To Worry”, “Standing Here Wondering”, “I Wonder If He Ever Cries” and “Sitting On Top Of The World”.

#13 among the best recorded Southern Gospel songs of 2012 is “I’ll Take You Home”, a song originally recorded by the Greenes in 1984 on their recording Greenehouse.

It was the Hoppers to cover this song on their 2012 album, Count Me In.  I mentioned in my review of this album, how the Hoppers went back to a sound reminiscent of their rise in Southern Gospel music in the early 1990′s.

Their treatment of “I’ll Take You Home”, penned by Jean Canter, captures that sound more than any other on the album.  That is why the song lands at #13 among the best of the year.  Listen to a clip of “I’ll Take You Home”.

Tomorrow:  #12.

The Fab Five – November 2012

November 2012 is upon us and time to highlight five current radio songs that piqued my interest over the course of the preceding month.  Family groups dominate the current radio hit list this month with chart topping hits from the Isaacs, the Hoppers, the Crist Family and the Collingsworth Family.  Beyond The Ashes also found a spot among all the family groups.  Enjoy!

Album Covers To Rank – Set 8

Here is another set of album covers to rank to kick off the weekend.  In the comments section, rank each album from 1 to 6 (1 being the best, 6 being the worst).  Click on thumbnail for larger image.

The Call – Mike Bowling (2001)

Heavenly Sunrise – Hoppers (1991)

Live In Dayton – Kingsmen (1990)

We Believe God – N’Harmony (2002)

Oasis – New Hinsons (1995)

Gospel Gold – Oak Ridge Boys (1974)

Count Me In – Hoppers

GRADE:  A

• Album – Count Me In
• Artist – Hoppers
• Label – Springhill Music Group
• Style – Traditional, Progressive
• Release Date – 10/22/12
• Available For Digital Download? – Yes (on release date)

SYNOPSIS:

The Hoppers celebrate their 55th anniversary by releasing a new album, Count Me In.  While there is not as much fan fare as was the case during their 50th anniversary (and their release that year; The Ride), the group continues to release music that is fresh.

Count Me In takes a fresh approach in that the Hoppers scale back on their recent formula of big orchestrated ballads and soaring tracks.  Instead, producer Michael Sykes (along with Mike and Kim) take the listener back to a time period in the Hoppers history where they were rising to prominence in the Southern Gospel industry.

For all those around in the early ’90′s when the Hoppers were becoming the force they are now, Count Me In is reminiscent to those great Hopper albums of the early ’90′s.  Count Me In is available now through the group, but will not be available at retail until October 22nd, 2012.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Where do I start?  As already mentioned, what separates this album from the last several the group has released is the scaled back approach on the orchestration and soaring tracks.  It brought back all sorts of memories of the Hoppers in the early ’90′s.  That was a great time period for the group.
• I can’t pick out a stand out track because there are several that made me hit repeat.  The Jean Canter classic “I’ll Take You Home”, with Connie taking the lead on the second verse had classic Hoppers written all over it.  This is going to be a great live concert song.
• Kim turns in another stellar performance on “He Didn’t Just Carry The Cross He Carried Me”.  Without the over orchestrated track, this really allows the vocal to be the focal point of the entire song.
• Another concert favorite will be the current radio single, “Count Me In”.  A true Ronny Hinson lyric and up tempo song that would have fit in on any Hinson album.
• I can’t leave this review and not mention the group’s performance (more importantly Connie’s performance) of the Larry Norman classic “I Wish We’d All Been Ready”.  For anyone that has been around this music (or its history) for any length of time will remember this song from the Oak Ridge Boys 1971 album Performance.  Why has it taken this long for a group to cover this song?  A great closing track to Count Me In.
• Strongest songs included in order:  ”I’ll Worship Only At The Feet Of Jesus”, “I’ll Take You Home”, “He Didn’t Just Carry The Cross He Carried Me”, “I Wish We’d All Been Ready”, “That’s What I Love About Him”, “Count Me In” and “I Am Whatever You Need”.

DISLIKES:

• The placement of “I Will Serve Thee” on the recording.  While there is nothing wrong with the performance, the group recorded this particular song on the Best Of The Hoppers recording two years ago.  They could have used that placement for another new song.
• For those listeners who are expecting the big orchestration of the last several recordings may not enjoy this album because of the scaled back approach.  Give it a chance.
• Weakest songs included in order:  ”If I Can Help Somebody” and “I Will Serve Thee”.

WRAP UP:

I have hammered home the point that 2012 has been the year of the mediocre Southern Gospel recording.  While there have been some good albums, there has only been a few great albums released so far this year.  If the release of Count Me In is a sign that the last quarter of 2012 will bring the best albums of 2012,  bring it on!  Do yourself a favor, pick up the Hoppers Count Me In.  You don’t want to miss out on what will be one of the best album releases of 2012.

SONG/FEATURED VOCALIST – SONGWRITER:  1. “Mighty Is The Word”/Ensemble – Shannon Childress/Robert Griffith  2. “That’s What I Love About Him”/Ensemble; Dean – Joseph Habedank  3. “I’ll Take You Home”/Ensemble; Connie – Jean Canter  4. “He Didn’t Just Carry The Cross He Carried Me”/Kim – Matthew Garinger/Joel Lindsey  5. “I Just Feel Like Something Good Is About To Happen”/Dean; Kim – William Gaither  6. “If I Can Help Somebody”/Claude – Alma Androzzo  7. “Count Me In”/Dean – Ronny Hinson  8. “I’ll Worship Only At The Feet Of Jesus”/Kim; Connie; Dean – Gloria Gaither/William Gaither/JD Miller  9. “I Am Whatever You Need”/Dean; Kim – Terry Wilkins  10. “I Will Serve Thee”/Ensemble – Gloria Gaither/William Gaither  11. “I Wish We’d All Been Ready”/Connie - Larry Norman

Hoppers Concert Review And Free Music Give Away

For all those that know me, know I am a sucker for a good Southern Gospel concert.  When a group rolls through your hometown it is even better.  Last night (09/07/12), I had the opportunity to go to Trinity Baptist Church here in Mooresville NC to see the Hoppers.

There is not another group in this industry that I have seen more in concert, over the course of my lifetime, than the Hoppers.  And what makes it even more impressive is that in that 30 years of seeing them live, I have never walked out of one of their concerts disappointed by their performance.

The concert gave the group the chance to highlight their new recording Count Me In.  Stand out performances from the new album included “I’ll Take You Home” (a classic Hoppers sounding tune penned by Jean Canter in the mid ’80′s), “He Didn’t Just Carry The Cross” (a familiar Hoppers style ballad that features Kim), “Count Me In” (a great up tempo number penned by Ronny Hinson, also the first single) and “Mighty Is The Word” (a great up tempo number penned by the late Shannon Childress).  Be looking for a full album review of the Hoppers new album Count Me In on Tuesday amongst all the NQC coverage.

The Hoppers also had the crowd on their feet after their performances of “Something’s Happening”, “Jerusalem”, “Yes I Am” and “I’ve Come Too Far”.  After two hours of giving it their all, the Hoppers closed with a chorus of their classic song “Mention My Name”.  It was also interesting that the group did not sing “Shouting Time” (not even a chorus).  I doubt the group is retiring the song, but this may have been the first time in 15 years (since the group started staging the song again) that I have not heard “Shouting Time” in a Hoppers concert.

So, because I am feeling good today and the new album is great, I thought I would give one of my readers a chance to win a brand new, unopened copy of the Hoppers new album Count Me In.  I wanted to make this give-away a little different from just a trivia question.

***To win, email me (swea215@yahoo.com) a couple of sentences of your greatest Hoppers concert memory.  From those responses I will choose a winner of the new CD.***