As the Juno Awards approach this coming week, let's take a tour of one of the nomination categories well familiar to us - Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year!

 

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Drew Brown and his new album "Analog Love in Digital Times" is one of the JUNO nominees for this category!

It's been a long time in the making. The songwriter and Ontario-based pastor's crowdfunding for the project began in February of 2013 and Part 1 came to completion just shy of December 2014, about 3 months ago. It's an electic piece of work that pulls on many different genres to craft a sound that is truly his own.

Chelsea Amber is a powerful new soul singing presence on the Canadian Christian Music scene.

Her debut album "Introducing Chelsea Amber" more than introduces her - it's earned a place on the list of 2015 Juno Awards in this category for its tenaciously powerful sound! Pay close attention to the lead track "Diamond in the Rough."

Manafest has been on the scene for years with his skilled delivery, tightly cut beats, and his dedication to verse. 

It's this experience, skill, and dedication that has made "The Moment" a strong and still cohesive amalgamation of a diversity of sound pallettes that sit nicely underneath the Pickering, ON native's rhymes and lyrics.

Manic Drive are propping their debut album "VIP" for the nomination.

In what could be described as a 30H!3 vocals with the melodic sensibilities of Chromeo perched atop a pumping track that could have easily come from out of Calvin Harris' repertoire, Manic Drive prove in the album's title track -- which features Manwell of Group 1 Crew -- their truly bold and homegrown unique sound.

Tim Neufeld is well-known for his heading of the band Starfield, who have together won more awards than many of CCM's artists combined. His latest solo album with the Glory Boys is called "The Joy," and the intrigue begins even before any of the music begins as the cover of this glorious piece of work is unapologetically the front of the Winnebago they travel in!

It feature's Tim's new folk-infused down to earth sounds - charged but also tamed by his years of experience as a songwriter and touring musician. (Starfield's debut album dropped just over 10 years ago.) Check it out, and you'll be surprised to find that rough but somehow still silky voice finding new creative avenues on the all-new folk soundbed.