You know how the minister of music at church introduces a new song one Sunday, and the whole congregation responds so well that he/she does it again NEXT Sunday, then the Sunday after that and the Sunday after that, until it gets a little stale to everyone but the minister of music (and maybe the pastor)?

No matter how incredible the song is, sometimes churches have the tendency to wear a good thing out. Some examples might be “Total Praise,” “Souled Out, and “One God.”

Undoubtedly, they’re hits on the radio, and they will forever be everyone’s “jaaammmm,” but I’d be lying if every now and then, I didn’t think “we’re singing that AGAIN?!”

Maybe it’s just me, but I doubt it.

Which song is THAT SONG in your church?

Y’Anna Crawley, winner of season 2 of BET’s Sunday Best, has debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart with her long-awaited project, The Promise.  Congratulations!!!

Also, Tamela Mann and Brian Courtney Wilson experienced some significant sales gains, jumping from #15 to #4, and from #10 to #5, respectively.

The rest of the top 10 looks like this…

#1 | Marvin Sapp – Here I Am
#2 | Y’Anna Crawley – The Promise
#3 | WOW Gospel 2010
#4 | Tamela Mann – The Master Plan
#5 | Brian Courtney Wilson – Just Love
#6 | VaShawn Mitchell – Triumphant
#7 | Various Artists (from Fred Hammond) – Life In the Word
#8 | BeBe & CeCe Winans – Still
#9 | Hezekiah Walker & LFC – Souled Out
#10 | Forever Jones – Get Ready

Did you guys grab Y’Anna’s new project yet?  What do you think of it?

What do you think of the rest of the top 10???

Several years back, I watched VH1 Divas Live as Bishop Paul Morton joined Aretha Franklin on stage to kill “Precious Memories” before the masses.

I love this performance today as much as I did back then.  Check it out–

What’dya think???

Israel Houghton returns to the scene today with his newest album, Love God. Love People. The project has been highly publicized, primarily because it was created in London’s famed Abbey Road Studios, the birthplace of much of the Beatles’ historic music.

Produced by Houghton, with Aaron Lindsey and Tommy Sims, the magic and wonder of the recording space can definitely be heard in this musical body of work.  One might criticize it, though, as it likely showcases more musicality than the average consumer can appreciate or follow.  Still, while Abbey Road may not carry as much significance for the gospel community as it does for Israel personally, there’s something quite cool about knowing that this project is unlike others in our genre.

The album opens with the title track, full of funk and a banging beat, before transitioning to another stand-out, “Yahweh.”  This tune is energetic and full of vocal/instrumental nuances that make you wanna listen multiple times in a row, just to ensure that you’ve heard it all.  Up next, is “Love Rev,” with a fun 60′s Motown/British invasion chorus (with a bit of a doo-wop vibe) that you’d expect to have been created at Abbey Road.

Other standout tracks are “That’s Why I Love You,” a mellow, jazzy groove that makes you wanna snap your fingers and fall in love with God all over again, and “You Hold My World,” a heart-wrenchingly performed ode to God’s faithfulness (the song’s build is captivating).

Israel’s also got some solid, but understated guest performances from his industry peers–  the upbeat and dance-ready “Mercies,” features Kirk Franklin.  With its Earth Wind & Fire kind of vibe, it’s just screaming for a skate party. The collabo is so seamless and natural that the song could easily have fit on an album by Kirk, too.  Then there’s “Surprises,” with Fred Hammond giving a vocal that is higher and lighter than we’ve come to expect from him, along with a bass-heavy vamp that showcases Hammond’s musicianship in a way that we don’t always get to hear.

Perhaps one of the most powerful songs on the entire project is the one that ends it– ”Hosanna (Be Lifted Higher).”  In various sections of the song, the tune is as pure and innocent as the children’s choir singing behind it, before becoming as intricate as the background vocals supplied by a cappella wonder-group Take 6.  It’s the type of song that should/will be sung at an outdoor crusade by about 40,000 people at once.  At over 8 minutes in length, “Hosanna” is over-the-top grand. And rightly so– it’s a cry of praise to an over-the-top grand God.

In sum, Love God. Love People. is certainly more experimental than any other project he’s done. If Houghton’s Real album bothered fans of the praise & worship New Breed sound, this one is gonna drive them crazy.  There’s hardly anything that most churches will be adding to their Sunday morning repertoires, but Israel has never claimed to be a limited to what we define as “worship music.”  In my estimation, he’s always explored the more creative side of himself in a way that is uninhibited and undefined.

The masterful production and simply “good music” found on this project is reason enough for any true music lover to grab it.  The fact that we can have it, and know that it’s about an infinitely creative God (who expresses His creativity in innumerable ways)… that’s a bonus.  Worth a purchase.

Click here to listen and/or download it now!

Just a quick heads-up that “Incredible,” the new single from 21:03, is available for download today on iTunes!

Click here to grab it!

And lemme know who’s gettin’ it!

Is it just me, or does CeCe Winans’ Throne Room album depict one of the greatest worship experiences in gospel music?

I can’t really pinpoint another album that so seamlessly creates a worship ENVIRONMENT and experience– it transitions beautifully, until you literally feel like you have entered into the throne room of God, spent some incredible time with Him, and left… to return again soon.

Maybe I’m being extra, but there are very few musical projects that give me an experience with God like this one.

Is it just me?

Hey family– don’t forget that voting ends tomorrow for the 2010 Black Weblog Awards, in which GospelPundit.com is nominated for Best Faith-Based Blog.

That’s pretty nifty!

If you haven’t already done so…

CLICK HERE TO VOTE!

The faith-based blog category is on the first voting page, at the bottom.

Note: your vote is not counted until you proceed to the last page, enter your info and press “submit.” I don’t think they’ll automatically sign you up to receive anything, so fret not.

Thanks, folks!

Word has it that worship leader Mary Alessi, twin sister of Martha Munizzi, will return to the music marketplace on September 21, with a new release entitled Pressing On.

I think Mary has a great voice and is a great worship leader, with music that relates to more than just one culture– I love that.  I don’t have all of her projects (and I think someone stole her debut album from me years ago), but I wanna hear this one.

What about you guys???

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE THIS Winans clip.

The audio is super low (so, turn it up to hear it, but make sure you turn it back down afterwards, or you’ll blow your ears out later)… but I’ve always loved this song and this performance from 1983 is just… VINTAGE.

Check it out–

Whatd’ya think?!

Associate Editor Troy Lilly chats with Y’Anna Crawley, season two winner of BET’s Sunday Best, about the release of her debut album, The Promise, which hit stores this Tuesday…

Troy: How are you?

Y’Anna: I’m good. How are you?

Troy: Great! It’s really good to talk to you, and not just because we’re both from the DMV [DC, Maryland, Virginia], but you are DC’s rising star.

Y’Anna: Oh, yeah?

Troy: It’s kind of like first we had Wale and now… we have Y’Anna.

Y’Anna: Wow, that’s big!

Troy: So, it’s been a little while since you won season two of BET’s Sunday Best, which kind of introduced you to the nation. How has life been since you won the title?

Y’Anna: Everything is just so awesome. I’m still pinching myself – literally! It’s humbling, it’s exciting… just everything that I ever thought it would be. God showed me a long time ago that I would touch many hearts with my voice. And now it’s like, “Wow, God…” Everything that you told me and showed me is right here.

Troy: And now, the release of your debut album, which we’ve been waiting for eagerly. How exciting or terrifying is that?

Y’Anna: It’s really exciting. Just to have my own… like finally it’s my turn. I’ve been singing professionally since I was twelve, backing up people like Chrisette Michele, Raheem DeVaughn – even Aretha Franklin and Natalie Cole throughout high school – and just being in the background for so long, and now I’m in the forefront. I’m so blessed and it’s a wonderful feeling

Troy: The Promise is the title of your debut album.  What does that mean to you and what’s the message you’re trying to convey with your first project?

Y’Anna: The message I’m really trying to convey is that no matter how many times you get knocked down, if you have a passion for something God has given you and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen, remember to stand on His word. Remember to stand on God’s promises always, because He’ll never give it to you if He’s not going to make it come to fruition. God is a man of his word. He really is.

Troy: The first single from the album was “Grandma’s Hands,” which became a fan favorite from your Sunday Best performances. The current single is the title track, “The Promise,” so tell me, how is it different lyrically and stylistically from what we’re used to hearing you sing?

Y’Anna: Like you said “Grandma’s Hands” was kind of a fan favorite and, since it was so popular on the show, they decided to make that the first single. It’s more southern and soulful, but the lyrics of “The Promise” are more uplifting, telling you to persevere and hold on to God’s promises.

Musically, “The Promise” is a crossover, more pop and mainstream than southern soul. And it’s just so befitting, with my life story and everything I’ve gone through. It’s just perfect.

Troy: So “The Promise” has a pop or crossover appeal to it. But you’ve got a very dynamic voice – sometimes sounds like Aretha Franklin and other greats. What other styles did you experiment with on the album?

Y’Anna: I’m trying to give everybody a variety. I got a little hip hop on there, if you like Mary J. – well Mary J. Blige is hip hop I guess, huh?

Troy: Right!

Y’Anna: But I got a little dance tune on there.

Troy: Wow.

Y’Anna: Because there’s so many variations to my voice, I’m just trying to give everybody something so they can say “ok, she’s not just a down home church singer, like she can do everything.” And that’s really what I was trying to capture.

Troy: Did you try anything jazzy or bluesy?

Y’Anna: Well, I did! Actually I did “Sweet Love” over, but it didn’t make the album. But it’s cool ‘cause I’m gonna leak it out some type of way!

Troy: Please, please do! And you can forward me a copy as soon as you do because my parents tell me that I was conceived to Anita Baker!

Y’Anna: Uh oh! My mother played it every day, all day, so Anita Baker is one of my favorite artists.

Troy: Wow, yeah… she’s definitely on my top list as well.

Y’Anna: Yeah.

Troy: There’s one particular song on the album I want to ask you about called “Stronger.” On that song you talk about becoming pregnant at 17 and being an unwed mother. How was it to address such a personal and pivotal moment in your life?

Y’Anna: All songs are birthed out of experience, birthed out of pain, birthed out of joy, or whatever the songwriter has gone through. We were sitting down listening to the track, me and Buster Brown, and I wanted to talk about my life, how I became pregnant and thought the man was going to be husband, but I didn’t get the ring nor the man.

I still had to push through, and everything that happened at that moment made me sad, but now it has made me stronger.

Troy: Yes.

Y’Anna: So we just put all of that into a song. And I believe that’s going to be one of the songs that’s going to really cross over. I’m trying to get Drake to be on it… come on somebody, give me a remix!

Troy: Oh really?

Y’Anna: I believe it. Like really, get me a conscious rapper on the beginning because so many people can relate to it.

Troy: Ok!

Y’Anna: It may not be the same situation, but maybe somebody went through an abusive relationship or an abusive home situation. Whatever you go through only makes you stronger, so you can look back at it and say, “God, I got through that!”

Troy: The concept of “the promise” is not only the theme of your music, but it also expands to your other endeavors, particularly in the lives of young women. Tell me more about that.

Y’Anna: Yes. My [The] Promise Foundation is something that’s very dear to my heart. It’s a safe haven for women to come and talk, and discuss things. We’re going to uplift them and teach them ethics – like beauty ethics – teach them how to look good and dress so they won’t go on thinking that wearing less gets you more attention.

And we’re also going to do scholarships, especially for the young ones that have kids, so they can go back to school if they want to. I was once there so I just want to give back in all of the areas of my life that I grew.

Troy: Wow. That’s great.

Y’Anna: Yes, yes.

Troy: You also have two sons and you’re trying to help young men as well with Mama’s Boys.

Y’Anna: Well, I have my two sons and I’m a single mom. Their dads are in their lives, but I’m not married to them so they don’t see them every day, and it can be hard for a woman to raise boys into men. But there’s nothing like a man being in a young boy’s life.

So I want to bring in some mentors to kind of guide them, have candid talks with them, field trips. And we also want to provide some sort of scholarship for them as well, and I know that if God sees that I’m trying to give back, He’ll provide.

Troy: I’m sure He will as well, and I’m really excited about everything that you’re doing.

Y’Anna: Thank you!

Troy: I wish you the best. And you take care!

Y’Anna: You too!

*     *     *

What do you think, folks?  Did you guys grab Y’Anna’s new project, The Promise, this week?  What do you think of it?

Let us know!