Music Year In Review

The topic comes a little late (seeing as how it's 2009 now...) but I figured I'd give my rundown of my favorite new albums from 2008. These are new releases that came out this past year. The usual links, with a couple songs to take a look at follows:

Honorable Mention: Ever Stays Red - On The Brink Of It All
It's hard to say that a voice is distinctive, but this band certainly has a voice that does not seem to fall in the usual categories. Combine that with some inspired melodies, and some great hooks, and you've got yourself a great album. With 12 tracks of songs that will lead you to think along with some quality lyrics, you really can't go wrong.

Download: On The Brink Of It All, Can't Explain, Look To The Hills
Website: http://www.myspace.com/everstaysred

10) Jeremy Camp - Speaking Louder Than Before
Jeremy Camp has consistently been one of my favorite artists since his debut album in 2002. Now on his 5th studio album, he has managed to find a few new things to try out on his latest effort. While there are the mainstays of his power ballads (Capture Me), and a few rockers (Giving You All Control), he's also brought in a full choir (There Will Be A Day), and enlisted the help of his wife to add some depth to some of his most heart-felt worship (Surrender). Another solid effort.

Download: There Will Be A Day, Capture Me, Surrender
Website: http://www.myspace.com/jeremycamp

9) Sanctus Real - We Need Each Other
Having not really heard much of their music outside of the hit single "I'm Not Alright", I figured I would give their newest album a shot after hearing previews. I was rewarded with 10 tracks of thoughtful rock and worship. With an opening 1-2 punch of "Turn On The Lights" and "We Need Each Other", it's really hard to not be drawn in to the album, and worship highlights such as Whatever You're Doing (Something Heavenly) show what these guys really are all about. Plus, pick up the album anywhere, and get free access to two additional songs for download.

Download: Turn On The Lights, We Need Each Other, Sing
Website: http://www.myspace.com/sanctusreal

8) Tenth Avenue North - Over And Underneath
The first of 3 debut albums on my list this year, and we find the worship band Tenth Avenue North. While most of the songs fall in to the mid-tempo rocker range, there are a few deviations that occur, such as the high-energy "Break Me Down", and the acoustic-driven ballad "Times". In my opinion, the album could have used a few more up-tempo moments, but the thoughful lyrics, and the overall album theme that points to Christ which is extremely evident makes up for this.

Download: Love Is Here, By Your Side, Hallelujah
Website: http://www.myspace.com/tenthavenuenorth

7) Remedy Drive - Daylight Is Coming
What do you get when you have 4 brothers who all love music? You get Remedy Drive. The 4 Zach brothers have been playing as an indie band for the past 5 years, and have now released their debut full-length album. While a little on the short side (35 minutes), the album certainly doesn't leave you disappointed when you reach the end, except that you are probably wanting more. With an overall vision of hope for the future, Daylight Is Coming will certainly leave you feeling better than you did before you gave it a spin. A fantastic debut.

Download: Stand Up, Daylight
Website: http://www.myspace.com/remedydrive

6) Anberlin - New Surrender
What it year it has been for Anberlin. If you read my music year in review for 2007, you will see that they were my number 1 last year. The stellar success that they had with their previous indie label propelled them on to the radar for the major labels to come bidding for their services. Universal music won out, and just over 18 months after their last full length studio album, here we have New Surrender. A look at the track-listing will make you think twice, as a track from their sophomore album (Feel Good Track) seems to have been ported. It has, and yet it hasn't. There have been some changes, but nothing that takes away from the song, and in fact, the hook is even better in my opinion. The inclusion of this song was the band's decision, as they felt that it was not given enough prominence on the previous release.

The album as a whole, however, continues the strong work that Anberlin has been known for over the past 6 years. The opening song "The Resistance" immediately grabs you doesn't let you go for the rest of the album. Ballads such as "Retrace" and "Breathe" really highlight Christian's vocals, while rockers such as "Disappear" and straight-up pop as heard on "Haight St." show the band rocking with the best of them. The album closes with the epic 6 1/2 minute "Misearbile Visu (Ex Malo Bonum)" which draws it's inspiration from Revelation, and is hautingly beautiful. Another fantastic effort, and a great step for a band as they continue to grow.

Download: Breaking, Breathe, Haight St.
Website: http://www.myspace.com/anberlin

5) Leeland - Opposite Way
For a young band, they really know what they're doing. These 11 tracks show a maturity and thoughtfulness that many cannot quite come close to. The intensity of the music on each of the tracks really plays in to the passion that they have, and the lyrical quality throughout is outstanding. After their critically acclaimed debut Sound of Melodies they really had their work cut out for them, but have come through the test with flying colors on their sophomore effort. With the theme of wanting to be going a different direction than the rest of the world permeating the disc, it's an uplifting disc to play through. Couple that with beautiful melodies, and a passion on display on each song, and you've got yourself a quality album. Wherever these guys are at now, look for it to only get better.

Download: Count Me In, Opposite Way, May Our Praise
Website: http://www.myspace.com/leelandmusic

4) Kutless - To Know That You're Alive
One of my favorite bands, and one of my most anticipated albums of 2008, these guys really know how to rock. I saw them live at Winterfest in Gatlinburg way back in January, and they played a preview of their new album back them, and got me excited to see what was on the way. 6 months later, in June, they released their album, and I was not disappointed. The opening 3 tracks (not including the extended-intro instrumental Sleeping City) just leap out and grab you, with the party-anthem "The Feeling", and the in your face rockers of "To Know That You're Alive" and "The Disease & The Cure". Ballads have been something Kutless has always done well, and tracks such as "Complete" and the minimalistic "You" highlight their ability to set a worshipful tone in the midst of the chaos. They also tread in to some rather dark territory on songs such as "To Know That You're Alive" and especially on "Promise You" about a woman that is being beaten. Kutless has frequently worked and helped raise money for battered women's shelters and similar types of orginizations, so you know that this is a song that really comes from their heart. In my opinion, probably their strongest album of the 6 they have released. If you don't have them in your collection and want to start, pick up this disc.

Download: To Know That You're Alive, Promise You, I Do Not Belong
Website: http://www.kutless.com, http://www.myspace.com/kutless

3) David Crowder Band - Remedy Club Tour Live
There probably isn't a more prominent worship band out there than the David Crowder Band. After their monster album A Collision they really have exploded in terms of popularity. Their 2007 release Remedy was another stellar entry in their library, and with the popularity of their albums, it was only a matter of time until a live compilation was released. Being a fan of live music, I'm always interested when an artist that I enjoy listening to is putting out a live cd/dvd album, as I feel like it really shows you the artist, much moreso than a studio album, if nothing because of the unpredictability of a live performance. Filmed in High Definition, the Remedy Club Tour Live CD/DVD album highlights the David Crowder Band in a live setting, with the album taken from two separate performances and edited together seamlessly to create a fantastic picture of what their live show is like. Their stage is covered in Macbooks which they use to play as instruments, and David Crowder even breaks out a guitar hero controller that has been programmed with the chord progressions and loops to play one of the songs with. With 90 minutes of music, worship, and rock, as well as tutorials, a behind the scences video, and instrument breakdowns for each and every song performed in the concert (for the guitar performer in you), there is plenty for music-loving individuals to pour over. The accompanying cd has all 16 songs performed from the dvd spit-shined to perfection. In all honesty, the superb technical performance from the band makes it hard to tell that it's a live album...at least until the audience kicks in. An excellent addition to anyone's live collection.

Download: The Glory Of It All, ...neverending..., Foreverandever Etc.
Website: http://www.myspace.com/davidcrowderband

2) Safetysuit - Life Left To Go
In one of my wanderings through Best Buy, I heard a song being played over the in-store radio that I actually really liked. I heard the name of the artist, and then did something that I rarely do, which is to make a purchase based on one song of an album. You know how this can end up most of the time; you like the one song that you heard, but the rest of the album is not at all like what you would have expected based on that song. Thankfully, this album was not at all like that, and turned out to be one of my favorites from this past year. The debut album from Safetysuit is an all-out pop record, but man do they know how to play. And I've been hard-pressed to find an album of 12 tracks that are as insanely catchy as these twelve. From the opening guitar hook of "Someone Like You", the repititious "whoa-oh" of "Apology", the vocal hook of "Something I Said", to the emotional closer "Life Left To Go", it's hard to find fault with the album. There is not a weak song on the album, and every song will have you singing along by the time the song is finishing, with the melody stuck in your head for days. The closer, "Life Left To Go" is perhaps their greatest song on the album, and also the one that is most different from anything else that they have on offer. The song tells the story of someone who wants to end their own life, and the call of someone who cares enough enough to tell this person that they matter to them. With a strong melody, and some vocal distortions that offer a different approach, it really stands out as an album highlight, and a fantastic choice for an album title. A sure winner, and well worth the purchase, this album has not been out of my player for the past 6 months.

Download: Someone Like You, Apology, Stay, Life Left To Go
Website: http://www.myspace.com/safetysuit

1) Disciple - Southern Hospitality

In the year 1992, I would have been 9 years old. I would have been playing AYSO soccer, piano, and attending elementary school in the 4th grade. In the year 1992, the band Disciple was formed. 16 years later, they are releasing their 8th full length studio album, titled Souther Hospitality. They have come a long way in their 16 years, with the jump to a major label about 3 years ago coinciding with the release of their self-titled album that has really brought them success. 2006's Scars Remain cemented their position as one of the most prominent hard-rockers in Christian music, with their song "Game On" being heard in sporting stadiums and highlight shows around the country. 2 years later, they return with their latest album, which also happens to be probaby their most melodic album ever. 12 songs inspired by their southern roots (they are local Knoxville, TN natives), the boys from Disciple have brought a different sound to their album, but still keep the rock coming.

For those that are fans of their older albums, this is almost a complete departure, as their is hardly any screaming (with the excpetion of their new "Game On" titled "321"), and melody is really the forefront of each of their songs. Title track "Southern Hospitality" opens with a little groove from the guitar, and slowly builds in to an infectious rock track. "321" will undoubtedly be the new song in sports-arenas that get the fans and team pumped up, while a song like "Liar" comes from the heart of Kevin Young, the lead singer, who was struggling with forgiveness of another.

One of the things about Disciple that has always impressed me is their strong knowledge of the bible, and if you look at the liner notes with the lyrics, you will see countless references to scripture that permeate each of their songs. The song "Whatever Reason" is the story of the prodigal son, told in Luke 15:11-32, and serves as the entire inspiration for the song, and is written from the point of view of the father, or God. "Right There" takes it's inspiration from Deuteronomy 31:6, 8and Hebrews 13:5, with lyrics like "There's nothing that's been stolen that I can not replace (1 Peter 5:10); Fear is just a distant memory, when you find love surrounds you (1 John 4:18)". If you need inspiration, you need not go any farther than listening to and reading these lyrics that Disciple writes.

The album closes on probably my favorite song of the year, "Savior". In my opinion, it is essentially the band's view on Christ, and what he is capable of doing in the lives of someone who is hurting and broken. If someone thinks that you cannot worship with instruments, this would definately be one of my first exhibits to show them that you can. Moving, heart-felt, and honest, it really speaks to their belief and love for Christ, while showing everyone what is possible. Here are the lyrics, and the song is in the sidebar.

Laughter, that's so part of her
Is something that we haven't heard
in such a long, long time
Replaced with crying, long sleepless nights
She needs your power Lord (Psalm 145:11)
Pour it all over (Joel 2:28-29)
In her darkest hour Lord (Psalm 18:4-6)
Pour it all over

Chorus
'Cause I know You love her more than I could love her (Ephesians 3:18-19)
You've already given more than I could offer (1 John 5:11)
So I put my hope in You (Psalm 39:7)
'Cause I know You can save her (John 3:17)
Jesus, Savior (Matthew 1:21)

The problem hidden inside
Is screaming something's not right
And I would lay down my world
To reach out and fix what's broken in her

Deep within every stripe is the hope that I find within You (Isaiah 53:4-5, 1 Peter 2:24)