Today, a lot of new gospel music dropped, and I’m so impressed because it is so good across the board. Too good not to share! I mean, was today declared the good, good news music release day?
First, there is The Group Fire’s Christmas EP. If you know me, you know my love for gospel quartet singing runs deep, and so I’m naturally a fan of these guys carrying the torch for the sound. Also, if you know me, you know that Christmas and I go together real bad, so I couldn’t wait for this EP to be released. And it is so beautiful! One of my favorite Christmas albums is The Temptations–Give Love at Christmas. The Group Fire–The Gift sits right there next to it now. My only gripe is it shouldn’t be an EP because I need an entire Christmas album, guys!
And then Anthony Brown and group therAPy came out with Affirmations. I listened to it straight through and found myself applauding in the kitchen after the final track, Together Again, finished. I must admit when the second track began—God’s Got Me, I was a little nervous. It reminded me so much of his song from the album Second Wind called Another One. But I kept it playing, and it proved my nervousness faulty. God’s Got Me—He does. For me, Anthony Brown is something like the next-generation John P. Kee. He understands the assignment every time. Basically, Affirmations is album of the year.
These two singles by Emma Nissen were not released today, but I discovered them today, and so I’m adding them to the list because it was today I became a fan. She feels like a newly discovered genre of Gospel for me, and I am totally in awe and love the vibe. Why does something about her voice remind me of Adele?
Maurette Brown Clark needs no introduction. I love that she and Anthony Brown released both of their albums today, given their connection. Anthony Brown graces track three (Not One Day). This is another beautiful body of work and another album you can play straight through. I love revisiting some of the classics—I Just Wanna Praise You and Angels. It’s so good, Maurette.
The Choirmaster is always going to come in clutch. You’ve heard this song before—the tried and true church choir bop, but Ricky Dillard is so good at refreshing us with it. Hold on is church girl-approved.
And that’s all I’ve got for today! Thank you to these artists for sharing their gifts with the world–it made my Friday!
