We are down to the last two, and we are switching the order in order to be in line with the other awards. We will go album song instead of song album. The nominees for
Album of The Year are.
- The Blood + The Breath: Songs That Tell The Story of Redemption by +Caroline Cobb Smith - When I discovered this album I was skeptical to say the least. Songs based on the Bible? This is gonna be boring. Boy was I wrong. Cobb Mixes it up and uses country, pop, folk, and whatever else comes to mind at the time and pulls it all off seamlessly.
- The Civil Wars by +The Civil Wars - The Platinum follow up to the Platinum Award Winning Barton Hollow, and quite possibly the duo's swan song. We hope that they aren't the one that got away. I mean, Joy Williams even pulls of a little ditty in French on this album
- Kings and Queens by Audio Adrenaline - If I was skeptical with Caroline Cobb, what was I here. Kevin Max was not a rocker, he would never be able to be a lead singer for Audio Adrenaline. The band members understood it, and the band was rebuilt from the ground up as an Alternative-Pop band, with stellar results. Unfortunately there seems to be a little tarnish on this nomination as the band members, in the midst of a great experiment, ditched Kevin to become a worship band, a move destined to plunge the name Audio Adrenaline into obscurity.
- Old Soul by Wayne Haun - Can a cover album be perfect. I think so. Knowing that Haun works with Southern Gospel made me extremely reluctant to even hear this album, but I did take a chance and was rewarded with some sweet jazz. Definitely on the Clean Secular list of things, but hey, so is The Civil Wars.
- Patterns by +Cloverton Music Now if this is what Audio
Adrenaline is aiming at, they should just give it up. Cloverton makes vertical music, almost worship music, and keeps an alternative edge while doing it.
- Rise by +skilletband The band, for its long awaited follow up to Awake, decides to do a concept album about the evil of society, and pulls it off. Jen Ledger even steps into a co-lead at times on the album. About the only thing I can say about Skillet that is bad is Korey has got to go back to being a Brunette. That new look of hers is not flattering.
- Still Believe by Kim Walker Smith Live albums typically sound flat and worship albums sound polished like they're done in a studio. So a live worship album. What should have been blah became instead wow, and songs like Spirit Break out transport you to the throne of God. A rare Perfect Worship Album
Those are the Album of The Year Nominees. The Song of The Year nominees are all that is left. Of Course you can still see all the nominees on the
nomination page. Until next time, I am
Awaiting Your Reply.
: Worship and Community Reimagined
