New Release Tuesday

So most new music comes out on Tuesday...and I try to keep track of what's on the horizon.  It's been a year of really great music.  I decided to compile a list of my top ten favorites.

12.  Chris Tomlin - And If Our God Is for Us - The first track of Our God, with the orchestra...wow.  I'm loving I Lift My Hands & No Chains On Me.  This one has a lot of promise to move up on the list...it just came out last week.

11.  Passion: Awakening - Great one.  How can you miss with Crowder, Christy Nockles, Fee & Tomlin?  Faves: Healing is in Your Hands, Like a Lion.

10.  New Life Worship - I am Free - this actually came out at the end of '09.  I think I gave it to myself for Christmas.  It was my go-to for over half the year.  Faves are: My Savior Lives, I am Free, Your Name, Fairest.

9.  Jim Brickman - Never Alone - Never lose with Brickman.  I first fell in love with him during my stint at the DSO.  I love Never Alone, it has vocals from Lady A...my fave on the album is Gathering.  A new Brickman Christmas album came out last week.  I haven't checked it out yet, but it's an anniversary collection.

8.  Mercy Me - The Generous Mr. Lovewell - Forgot how much I enjoyed MM, until I saw them at American Airlines.  Lots of energy and great lyrics.  The concert was right before the album came out, so I pre-ordered it.  Wore it out for a good month, and Gav still asks to hear Move.

7.  Israel Houghton - Love God.  Love People. - Not one I can listen to every day, it's for a certain mood.  But I knew when I heard it, I had to have it.  Fav: You Hold My World.

6.  Lady Antebellum - Need You Now - Love their vocals.  Fun CD.  Fav song: Something 'Bout a Woman.

5.  Sugarland - The Incredible Machine - Not my favorite of all their albums, but this one makes the list because I saw them in concert for the first time this year.  Best concert in the history of the known world, ever.  I've been to a lot of concerts...this one was by far my most favorite.  From the album: Incredible Machine, Stuck Like Glue, & Find the Beat Again.

4.  Derek Webb - Feedback - This one is super cool.  I play it in the background a lot.  I love to play my music up loud in the office while I putter around, but I have NEVER been able to read OR write anything serious with music or tv playing at the same time.  This album changed that.  I love to play it softly while I'm reading/writing.  It's crazy good.  "An Instrumental Electronic Album Based on the Lord's Prayer."

3.  North Point Christmas - This record is so amazing.  I lovelovelove the way they take traditional Xmas songs and put a new spin on them.  The music and harmony and lyrics are just beautiful.  Faves: Do You Hear?, All Creation Sing, He Has Come for Us, Everything Changed, O Come All Ye Faithful - Buy this...you won't regret it; sing along and when they hit the bridge, you'll lift your hands.  It's amazing.

2.  Taylor Swift - Speak Now - I don't know how she does it.  She writes her own music, and it has all the insight and depth of someone who's lived a lifetime.  I've lived (living) most of the songs on the album.  My favorite song is different on different days.  Today's current faves are Sparks Fly &  Back to December.  Gav's fav is Mean.

1.  Elevation Worship - Kingdom Come - This is my new go-to album.  The new old-trusty.  The new...the new...I love it.  My personal favorites are: Awaken, Kingdom Come, Give Me Faith, Mercy Reigns.  But I really love the whole thing, over and over.  Again and again.  Everyone who loves Jesus and has ever been broken needs this record.

No one cares, but there it is!  I do realize it's twelve and not ten.  Once I got to ten, I decided to do two more and stop.  Probably could've gone to twenty.

Christmas albums on the radar:
Sugarland: Gold & Green (from last year)
Bifrost Arts: Salvation is Created (crazy good, beautifully artistic)
Jim Brickman: A Christmas Celebration
Faith Hill: Joy to the World ('08)
Brooklyn Tab: A Brooklyn Tabernacle Christmas