A little while ago I started compiling a list of my favorite albums of all time. Here are a few more to add to the first 10 from my previous post.
Jennifer Knapp – Kansas
Passionate, spiritual, guitar-driven folk rock from one of the best unknown female singer-songwriters of the late 90s. Jennifer Knapp picked up a guitar in college and began crafting honest songs about her new-found faith in God, her daily struggles of dying to self and her broken past. Even those who don’t normally listen to “Christian” music could appreciate the artistry in Kansas.
Favorite songs: Whole Again, Undo Me, In the Name, Hold Me Now
Maroon 5 – Songs About Jane
Before the slick dance pop sounds of “Moves Like Jagger” and “If I Never See Your Face Again”, Maroon 5 released an independent pop/rock record that almost never made it. Two years after their 1st single, the album finally cracked the Billboard charts and two more years after that, the band won a Grammy for “This Love.”
Songs About Jane is a perfect blend of pop, rock, funk and soul and will probably always be the band’s best album. Sure, their new songs are catchy, but musically and lyrically, this is the album with the most artistry.
Favorite songs: Harder to Breathe, This Love, Shiver, Through with You, Not Coming Home
Taylor Swift – Fearless
Compared to other country queens, Taylor Swift is not a powerhouse female vocalist. But she has a decent enough voice, knows how to play guitar, piano, banjo and has a real talent for crafting lyrics that nearly ever woman at some point in her life can relate to. Fearless was a giant leap forward from her first album, and really rocketed her to stardom. The songs are a little more grown up, more vulnerable, and a little less pop than the kind of hits she’s churning out now. Lately, Swifty has traded her cowgirl boots for glittery high heels and pop tunes, but this is really the kind of music she does best.
Favorite songs: Fearless, Forever & Always, You Belong with Me, White Horse, Love Story
Butch Walker – The Spade
Butch Walker writes, produces and records music with the likes of P!ink, Fall Out Boy, Avril Lavigne, Tommy Lee and Bowling for Soup so he can make money to record amazing music like this. It’s a sound that’s hard to classify – electric guitars alongside mandolins, banjos, steel guitars and accordions, so if you’re into that kind of thing, this album is for you. Do yourself a favor and download this album immediately – not a bad song to be found on The Spade.
Favorite songs: Summer of ’89, Bodegas and Blood, Synthesizers, Bullet Belt
Flyleaf – Flyleaf
Don’t let the intense guitar rifts and occasional screams fool you – Flyleaf’s debut album is anything but angry. She may be tiny, but Lacey Sturm’s intensely personal lyrics unapologetically tell stories of life, love, death, and faith. Her gorgeous soprano voice showcases an incredible amount of control, ranging from quiet melodies to intense screams. What’s even cooler is Lacey really shouldn’t be singing at all. Before joining Flyleaf, she was diagnosed with a tumor in her throat. The tumor miraculously disappeared and shortly after, Lacey joined the band.
Flyleaf released their third album in 2012 and shortly after, Lacey announced she was leaving the group to focus on her family and sharing her testimony as part of the Whosoevers movement.
Favorite songs: I’m So Sick, Fully Alive, Breathe Today, All Around Me, Perfect