Top 9 Music Albums of 2009

I’m still not sold on this album topping Bullet, but it’s still better than 98% of what I heard this year.  In the vein of Coldplay, John Mayer, and U2 (lite), Kearney sings about things that are metaphysical, and shares the opportunities he’s had to learn from his mistakes and personal tragedies.

I like hip-hop and R&B, but this year, I haven’t caught anything that I went, “wow, that’s my favorite”… outside of a few songs off McDonald’s first nationally-released album.  The up-and-coming rapper sings about the state of the economy, the support of his family, the need to find a partner for life, and his love of singing.

I’ve come to expect that each of Skillet’s albums will be on my “favorites of the year” list.  “Hero” and “Monster” in their own way are each ear worms (you hear them, they get stuck in there, and you end up singing them later in the day). Overall, Skillet gets high marks from me for seeing life, embracing it, and refusing to let the bad stuff get them down.

My only praise album on the list, God of This City has a different vibe. It’s worship, but it’s not preachy.  From the reality of “Life Noise” (and its use of the sounds of the city) to “Each Day” (and its celebration of survival by a girl with cystic fibrosis) the band’s love for God and love for life is undeniably strong.

Thanks to “Pull Me Back,” the title track, and “Godspeed,” this one has is a must buy for rock fans.  It’s filled with melodic rock and raging guitars, and the songs have deeper meaning than some of their contemporaries can produce.

“Desperately,” “Fading,” and “Best I Can” (written with help by Skillet’s John Cooper) are some of this year’s best rock songs. Overall, it’s a catchy, high-powered album that rocks your face off and lifts your spirits as well. It was easily my favorite album of the first half of the year.

I still say The Joshua Tree is their finest, but the way that they’ve grown and varied with age, No Line is still worth buying.

From the opening of “Needle in a Haystack World,” I knew I’d like this album, which you won’t have heard yet (check back in November). And the truth is, if not for my top pick, this album would have beaten all other comers hands down.  Switchfoot is always second (only to U2) in blending excellently done music with thoughts on faith and meaning.

You should buy this album for “Through Smoke” alone. Or maybe it’s the title track. Or “Lay ‘Em Down” or “These Hard Times.” Really, the whole album is tremendous, from philosophical blues to fun-loving funk, melodic odes and harmonious choruses.  My total ten may be restructured by the end of the year, but this one is staying put!