Opinions are just that —opinions.

2002 Preview

2002 Preview

So we spoke with some of our contributors over the past year and pulled together our collective opinion of what we considered to be 'Essential Gospel' released over the calendar year of 2001.

No, this is not a top 30 list. Rather, we believe that these thirty projects defined the sound, the spirit, and the essence of Gospel over the past 12 months. And those reasons are as varied as the sounds that make up the albums.

For more detail on each project, simply click on the album title which will link to the full review of the CD.


Israel and New Breed
New Season
The Body of Christ needed this CD. It's a breath of fresh air for the Gospel and Praise and Worships genres respectively, full of diversity, encouragement and powerful praise and worship. The musical and vocal arrangements never take away from the anointing. There is a song for everyone. (Dwayne Lacy)


Rev. Clay Evans & AARC Mass Choir
Constantly
Chicago’s Rev. Clay Evans shows zero signs of letting up on this traditional choir set from Meek Records. The AARC continues to belt them out, supported by some of the Windy City’s if not the world’s most respected church musicians. Rev. Wendell Lowe on the title track is superb.(Stan North)


Youthful Praise
Awesome God
Merging contemporary flavas with traditional choir fullness, Youthful Praise is the best of all worlds. Helping to spark revival and redemption of the choir sound, the smash single "Awesome God" is the proverbial "song of the year". It's now time for everyone to know who it belongs to, and find out that there's MUCH more where that came from. Exciting from start to finish, it's another must have. (Melanie Clark)


Various Artists
MSS Dynasty: The Hostile Takeover
We knew that Tonéx had something special back in '97 with his Pronounced Toe-nay project. Now, he introduces the world to a ton of his friends and creates an urban masterpiece. Not only does the man make your head spin with a barrage of bangin' beats and "off the wall" lyrics, he introduces you to his church choir who is as wild as he is. (Gerard Bonner)


Keith Wonderboy Johnson
Tribute to Quartet Legends
Great album. Live and Alive, Johnson's previous project was also tremendous and got nominated for a Sttellar. But this a great album too, keeping the memory of older quartet legends alive. (James Wigington Jr.)


King Cyz
Life or Death
This album has tight production and is a definite outreach to the unchurched as well as to the churched. It lets you know that Christian Hip Hop is geared towards maintaining high quality music and reaching the lost. Check out "30 Seconds". (Dwayne Lacy)


Fred Hammond
Christmas: Just Remember
A seasonal project worthy of year round play. Celebrations of the season all tied together with the common thread of Christ. Fred’s praise and worship flava makes this a christmas album that transcends its packaging. (Melanie Clark)


The William Murphy Project
Soul-drenched and soul-satisfying, this is an intimate, contemporary and vertical praise project that is the essence of what Gospel music should be about. After years of front line efforts as a soloist on big choir projects, William Murphy has now made his mark on the solo tip, and it’s glorious. (Stan North)


James Hall and WAP
We Are At War
Could there have been a more prophetic project this year than We Are At War? Hall debuts this project on a new label but maintains that trademark James Hall sound that results in his most exciting release since his debut. This mature project features Hall and Worship and Praise at their absolute best. (Gerard Bonner)


The Bolton Brothers
Revival in Atlanta
This is a good album, and they did a very good job crossing over into some serious contemporary arrangements, which only the Williams Brothers and The Christianaires have been able to do as a quartet group. You really get the feeling that this is a legit "live" album, as we know that that word is used very generously these days.
(James Wigington Jr.)


Restine Jackson and Grace
Praise Party, Live in DC
Now I may not be feeling "SuuperDuuper", but I sure feel everything else this brother is doing. DC boy, he is starting to get the national praise he deserves, for he brings it every time he ministers in songs. The costumes are hilarious sometimes, but it shows that God is worthy to be praised in any era and any fashion. (James Wigington Jr.)


Ted & Sheri
The Healing Starts Right Here
Ted & Sheri could easily be called the duo of the year. Any time you can take a hymn such as "Come Ye Disconsolate" and make it something to talk about, you've accomplished something. This duo set out to create an album that would heal the total person and they were extremely successful. It is an auspicious debut for Neily Dickerson's Church Howse label. (Gerard Bonner)


Londa Larmond
Love Letters
Accessible songs on a project that brings together both old school soul and new school bounce, Londa Larmond’s solo entry from EMI Gospel brought a wave of fresh flava to Gospel this year. (Stan North)


Rufus Troutman
No Compromise
The successor to the famed Troutman dynasty delivers in a very major way. Rufus Troutman keeps the legend of the vocoder alive with a trendsetting album that manages to fuse gospel and funk with a party vibe that is unparalled in 2001. (Gerard Bonner)


Various Artists
Kingdom Come Soundtrack
The collaborations found on this album are simply breathtaking. Kirk Franklin & Jill Scott, Carl Thomas & SOP, and Kirk Franklin & Mary Mary are just a few of these amazing teams who combined to make some outstanding music. The mere starpower of this album alone makes it noteworthy. (Gerard Bonner)


LFT Church Choir
Love Is Live!
It's a great album, and excellent and easy for church choir's to learn. The third cut "I Praise God", just makes you jump. Typical Hez. Beats you over the ears with the same words over and over again, until you TRULY feel it in your soul. (Melanie Clark)


Voices of Unity
Supernatural
Dietrick is very effective in his ministry to young people, and does not disappoint with this delight. (Gerard Bonner)


Various Artists
Songs for the Soul
Masterful thematic compilation featuring Marvin Sapp, Maurette Brown-Clark, Marcus Cole and many others. It takes on tough challenges like a group rendition of Donnie McClurkin's "Stand" and makes it new. Commissioned has a sweet tune on here as well. (Melanie Clark)


Sean Slaughter
The World Is Not Enough
Who would have thought that the year's most exciting hip-hop project would come from the son of a renowned praise & worship leader? Go figure. Sean Slaughter births a relevant and cutting-edge project with a raw New York vibe that is difficult to manufacture. It's yet another project that you just can't stop listening to. (Gerard Bonner)


VIP Mass Choir
Might In The Spirit
Few can jam it like John Kee. The latest VIP installment comes filled with jams, and the vocals are pretty good too. The title track fits like a glove, and hits home even harder if you've seen the video, with its David and Goliath imagery. (Stan North)


Cece Winans
CeCe Winans
Cece continues to give an album that appeals to both the CCM and Contemporary Gospel audience. What impresses me is that the first three songs are focused on prayer. This album was released a few months before the 9-11 tragedy. Prayer is definitely the key. (Dwayne Lacy)


Excelsior
God@Work
Excelsior is a very special choir with a special album. This choir masterfully mixes hip-hop, traditional, and latin rhythms without missing a beat. In addition, this choir can sing! It's an enjoyable album that speaks to many situations and ministers to a wide variety of listeners. It's an all-purpose project. (Gerard Bonner)


Bishop Larry Trotter & Sweet Holy Spirit Combined Choirs
Tell The Devil I'm Back
Bishop Trotter pulls together churchy blowouts and band jam craziness with smoking arrangments and the occasional instrumental breaks marking ministry from the double Chicago choir. (Stan North)


Various Artists
In Case You Missed It and Then Some
This is essential simply because it gave us some of Commissioned's best song redone. It let us know that Fred and Keith still sound great together. It gave us a sneak preview of what we can expect from the FHammond Music camp, especially Joann Rosario. (Dwayne Lacy)


Nuwine
The Psalms of Nuwine...When Thugs Fly
This is perhaps the only album this year that runs the full gamut of the emotions that believers experience. From sincere joy to utter dispair, Nuwine chronicles a period in his life that will have folks talking for quite some time. While controversial at time, it is the essence of real music. Blending raw emotion with life experience, Nuwine gives us a perspective that many feel but few ever express. (Gerard Bonner)


Various Artists
Quiet Times Volume IV
Keyboards rule on this surprising hype project that is more lively than quiet. Piano man / organist Frederick Vaughn joins with pianist Derrick Jackson for some rousing and fiery jazz renditions of hymn classics. Medleys abound and so does the energy. (Stan North)


Riff-Raff
Generation X
The album didn't garner much attention simply because it was so independent, but hip hop's rise this year is characterized by beats and rhymes as found on Generation X. And it's so much fun too! Riff Raff is one to watch.(Stan North)


tobyMac
Momentum
It's not every day that an artist can successfully merge rock and hip-hop into something special. The dctalk member adds a maturity to this project that is second to none. Add to that, he gives us our first glimpse of 2002 with new artist Joanne Valencia who is the vocal spitting image of Lauryn Hill. How exciting is that?! (Gerard Bonner)


No Fear In Me
Momentum
Erick Matthews makes the comeback of the year with by dropping at 12-track atom bomb on the devil's head. After a 5-year layoff, Matthews returns to the scene with a decidely urban album that is a full-scale attack on the devil and his kingdom. Its "in-your-face" beats and poignant lyrics will leave an imprint for a long time to come. (Gerard Bonner)


Rob Maletick
Hand In Hand
Instrumental, both live and studio, Rob Maletick turns on the talent with original sax compositions that leave no doubt to Whom the praise is directed. Some great guest vocals and Kirk Whalum as guest are added bonuses. (Stan North)