Fall is a busy time of year for many reasons. It’s a time of transition. Hot, muggy weather becomes cool and brisk. For students, days filled with sleeping in and no homework turn into endless days of early mornings and an onslaught of assignments. Churches get ready for full sanctuaries after months of summer vacations and distractions. It’s almost as if the world gets itself back on track when fall comes around, preparing itself for a restart.
And with all of this, music finds its own niche of new comings each fall, bracing for the busy sales months of the holiday season that accompany and follow.
So whether you’re busy preparing for all the changes that fall will bring, or whether it’s just another season for you, we’ve got you covered, giving you a glimpse into some of the hottest releases (or should we say "coolest" to help fit the climate?) over the next few months.
Sound off below in the comments to let us know what releases you're most excited about and stay tuned for Part 2 coming in the following weeks!
Mat Kearney – Young Love – August 2, 2011
What a thrill it must be for Mat Kearney to look back over the past 4 or 5 years and see the success he’s had. Along with a huge base inside the Christian industry, the mainstream has embraced him with open arms. Now, in the midst of touring with Owl City, Mr. Kearney is about to release perhaps his most anticipated album to date, in preparation for his headlining fall tour. Young Love, which he says has “a sense of joy, honesty, vulnerability, and wisdom,” seems poised for a rather striking debut.
One of Christian music’s most beloved and respected artists is sure to make headlines with the release of re:creation–it’s just something that he does. Basing the album title on his family’s attempt to “recreate” their lives and move on from tragedy, one can expect jarring messages of hope, hurt, and the importance of having faith intersect the two. Featuring five entirely new tracks and eight re-engineered recordings of some of his biggest hits, everyone’s going to want to get their hands on this album.
While it’s been a couple years since her last release, fans are still holding on to the music of Bethany Dillon. Between touring this fall with Shane & Shane (one of whom she happens to be married to), and releasing a record of her hits, Bethany is making it clear that she’s still around. As for a new studio album, we’re not quite sure when that will be happening, but we know that she's been writing and when that new album comes, our ears will be happy.
A spring tour with Rush of Fools, a fall tour with Aaron Shust (whose new record releases the same day as
On The Altar Of Love) and Jason Gray, and an all new album – yep, it’s been a busy year for this Canadian rock group. They’ve certainly done a great job of getting their fans hyped up for their new release, “leaking” occasional tracks through their Twitter page. So far, we like what we hear. Will the fans agree? We don’t doubt it.
MIKESCHAIR – A Beautiful Life – August 23, 2011For a band that got their humbling start in a dorm room at Nashville’s Belmont University, MIKESCHAIR has reigned in a lot of success over the past few years. That success seems likely to continue with the release of A Beautiful Life. If the album’s first single “Someone Worth Dying For” is any indication into what the rest of the record sounds like, then this will definitely be a release to mark on your calendar.
Much like Downhere, Nashville worship trio Selah has been hyping the release of their upcoming studio album by releasing occasional tracks on their website. It’s certainly refreshing to hear simple, stripped-down worship tracks every now and then, and Selah promises a good dose of that with Hope of the Broken World. In a blog post on their website, the trio’s Allan Hall noted the uniqueness of this release: “One of the things that sets this album apart from our other projects is the inclusion of mostly original songs.” We’re ready to hear what’s coming.
We hear his songs everywhere. We sing them in church. Some of us unashamedly sing them at the top of our lungs in the comfort of our cars. Aaron Shust is a power player in Christian music, giving
This Is What We Believe a lot of anticipation behind the punch it will most likely make. Produced by the legendary Ed Cash, Shust writes that the songs on this record “come out of a difficult season, and these are declarations about who God is and who we are in Him because of His great love for us. This whole project is really about praising Him simply for who He is.” Yeah, we’re stoked. Is it August 23rd yet?
If you’re not excited for some these releases after reading this, we don’t really know what to tell you. This fall will mark a huge year for new releases in Christian music, and we’re not even finished. Keep your eyes peeled for part two of our ‘most anticipated’ fall releases – coming soon.
