Any Jimmy Eat World record. It just feels like polished rock n' roll that's not overdone or cheap. I believe they have radio "hits" purely out of coincidence and being great song writers. Though others may think the contrary, I do believe "Chase This Light" to a phenominal record.
Also any Johnny Cash record. He has heart. He has feeling. He's THE original. Can never get enough - in the same vein I really enjoy Mearl Haggard. He's just so much darn fun to listen to.
Any Muse record. Dubbed as "Arena Rock" you can call it what you want. I think every record is amazing. Always "hooks" me.
New(er) to the scene in my life is Kings Of Leon. I can't get enough of these boys. A dirtier more southern U2 nestled in the heart of the greatest country in the world. USA!
Coldplay - any record really. (noticing a trend here? most artists I dig, I really dig, not just record by record)
Top 5 Records for my life (in no real order):
1-Jimmy Eat World "Clarity" 2-Johnny Cash "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison" 3-Coldplay "Parachutes" 4-Muse "Absolution" 5-Hillsong United "All Of The Above"
They're all records that I listen to on a regular basis, and have for a while.
It's such a hard choice. I wish I could say some older more "original" prominent recordings are my favorites, however I'm a young man. I don't go back that far. Love you guys.
i think in pairs. i'm not telling you why. you have to guess. in biographical order.
1. michael jackson : thriller / simon & garfunkel : bridge over troubled water 2. U2 : the joshua tree / u2 : achtung baby 3. sonic youth : dirty / my bloody valentine : loveless 4. delerious : king of fools / kevin prosch : reckless mercy 5. ryan adams : cold roses / radiohead : in rainbows
Nine Inch Nails - Head Like a Hole (middle school)
Arcade Fire - The Funeral (Best O.R. music around)
The Lemonheads - It's a Shame about Ray (Early High School)
Tori Amos - Under the Pink (Late High school)
Jack Johnson - Brushfire Fairytales (College/Grad School)
These were the first albums I heard from some of my favorite bands at one point in my life, though I don't listen to Tori or Nine Inch Nails anymore. The nostalgia and reminiscence associated with these songs is amazing. Pictures of life over 30 years.
All of these – minus number three – were albums that touched me shortly after I got saved as a teenager. I broke every CD I had, but I still liked heavy music. These albums helped shape a brand new spiritual and musical landscape for me.
1. As Cities Burn - Son I loved you at your darkest 2. Beloved - Failure On 3. [cheese alert] John Mark - The song inside the sounds of breaking down 4. Switchfoot - The beautiful letdown 5. PIllar - Fireproof
1. Really all of Ryan Adams catalogue but it all started with Heart Breaker. My wife introduced me to Ryan and a whole slew of other Alt Country Artists. I was listening to strictly rock...Underoath, Norma Jean, Mae, all of that so this was a huge awakening for me as a musician and song writer. Total ychanged my perspective on recording, writing, guitar playing, everything.
2. Plans- Death Cab for Cutie: this is one of those albums that takes me to a really cool place. I believe that regardless of your spiritual beliefs, when you poor your heart into something it is a reflection of Christ because that kind of Passion can only come from that deep place in our soul. So, even though Death Cab is not a "christian" band nor do they openly have any sort of Christian views, this is a worship album to me. On top of that it just makes me want to get in the studio and make a record.
3. Contiuum- John Mayer: This was a challenging record for me as a guitar player especially. My favorite John Mayer record so far although the new record is really growing on me. I love the hope that Mayer hits you with after Heavier Things. Great album
4. This is Super Cheesy so dont hate but The Medicine was another record that opened up a new world of thought for me. I hated and still hate modern worship music. I dont see the passion. It all sounds the same and at the end of the day I know that a lot of it is done to just sell records (yes I am a jaded industry label guy). I struggled for a long time with even having a heart to worship just from the journey I have been on the past two years but having no music that even stirred something in me did not help. The Medicine gave me hope that great music can be made that truly points upward. Churches may not sing these songs in worship but I love everything about the album and was so thankful to have music that I felt a spiritual connection to.
5. Wilco- Being There: Best Wilco album by far. I love the production especially on the drums. Just a straight up awesome record.
Red House Painters - Songs for a Blue Guitar - This album helped me find beauty in the dark times.
Rascal Flatts - Feels Like Today - I grew up hating the south and country music in particular. I don't know what happened, but somehow Rascal Flatts broke through and I saw the light. P.S. Don't hate.
Slowdive - Catch The Breeze - Soaring melodies that went well with the frigid mountain town I was living in(Boone).
Tears For Fears - The Seeds of Love - This album taught me that great production wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Tom Waits - Bone Machine - This album and artist helped me to appreciate and love America, and all the weirdness it has to offer.
1. sleeping at last - (3way tie with all their albums) keep no score, ghosts, and storyboards. **each of these albums unwraps truth in the most beautiful of ways. the lyrics, the vocals, the melodies, the creativity, every aspect of it moves me like no other albums have ever moved me!
2. rick pino - angel of awakening **this album is full of powerful songs & personally means a lot to me because it has been the music accompanying many unforgettable encounters with God!
3. bon iver - for emma, forever ago **stunning. simple as that. this album could be playing round the clock as i go about my life and would make everything 10times more beautiful.
4.john mark mcmillan - the song inside the sound of breaking down **life changing. even the title of the album resonates with me, as does every song. explosive truths in a fresh and raw way. with each song i can vividly picture a memory where God totally broke through to me. sometimes there was laughing & dancing n others many tears, always beautiful.
5.jason upton - between earth and sky **songs straight from heaven. this album flows together perfectly & has spoken to my soul in both a powerful & tender way.
---honorable mention would be any John Mayer or Coldplay album---- !!!!
...i am such a sucker for soundtracks!
i love the soundtracks to Amelie, Garden State, Moulin Rouge, TOMMY, Wicked, Aida, and Seussical the Musical :)
1) The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness. Huge variety, great songs, and great songwriting. Established the Pumpkins as one of the most important bands of the 90's. The B-sides off of these sessions were INCREDIBLE too (some of which were amongst my favorites from the whole era).
2) Placebo - Sleeping With Ghosts. Pre-"Meds" black-and-white depressive state and post deviant-behavior-touting "Pure Morning". I believe this was Placebo at their best. Three HUGE songs were on this record (Special Needs, Sleeping With Ghosts, and This Picture), but the whole album was pretty solid. Probably not the first Placebo album I'd give someone to introduce them to the band, but I think it's my favorite, pound for pound. There's a great mixture of depth and surface-level, knee-jerk-reaction type of lyrics on it, which I like as well.
3) Radiohead - Ok Computer. I don't see how anyone could honestly say Radiohead has made a better album than this one. Every single song is great, and it raised the bar for music at the time. Killer chord progressions, huge vocals, and great, GREAT production. Always a mainstay for me. ...and if you're thinking I picked this to be pretentious, I didn't. It's really that good. I hate it that mentioning Radiohead has garnered such "chip-on-their-shoulder" type of associations from people.
4) Jeff Buckley - Grace. Totally classic, and it never gets old. Killer tunes, KILLER vocals, and has that "produced-yet-avant-garde" type of a feel that's really hard to intentionally pull off, but was totally nailed on this album. It's a mainstay on my playlist.
5) Sliverchair - Diorama. If you even *hesitated* when you read that, you don't know the band for who they truly are. Throw Frogstomp (with the song "Tomorrow" on it) and "Freak Show" out the window. Silverchair really got their artistic start with "Neon Ballroom" (great record), but REALLY hit their mark with Diorama. Just an absolutely phenomenal album. HUGE songs (Tuna in the Brine being the king of the album to me personally), killer vocals, and massively awesome production. One of the most overlooked albums of the last decade, and LEAGUES better than most of the records dubbed "great" during the last decade.
Honorable mentions: Sigur Ros - "Takk", The Smashing Pumpkins - "Siamese Dream", Leeland - "Sound of Melodies", Hillsong United - "Look To You", Days of the New - "Green Album"
Pink Floyd: The Wall- David Gilmour's guitar work on that album has influenced the way I play probably more than any other album. I have a natural tendency to play like him stylistically anyway, but there is something about that album where I can feel so much emotion in the way he plays.
The Beatles: 1967-1970 (The Blue Album)- Some(not ALL) of the best songs from the final years of The Beatles which I believe changed music forever.
Bruce Springsteen: Nebraska - This album to me is amazing if nothing else because it shows how music doesn't have to be over processed to be good! The Boss recorded this album with an 8 track cassette recorder in his kitchen. There is a certain beauty in the simplicity of the entire record.
Dustin Kensrue: Please Come Home - This for me is an amazing album! It's rootsy traditional sound brought back a love for songs I used to hear on my parents old LPs. While the album has a basic theme of faith throughout it's entirety, Kensrue also shows us some raw emotions of love (Pistol), our struggle with our own humanity (Blanket of Ghosts) and even some rebelliousness (Blood and Wine).
Thrice: The Alchemy Index Vol. 3&4 Earth & Air While this could be considered 2 albums I count it as one. This was the second Thrice album I had heard and at the time I knew them as a post-hardcore group with some pretty heavy stuff in the mix. This album shows them in a different light it has a raw energy to it that stirred up a fire in me that I have not since been able to quench. it was like I fell in love with music all over again, which is weird because I had never fallen out of love with music! I have since grown a love for all of Thrice's music but especially their last 4 albums. Dustin Kensrue(previously mentioned) is their lead singer and in my opinion a lyrical genius! His lyrics have literally birthed things in me that have taken me to new heights both spiritually and mentally.
As far as my "soundtrack" goes, as of late I would say it's Thrice's latest album "Beggars" It's amazing... I will leave it at that, because I am a horrible typist, and my fingers hurt!
first comment on a blog ever. wanted to make myself think. i tried to do my 10 albums once and thought of too many, so here goes fivesies. I'm 21, so though my music is newer - but it goes deep with me.
1. mewithoutYou - catch for us the foxes _poetic, questioning, entrancing music, (all their albums, but had this first)
2. Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun/Takk _changed me and what i thought was music, brings me closer to God. worship albums. (not the english translations) just the sound for what is is
3. Thrice - Everything _the only band I still love since my youngest years liking music. They transitioned with my musical tastes and Kensrue transitioned with me in my love of Jesus Christ
4. As Cities Burn - Son, I Loved You At Your Darkest _same as Thrice, just came in the picture a little later.
5. Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak _just pure enjoyability for me. transitioned me into a new music listening era, away from metal and hardcore. I love all their albums to date.
I couldn't reeeeaaally find a 5th with the history and impact like the first 4, but I can think of 20 that will be like them in the next few years and can't narrow it to fit this list. John Mark - you're in there. With the likes of fleet foxes, the frames/glen hansard, aa bondy, jon foreman, arcade fire, future of forestry, and maybe some civil wars. i just had to get more names than 5 in there to see where my ears and soul are headed. thanks for making me think.
1. 1200 Curfew-Indigo Girls live the value of the Indigo Girls' impact on melody and songwriting is surely understated. i couldn't get enough of this album for good reason. their ability to tell story and wrap lines around each other was amazing. also, there is something amazing about hearing someone sing to the very edge of their ability and still cross that line...this is the Indigo Girls...honesty in a bottle
2. Jars of Clay-Jars of Clay rhythm really says it to me...this album not only changed a genre but for me, taught me how to play the guitar.
3. Grace-Jeff Buckley if you don't know Jeff Buckley's music... go listen to it right now, seriously...
4. Everyday-Hillsong United because it gave me permission. you know what i mean. worship music had been a certain thing for a long time and this album seemed to change that for me...and United's albums have continued to do that over the years
5. Passion-Better is One Day this album is in the same boat with Everday... totally changed how worship music was looked at, approached, encouraged, accepted... the impact has been been very wide and i loved it...
Joni Mitchell - Blue Taught me to write songs from my heart and not care what other people think. Every track great and so inspiring.
Jimmy Eat World - Clarity My favourite album of all time. Can't even put my finge on why but I just love it.
Enter Shikari - Take To The Skies The most 'perfect' album I've ever heard, but I won't listen to it again.
Hillsong United - United We Stand Tied to an an important time in my life. Need I say more than 'Came To The Rescue'.
Hillsong - Blessed First time I saw an amazing musical offering to God. Everything about it blew me away. Hillsong have to put up with a lot of put-downs for being 'generic', but at the end of the day they are the originals and it's the other people who are imitators!
Have loved reading everybody elses too - especially the first person for saying JEW!
1. Radiohead: OK Computer. This album opened my mind crazily and I was never the same.
2. Jeff Buckley: Grace. Do I even need to say anything about this one? Okay, but I will. My wife caught on to this record before I did... And as she was listening to it one day it really caught my ear. This record REALLY grew on me. I think I am partial to that kind of record. One that takes a while to make its full impact. I think it's riskier making music like that, but so, so much better in the long run. "Lover, you should have come over" is probably my favorite JB song of all time.
3. Keane: Hopes And Fears. I love when a band can be absolutely catchy and hooky and simple, but also so deeply moving. These guys do it effortlessly. I am a sucker for this guy's voice too. Beautiful.
4. Over The Rhine: Ohio. I first heard OTR at Cornerstone festival in 1996. I remember sitting in my lawn chair at the back of the tent, during their second performance (they had to schedule them twice because the tent was completely packed over capacity), closing my eyes and just mellowing out... An awesome experience. Since then they just got better and better. In my opinion this is their best album. Not 1 wasted song on 2 discs!
5. Delirious: Cutting Edge. I had to put this one on here. These albums opened my mind to what worship could really be. Delirious are the rock worship pioneers!!
Lost In The Sound Of Seperation, Underoath: because it tells of how we have messed up and how many time we come back to him and he loves us so
The Medicine, John Mark McMillan: Because it has lifted me up to think about the grandness of music and lets my mind think about what lyrics are
Battle Studies . John Mayer : Because it is a fantastic album
Portraits, For Today: because it speaks truth to the world
Rebel , Lecrae :Because it is so good and he tells the truth no matter what and what ever i go through i just turn him on then bam i feel better
so 1:Rebel by Lecrae 2:Portraits by For Today 3:The Medicine by John Mark McMillan 4:Lost In The Sound Of Seperation by Underoath 5:Battle Studies by John Mayer
The Avett Brothers - Four Thieves Gone Martin Sexton - Black Sheep Chic Corea & Bela Fleck - The Enchantment The Chariot - The Fiance Josh Garrels - Underquiet
Not sure how I can comment on those other than they opened my ears to something different that I hadn't heard or felt before. I'd also like to say when Josh Scogin (A Rose By Any Other Name) releases his solo album it will most likely be on there. - Matt
1. Stuart Townend – Personal Worship with Stuart Townend
These are beautiful worship songs in very simple arrangements from one of the best writers of church music today. It is also an album that my wife and I have enjoyed together for most of our marriage. My wife chose to have it playing when our first child was born.
2. Hootie and the Blowfish – Cracked Rear View
I loved this album in high school. Tickets sold out when they came to town, but my best friend’s mom entered him into a contest for back stage passes. He won, and we got to meet the band and see a great show. Good memories.
3, 4. dc Talk – Free a Last and Jesus Freak
When someone introduced me to Free At Last on a bus ride on an eighth grade field trip to Biltmore Estates, it blew my mind. I had never heard such well produced, fun to listen to, “Christian” hip-hop. dc Talk became the plumb line for how I judged “Christian” music in my teen years. Oh, how that line has changed.
5. John Mark McMillan – The Medicine
This album got way under my skin last year and moved me in ways no other music has in a long time. It is helping me understand my need for “the gospel” like no sermon ever has because of its beautiful meditations on Jesus’ triumph over death. I appreciate your approach to songwriting. I am with you. Keep up the great work!
- The Gleam by The Avett Brothers The Song "If it's the Beaches" has gotten me through many a tough time. Every song on this EP has been my favorite song as some point in my life.
- The Essential Bob Dylan It's probably blasphemy to pick a "best of" record but this one served as a gateway album to all of Bob Dylan's other records. It has also served as fuel for multiple late night roadtrips.
- The Creek Drank the Cradle- Iron & Wine I listened to almost nothing but this album for almost three months after its release. "Upward Over the Mountain" is up there in my favorite songs ever written.
- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco Another one of those "gateway" albums. I was given this album in a burned CD in 2004 and it pretty much single handedly taught me what good music was. "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart"was a theme song for awhile.
- Tonight the Stars Speak by The Glorious Unseen One of the most affecting worship albums i've heard. "Hear Our Prayers" was one of the songs that i anchored myself to during a pretty difficult time of my life.
I would also add "The Medicine", mmhmm by Relient K, Catch For Us the Foxes by mewithoutYou, Come Now Sleep by As Cities Burn, and Transatlanticism by Death Cab for Cutie. But there were only 5 slots.
1. The Beatles-Abby Road I was blown away at twelve year old. I'm still moved by this album today. It changed my perspective on what could be done in music.
2. Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness New guitars sounds, tones, it was "Polished Grunge". I also loved the insert and packaging so much.
3. Jason Upton - Faith It gave me new language and permission to "go there" in worship. I had never heard any thing like it before it. Now there's...
4. Delirious? - Glo I saw these guys live and went home and bought this right away. Rock n Roll Worship.
5. Fred Hammond - Purpose By Design I'm a huge gospel fan. This album I listened to the most. He's very transparent on this album. A lot of the songs were sort of anthems for me when I first got it. He kills it on the bass.
[Soundtrack] Keith Green - Songs for the Shepherd My parents played this tape for me almost every night at bed time in my room as a child. When I found it again on CD as an adult, I listened to it a lot. I know this album very well and have used the words (mostly from the Bible) as prayers throughout my life. Then I read His bio written by his wife and loved it even more.
Jonathan David Helser- Walk Through the Walls (brought me to a new place of worship) Sleeping at Last- Keep No Score (create heavenly sounds with such a small group-- incredible lyrics) The Wailin' Jenny's- 40 days (this is why I love 3 part harmony) Jon Foreman- Limbs and Branches (first song in this album was played at my wedding) Sara Groves- The Other Side of Something (amazing song writer, helped me through some realities I needed to face)
Mr E's voice and lyrical composition blows me away since I was 13, hasn't changed.
2) Jon Foreman - Spring and summer, Fall and Winter
(4 EP's to be exact)I love most of what he is. the albums themselves are just where my mind is.
3) Kimmya Dawson - Remember That I Love You
Taught me production doesn't have to be perfect for music to be great. Broken allot of my perceptions. Regina spektor also did that some what.
4) Blindside - Silence
Broke me out of my childhood backstreet boys commercial loving self. Into the world of music. and that screamo rock could be Christian ;) Underoath followed.
5) Delirious? - Glo
First Cd I bought as a kid. Everytime i listen to it, it gets better.
These all have been important to me in a big way, but there are so many others. this was most difficult.
(no real order) 1.Taylor Swift-Fearless 2.JMM-The Song Inside the Sounds of Breaking Down 3.Blind Pilot-3 Rounds and a Sound 4.Matt Costa-Unfamiliar Faces 5.Dave Matthews Band-Crash
All of these albums stayed in my CD player for at least a month- never leaving the deck. T Sweezy makes you want to sing along and shes just so dang cute! JMM (I think) is a current day psalmist; and that particular album has a grip on me, especially now.
I was recently introduced to Blind Pilot and their big band feel is just lovely. Matt Costa's unfamiliar faces album was so good to listen to because the tracks are so different- yet go so well together!
The Crash album was great because it always brings me back to being in the passenger seat of my Dad's car while he has the disc blaring and the sun roof open so you can see the stars while flying down the 5.
Sigur Ros - Takk - my first encounter with them. Some of the most breathtakingly emotive music I've ever heard.
Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days - first album of Sam Beam's I heard. He's such a darkly gifted songwriter and folk singer.
Third Eye Blind - self-titled - you can't listen to 'God of Wine' or 'Motorcycle Drive-By' and not feel powerfully moved. This album is very underrated, I think.
Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism -the album that started me on all things Ben Gibbard.
Muse - Absolution - first Muse album I ever listened to. Really powerful.
As a runner-up, David Crowder Band's 'Illuminate' reassured me that a contemporary Christian "worship artist" could be well-liked / widely played and original at the same time.
D'Angelo - Voodoo Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Master And Everyone David Gray - White Ladder The Black Peppercorns - Tumbling Ground Whiskeytown - Pneumonia
Honorable Mentions: Smog - Supper, Karen Dalton - In My Own Time, Palace Music - Lost Blues and Other Songs, and Hope
1. Jars of Clay-If I Left the Zoo This is the album I think of when I think of my pre-high school days. It hit home with me just when I needed it to. 2. Jack Johnson-In Between Dreams Senior year of high school. Can't listen to it without remembering that. Obviously it was a time of transition and this cd helped me hold onto the memories. 3. Bethany Dillon-Imagination The freshman year of college cd. I listened to songs on repeat as I fell asleep. 4. Justin McRoberts-Deconstruction I think this is the album that began to open me up to new music. It amazed me because he was saying things not directly through his lyrics, but poetically enough for it to really move me and get me thinking at the same time. Good stuff. 5. Lecrae-Rebel I had trouble thinking of a 5th and saw this in someone else's list, but it's true for me too. This album (and his earlier ones...After the Music Stops, etc) truly opened up new musical genres for me. Extremely fun and extremely true at the same time. Awesome.
Wilco / Yankee Hotel Foxtrot I put this album on the first day I feel like there is a chill in the air.
Thrice / Vheissu This album has been one my biggest sources of spiritual encouragement over the past couple of years. It helped me realize who I am..
Starflyer 59 / Americana Not exactly the right choice for most Starflyer fans but this album resonated with me on a very different level. Maybe it was just the right time / right place kind of thing. Whatever it is, this album defines a lot of memories for me.
Jason Upton / Jacob's Dream I used to listen to this album every morning – there was something about it that settled my spirit and centered me before the onslaught of the day. Still does.
DC Talk / Jesus Freak Surprised this isn't on more lists. I was a kid when this came out. It impacted me so much that I wanted to work with Toby McKeehan. I moved to Nashville and worked for Gotee for almost 8 years.
These albums changed the way I listen to music and what it actually means to me to be a music lover.
1) Radiohead - Ok Computer this is my favorite album of all time and marks the moment I truly discovered music and all its beauty. thank you Radiohead
2) Sonic Youth - Dirty when I first heard this I had never experienced anything like it before. Sonic Youth opened my mind to new and amazing things.
3) Queens of The Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf this band has no boundaries and is fearless when it comes to exploring new sounds and adventuring down avenues no one in their "genre" would even begin to exlore. also Josh Homme is an incredible songwriter.
4) The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin this album changed my life. when you are in a dark place this album will pull you out. well it did me anyway.
5) The Beatles - Abbey Road the first album I heard by the Beatles may not be my favorite but definately changed my mind about this entire era and what could be done inside of a rock song.
This list is the chronological order in which I discovered each album.
1. Furthermore by Jars of Clay- This is the first album that I loved and listened to to the point that I could sing to you the different lines that weren't vocal lines. I know it's essentially a greatest hits album and I lost it and haven't listened to it in over 5 years, but it played a vital role in my learning to love music. 2. Illuminate by David Crowder*Band- I loved this album and listened to it a lot. I ended up learning to play the songs on guitar and thus gained an understanding of basic music theory. (Still one of my favorites) 3. X&Y by Coldplay- This is on the list because it was my first "secular" album to listen to. It opened the door for me to disconver lots of music that I never would have discovered if I only listened to "worship" music the rest of my life. It actually turned out to be my least favorite Coldplay album. 4. Abbey Road by The Beatles- This album made me fall in love with the Beatles' music. It is so great to me the way they pieced this album together. I love the way the songs flow on the second half of the record. This album might affect me more emotionally than any other album. (Still one of my favorites) 5. A Collision by David Crowder*Band- Once again, I love this album for the way it is pieced together. The songs speak to me and the album flows like a story is unfolding. Every part leads to the next; and, therefore, keeps me interested and paying attention. It greatly affects me emotionally. (Still one of my favorites)
1.Love is Hell Ryan Adams 2.Cutting Edge Fore- Delirious? 3.Dizzy Up the Girl- Goo Goo Dolls 4.Bless the Lord- Hosanna Music- Don Moen 5.Mirrorball- Sarah McLachlan/Details- Frou Frou At different times in my life, these are the albums that have made me feel like someone's pulled back the curtains and let me see some new part of how mind blowing God is. Coldplay and Switchfoot and Soul Proxy did/do that in a big way for me too.
Well, the top two: Bat Out of Hell - Meatloaf and American Pie - Don McLean. I listened to these two cds throughout childhood with my mother brother. The words to McLean's "Vincent" always remind me of the humanity of Jesus and "Bat Out of Hell" is how I feel about salvation. Other albums would be, "Aqualung" - Jethro Tull, "Seven Swans" - Sufjan Stevens, and "Awake" - various MorningStar people.
Smashing Pumpkins and Fleetwood Mac were huge influences in my "coming of age" soundtrack (and they're still favorites). Rita Springer changed the way I view worship and our pursuit of God. I am a huge sucker for Motown, Marvin Gaye, etc., and Cole Porter's tunes make me wanna dance....or kill myself, but - usually - dance.
1. rickie lee jones "flying cowboys": helped me out at age 14, the songs became part of the fabric of my life. love her poetry and voice that knows no range limits. 2. u2 "war": i still think there are new sounds in here and sounds that break the walls down(drums o fire). also prophetic lyrics. 3. gram parsons and emmylou harris "gp/grievous angel": pretty much changed me forever with its harmonies. 4. violet burning: faith and devotions of a satellite heart, this is the moment...rock and worship collide, beautiful, heart changing. 5. bob dylan: "oh mercy" my first serious foray into dylan and so it sticks with me, but there are so many others. soundtrack: any time suzy yaraei sings in the spirit which is most times she sings, but esp "new wave" at the end of braveheart album, that could basically replay into eternity for my life's song. and shouts out to george up above for his keith green nod! tx for asking us john mark!
1. The Best of the Lost Dogs 2. The Decemberist- The Hazards of Love 3. Joel Holmes-African Skies 4. Chad and Sandy Everett-Set Free 5. Garth Hewitt-Scars It is really hard to narrow it down to 5 but other than a rubber raft I would settle for these on a deserted island.
A Top 5 is difficult to narrow down, especially since most great albums have one or two tracks that are exceptional. 12 months encompasses several musical lifetimes! Here are 5 2009 influences in no order...
Esbjorn Svensson Trio - Viaticum Platinum Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest Black Crows - Warpaint Facedown - Matt Redman You Hold Me Now - Hillsong
This could change within a couple days, but here's what I'd have to say right now (in no particular order):
1. Counting Crows - August and Everything After (I was listening to this before I even knew what good music was, but I've kept coming back to it. "Anna Begins" still gives me chills)
2. John Mark McMillan - The Medicine (just like others, feels cheesy to say that, but honestly very important. First time I truly worshipped while letting the artfulness of the music pull me in.)
3. U2 - The Joshua Tree (obviously... one of the best records ever)
4. Radiohead - any album really (love the evolution of this band)
5. Genesis - Trick of the Tail (beautiful album... one of the best pieces of musical art I've heard)
Again, this list could change with the wind, but those are what I'm feeling today!
WAR - U2 License to Ill - Beasty Boys Jacobs Dream/Dying Stary - Jason Upton The Bends - Radiohead The Medicine - JMM (sorry, it's just that important)
Edison Glass - Time is Fiction Edison Glass is my favorite band of all time. They just write beautiful music accompanied by beautiful lyrics. The lyrics are artsy without being totally impossible to understand. "We need warmth to come. In our cold condition we need you to visit us."
Edison Glass - A Burn or a Shiver I couldn't pass this album up. Their music is praise music that is creative! It's awesome to have a band write like that. The song "When All The World We Have Is Taken / Comfort" sends chills down my spine every listen. "Take my affliction, I’m cured with your comfort"
Thrice - Vheissu Not only does Dustin Kensrue write incredible lyrics, but the band has written music that brings the lyrics to life. This music moves and is spiritually inspiring.
With Honor - Heart Means Everything Hardcore with meaning. They have lyrics that remind me that even with all the hurt of life, there is hope. They seems to always have encouraging messages to be who you are and to not back down when the world is against you.
Leeland - Sound of Melodies This one is a newer album for me, but I just love the simpler things. Simple, yet powerful messages in the songs. "Tears of the Saints" gets me every time.. It reminds me that we need to be out, urgently doing to work of God.
As for the soundtrack, I would definitely say Star Wars IV: A New Hope. John Williams did a phenomenal on it. I love listening to it and trying to figure out what scene it is. Plus, the Main Title gets me so pumped up!
1. The Beautiful Letdown - Switchfoot First album I ever owned
2. Dylan - Bob Dylan Album with various Bobby hits
3. Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen The Boss' master piece. Need I say more?
4. Abby Road - The Beatles The best The Beatles Album in my opinion
5. The Song Inside The Sounds Of Breaking Down Your best so far... - John Mark McMillan
Honestly this list is a playlist on my ipod. I made it once I heard your first album. In my opinion all these albums are honest about life. They tell the truth that most people don't want to hear. That I don't even want to hear sometimes.
1)flyleaf-Flyleaf 2)Winter/Fall Ep's- Jon Foreman 3)Cities-Anberlin 4)The Sparrow and the Crow-William Fitzsimmons 5)Albertine-Brooke Fraser
Flyleaf's first official album spoke the story of my life 3-4 years ago. The words of the songs were definitely anointed and ministered to me. Jon Foreman's first EP's for his solo project definitely helped me see things in a clearer respect. Cities, I would say, was a tribute to my year last year. It was hurt, denial, anger, monstrosity, apathy, Alexithymia and depression all on one album. I could put it on at any given time and it completely match the situation. William Fitzsimmons is an artist I recently found and am completely enamored with. His soothing voice and beautiful lyrics just throw me into a state of reverie and relation. Brooke Fraser's solo stuff I also found last year. She is so amazing at what she does. I can put her music on in any given mood at any given time of the day and it's just perfect.
I would have to make a playlist of over 100's of songs to make my life's soundtrack, thus far.
U2-The Joshua Tree. This album made the choice for me to play music for the rest of my life. Music Calvinism.
Radiohead-OK Computer. I don't have anything left to say about this that hasn't been said by folks with larger vocabularies. Let's just say it rarely leaves my iPod.
John Mark-The Medicine. I know this is your blog and this comes off like an ass kissing, but whatever. You released this when I was at a point where I needed to hear it, and I was sick of "Christian" music. Everything about it has inspired me, so there!
Sigur Ros- Ágætis byrjun. I can't listen to this and not want to cry. I have no idea what he's saying but its that powerful. Suck on that Coldplay.
Led Zeppelin - 4. John Bonham is the reason I play drums. When I heard U2 I wanted to play guitar the rest of my life, then I heard "When the levy breaks" and I forgot what a guitar was.
1. Dave Matthews Band – “Crash” There’s something about the mixture of music in Dave Matthews that you can’t beat. It’s like the perfect blend of pop, world, country, and rock. For myself, it opened me up as a 13 year old, to an imaginary world that I can’t really put my finger on. This album met me where I was with enough popish 90’s sounds to get me hooked, but was filled with songs of depth.
2. Toad the Wet Sporaket “Fear” I’m pretty sure Glen Phillips would like to be a Romantic poet. He’s always singing about ancient themes like Don Quixote, references to Keats poems, heaven and hell, Native Americans and Paul/James from the Bible. There’s so much wonder in their lyical content, often stiring up emotions that I experienced in childhood.
3. Cademon’s Call – “40 Acres” This complimented a summer of new discoveries, one of those being a commitment to Christ and another being the desire to travel. The soundtrack of summer 2004.
4. Iron and Wine- “The Creek Drank the Cradle” This album makes me want to live minimally. I’m sure Sam Beam doesn’t drive a tractor, but this nearly makes loneliness feel OK. It makes me want to mourn sometimes if mourning was every needed. Another CD that brings up a lot of desire like Crash and Fear.
5. Pearl Jam “Ten” Even though some radio stations still depend on this album to keep it’s old listeners, (that is, it is overplayed) it stirs me up. Because it’s so overplayed, I don’t think it stirs me up as much as it used too. Yet watching the video for “Jeremy” seeing the facial expressions of Eddie Vedder. I knew then I had a definition of how a person should sing a song and what musicians should aspire to.
1. Smashing Pumpkins- Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. This record changed the way I looked at music. So amazingly creative and diverse. A game changer in alternative music. 2. Radiohead- OK Computer. This record showed me how music is written, played and recorded as an art form. 3. Beatles- Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Such an exciting album to discover when I was 12 years old. A timeless, adventurous record. 4. The Beach Boys- Pet Sounds. Beautiful music with melodies that make me ache. I wish I know to write vocal lines like Brian Wilson. 5.My Morning Jacket- At Dawn. This was the band that turned me on to the alt-folk-country genre. This is a crucial record that has played a major role in my current songwriting, singing and guitar playing direction.
This list is post rap in my twenties (2005) so this opened a whole new world of music to me as a young African american male. JASON UPTON- HEART OF WORSHIP MISTY EDWARDS- PROPHETIC WORSHIP God-centered Musically- 1. Led Zepplin- When the levee breaks,Black Dog the pocket in "when the levee breaks" is oh-so. 2. Jimi hendrix- Machine Gun/his guitar playing is revolutionary on anything but this is one of my favs 3. Beatles- Let it be and hey Jude- the reason i write from the keys 4. Joe cocker- With a little help- white boy can blow 5. Queen- Bohemian Rhapsody- made me want to write whatever came out
Any Jimmy Eat World record. It just feels like polished rock n' roll that's not overdone or cheap. I believe they have radio "hits" purely out of coincidence and being great song writers. Though others may think the contrary, I do believe "Chase This Light" to a phenominal record.
ReplyDeleteAlso any Johnny Cash record. He has heart. He has feeling. He's THE original. Can never get enough - in the same vein I really enjoy Mearl Haggard. He's just so much darn fun to listen to.
Any Muse record. Dubbed as "Arena Rock" you can call it what you want. I think every record is amazing. Always "hooks" me.
New(er) to the scene in my life is Kings Of Leon. I can't get enough of these boys. A dirtier more southern U2 nestled in the heart of the greatest country in the world. USA!
Coldplay - any record really. (noticing a trend here? most artists I dig, I really dig, not just record by record)
Top 5 Records for my life (in no real order):
1-Jimmy Eat World "Clarity"
2-Johnny Cash "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison"
3-Coldplay "Parachutes"
4-Muse "Absolution"
5-Hillsong United "All Of The Above"
They're all records that I listen to on a regular basis, and have for a while.
It's such a hard choice. I wish I could say some older more "original" prominent recordings are my favorites, however I'm a young man. I don't go back that far. Love you guys.
i think in pairs. i'm not telling you why. you have to guess. in biographical order.
ReplyDelete1. michael jackson : thriller / simon & garfunkel : bridge over troubled water
2. U2 : the joshua tree / u2 : achtung baby
3. sonic youth : dirty / my bloody valentine : loveless
4. delerious : king of fools / kevin prosch : reckless mercy
5. ryan adams : cold roses / radiohead : in rainbows
Nine Inch Nails - Head Like a Hole (middle school)
ReplyDeleteArcade Fire - The Funeral (Best O.R. music around)
The Lemonheads - It's a Shame about Ray (Early High School)
Tori Amos - Under the Pink (Late High school)
Jack Johnson - Brushfire Fairytales (College/Grad School)
These were the first albums I heard from some of my favorite bands at one point in my life, though I don't listen to Tori or Nine Inch Nails anymore. The nostalgia and reminiscence associated with these songs is amazing. Pictures of life over 30 years.
Jason
All of these – minus number three – were albums that touched me shortly after I got saved as a teenager. I broke every CD I had, but I still liked heavy music. These albums helped shape a brand new spiritual and musical landscape for me.
ReplyDelete1. As Cities Burn - Son I loved you at your darkest
2. Beloved - Failure On
3. [cheese alert] John Mark - The song inside the sounds of breaking down
4. Switchfoot - The beautiful letdown
5. PIllar - Fireproof
1. Really all of Ryan Adams catalogue but it all started with Heart Breaker. My wife introduced me to Ryan and a whole slew of other Alt Country Artists. I was listening to strictly rock...Underoath, Norma Jean, Mae, all of that so this was a huge awakening for me as a musician and song writer. Total ychanged my perspective on recording, writing, guitar playing, everything.
ReplyDelete2. Plans- Death Cab for Cutie: this is one of those albums that takes me to a really cool place. I believe that regardless of your spiritual beliefs, when you poor your heart into something it is a reflection of Christ because that kind of Passion can only come from that deep place in our soul. So, even though Death Cab is not a "christian" band nor do they openly have any sort of Christian views, this is a worship album to me. On top of that it just makes me want to get in the studio and make a record.
3. Contiuum- John Mayer: This was a challenging record for me as a guitar player especially. My favorite John Mayer record so far although the new record is really growing on me. I love the hope that Mayer hits you with after Heavier Things. Great album
4. This is Super Cheesy so dont hate but The Medicine was another record that opened up a new world of thought for me. I hated and still hate modern worship music. I dont see the passion. It all sounds the same and at the end of the day I know that a lot of it is done to just sell records (yes I am a jaded industry label guy). I struggled for a long time with even having a heart to worship just from the journey I have been on the past two years but having no music that even stirred something in me did not help. The Medicine gave me hope that great music can be made that truly points upward. Churches may not sing these songs in worship but I love everything about the album and was so thankful to have music that I felt a spiritual connection to.
5. Wilco- Being There: Best Wilco album by far. I love the production especially on the drums. Just a straight up awesome record.
-DJ Lipscomb Franklin, TN
Red House Painters - Songs for a Blue Guitar - This album helped me find beauty in the dark times.
ReplyDeleteRascal Flatts - Feels Like Today - I grew up hating the south and country music in particular. I don't know what happened, but somehow Rascal Flatts broke through and I saw the light. P.S. Don't hate.
Slowdive - Catch The Breeze - Soaring melodies that went well with the frigid mountain town I was living in(Boone).
Tears For Fears - The Seeds of Love - This album taught me that great production wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Tom Waits - Bone Machine - This album and artist helped me to appreciate and love America, and all the weirdness it has to offer.
Johnny Cash- Love, God, Murder (3 albums, I know I'm cheating) * Life changing. My dad grew me up on this stuff
ReplyDeleteBB King- Sweet 16 * My dad would buy me BB King tapes every Christmas. We went to a BB King concert recently and it was an amazing father-son moment
Derek Webb- Mockingbird *Shaped my Christianity
U2- Joshua Tree * Started my man-crush on Bono
Embodyment- The Narrow Scope of Things * Started my appreciate for "harder" things
*guilty cheesy soundtrack- John Waite's "Missing You"
1. sleeping at last - (3way tie with all their albums) keep no score, ghosts, and storyboards.
ReplyDelete**each of these albums unwraps truth in the most beautiful of ways. the lyrics, the vocals, the melodies, the creativity, every aspect of it moves me like no other albums have ever moved me!
2. rick pino - angel of awakening
**this album is full of powerful songs & personally means a lot to me because it has been the music accompanying many unforgettable encounters with God!
3. bon iver - for emma, forever ago
**stunning. simple as that. this album could be playing round the clock as i go about my life and would make everything 10times more beautiful.
4.john mark mcmillan - the song inside the sound of breaking down
**life changing. even the title of the album resonates with me, as does every song. explosive truths in a fresh and raw way. with each song i can vividly picture a memory where God totally broke through to me. sometimes there was laughing & dancing n others many tears, always beautiful.
5.jason upton - between earth and sky
**songs straight from heaven. this album flows together perfectly & has spoken to my soul in both a powerful & tender way.
---honorable mention would be any John Mayer or Coldplay album---- !!!!
...i am such a sucker for soundtracks!
i love the soundtracks to Amelie, Garden State, Moulin Rouge, TOMMY, Wicked, Aida, and Seussical the Musical :)
For me personally? In no particular order:
ReplyDelete1) The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness. Huge variety, great songs, and great songwriting. Established the Pumpkins as one of the most important bands of the 90's. The B-sides off of these sessions were INCREDIBLE too (some of which were amongst my favorites from the whole era).
2) Placebo - Sleeping With Ghosts. Pre-"Meds" black-and-white depressive state and post deviant-behavior-touting "Pure Morning". I believe this was Placebo at their best. Three HUGE songs were on this record (Special Needs, Sleeping With Ghosts, and This Picture), but the whole album was pretty solid. Probably not the first Placebo album I'd give someone to introduce them to the band, but I think it's my favorite, pound for pound. There's a great mixture of depth and surface-level, knee-jerk-reaction type of lyrics on it, which I like as well.
3) Radiohead - Ok Computer.
I don't see how anyone could honestly say Radiohead has made a better album than this one. Every single song is great, and it raised the bar for music at the time. Killer chord progressions, huge vocals, and great, GREAT production. Always a mainstay for me. ...and if you're thinking I picked this to be pretentious, I didn't. It's really that good. I hate it that mentioning Radiohead has garnered such "chip-on-their-shoulder" type of associations from people.
4) Jeff Buckley - Grace. Totally classic, and it never gets old. Killer tunes, KILLER vocals, and has that "produced-yet-avant-garde" type of a feel that's really hard to intentionally pull off, but was totally nailed on this album. It's a mainstay on my playlist.
5) Sliverchair - Diorama. If you even *hesitated* when you read that, you don't know the band for who they truly are. Throw Frogstomp (with the song "Tomorrow" on it) and "Freak Show" out the window. Silverchair really got their artistic start with "Neon Ballroom" (great record), but REALLY hit their mark with Diorama. Just an absolutely phenomenal album. HUGE songs (Tuna in the Brine being the king of the album to me personally), killer vocals, and massively awesome production. One of the most overlooked albums of the last decade, and LEAGUES better than most of the records dubbed "great" during the last decade.
Honorable mentions: Sigur Ros - "Takk", The Smashing Pumpkins - "Siamese Dream", Leeland - "Sound of Melodies", Hillsong United - "Look To You", Days of the New - "Green Album"
Well these are my five (in no particular order)
ReplyDeletePink Floyd: The Wall- David Gilmour's guitar work on that album has influenced the way I play probably more than any other album. I have a natural tendency to play like him stylistically anyway, but there is something about that album where I can feel so much emotion in the way he plays.
The Beatles: 1967-1970 (The Blue Album)- Some(not ALL) of the best songs from the final years of The Beatles which I believe changed music forever.
Bruce Springsteen: Nebraska - This album to me is amazing if nothing else because it shows how music doesn't have to be over processed to be good! The Boss recorded this album with an 8 track cassette recorder in his kitchen. There is a certain beauty in the simplicity of the entire record.
Dustin Kensrue: Please Come Home - This for me is an amazing album! It's rootsy traditional sound brought back a love for songs I used to hear on my parents old LPs. While the album has a basic theme of faith throughout it's entirety, Kensrue also shows us some raw emotions of love (Pistol), our struggle with our own humanity (Blanket of Ghosts) and even some rebelliousness (Blood and Wine).
Thrice: The Alchemy Index Vol. 3&4 Earth & Air
While this could be considered 2 albums I count it as one. This was the second Thrice album I had heard and at the time I knew them as a post-hardcore group with some pretty heavy stuff in the mix. This album shows them in a different light it has a raw energy to it that stirred up a fire in me that I have not since been able to quench. it was like I fell in love with music all over again, which is weird because I had never fallen out of love with music! I have since grown a love for all of Thrice's music but especially their last 4 albums. Dustin Kensrue(previously mentioned) is their lead singer and in my opinion a lyrical genius! His lyrics have literally birthed things in me that have taken me to new heights both spiritually and mentally.
As far as my "soundtrack" goes, as of late I would say it's Thrice's latest album "Beggars" It's amazing... I will leave it at that, because I am a horrible typist, and my fingers hurt!
My five would have to be:
ReplyDeleteThe Beatles - Abbey Road
Their finest album, as the band was falling apart.
Dodgy - Free Peace Sweet
A band in touch with their fans, and issues of the day, whether they be political, environmental etc.
Radiohead - The Bends
Knew from first listen that my musical horizons had changed forever.
Def Leppard - Hysteria
First album I ever bought, the beginning of my "soundtrack"
George Harrison - All Things Must Pass
Always my gave Beatle, this was purchased after his death, and the first listen brought a lot of tears.
first comment on a blog ever. wanted to make myself think. i tried to do my 10 albums once and thought of too many, so here goes fivesies. I'm 21, so though my music is newer - but it goes deep with me.
ReplyDelete1. mewithoutYou - catch for us the foxes
_poetic, questioning, entrancing music, (all their albums, but had this first)
2. Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun/Takk
_changed me and what i thought was music, brings me closer to God. worship albums. (not the english translations) just the sound for what is is
3. Thrice - Everything
_the only band I still love since my youngest years liking music. They transitioned with my musical tastes and Kensrue transitioned with me in my love of Jesus Christ
4. As Cities Burn - Son, I Loved You At Your Darkest
_same as Thrice, just came in the picture a little later.
5. Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
_just pure enjoyability for me. transitioned me into a new music listening era, away from metal and hardcore. I love all their albums to date.
I couldn't reeeeaaally find a 5th with the history and impact like the first 4, but I can think of 20 that will be like them in the next few years and can't narrow it to fit this list. John Mark - you're in there. With the likes of fleet foxes, the frames/glen hansard, aa bondy, jon foreman, arcade fire, future of forestry, and maybe some civil wars. i just had to get more names than 5 in there to see where my ears and soul are headed. thanks for making me think.
1. 1200 Curfew-Indigo Girls live
ReplyDeletethe value of the Indigo Girls' impact on melody and songwriting is surely understated. i couldn't get enough of this album for good reason. their ability to tell story and wrap lines around each other was amazing. also, there is something amazing about hearing someone sing to the very edge of their ability and still cross that line...this is the Indigo Girls...honesty in a bottle
2. Jars of Clay-Jars of Clay
rhythm really says it to me...this album not only changed a genre but for me, taught me how to play the guitar.
3. Grace-Jeff Buckley
if you don't know Jeff Buckley's music... go listen to it right now, seriously...
4. Everyday-Hillsong United
because it gave me permission. you know what i mean. worship music had been a certain thing for a long time and this album seemed to change that for me...and United's albums have continued to do that over the years
5. Passion-Better is One Day
this album is in the same boat with Everday... totally changed how worship music was looked at, approached, encouraged, accepted... the impact has been been very wide and i loved it...
Joni Mitchell - Blue
ReplyDeleteTaught me to write songs from my heart and not care what other people think. Every track great and so inspiring.
Jimmy Eat World - Clarity
My favourite album of all time. Can't even put my finge on why but I just love it.
Enter Shikari - Take To The Skies
The most 'perfect' album I've ever heard, but I won't listen to it again.
Hillsong United - United We Stand
Tied to an an important time in my life. Need I say more than 'Came To The Rescue'.
Hillsong - Blessed
First time I saw an amazing musical offering to God. Everything about it blew me away. Hillsong have to put up with a lot of put-downs for being 'generic', but at the end of the day they are the originals and it's the other people who are imitators!
Have loved reading everybody elses too - especially the first person for saying JEW!
1. Radiohead: OK Computer. This album opened my mind crazily and I was never the same.
ReplyDelete2. Jeff Buckley: Grace. Do I even need to say anything about this one? Okay, but I will. My wife caught on to this record before I did... And as she was listening to it one day it really caught my ear. This record REALLY grew on me. I think I am partial to that kind of record. One that takes a while to make its full impact. I think it's riskier making music like that, but so, so much better in the long run. "Lover, you should have come over" is probably my favorite JB song of all time.
3. Keane: Hopes And Fears. I love when a band can be absolutely catchy and hooky and simple, but also so deeply moving. These guys do it effortlessly. I am a sucker for this guy's voice too. Beautiful.
4. Over The Rhine: Ohio. I first heard OTR at Cornerstone festival in 1996. I remember sitting in my lawn chair at the back of the tent, during their second performance (they had to schedule them twice because the tent was completely packed over capacity), closing my eyes and just mellowing out... An awesome experience. Since then they just got better and better. In my opinion this is their best album. Not 1 wasted song on 2 discs!
5. Delirious: Cutting Edge. I had to put this one on here. These albums opened my mind to what worship could really be. Delirious are the rock worship pioneers!!
Great posts everyone. Enjoy this kind of thing.
1. Joshua Tree - U2
ReplyDelete2. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco
3. Cutting Edge - Delirious
4. Abbey Rd. - Beatles
5. Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
Lost In The Sound Of Seperation, Underoath: because it tells of how we have messed up and how many time we come back to him and he loves us so
ReplyDeleteThe Medicine, John Mark McMillan: Because it has lifted me up to think about the grandness of music and lets my mind think about what lyrics are
Battle Studies . John Mayer : Because it is a fantastic album
Portraits, For Today: because it speaks truth to the world
Rebel , Lecrae :Because it is so good and he tells the truth no matter what and what ever i go through i just turn him on then bam i feel better
so
1:Rebel by Lecrae
2:Portraits by For Today
3:The Medicine by John Mark McMillan
4:Lost In The Sound Of Seperation by Underoath
5:Battle Studies by John Mayer
The Avett Brothers - Four Thieves Gone
ReplyDeleteMartin Sexton - Black Sheep
Chic Corea & Bela Fleck - The Enchantment
The Chariot - The Fiance
Josh Garrels - Underquiet
Not sure how I can comment on those other than they opened my ears to something different that I hadn't heard or felt before. I'd also like to say when Josh Scogin (A Rose By Any Other Name) releases his solo album it will most likely be on there. - Matt
1. Stuart Townend – Personal Worship with Stuart Townend
ReplyDeleteThese are beautiful worship songs in very simple arrangements from one of the best writers of church music today. It is also an album that my wife and I have enjoyed together for most of our marriage. My wife chose to have it playing when our first child was born.
2. Hootie and the Blowfish – Cracked Rear View
I loved this album in high school. Tickets sold out when they came to town, but my best friend’s mom entered him into a contest for back stage passes. He won, and we got to meet the band and see a great show. Good memories.
3, 4. dc Talk – Free a Last and Jesus Freak
When someone introduced me to Free At Last on a bus ride on an eighth grade field trip to Biltmore Estates, it blew my mind. I had never heard such well produced, fun to listen to, “Christian” hip-hop. dc Talk became the plumb line for how I judged “Christian” music in my teen years. Oh, how that line has changed.
5. John Mark McMillan – The Medicine
This album got way under my skin last year and moved me in ways no other music has in a long time. It is helping me understand my need for “the gospel” like no sermon ever has because of its beautiful meditations on Jesus’ triumph over death. I appreciate your approach to songwriting. I am with you. Keep up the great work!
Mine are be pretty varied.
ReplyDelete- The Gleam by The Avett Brothers
The Song "If it's the Beaches" has gotten me through many a tough time. Every song on this EP has been my favorite song as some point in my life.
- The Essential Bob Dylan
It's probably blasphemy to pick a "best of" record but this one served as a gateway album to all of Bob Dylan's other records. It has also served as fuel for multiple late night roadtrips.
- The Creek Drank the Cradle- Iron & Wine
I listened to almost nothing but this album for almost three months after its release. "Upward Over the Mountain" is up there in my favorite songs ever written.
- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco
Another one of those "gateway" albums. I was given this album in a burned CD in 2004 and it pretty much single handedly taught me what good music was. "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart"was a theme song for awhile.
- Tonight the Stars Speak by The Glorious Unseen
One of the most affecting worship albums i've heard. "Hear Our Prayers" was one of the songs that i anchored myself to during a pretty difficult time of my life.
I would also add "The Medicine", mmhmm by Relient K, Catch For Us the Foxes by mewithoutYou, Come Now Sleep by As Cities Burn, and Transatlanticism by Death Cab for Cutie. But there were only 5 slots.
1. The Beatles-Abby Road
ReplyDeleteI was blown away at twelve year old. I'm still moved by this album today. It changed my perspective on what could be done in music.
2. Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
New guitars sounds, tones, it was "Polished Grunge". I also loved the insert and packaging so much.
3. Jason Upton - Faith
It gave me new language and permission to "go there" in worship. I had never heard any thing like it before it. Now there's...
4. Delirious? - Glo
I saw these guys live and went home and bought this right away. Rock n Roll Worship.
5. Fred Hammond - Purpose By Design
I'm a huge gospel fan. This album I listened to the most. He's very transparent on this album. A lot of the songs were sort of anthems for me when I first got it. He kills it on the bass.
[Soundtrack] Keith Green - Songs for the Shepherd
My parents played this tape for me almost every night at bed time in my room as a child. When I found it again on CD as an adult, I listened to it a lot. I know this album very well and have used the words (mostly from the Bible) as prayers throughout my life. Then I read His bio written by his wife and loved it even more.
Jonathan David Helser- Walk Through the Walls (brought me to a new place of worship)
ReplyDeleteSleeping at Last- Keep No Score (create heavenly sounds with such a small group-- incredible lyrics)
The Wailin' Jenny's- 40 days (this is why I love 3 part harmony)
Jon Foreman- Limbs and Branches (first song in this album was played at my wedding)
Sara Groves- The Other Side of Something (amazing song writer, helped me through some realities I needed to face)
1) Eels - Daisies of the Galaxy.
ReplyDeleteMr E's voice and lyrical composition blows me away since I was 13, hasn't changed.
2) Jon Foreman - Spring and summer, Fall and Winter
(4 EP's to be exact)I love most of what he is. the albums themselves are just where my mind is.
3) Kimmya Dawson - Remember That I Love You
Taught me production doesn't have to be perfect for music to be great. Broken allot of my perceptions. Regina spektor also did that some what.
4) Blindside - Silence
Broke me out of my childhood backstreet boys commercial loving self. Into the world of music. and that screamo rock could be Christian ;) Underoath followed.
5) Delirious? - Glo
First Cd I bought as a kid. Everytime i listen to it, it gets better.
These all have been important to me in a big way, but there are so many others. this was most difficult.
(no real order)
ReplyDelete1.Taylor Swift-Fearless
2.JMM-The Song Inside the Sounds of Breaking Down
3.Blind Pilot-3 Rounds and a Sound
4.Matt Costa-Unfamiliar Faces
5.Dave Matthews Band-Crash
All of these albums stayed in my CD player for at least a month- never leaving the deck. T Sweezy makes you want to sing along and shes just so dang cute! JMM (I think) is a current day psalmist; and that particular album has a grip on me, especially now.
I was recently introduced to Blind Pilot and their big band feel is just lovely. Matt Costa's unfamiliar faces album was so good to listen to because the tracks are so different- yet go so well together!
The Crash album was great because it always brings me back to being in the passenger seat of my Dad's car while he has the disc blaring and the sun roof open so you can see the stars while flying down the 5.
Sigur Ros - Takk - my first encounter with them. Some of the most breathtakingly emotive music I've ever heard.
ReplyDeleteIron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days - first album of Sam Beam's I heard. He's such a darkly gifted songwriter and folk singer.
Third Eye Blind - self-titled - you can't listen to 'God of Wine' or 'Motorcycle Drive-By' and not feel powerfully moved. This album is very underrated, I think.
Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism -the album that started me on all things Ben Gibbard.
Muse - Absolution - first Muse album I ever listened to. Really powerful.
As a runner-up, David Crowder Band's 'Illuminate' reassured me that a contemporary Christian "worship artist" could be well-liked / widely played and original at the same time.
In no order:
ReplyDeleteD'Angelo - Voodoo
Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Master And Everyone
David Gray - White Ladder
The Black Peppercorns - Tumbling Ground
Whiskeytown - Pneumonia
Honorable Mentions:
Smog - Supper, Karen Dalton - In My Own Time, Palace Music - Lost Blues and Other Songs, and Hope
Interesting to think about...
ReplyDelete1. Jars of Clay-If I Left the Zoo This is the album I think of when I think of my pre-high school days. It hit home with me just when I needed it to.
2. Jack Johnson-In Between Dreams Senior year of high school. Can't listen to it without remembering that. Obviously it was a time of transition and this cd helped me hold onto the memories.
3. Bethany Dillon-Imagination The freshman year of college cd. I listened to songs on repeat as I fell asleep.
4. Justin McRoberts-Deconstruction I think this is the album that began to open me up to new music. It amazed me because he was saying things not directly through his lyrics, but poetically enough for it to really move me and get me thinking at the same time. Good stuff.
5. Lecrae-Rebel I had trouble thinking of a 5th and saw this in someone else's list, but it's true for me too. This album (and his earlier ones...After the Music Stops, etc) truly opened up new musical genres for me. Extremely fun and extremely true at the same time. Awesome.
No order really.
ReplyDeleteWilco / Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
I put this album on the first day I feel like there is a chill in the air.
Thrice / Vheissu
This album has been one my biggest sources of spiritual encouragement over the past couple of years. It helped me realize who I am..
Starflyer 59 / Americana
Not exactly the right choice for most Starflyer fans but this album resonated with me on a very different level. Maybe it was just the right time / right place kind of thing. Whatever it is, this album defines a lot of memories for me.
Jason Upton / Jacob's Dream
I used to listen to this album every morning – there was something about it that settled my spirit and centered me before the onslaught of the day. Still does.
DC Talk / Jesus Freak
Surprised this isn't on more lists. I was a kid when this came out. It impacted me so much that I wanted to work with Toby McKeehan. I moved to Nashville and worked for Gotee for almost 8 years.
These albums changed the way I listen to music and what it actually means to me to be a music lover.
ReplyDelete1) Radiohead - Ok Computer
this is my favorite album of all time and marks the moment I truly discovered music and all its beauty. thank you Radiohead
2) Sonic Youth - Dirty
when I first heard this I had never experienced anything like it before. Sonic Youth opened my mind to new and amazing things.
3) Queens of The Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf
this band has no boundaries and is fearless when it comes to exploring new sounds and adventuring down avenues no one in their "genre" would even begin to exlore. also Josh Homme is an incredible songwriter.
4) The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin
this album changed my life. when you are in a dark place this album will pull you out. well it did me anyway.
5) The Beatles - Abbey Road
the first album I heard by the Beatles may not be my favorite but definately changed my mind about this entire era and what could be done inside of a rock song.
This list is the chronological order in which I discovered each album.
ReplyDelete1. Furthermore by Jars of Clay- This is the first album that I loved and listened to to the point that I could sing to you the different lines that weren't vocal lines. I know it's essentially a greatest hits album and I lost it and haven't listened to it in over 5 years, but it played a vital role in my learning to love music.
2. Illuminate by David Crowder*Band- I loved this album and listened to it a lot. I ended up learning to play the songs on guitar and thus gained an understanding of basic music theory. (Still one of my favorites)
3. X&Y by Coldplay- This is on the list because it was my first "secular" album to listen to. It opened the door for me to disconver lots of music that I never would have discovered if I only listened to "worship" music the rest of my life. It actually turned out to be my least favorite Coldplay album.
4. Abbey Road by The Beatles- This album made me fall in love with the Beatles' music. It is so great to me the way they pieced this album together. I love the way the songs flow on the second half of the record. This album might affect me more emotionally than any other album. (Still one of my favorites)
5. A Collision by David Crowder*Band- Once again, I love this album for the way it is pieced together. The songs speak to me and the album flows like a story is unfolding. Every part leads to the next; and, therefore, keeps me interested and paying attention. It greatly affects me emotionally. (Still one of my favorites)
1.Love is Hell Ryan Adams
ReplyDelete2.Cutting Edge Fore- Delirious?
3.Dizzy Up the Girl- Goo Goo Dolls
4.Bless the Lord- Hosanna Music- Don Moen
5.Mirrorball- Sarah McLachlan/Details- Frou Frou
At different times in my life, these are the albums that have made me feel like someone's pulled back the curtains and let me see some new part of how mind blowing God is. Coldplay and Switchfoot and Soul Proxy did/do that in a big way for me too.
Well, the top two: Bat Out of Hell - Meatloaf and American Pie - Don McLean. I listened to these two cds throughout childhood with my mother brother. The words to McLean's "Vincent" always remind me of the humanity of Jesus and "Bat Out of Hell" is how I feel about salvation. Other albums would be, "Aqualung" - Jethro Tull, "Seven Swans" - Sufjan Stevens, and "Awake" - various MorningStar people.
ReplyDeleteSmashing Pumpkins and Fleetwood Mac were huge influences in my "coming of age" soundtrack (and they're still favorites). Rita Springer changed the way I view worship and our pursuit of God. I am a huge sucker for Motown, Marvin Gaye, etc., and Cole Porter's tunes make me wanna dance....or kill myself, but - usually - dance.
ReplyDelete1. rickie lee jones "flying cowboys": helped me out at age 14, the songs became part of the fabric of my life. love her poetry and voice that knows no range limits.
ReplyDelete2. u2 "war": i still think there are new sounds in here and sounds that break the walls down(drums o fire). also prophetic lyrics.
3. gram parsons and emmylou harris "gp/grievous angel": pretty much changed me forever with its harmonies.
4. violet burning: faith and devotions of a satellite heart, this is the moment...rock and worship collide, beautiful, heart changing.
5. bob dylan: "oh mercy" my first serious foray into dylan and so it sticks with me, but there are so many others.
soundtrack: any time suzy yaraei sings in the spirit which is most times she sings, but esp "new wave" at the end of braveheart album, that could basically replay into eternity for my life's song.
and shouts out to george up above for his keith green nod!
tx for asking us john mark!
1. The Best of the Lost Dogs
ReplyDelete2. The Decemberist- The Hazards of Love
3. Joel Holmes-African Skies
4. Chad and Sandy Everett-Set Free
5. Garth Hewitt-Scars
It is really hard to narrow it down to 5 but other than a rubber raft I would settle for these on a deserted island.
A Top 5 is difficult to narrow down, especially since most great albums have one or two tracks that are exceptional. 12 months encompasses several musical lifetimes! Here are 5 2009 influences in no order...
ReplyDeleteEsbjorn Svensson Trio - Viaticum Platinum
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
Black Crows - Warpaint
Facedown - Matt Redman
You Hold Me Now - Hillsong
Bonus cut:
Philadelphia - From the Medicine
This could change within a couple days, but here's what I'd have to say right now (in no particular order):
ReplyDelete1. Counting Crows - August and Everything After (I was listening to this before I even knew what good music was, but I've kept coming back to it. "Anna Begins" still gives me chills)
2. John Mark McMillan - The Medicine (just like others, feels cheesy to say that, but honestly very important. First time I truly worshipped while letting the artfulness of the music pull me in.)
3. U2 - The Joshua Tree (obviously... one of the best records ever)
4. Radiohead - any album really (love the evolution of this band)
5. Genesis - Trick of the Tail (beautiful album... one of the best pieces of musical art I've heard)
Again, this list could change with the wind, but those are what I'm feeling today!
WAR - U2
ReplyDeleteLicense to Ill - Beasty Boys
Jacobs Dream/Dying Stary - Jason Upton
The Bends - Radiohead
The Medicine - JMM (sorry, it's just that important)
Edison Glass - Time is Fiction
ReplyDeleteEdison Glass is my favorite band of all time. They just write beautiful music accompanied by beautiful lyrics. The lyrics are artsy without being totally impossible to understand. "We need warmth to come. In our cold condition we need you to visit us."
Edison Glass - A Burn or a Shiver
I couldn't pass this album up. Their music is praise music that is creative! It's awesome to have a band write like that. The song "When All The World We Have Is Taken / Comfort" sends chills down my spine every listen. "Take my affliction, I’m cured with your comfort"
Thrice - Vheissu
Not only does Dustin Kensrue write incredible lyrics, but the band has written music that brings the lyrics to life. This music moves and is spiritually inspiring.
With Honor - Heart Means Everything
Hardcore with meaning. They have lyrics that remind me that even with all the hurt of life, there is hope. They seems to always have encouraging messages to be who you are and to not back down when the world is against you.
Leeland - Sound of Melodies
This one is a newer album for me, but I just love the simpler things. Simple, yet powerful messages in the songs. "Tears of the Saints" gets me every time.. It reminds me that we need to be out, urgently doing to work of God.
As for the soundtrack, I would definitely say Star Wars IV: A New Hope. John Williams did a phenomenal on it. I love listening to it and trying to figure out what scene it is. Plus, the Main Title gets me so pumped up!
1. The Beautiful Letdown - Switchfoot
ReplyDeleteFirst album I ever owned
2. Dylan - Bob Dylan
Album with various Bobby hits
3. Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen
The Boss' master piece. Need I say more?
4. Abby Road - The Beatles
The best The Beatles Album in my opinion
5. The Song Inside The Sounds Of Breaking Down
Your best so far...
- John Mark McMillan
Honestly this list is a playlist on my ipod. I made it once I heard your first album. In my opinion all these albums are honest about life. They tell the truth that most people don't want to hear. That I don't even want to hear sometimes.
1. Funeral - Arcade Fire
ReplyDelete2. For Emma, Forever Ago - Bon Iver
3. Nothing Is Okay - the everybodyfields
4. The Medicine - that JMM
5. Takk - Sigur Ros
seriously though.
1)flyleaf-Flyleaf
ReplyDelete2)Winter/Fall Ep's- Jon Foreman
3)Cities-Anberlin
4)The Sparrow and the Crow-William Fitzsimmons
5)Albertine-Brooke Fraser
Flyleaf's first official album spoke the story of my life 3-4 years ago. The words of the songs were definitely anointed and ministered to me. Jon Foreman's first EP's for his solo project definitely helped me see things in a clearer respect.
Cities, I would say, was a tribute to my year last year. It was hurt, denial, anger, monstrosity, apathy, Alexithymia and depression all on one album. I could put it on at any given time and it completely match the situation.
William Fitzsimmons is an artist I recently found and am completely enamored with. His soothing voice and beautiful lyrics just throw me into a state of reverie and relation.
Brooke Fraser's solo stuff I also found last year. She is so amazing at what she does. I can put her music on in any given mood at any given time of the day and it's just perfect.
I would have to make a playlist of over 100's of songs to make my life's soundtrack, thus far.
U2-The Joshua Tree. This album made the choice for me to play music for the rest of my life. Music Calvinism.
ReplyDeleteRadiohead-OK Computer. I don't have anything left to say about this that hasn't been said by folks with larger vocabularies. Let's just say it rarely leaves my iPod.
John Mark-The Medicine. I know this is your blog and this comes off like an ass kissing, but whatever. You released this when I was at a point where I needed to hear it, and I was sick of "Christian" music. Everything about it has inspired me, so there!
Sigur Ros- Ágætis byrjun. I can't listen to this and not want to cry. I have no idea what he's saying but its that powerful. Suck on that Coldplay.
Led Zeppelin - 4. John Bonham is the reason I play drums. When I heard U2 I wanted to play guitar the rest of my life, then I heard "When the levy breaks" and I forgot what a guitar was.
1. Dave Matthews Band – “Crash” There’s something about the mixture of music in Dave Matthews that you can’t beat. It’s like the perfect blend of pop, world, country, and rock. For myself, it opened me up as a 13 year old, to an imaginary world that I can’t really put my finger on. This album met me where I was with enough popish 90’s sounds to get me hooked, but was filled with songs of depth.
ReplyDelete2. Toad the Wet Sporaket “Fear” I’m pretty sure Glen Phillips would like to be a Romantic poet. He’s always singing about ancient themes like Don Quixote, references to Keats poems, heaven and hell, Native Americans and Paul/James from the Bible. There’s so much wonder in their lyical content, often stiring up emotions that I experienced in childhood.
3. Cademon’s Call – “40 Acres” This complimented a summer of new discoveries, one of those being a commitment to Christ and another being the desire to travel. The soundtrack of summer 2004.
4. Iron and Wine- “The Creek Drank the Cradle” This album makes me want to live minimally. I’m sure Sam Beam doesn’t drive a tractor, but this nearly makes loneliness feel OK. It makes me want to mourn sometimes if mourning was every needed. Another CD that brings up a lot of desire like Crash and Fear.
5. Pearl Jam “Ten” Even though some radio stations still depend on this album to keep it’s old listeners, (that is, it is overplayed) it stirs me up. Because it’s so overplayed, I don’t think it stirs me up as much as it used too. Yet watching the video for “Jeremy” seeing the facial expressions of Eddie Vedder. I knew then I had a definition of how a person should sing a song and what musicians should aspire to.
1. Smashing Pumpkins- Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. This record changed the way I looked at music. So amazingly creative and diverse. A game changer in alternative music.
ReplyDelete2. Radiohead- OK Computer. This record showed me how music is written, played and recorded as an art form.
3. Beatles- Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Such an exciting album to discover when I was 12 years old. A timeless, adventurous record.
4. The Beach Boys- Pet Sounds. Beautiful music with melodies that make me ache. I wish I know to write vocal lines like Brian Wilson.
5.My Morning Jacket- At Dawn. This was the band that turned me on to the alt-folk-country genre. This is a crucial record that has played a major role in my current songwriting, singing and guitar playing direction.
This list is post rap in my twenties (2005) so this opened a whole new world of music to me as a young African american male.
ReplyDeleteJASON UPTON- HEART OF WORSHIP
MISTY EDWARDS- PROPHETIC WORSHIP God-centered
Musically-
1. Led Zepplin- When the levee breaks,Black Dog
the pocket in "when the levee breaks" is oh-so.
2. Jimi hendrix- Machine Gun/his guitar playing is revolutionary on anything but this is one of my favs
3. Beatles- Let it be and hey Jude- the reason i write from the keys
4. Joe cocker- With a little help- white boy can blow
5. Queen- Bohemian Rhapsody- made me want to write whatever came out