December 2009
20 posts
2009's Honorable Mentions || #4
Falling Up- Fangs
Falling Up never ceases to stop moving forward. Each record has been its own style, almost entirely different from the last. Their diversity may upset some fans of their older sound displayed in Crashings, but, inevitably (half a decade, two albums, and a remix later), Falling Up presents us with their newest and most different effort, Fangs!. Fangs! tells a unique story of a...
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2009's Honorable Mentions || #3
Relient K- Forget and Not Slow Down
Six albums later and you’d think Relient K would have their style down. Maybe even a little set in their ways, knowing that their punk-rock sound is familiar to anyone who likes Christian rock. But just when you think you know this band, they put out a new album called Forget and Not Slow Down. That’s not to say they’ve completely...
Merry Christmas!
Secret & Whisper's New Single "Warrior (Southern... →
OK, maybe the lyrics are a little weird and kindof remind me of Japan (where SAW is most popular), but the music is solid and their debut is one of my favorite albums ever. They’ve always been a little strange, but if you dive deeper into the lyrics I’m sure you’ll find some sort of meaning. I cannot wait for the new album, Teenage Fantasy, due out February 8th.
2009's Honorable Mentions || #2
Emery- In Shallow Seas We Sail
Last October, Emery fans were blown away by yet another great effort in EP form entitled While Broken Hearts Prevail…. Every song was a great addition to an Emery fan’s collection, but only seven songs was not enough. Emery’s fifth studio album, …In Shallow Seas We Sail will certainly satisfy our appetites and live up to the expectations...
2009's Honorable Mentions || #1
FM Static- Dear Diary
FM Static (aka Trevor McNevan and Steve Augustine of Thousand Foot Krutch) released their sophmore effort three years ago. Having taken a break for TFK, they are back with their next album, Dear Diary. Dear Diary is a concept album, that tells the story of a high school kid that moves to a new town, hence the lengthy title of the first track, “Boy Moves To A New Town...
Top 10 Albums of 2009 || #1
Switchfoot- Hello Hurricane
Ever since Switchfoot announced late last year that they would be working on their seventh full-length album, the hype has been slowly building. More recently they’ve been featured on YouTube’s homepage and even a Blackberry commercial. But the road to where they are today wasn’t easy. With nearly a hundred songs to choose from for an album that...
Top 10 Albums of 2009 || #2
The Almost- Monster Monster
The name Underoath has become a common one among… well, anyone who knows what Christian rock or metal is, and even those only familiar with the secular version of these genres. It’s not difficult to see how such a talented band has gained the best of both worlds in today’s music industry. And as most successful vocalists do, Underoath...
Top 10 Albums of 2009 || #3
And Then There Were None- Who Speaks for Planet Earth?
To start of this review, let me say that dance/techno music is not my thing. Before this record was released, I could not have listened to such a song and craved for more. But And Then There Were None, being one of the newest bands to sign with the amazingness that is Tooth & Nail Records, caught my attention when their song...
Top 10 Albums of 2009 || #4
We Shot the Moon- A Silver Lining
Last year, we were able to hear an album from what remains of Waking Ashland as a new band called We Shot the Moon, comprised of Jonathan Jones–Waking Ashland’s former lead vocalist–and a new group of band members. It seems that they’ve floated under the radar for the most part, despite their former band’s success. Jones’s unique voice and blend of piano rock...
FISHER's Review of The Silent Night EP Featured on... →
Yeah… that next album in the countdown of 2009’s best? I’m a little behind on my review for it, but not to worry, it’ll be up as soon as possible. So for now, I leave you with this link that I would very much appreciate if you checked out. It’s my review for Seabird’s “The Silent Night EP,” featured on the biggest website in Christian music, Jesus...
Top 10 Albums of 2009 || #5
Owl City- Ocean Eyes
You could say Adam Young is experiencing some success with his newest album, Ocean Eyes. If you haven’t yet heard his song, “Fireflies,” on the radio, you probably live in a cave. If you don’t use iTunes, then you probably didn’t see that same song sitting at number one on the singles chart not too long ago. And if you have and don’t know what all the fuss is...
Top 10 Albums of 2009 || #6
Project 86- Picket Fence Cartel
Thirteen years and seven albums later, you could say Project 86 has gained some experience doing what they’re doing. And with that experience most often comes maturity. Project’s latest, Picket Fence Cartel, goes to show how far they’ve come, and how much respect they really are deserving of. But they’ve made it very clear with the theme...
And Then There Were None's Acoustic Remix of... →
Top 10 Albums of 2009 || #7
August Burns Red- Constellations
Known for their aggressive style, honest lyrics, and highly energetic live show, August Burns Red has made a name for themselves in the Christian metal genre. This being their third album on Solid State Records, ABR’s highly anticipated Constellations is sure to be another favorite among fans of this genre. The album’s first single and first track,...
Top 10 Albums of 2009 || #8
Anchor & Braille- Felt
Stephen Christian is, among most, considered to be a lyrical mastermind. His main project, Anberlin, is his most well-known. But not too many people have heard of his new side-project, Anchor & Braille… which was exactly his plan. Many of the songs Christian wrote were not in the same style as Anberlin, and he felt that some of the lyrics were a bit too...
Top 10 Albums of 2009 || #9
Thousand Foot Krutch- Welcome to the Masquerade
For years, formerly Canadian-based alternative “rawk” band Thousand Foot Krutch has been delivering their crunchy adrenaline-powered music to the Christian music scene. Their energy has earned their music spots in a few sports montages on ESPN (including various other televised sporting events), the 2009 summer movie trailer for GI Joe,...
“It is better to see what you have than to want more. Wanting more is...”
– Ecclesiastes 6:9
Top 10 Albums of 2009 || #10
SHOWBREAD- THE FEAR OF GOD
After putting out Anorexia and Nevosa last year, Showbread decided to make the purest form of raw rock imaginable by mixing the styles from each of their previous albums. The Fear of God has the chaotic screaming found on their Solid State debut, the more electrified and organized effort that was Age of Reptiles, and the dark hardcore style of last year’s dual...
Coming Soon...
…more blog posts! I have a few Bible verses that I’m behind on posting, and I’ll also be putting up a new review EVERY DAY! It’s the time of year where we get to look back and remember which albums meant the most to us, so I’ll be counting down the best albums of the year. You can check back tomorrow to read #10, and I’ll work my way backwards from there. Be...