This Year's Model is the 31st studio album by the Christian music vocal group The Imperials. Released in 1987, it is their second album on Myrrh Records.
This is the first album to feature two new members Jimmie Lee Sloas and Ron Hemby, replacing long-time tenor Jim Murray and lead singer Paul Smith. It was a change in direction as This Year's Model's sound was more rock-oriented alienating long-time fans of the Imperials' four-part harmony of their early years and it is considered by critics, their most ambitious album the group has ever released. The album is produced by Brown Bannister, who produced their previous album Let the Wind Blow. Armond Morales and David Will were not involved in this recording except for a couple of tracks and touring. The track "Power of God" became a theme song for Christian bodybuilders the Power Team and new younger fans began to come to Imperials concerts.
Songwriting contributions include Smith who co-wrote the first single "Wings of Love," Chris Eaton, Pam Mark Hall, Keith Thomas and the new singers Sloas and Hemby. This Year's Model peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.
Track listing
1. Holding On (First Love) (Pam Mark Hall, Keith Thomas) -5:23
2. Fallin' (Jimmie Lee Sloas) -4:04
3. Warriors (Chris Eaton) -4:56
4. How Do I Get You? (Mark Gendel, Bob Johnson) -5:42
5. Wings of Love (Paul Smith, Keith Thomas) -4:53
6. Power of God (Ron Hemby, Tom Hemby) -4:09
7. Outlander (Chris Eaton) -6:15
8. Get Ready (Jimmie Lee Sloas) -5:00
9. Devoted to You (Ron Hemby, Stephen Bashaw) -3:44
Personnel
The Imperials:
Armond Morales -bass, vocals
David Will -baritone, vocals
Jimmie Lee Sloas -tenor, lead vocals
Ron Hemby -tenor, lead vocals
Radio singles
1987 "Wings of Love" -#2 Christian CHR, #1 Christian AC for 6 weeks
1987 "Get Ready" -#10 Christian CHR, #4 Christian AC
1987 "How Do I Get You?" -#14 Christian CHR
1987 "Holding On (First Love)" -#3 Christian CHR, #23 Christian AC
1987 -1988 "Fallin'" -#6 Christian CHR
1987 -1988 "Devoted to Love" -#7 Christian AC
Previous release: Let the Wind Blow (1985)
Next release: Free the Fire (1988)
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