As you probably know, if you know me at all, music is my passion, and this category is my most thought out each year. It is a list I have made for years even before I had a blog on which to share it. This years choices run the gamut of styles, and experiences from a brand new artist discovered on a competition show, to a veteran who has been recording music longer than I've been alive. So lets get started.
#5) Landau Eugene Murphey Jr.--That's Life: My list had four strong choices, with several other CD's fighting for the #5 spot. Then an early December release by America's Got Talent winner Landau Eugene Murphey Jr, sweeps to claim the spot. When he auditioned for the show he was working at a carwash. He took the stage with dread locks flowing, and the judges, and most Americans I'm sure were expecting some kind of awful singing to come out. But as Susan Boyle had proved in England, talent comes in strange packaging. Murphey belted out Sinatra and Bennett standards like they were written for him. And on this CD he does it again with a selection of Sinatra standards. Produced by Steve Tyrell, this is an amazing disc, and only $7.99 on iTunes
#4) The Civil Wars-- Barton Hallow: This is one of this years critical favorites, and I'm sure on several lists more important than mine. When this disc was released the title track was a free download on iTunes one week so I checked it out, and it was pretty good. Joy Williams, the female voice in this duo was I name I knew from her CCM background. I later found out this was produced by music genius Charlie Peacock, so I knew I had to have it....but for some reason it took several months to get around to downloading it. Not a cheerful fun album, but very fitting fr the general mood of the country this year. Unique bland of folk and country. Listen to it once, put it away for a week or two, then come back to it and really indulge. If you aren't sure you want to invest in this album, there is a live version that has most of he same songs available for free on Noisetrade,com that can give you a taste.
#3)Paul Simon-- So beautiful or So What? : Paul Simon has been writing and performing amazing music for half a century. He is 70 years old now, and has 2011 release is totally amazing. With styles reaching back to the Simon & Garfunkel days as well as to the Graceland era. The lyrical content is amazing, his poetry as bright and witty as ever. There is a spiritual tone about this album that utterly draws me in. You must have this CD and play it over & over. This video is a live performance of the title track. Did I mention this man is 70!
#2) The Hawk in Paris-- His+Hers: I stumbled into this CD on Twitter. Singer Derek Webb had posted about a free download on Noisetrade by a new group fronted by Jars of Clay singer Dan Haseltine. I quickly went and downloaded it (The entire EP was available free for only 1 week). Trust me, I would have been willing to pay full price after listening. This is an amazing lyrical and sonic journey. Musically it feels to me what Pink Floyd would be doing if they still made music. Lyrically it is a look at romantic relationships from every point in the relationship. I could talk all day about this EP, but you just need to listen for yourself. This video isn't really a video, just a great chance to sample a track. Be ready to see several tracks from this album on my iPod playback blog after the new year.
#1) Christina Perri-- Lovestrong: Her Jar of Hearts single was 2010 most played song on my iPod. Her debut full album LOVESTRONG is a powerful collection of love and love-gone-wrong songs. Her writing is amazingly thoughtful, and her voice is just plain amazing. This is her year for sure. Oh, and the songs are clean, no bad words except one song that asks "How the hell...", and nothing sexual or nasty. Look for lots of these tracks on the iPod playback as well.
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