Endless Praise - Planetshakers

I love, the love, the upbeat energy this song brings. So fun. Enjoy!

Songs for Thanksgiving

I have to admit, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. No presents to buy. All of your favorite comfort foods. Spending time with family and loved ones. Watching/playing football. Going to the movies. Being thankful for another year. This is a holiday everyone can get behind.

Here's a short list of songs for you to consider this month as we celebrate all of the blessings God has given us.

Grateful - Hezekiah Walker - My favorite song on this list. Brings me to tears almost every time.
Oh Give Thanks - Judith McAllister

I Just Want to Praise You - Maurette Clark Brown
Thank You Lord for All You've Done For Me - Walter Hawkins
I Just Want to Thank You Lord - Everybody and their momma :)
And one I just stumbled upon that is really nice... Thank You Jesus - Hillsong

I love me some hymns (in my Toni Braxton voice)

Don't you just love it when you go to church and the leader says, "turn to page 109 of your hymnal and let's sing I Come to the Garden Alone"? Man, I love me some hymns!

The funny thing is, the church I came from, didn't sing them as they were written. We remixed them until they sounded Pentecostal. And then when I went to a predominately white church down south and heard how they were really written, I was like "Oh, that's kinda lame."

You know what else is funny about hymns, everybody uses the lyrics. I've heard preachers preach hymns and singers ad lib using hymns. They're like the Christian version of Kyle Korver. You pull them off the bench and it's a score! (Go Bulls! I know KK is with the Hawks now.)

The other thing that's funny is that no one is really coming up with new hymns. I'm not sure why. Total Praise by Richard Smallwood made it in the New National Baptist Hymnal, but I can't think of very many other game changing, tried and true, new songs. And Total Praise is like 20 years old so I guess it's not new. Then again, I'm not a hymnal connoisseur. Maybe there are more.

So, why aren't we making new songs that fit in this genre? These are the songs we sing at funerals to comfort families, at Christmas to celebrate the true meaning of the holiday, and during worship services to reflect on the many aspects of God. I think it's time to dust off those books and bring them back en vogue.

I pitched long ago that we should have an "old school" Sunday where we give the hymns some play. After all, these oldies but goodies deserve their props, much like Kyle Korver.

Review of Tasha Cobb's One Place Live

I don't do a lot of reviews because it's rare that I purchase a full album. However, as a huge fan of Tasha Cobb's first album, I went ahead and purchased the sophomore project. Here's what I think of One Place Live:

1. Immediately- thumbs wayyy up!
2. Jesus Did It - eh
3. Fill Me Up - thumbs up
4. Overflow - thumbs up
5. Jesus Saves - eh
6. One Place - thumbs wayyyy up!
7. I love This Place - thumbs wayyy up!
8. This is Freedom - thumbs up
9. Sense It - thumbs wayyy up!
10. Sense It Reprise - thumbs wayyy up! This is battling for my favorite song on the album. "I am not the same, I've been changed in Your glory." Such simple and beautiful lyrics that anyone can sing.
11. Put a Praise on It - eh Shocked that I didn't like this song more. I like the concept of the song, but it's just Ok for me. I also can't differentiate between Tasha and Kierra. That's kinda strange too.
12. Christmas Praise - thumbs up
13. I'll Do It Again - thumbs wayyy up! This song reminds me of an old school Kirk Franklin and the Family type of song. I love hearing the individual voices even though they're all singing together.
14. Solid Rock - thumbs wayyy up! Love Jamie Grace's voice.
15. You Still Love Me - thumbs up
16. I Will Run - thumbs up This song has a rock vibe and Tasha pulls it off well

Bottom Line - I don't dislike any of the songs and I love 4 of them. Buy this album.

Blessings!

Review of self-titled albumTiff Joy

This is the last of the Tiff Joy takeover installation. The album dropped today so check out my review and then go cop it.

1. YOU are - thumbs up
2. Almighty God - thumbs up
3. The Promise -thumbs wayyy up! Love the words, the chorus sticks with you, and the music is perfect.
4. Oh How We Love YOU -thumbs wayyy up! I love this upbeat song. I think musicians will love it too.
5. All that YOU do - thumbs wayyy up! This song is beautiful and the music is reminiscent of a Stevie Wonder tune.
6. Holy -thumbs wayyy up! Another beautifully composed song.
7. Healer -thumbs wayyy up! Another beautifully composed song, yet again.
8. Hallelujah -thumbs wayyy up! Another beautifully composed song.
9. Altar Call - thumbs up
10. I'm All YOURS - thumbs wayyy up! You guessed it. Another beautifully composed song. It's crazy there are this many!
11. Amazing - thumbs wayyy up! But you already knew this one goes hard. She did rearrange it a little to keep it fresh. And whoever the drummer is snapped at the end, like frfr!
12. Hope - eh - I'm not crazy about this song, but after 10 great songs, there's not much else I can ask for.

Bottom Line - This album is a praise and worshiper's delight! Tiff Joy has a great tap on the sound of worship. You can hit play and worship through the entire album. It's kinda impossible to buy an album with so many good songs these days, but that's exactly what this is. Buy this project. Like now.

I'm gonna go ahead and project a nom for new artist of the year for the next Stellar Awards. You gotta speak those things that are not as though they are!

Leggo Chicago!

Blessings
 

Byron Cage - Great & Mighty

I love this worship song. Enjoy!