Editor’s Choice: Top 13 Albums of 2009 It’s that time of the year - when the editor counts down what he feels like were the best albums of the year. This year’s list includes a wide variety of styles and 13 of the strongest albums to be released this past year. Why 13 you ask? Because it felt like a good number, and everyone else picks 10. We just wanted to be different. Honorable Mentions:
Downhere is the latest critically acclaimed band to release an album full of all Christmas music - some original and some traditional holiday classics. After the success of the smash hit “How Many Kings” from the Bethlehem Skyline project a couple years ago - Downhere decided it was time for them to show the world their love for Christmas. How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas continues to solidify Downhere has one of Christian music’s finest bands. Much like Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb of God or Michael W. Smith’s Christmas - Downhere’s How Many Kings: Songs for Christmas finds Downhere releasing what is perhaps their finest release to date - a collection of holiday songs that build on the traditions of the past and bring in Downhere’s unique sound.
Leeland released their third record in just a year and half’s time after the release of Opposite Way. The new record, titled Love Is On the Move, finds the band going down similar music territory as their first two records - Brit-rock reminiscent of acts like Coldplay and Keane or acts like Phil Wickham in the Christian market. Love Is On the Move is again extremely vertical oriented - focusing on worship or just the very nature and presence of God. Overall, Leeland doesn’t cover much new ground musically or lyrically - but they do what they do so well that it’s hard to really complain about that. Leeland Mooring has written some of his strongest lyrics on this release (“Follow You,” “Via Dolorosa,” “Love Is On the Move”), and that alone is worth mentioning.
With 2007’s Word of Mouth - Reuben almost totally abandoned his hip hop sound and embraced a more earthy, indie rock sound. Sex, Drugs & Self-Control finds Reuben embracing both sides - mixing his hip hop background to the extremely popular indie-rock sound of his last record. Reuben is again channeling the likes of Beck or the Dust Brothers with this release. As the title suggests, this album is about maintaining your faith through daily struggles - and Reuben pretty much calls himself out in many instances (“In the Air,” “Confident,” and “So Sexy For All the Right Reasons” are good examples). Sex, Drugs & Self-Control is another strong release from one of Christian music’s most respected artists.
Fangs isn’t necessarily the kind of record you’d expect from hit-making rockers Falling Up. Fangs is based on a science-fiction story written by lead singer Jessy Ribordy - a story that includes heroes and villains and most of all - hope. Upon first listen without knowing that back story - the listener is taken on an exquisite musical journey with a real space-rock feel - complete with soaring guitar driven melodies and vague - often cryptic - lyrical topics. Musically - the band is still in fine form here - showcasing soaring rock melodies and crunching guitars when needed. Overall, Fangs may seem like a step in the wrong direction to some people - and for sure it is a definite side step - but it should be listened to by serious fans of music - as well as those that love thematic releases.
There’s no denying that I have an affinity for sweet, piano-based pop/rock. So, it was no surprise that critically-acclaimed rock band Seabird was an instant hit with me. Lyrically, Seabird, like on their debut, teeter back and forth between love of their Savior and romance. This is often seen in bands that are trying to make an impact in both areas. Seabird does a great job - but honestly the band seems more at home talking about romantic relationships - especially seen on “The Sound of You and I,” “This Road,” and “Baby I’m In Love.” “Finally Done Right” is a bit of an odd tribute to Michael Jackson - but Seabird pulls it off pretty well. “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful” remains a favorite of this reviewer due to its catchy hook and beautiful lyrics - but there’s so much to love here that it’s hard to choose a favorite. Rocks Into Rivers is nowhere near a sophomore slump. Seabird continues to be the band to watch.
Jars of Clay released the highly anticipated follow-up to 2006’s Good Monsters - the last full-length studio release from the band. It’s no surprise that the band has once again reinvented themselves for The Long Fall Back to Earth. Whereas Good Monsters gave the band their first real rock and electric based sound, The Long Fall Back to Earth sees the band flirting with a more atmospheric and electronic palate. So many of the songs on The Long Fall Back to Earth feature slow builds with swelling crescendos and moving instrumental breaks. Lyrically, this albums features a common theme of relationships, and it focuses on everything from intimate, emotional, familial, and spiritual relationships throughout the disc. Jars of Clay has proven to be the most creative and forward thinking band in the Christian marketplace. Each release from the band finds them expanding their own horizons. It’s unfortunate that the band’s initial fanbase (from 1996’s Jars of Clay) hasn’t stuck with them after all these years. The boys in Jars of Clay continue to make fantastic art.
Critical darling Sara Groves has been on a bit of a roll lately. The singer/songwriter was on a mission with her last two albums - Add to the Beauty and Tell Me What You Know. Those two albums focused on the impoverished and social justice. They were not only critical successes - but also commercial smash hits and clearly hit home with a lot of people. At the urging of INO Records’ president Jeff Moseley - Groves’ new release Fireflies & Songs finds the artist talking more about herself - her life as a mother, wife, daughter, and friend - and has ended up being what Groves calls her “most me” album to date. The result is a much more personal recording for Groves and her least commercial sounding release since 2001’s Conversations. This is pretty much Sara sitting at her piano and sharing her heart out in song. Ultimately, Fireflies & Songs finds Sara Groves less of a teacher this time around, and more of that good friend who you love to go have coffee with - someone who isn’t afraid to share her life stories to you in order to help you find your way. It’s another fine release from one of Christian music’s most respected and loved singer/songwriters.
Relient K is the perfect example of a band maturing over time. Gone are the days of Relient K’s pop/punk early years and witty and satyrical based tunes. Relient K is officially a mature, modern rock band that talks about relationships - both spiritual and physical. This is fully realized with the release of their seventh full length studio record Forget & Not Slow DownThe songs from this record came from a broken heart - lead singer and primary songwriter Matt Thiessen’s broken heart to be exact. After holing himself away for while, he wrote songs reflecting the emotional rollercoaster that he was on. The band teamed up with their “favorite” producer Mark Lee Townsend and recorded this record - which is easily their most mature sounding to date. Overall, Relient K’s Forget & Not Slow Down is another fine release from the band. It’s nice to see them moving over into more mature songwriting and musicality. Relient K is still one of the finest bands to come out of Christian music, and Forget & Not Slow Down helps to solidify that.
To be completely honest - I’ve never been a huge fan of Selah. Their traditional inspirational music was never my cup of tea. Perhaps that’s bad form of me to mention that right off the bat. I’m supposed to be an unbiased and totally objective reviewer, right? Well, here’s where I like to admit that I was wrong. Selah took me by surprise with their duets album - Bless the Broken Road - that was released a couple years ago. While I still wasn’t what I would consider a fan - that record put them in a different light to me, and I was able to respect them as vocalists and musicians. Enter Amy Perry - Selah’s new vocalist (who took the place of founding member Nicol Sponberg). Perry has a strikingly beautiful soprano range - forceful when need be, and tender when the time calls. It’s like a breath of fresh air for the group - and with the release of You Deliver Me - I find myself fully on board as a Selah fan. I’m willing to eat my words with Selah. This is a group that’s got the right thing going on and are doing it exceptionally well.
To be completely honest, I never expected The Almost to be the huge breakout success that they were back in 2007. The band, which is a side band for Underoath’s drummer Aaron Gillespie, quickly became one of the biggest bands in Christian music (their debut, Southern Weather sold over 250,000 units, which is nothing to sneeze at). After cranking out hit after hit, the band returned with its sophomore outing, Whereas Southern Weather was mostly Gillespie, Monster Monster finds the band collectively creating the art - and the result is something spectacular. Their desire to seek God and His ways to their fullest extent is expressly seen throughout the disc. Overall, Monster Monster not only is as good as the band’s debut, but it surpasses it by leaps and bounds. Monster Monster is a highlight release of 2009.
Wickham has continued to defy my expectations with the release of his third record for INO Records, Heaven & Earth. Again seeking the help of producer Pete Kipley (MercyMe, The Afters, Kutless), Wickham takes the listener on a journey through our ultimate goal in this life - eternal life in Heaven with our Savior. Heaven & Earth is a nice middle ground between his sweeping, heavily orchestrated debut and the more synthesized pop of his sophomore album. The album highlights are featured on “The Time Is Now” with its beautiful orchestration, and stirring ballad/album closer “Heaven Song.” Wickham also shows incredible vocal prowess this time around - clearly setting himself ahead of the pack vocally. Heaven & Earth is easily Wickham’s finest record, and no doubt one of the best releases last year.
David Crowder Band has been a major anomaly in Christian music for a long time. They’ve managed to straddle the line between critical and consumer acclaim with much ease since the band hit big on the scene with 2003’s Illuminate (and to a lesser extent 2002’s Can You Hear Us?). Crowder and band has released critically acclaimed release after critically acclaimed release. 2007’s Remedy was seen as a bit of a step back by some - but the band is back again with another one of the 2009’s best releases - Church Music. Where A Collision was Crowder on a bluegrass and country kick, and Remedy saw Crowder more straight up pop/rock - Church Music goes in another totally different direction - covering a more electronic and experimental sound coupled with the band’s vertically focused lyrics (see DCB’s Sunsets & Sushi’s EP). Church Music is more than just a worship recording - it’s a worship experience - meant to take the listener on a musical journey. Overall, Church Music really doesn’t sound like much that is going on with actual music of the church these days - but that’s what makes this recording work so well. Crowder and Co. have managed to make a record that is not only fantastic musically, but takes the listener on a worshipful experience. This reviewer has never seen it happen like this before.
When I first heard Steven Curtis Chapman’s newest release, Beauty Will Rise, I toiled over whether I would write the review without mentioning the tragic and accidental death of his adopted daughter Maria. However, I couldn’t accurately describe the emotional journey that Chapman took me on without bringing it up. By now, most of the Christian world has heard of the death of little Maria - a life altering moment in all of the Chapman’s life. Beauty Will Rise, in all of its entirety, was inspired by the spiritual journey that Chapman went on after the death of his daughter. Too often, in the Christian world, we can sugar-coat the real hurts and struggles in our lives. That’s nowhere to be found on this disc. From the very start - the listener is pulled into the lyrics that explain how “heaven is a sweet, maple syrup kiss and a thousand other little things I miss with her gone.” How can one expect to hear Chapman bear his heart and soul on this record without being moved? Chapman’s honesty about his grief and loss is unparalleled. I’ve never heard an artist be as emotionally honest as Chapman is on Beauty Will Rise. Beauty Will Rise may not be the most technically gratifying work that Chapman has produced, but it is by far his most engaging and important work to date. It is an album that will go down in history has Chapman’s finest work. |
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13. How Many Kings - Downhere
12. Love Is On the Move - Leeland
11. Sex, Drugs & Self-Control - John Reuben
10. Fangs - Falling Up
9. Rocks Into Rivers - Seabird
8. The Long Fall Back to Earth - Jars of Clay
7. Fireflies & Songs - Sara Groves
6. Forget & Not Slow Down - Relient K
5. You Deliver Me - Selah
4. Monster Monster - The Almost
3. Heaven & Earth - Phil Wickham
2. Church Music - David Crowder Band
1. Beauty Will Rise - Steven Curtis Chapman