Tag: lists

I’ve been sitting on this draft since January thinking eventually I’d get around to writing some short blurbs about each of my picks. But here we are in April and I still haven’t done it so I figure I might well go ahead and publish it as-is (especially now that Brandon has shared his list!). So here is, my best of 2022:… Continued →

Last week I shared my top 20 rock EPs of 2022 with you. This week I’m back with my top 10 pop EPs of 2022. 10. Margot Osborne – Motion This EP is short and maybe not the most original sounding but it’s very well done. “Motions” and “Technicolor (Open Up Your Eyes) are both earworms that have been stuck in my head for months now. 9. Olivia Grasso – Risk Risk delivers on it’s name with a somewhat quirky pop EP. It’s got a great lead single in “Sidelines”, a strong closer in “Disjunct”, and even some thoughtful commentary on “Late Night TV”.… Continued →

Following up last year’s big 20 I thought it was only appropriate to continue on with these “anniversary” look back at the past type posts. These are my 20 favorite albums from the year 2001, in the Christian Music realm. Read on to see what albums made the list.… Continued →

So a new friend or acquaintance finds out you’re into music. The inevitable question follows: “what kind of music do you like?” How honest are you? Do you simply say, “I like a little bit of everything?” You know that’s not true. You can’t stand Matchbox 20. Do you try something a little more honest, but still generic, like, “mostly rock stuff.” No, that won’t work either–they might think you mean Lynyrd Skynyrd. Or are you blatantly honest with them, knowing they are unlikely to have a clue what you mean: “my favorite genre is probably shoegaze.”… Continued →

Following up last year’s big Indie List (2020) I am exploring the theme further and dropping some links to what I consider some of 2021’s rising stars. The following list is a mix of new independent bands, recent bands releasing music in the past year, and some oldies as well. This is a LIST unlike any other you’ll read on the internet. My guess is that the majority of you have NEVER heard of the majority of these bands in your life. Well guess what? That is the purpose of a site like this one and my goal is to win you over, to discover new and enlightening music that’ll get your heart pumping regardless of genre Read below for MY list of the 30 greatest indie bands of 2021.… Continued →

Continuing my top ten lists I started three months ago, I give you my top ten albums of April-June 2021:… Continued →

Last year I shared my top 100 albums and EPs of 2020. This year I thought I’d try and break that list down a little and share my top albums and EPs for each quarter of 2021. So here’s my top 10 album for January-March 2021. You can find my full list of 2021 new releases here. 10. Fight Deck – Signs of Life I love the alt-rock vibes I get from this album. Right up until a song makes turn that makes me cringe.… Continued →

Despite all the despair, hopelessness, fear, anxiety, death, destruction, and uncertainty that 2020 has thrown at us, we have all taken solace in our music and found hope through it. We are carried through the pain with messages of inspiration, songs of motivation, and songs that just plain electrified our souls. The following is a collection of albums, eps, and songs that were meaningful to me in 2020. Not all of the releases listed below are “Christian” but most of them rocked me to my core!… Continued →

The following list is a mix of new independent bands and recent bands releasing music in the past year. Unlike other “lists” in Christian Music that wallow through the sea of sameness, this list embarks on a journey to share good music that doesn’t suck. Read below for MY list of the 30 greatest indie bands of 2020. Leave your cynicism and snobby pseudo journalistic opinions at the door. This isn’t a definitive list and is simply some of my current faves and recommendations. Drop your current faves in the comments below.… Continued →

1. The Drowned God – I’ll Always Be the Same I experienced a week-long bout of the flu this January—probably my punishment for not getting a shot. This was prior to the release of I’ll Always Be the Same, but the single “Less Than an Exit” was stuck in my head during those days. Given my terrible headache and being quite sapped of energy, the song felt strangely affirmative. Since that time, numerous songs by The Drowned God have echoed in my head, and they’ve been among my most-listened-to artists this year.… Continued →

1. Brooke Annibale – Hold to the Light Compiling a best of list for 2018 wasn’t easy. There were a lot of good releases this year but very few of them were great. Hold to the Light by Brooke Annibale is one those few though. In fact, Hold to the Light is so good it was the only album on this list I knew where to rank when I started. As you can see it is my album of the year for 2018. Why? Because it’s easily my most listened to album of the year.… Continued →

Spotify has become my go-to source for discovering new music. Between the personalized playlists, large community, and services that connect with it, Spotify is a great tool for finding your next favorite band regardless of how you listen to music. Here’s a few of my recent discoveries I’ve made on Spotify. 1. CLOUDLAND I just discovered CLOUDLAND last week on Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist Christian. The alt-rock band hails from Fayetteville, GA and consists of Drake Bunton, Hogan Heim, Zach King, and Karmen Smith.… Continued →

I have a confession to make: after high school I stopped listening to worship music. I still heard my fair share of new worship songs on Sunday morning, but for me the last decade has just been a blur of worship songs that all sound the same. It’s not that I had anything against worship music (although I could think of a few things if I put my mind to it), it just bored me. Something’s changed recently though. Maybe my musical tastes have matured since high school (let’s hope so anyway).… Continued →

Everyone is talking about Spotify today because of their initial public offering. So I thought I’d take a minute to share a few of my favorite Spotify playlists with you. 1) New Music Friday Christian by Spotify New Music Friday Christian is just one of Spotify’s many, many, curated playlists. What’s great about this playlist though is every Friday Spotify completely updates it with freshly released new songs. Sometimes that’s a good thing–I mean who doesn’t want to be the first to discover the next big hit?… Continued →

1. Colony House “Only The Lonely” Only The Lonely really struck a cord with my personally. Every song on this album revolves around our need for each other–a message I sorely need to hear. Thankfully, this record rocks and got spun a lot in 2017. 2. Knox Hamilton “The Heights” Named after a neighborhood in Little Rock, Arkansas, The Heights is most most played album of 2017. Maybe I’m a little bias because Knox Hamilton is from my hometown. Or maybe the album is just that good.… Continued →

2007 was definitely a strong year for music. As much as I enjoyed some of the more popular releases of the year, the lesser known albums certainly held a place in my heart. The albums listed below are a mix of independent, underground, and mostly over looked releases from the year 2007. Feel free to dissect and discuss below in the comments. Oh and I left off 2 important 2007 honorary IVM releases because that would be self-promotion am I right? Quick and the Dead “Going Home“, and “Hearts Bleed Passion Vol.… Continued →

Hey friends it’s that time again, time for another “list”. Feel free to offer up your big Laugh-Out-Louds and smirks for some “hits” I found appealing 10 years ago. A lot of stuff from that year was enjoyed by me, some I am rediscovering, and others were missed opportunities. Check out my “list” below and feel free to listen to the playlist I created on Spotify for this list found in the article. Remember kids, “some” of these releases may not have the best language so if you get queasy at the thought of dirty words from general market (do we still use the word ‘secular’?)… Continued →

Sanctuary International has dubbed “The Top 10 Christian Metal Drummers of All Time” list which was voted on by their readers. Watch the video below and see some of these legendary musicians in action. Was your favorite drummer listed? Do you agree with the ranking? … Continued →

1. Showbread “Showbread is Showdead” How couldn’t I include my favorite Raw Rock band on this list? It’s sad that this is the final Showbread album, but I don’t think they could have ended their legacy any better. I didn’t think very highly of the last two albums, but “Showbread is Showdead” had me reminiscing on the good days of “Nihilism”. Any album that includes a song with a Korg synthesizer, screaming, a booming bass guitar, and a chorus that sounds like a cheerleader squad is cool in my books (e.g.… Continued →

1. Paper Route “Real Emotion” Picking a number one album for 2016 seemed impossible with so many great alternative and rock releases this year. But when I started looking at my most played songs of 2016 on Spotify, it became clear which album deserved top spot. Although Paper Route’s “Real Emotion” took a few listens to sink in, it is a great follow up to the “Peace of the Wild Things” and is deserving of being my pick for best album of 2016. 2. House of Heroes “Colors” House of Heroes finally put out a concept album after years of teasing us with loosely themed albums.… Continued →

Check out my "Best of 2016" list and feel free to comment with your faves that I may have missed.