Best Albums of 2012

Here are my favorite albums that were recorded in 2012. What were your favorites?

Brian Free & Assurance - Nothing But Love
Favorite Tracks: I Want to Be That Man, I Will Be Praying, Guard Your Heart, If the Lord Says Do It, It's Quite a Valley
Style: Contemporary, Progressive
Comments: Traditional SoGo fans probably won't like this album, but if you like musical diversity, Nothing But Love is a great project with a great selection of songs.

Legacy Five - Count Your Blessings
Favorite Tracks: Blood Washed Band, I Call You Faithful, It Is No Secret, Heaven Came Down
Style: Southern Gospel, Traditional
Comments: The audio quality on this CD was much better than the quality of L5's last album A Wonderful Life. On another note, although it will probably take long-time fans a while to get over Glenn Dustin's departure, Matt Fouch fits in just fine.

Lefevre Quartet - But For the Cross
Favorite Tracks: But For the Cross, I'm So Saved, The Wedding Song, Put It Right There
Style: Mixed (both progressive and Southern Gospel style songs)
Comments: This CD has something for everybody. I really enjoyed most of the songs, and I think this group deserves more attention.

Mark Trammell Quartet - Lifetime
Favorite Tracks: Guide Me, Oh Thou Great Jehovah, I Sing the Mighty Power, Meet Me Over On the Other Side
Style: Traditional, Southern Gospel
Comments: The huge orchestrations arranged by Lari Goss won me over to this project.


 

CD Review: Mark Trammell Quartet "Lifetime"

Ever since reading the positive reviews of MTQ’s latest project, Lifetime, and since watching a video of the first song on the album, “Guide Me,  Oh Thou Great Jehovah” sung by the group at NQC, I’ve been anxious to hear the whole thing for myself. It’s as good and better than I expected it to be!

I’ve only heard one CD from the MTQ since they added their bass singer, Pat Barker, and became a quartet. Their first album, Testimony, was, in my opinion, okay but not great. There were some good songs on the CD, but it didn’t “grab me” like other projects have. I feel that Lifetime is just the opposite.

The project starts out with the old hymn “Guide Me, Oh Thou Great Jehovah.” Lari Goss, who produced Lifetime with Mark Trammell, pulled out all the stops for the orchestration in this song. Stylistically, it reminded me of Greater Vision’s Hymns of the Ages CD. The music fits the song very well giving a grand and majestic feeling. “I Sing the Mighty Power” has the same feeling, and I think it’s even better than “Guide Me, Oh Thou Great Jehovah.”

“Way Past Ready” is the second fast song on the CD. Penned by Rodney Griffin, it’s a jazzy and upbeat number led by Mark Trammell. Pat Barker takes the lead on “Wonderful Time Up There.” While they modernized the song a little bit by including a jazzy brass section, the song is still set in a Southern Gospel feel. “Meet Me Over on the Other Side” sounds more like classic Southern Gospel than any other song on the album. No one person is featured on the verses or on the chorus. The whole group blends their voices together to achieve classic quartet harmony.

Most of the slow songs are huge with beautiful orchestration backing up the group. “Golden City Tour Medley” is one of the stand-out ballads. It may be a little odd to hear “Touring That City” sung at such a slow pace, but it’s definitely a great version of the old Inspirations classic. “Too Much to Gain to Lose” is a song that I’ve never cared much for in the past. But on this CD, it’s one of my favorite power ballads! “The King is Coming Medley” includes the old Gaither classic, as well as another Gaither-penned song, the well-known “I’m Free.” “Tis So Sweet to Trust In Jesus” was pretty calm and quiet in comparison with the other ballads on Lifetime. It was paced a little too slowly for me, but when I concentrated on the words, it was very pretty.

I really enjoyed Lifetime. It was a great decision to have Lari Goss in charge of orchestration and in the role of producer. He did a tremendous job as always. I probably enjoy his orchestrations more than any other person’s with perhaps the exception of Don Marsh who does a tremendous job as well. I can easily see why this album was so popular on some of the other blogs. It’s good to see that people still enjoy this style of music. I certainly do. The MTQ created something wonderful here. Lifetime will be going on my end-of-the-year “Best Albums of 2012” list!

CD Rating: 5/5 stars
Average Song Rating: 4-4.5/5 stars
Favorite Songs: Guide Me, Oh Thou Great Jehovah, I Sing the Mighty Power, Wonderful Time Up There, Too Much to Gain to Lose

Review copy not provided

Produced by:
Lari Goss, Mark Trammell
Released By:
Daywind Records
Available for Download? No
Artist Website: http://www.marktrammellministries.com