Top Christian Albums of the 1980's -- Honorable Mentions

KINGDOM OF LOVE – Scott Wesley Brown (1984) – A tough call between this and Somebody’s Brother, but we’re going with the earlier work simply because of its success in blending both the traditional and contemporary.

COMIN’ ON STRONG – Carman (1984) – A truly original work and perhaps Carman’s most complete album to date, unfortunately marred by inferior production quality that probably keeps it out of the top ten.

D&K – DeGarmo & Key (1987) – So hard to leave DeGarmo & Key out of the top ten, as they were consistently solid performers throughout the decade, and so hard to choose among their many solid albums. Street Light, Communication, and The Pledge all warrant strong consideration, yet the fact that none stands out from the other probably keeps them from the top ten. They are also handicapped by the fact that the volume of their production led to a fair amount of "filler" on each of those albums, debasing each collection in spite of each one also containing some memorable tracks.

LEAD ME ON – Amy Grant (1988) – Very highly rated by some. A watershed work, as Amy Grant would soon drop the "Christian" from "Contemporary," but nonetheless refreshing and authentic, far more than the overwrought Unguarded that preceded it or the schlock that followed it. It was her The Big Picture, breaking free from the strong but "ordinary" work of her early years and not matched since.

FACES – Hogland Band (1988) – Virtually unknown -- good luck finding this one, even on the Internet -- yet an original European-flavored collection that is consistent top to bottom. Only the lack of notoriety keeps it out of the top ten.

CRACK THE SKY – Mylon LeFevre & Broken Heart (1987) – Mylon cranked out nearly one album every year in the latter part of the decade. Face the Music and Sheep in Wolves Clothing were also highlights, yet the sheer volume of work (much like DeGarmo & Key) keep any one album from standing out. Nonetheless, there’s still nothing quite like listening to Reach for the Sky at high volume.

ANOTHER FRIDAY NIGHT – Kenny Marks (1989) – A Sentimental choice that showcases a fellow Falcon maturing as an artist, singing about conflict and resolution without being over-bearing, and helping me get through an otherwise dreadful year.

7 – David Meece (1985) – Meece rescues this otherwise straight-forward synth-rock fare with his creativity and charisma. An upbeat, positive collection boosted both by Meece’s talent as a songwriter and his strong voice.