3 favourite Christian albums?

[GoldieLocks]

I listen to very little Christian music. Last year I went on a GREAT quest to find more inspirational music to enjoy while on the road. I only found 4 C.D.'s the entire year.
Here's 3 that I'm enjoying Now.

1) Russ Taff - Now More Than Ever

2) Randy Travis - Glory Train

3) Bart Millard's - Hymned No.1


Some cool stuff on all of them. The sound quality of Christian music has gotten much better. But it's still too safe & predictable for me. Anybody else found any great stuff recently? Please give me your 3 fav's...even if they go back a few years.

[golfnut]

Originally Posted by GoldieLocks

I listen to very little Christian music. Last year I went on a GREAT quest to find more inspirational music to enjoy while on the road. I only found 4 C.D.'s the entire year.
Here's 3 that I'm enjoying Now.

1) Russ Taff - Now More Than Ever

2) Randy Travis - Glory Train

3) Bart Millard's - Hymned No.1


Some cool stuff on all of them. The sound quality of Christian music has gotten much better. But it's still too safe & predictable for me. Anybody else found any great stuff recently? Please give me your 3 fav's...even if they go back a few years.

My 3 favourites:

Steven Curtis Chapman - The Great Adventure
4 Him - The basics of Life
Mid South - Lessons of Life

All are a few years old.

[Pesty]

Tree63 - Worship Vol 1
Tree63 - Sunday
David Crowder Band - Remedy

[allen st. john]

Not to be a wise guy, but I think they'd all be Charlie Christian.

But half seriously, I did a search for Jesus on my Itunes library and came up with a bunch of great (if not all unquestioningly devout) songs

Steve Earle's Pilgrim
John Prine's "Jesus the Missing Years"
Greg Brown's "Jesus and Elvis"
Nirvana's "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam"
Gillian Welch's "By the Mark"
Springsteen's "Jesus was an Only Son"
RY Cooder "Jesus on the Mainline"
Velvet Underground "Jesus"

and gospel influenced songs (from Al Green to the Carter Family) too numerous to mention.

Check the Itunes store. They've got a "Rock Songs About Jesus" compilation about 50 deep, ranging from Johnny Cash to Skip James to Tom Waits to the Rolling Stones. They can't be blamed for including "Jesus take the Wheel."

As far as music that would be shelved under "Christian" I find that artists who are too fixated on one subject (be it religion or sex) don't hold my interest for long.

best
Allen

[golfnut]

Originally Posted by allen st. john

As far as music that would be shelved under "Christian" I find that artists who are too fixated on one subject (be it religion or sex) don't hold my interest for long.

best
Allen

My music library consists of music that would be shelved under "Christian", "Country", "Blues", "Jazz", etc. You get the idea. Just because an artist chooses to fixate on one subject doesn't mean my collection has to.
The question from the OP was "Your favourite Christian albums".

[Doug Ferguson]

These are some I keep coming back to. The first one is overtly "Christian", but don't let it's title throw you.

1. "Jesus Freak", dc Talk -- multi-themed & complex

2. "Dark Was the Night", Blind Willie Johnson -- old-time acoustic blues

3. "Orphans", Tom Waits

4. "It's For You", Michael Roe -- hard to find, but there's some good songs on this one.

[Tele-Caster]

1. Angel Band -Emmylou Harris
2. Hymns and Meditations -Fernando Ortega
3. This spot could be filled with any other Fernando Ortega disc

[Trimmed&Burnin]

Spontaneous Combustion: Glen Kaiser
Trimmed And Burnin: Kaiser/Mansfield
Souled Out and Sanctified: Danny Brooks

[allen st. john]

My music library consists of music that would be shelved under "Christian", "Country", "Blues", "Jazz", etc. You get the idea. Just because an artist chooses to fixate on one subject doesn't mean my collection has to.
The question from the OP was "Your favourite Christian albums".

I commend you for your eclectic tastes. My point was just that artists who focus on one subject, whatever it is, tend to have IMHO a view of the world that doesn't interest me. Your mileage may vary, of course.

And again, while I'm not a regular poster in this forum, Goldie Locks did say that he found Christian music "too safe and predictable." While they're not whole albums, these songs are available a la carte on Itunes, and are anything but predictable.

If anyone thinks this is a hijack, then I apologize. It started out as a wiseguy impulse, but I edited the post three times to add more info.

best
Allen

[Trimmed&Burnin]

Originally Posted by Trimmed&Burnin

Spontaneous Combustion: Glenn Kaiser
Trimmed And Burnin: Kaiser/Mansfield
Souled Out and Sanctified: Danny Brooks

My list is of Christian albums,,, although I prefer to call it Gospel. I offer no aplogies for loving Gospel Blues music or that they are in my top three. The "Christian" music that Goldielocks is calling safe and predictable is probably the stuff called "Adult Contemperary" christian music. I agree with him on that point.
I believe the question is what are your favorite top three christian albums,,, that leaves room to have a top three Raggae, Jazz, Americana, Polka, Himalayan nose whistling or whatever.
Concerning artists that focus on one subject and their world veiws,,,, There are those artists that write and sing about all kinds of things that they have no real knowledge of,,, the result is usually pathetic. Gospel Music is best served up by someone who knows and understands what they're singing about.
Allen, perhaps you could enlighten us as to Glenn Kaiser's world view??

[emailhot]

my favorites are

Steven Curtis Chapman- Speechless
Mark Mallett- Let the Lord know (markmallett.com)
Jars of clay- redemption songs

[GoldieLocks]

Thanks Trimmed. I'm gonna have to go find that:

Himalayan Nose Whistling album you recommended

[Trimmed&Burnin]

Originally Posted by GoldieLocks

Thanks Trimmed. I'm gonna have to go find that:

Himalayan Nose Whistling album you recommended

Hey Rod,
I had never heard or heard of Nose Whistling untill I saw a Bella Fleck concert. He had this guy from either Nepal or possibly Mongolia performing the technique as part of the concert. It was really cool,,, I dont know if I could take a whole album of it but it was cool!!

[rxtech]

How about:

Larry Norman's "Only visiting this planet" and "In another land". Also, Randy Stonehill's "Welcome to paradise". These are GREAT Christian albums for sure! In fact I just saw Randy Stonehill around a week ago, and man, he still does great!

[giantslayer]

I'll give you three that I consider to be very well done musically and aren't typical vanilla mainstream fare.

1. All Together Separate - Ardent Worship. This one is a very good worship album IMHO. It also has a lot of good guitar playing. ATS was a very good band period - very talented and very musically creative (unlike a lot of other Christian bands). Unfortunately, they broke up a few years ago (on good terms), but you can get their stuff on iTunes. They have two other albums that aren't worship albums and, out of those two, the self-titled debut album is better IMO.

2. Jars of Clay - Furthermore. They're a unique band in that they exhibit an unhindered creativity. They not only make their own unique non-mainstream sound, but they change around the style, tone, and instrumentation to give each album its own unique sound. This album is kindof like a greatest hits album, but instead of slapping a bunch of old recordings and a couple new songs together, they re-recorded a bunch of their songs in a more laid back acoustic style on one disc and then put a live set on the second disc.

3. Warren Barfield (self-titled). This one has a more mainstream pop sound than the other two albums, but still isn't boring musically. The reason I put this one on was because you said you were looking for "more inspirational" music. This album is positive and uplifting overall, with lyrical themes that are surprisingly fresh and inspiring. I also saw Warren Barfield live and he did the best one-man acoustic show I've ever seen (this album's got full instrumentation, but I do think it would be cool if he made a live acoustic album someday).

[James Knox]

"Palanquin"
Kevin Prosch

"Drowning With Land In Sight"
77's

"The Boat Ashore"
Michael Roe

[romo]

David Crowder Band "A Collision"

U2 "The Joshua Tree"

Right now my third is Needtobreathe "The Heat"

[OrovilleTim]

1. Waterdeep - Sink or Swim
2. Waterdeep with 100 Portraits - Enter the Worship Circle
3. Alan Jackson - Precious Memories

[Trimmed&Burnin]

Originally Posted by OrovilleTim

1. Waterdeep - Sink or Swim
2. Waterdeep with 100 Portraits - Enter the Worship Circle
3. Alan Jackson - Precious Memories

Yepper,,, I really like Waterdeep... good stuff!

[Flat357]

I like this one

[eedwards]

How 'bout some classics?

Sunday's Child(1987) - Phil Keaggy - Not sure if it gets better than this.

The Way Home(1989) - Russ Taff - Solid Bluesy Gospel Rock

Thirst (1998) - Randy Stonehill - Hard to pick one album; I love all his stuff. Stonehill is my favorite living artist and doesn't make bad albums. or bad songs. ever. So many of his songs feel as if they are written just for me and thats why I like it so much.

[BellyBoy]

1. Danny Brooks- Souled Out and Sanctified
2. Randy Stonehill- Welcome to Paradise
3. 2nd Chapter of Acts, Phil Keaggy and a Band Called David- How The West Was One

I would also add
Michael Omartian- White Horse awesome album!

[Trimmed&Burnin]

I'll bet I would add the Johnny Mannion Bands album,,,,if'n they had one!! I heard rumors of some time in the studio,,, how but it there BellyBoy???

[maestrovert]

David Mullen: Revival
Russ Taff: The Way Home
Michael Card: The Beginning

[Preacher]

Russ Taff - Medals, an oldie but a goodie, he was more rock then than blues as he is now.

Casting Crowns - they have 2 CDs out, both great...

Phil Keagey - Crimson and Blue - if you like guitar you will love this...

Jeremy Camp - Restored... all great singles, and he can pick too!

Steven Curtis Chapman - The Great Adventure

Degarmo and Key - early rock, get the greatest hits album...

and if you like Pop/Rap/Hip Hop
Toby Mac - Diverse City, although "Momentum" is good too.

[Nub]

DecembeRadio- DecembeRadio

Lincoln Brewster- All To You: Live
(also Let The Praises Ring: The Best Of)

Salvador- Into Motion

[ChurchPlayer]

Danny Flowers - Tools For The Soul
From the guy who wrote "Tulsa Time", an album that obviously covers a time of transition and coming to the Lord, produced by former Big and Rich and Delbert McClinton sideman James Pennebaker, a heck of a picker and brother in his own right. It'll bless you and make you want to play at the same time.

Buddy Miller - United Universal House of Prayer
Do they get any funkier than Buddy Miller? I don't think so.

Mike Farris - Salvation in Lights
From the former lead singer of the Screaming Cheetah Wheelies, it's less of a guitar record and more of a celebration. Like the end of a New Orleans Jazz Funeral. I've never heard "Precious Lord" done in a manner other than a slow dirge until this. Gotta love it.


Gosh, how I wish you could hear some of this stuff on Christian radio - or any radio for that matter!!

[Trimmed&Burnin]

Yeah,,,, Mike Ferris is great!!

[BellyBoy]

Originally Posted by Trimmed&Burnin

I'll bet I would add the Johnny Mannion Bands album,,,,if'n they had one!! I heard rumors of some time in the studio,,, how but it there BellyBoy???

Shannon,
I didn't rush you when you built my guitar............ patience grasshopper! lol

[Trimmed&Burnin]

Originally Posted by BellyBoy

Shannon,
I didn't rush you when you built my guitar............ patience grasshopper! lol

There's a fine line between encouragment and admonition

[Daniil]

I like these:

1. Hillsong United: Look to You
2. Ron Block: Faraway Land
3. Louis Armstrong: Louis and the Good Book

[bignoot]

Anything Todd Agnew.
Building 429
or Skillet
These groups are not mainline, and have great players.
Mostly they ROCK

We all have been through the not so good players, and I am one of them. We must however hope that the Lord looks at the heart, help those of us that are not that great to find a place to make a Joyful Noise. If this was, after all, about me, the pews would soon be empty.
We don't play much of those groups I mentioned, but that is what I listen to outside the building.

[geddins]

Sorry for the double-dip!

[geddins]

1. Dallas Holm - His Last Days - my very first Christian (non Southern Gospel) album...
2. Steven Curtis Chapman- The Great Adventure
3. Michael James -Shoulder to the Wind

[Dep]

I'm an old geezer from Florida, and was raised on Southern Gospel music, mostly quartets..so...

1. Any CD by the Gaither Vocal Band is tops with me. (Enjoy the ones when Mark Lowrey was with them the most.)
2. David Phelps -This self titled CD has some great music, with No More Night, and End of the Beginning my two favorites from that CD. Check him out on youtube. I can't seem to get it to embed.
3. I'll have to get back with you on #3, I'm having an "old timers moment and can't remember the group. :)

Dep

[three barrel]

Phil Keaggy- Love Broke Through
Randy Stonehill- Welcome to Paradise
Larry Norman- In Another Land

Those albums got me through a really tough year of my life. I still have the vinyl and break them out occasionally.

[enalnitram]

Originally Posted by allen st. john

Not to be a wise guy, but I think they'd all be Charlie Christian.

that was my first thought, as well.

I really go for the old gospel-ish bluegrass stuff. man, they'd probably welcome that stuff in my church, too, if there was somebody here to do it.

All those guys made recordings peppered with spiritual numbers but there are collections where the tunes are collected like concentrate:

Stanley Brothers - 16 Greatest Gospel Hits
Louvin Brothers - 20 Greatest Gospel Hits
Bill Monroe - The Gospel Spirit
Flatt & Scruggs - Foggy Mountain Gospel: The Complete Columbia Gospel Recordings
etc ...

[ravindave_3600]

Originally Posted by three barrel

Phil Keaggy- Love Broke Through
Randy Stonehill- Welcome to Paradise
Larry Norman- In Another Land

Those albums got me through a really tough year of my life. I still have the vinyl and break them out occasionally.

Some classics there. Is "Love Broke Through" the old Keith Green tune?

When I go for "Christian" music, it tends to be music by Christians more than P/W. That said, Vigilantes of Love, Kaiser/Mansfield, and Robert Randolph are favorites artists. You can't really go wrong there.

[Trimmed&Burnin]

Checkout http://www.GlennKaiser.com
,,, Glenn has been at it for 35 years and covered a number of different genres in the Gospel theme,, I like his Blues and Blues/Rock the best. This is some good stuff.

[Caffeine Patrol]

Marty Stuart & the Fabulous Superlatives "Soul's Chapel"
Bob Dylan "Slow Train Coming"
Larry Norman "Something New Under the Sun" (the gospel equivalent of 'Exile on Main St.)
And, yes, any of the many Stanley Brothers gospel albums (I read they recorded more gospel albums than non-gospel) or pre-Stax Staple Singers.

Most "CCM" makes we want to gouge my ears out,the plastic pop and the Pro-Tooled alterna-rock sounds alike. In the words of Hank Hill,"You know, you're not making Christianity better, you're just making rock & roll worse. I like the above 3 albums because they have some grit.