Music of 2011

I have enjoy taking time this year and sharing my musical discoveries and likes with my friends, Ryan and Jen Ozawa, over at their podcast Popspotting.  I will continue to do my “Music Cues for Popspotting” next year.  But Faith McQuinn said I should do a list.  So I sat down and tried to choose the ones that have been on my play list this year.

Listed in no particular order:

Hillsong United Unidos Permancemos

I have a heart for a mission in Colombia.  So I’m listening to a little more Christian music in Spanish.  I bought Hillsong United’s Live  and Unidos Permancemos (sames songs performed in Spanish).  I prefer the Spanish language one.  Beautiful worship!

Mumford & Sons Sigh No More

I love bluegrass music, I love people who play instruments and are talented at it.  Mumford & Sons took folk rock using traditional instruments and brought it to the masses.  They and Steve Martin have taken the banjo back to mainstream audiences.  I love Mumford & Sons’ songs and writing.

Bison Quill

The Last Bison is a group from the Tidewater area of Virginia.  The describe their music as Folkestral (blending Folk with Classical).  They have a unique sound and write their own songs.  I found them thanks to some of their family members with whom I go to church.  You should really check them out!  Their first album Quill is out on iTunes and Amazon.

AKUS Paper Airplane

Continuing with the solid instrumental artists,  Allison Krauss & Union Station are wonderful.  Each member of the band are gifted and talented musicians and write songs.  Their album Paper Airplane came out this year.  It is a very solid album.  I had the pleasure of seeing them live in Cary this year.  I have wanted to see them live for years.  It was WELL worth the cost and I would love to see them again.

Steve Martin & Steep Canyon Rangers Rare Bird Alert

Steve Martin is very good on the banjo and you add in the Steep Canyon Rangers and you have a very good group.  Their album Rare Bird Alert, has a good mix of songs and can be listened to again and again.

The Civil Wars Barton Hollow

The Civil Wars again goes with the roots style of my music this year.  Ryan calls it “stompy” music.  This duo has haunting harmonies and solid musical talents.

The Wailin’ Jennys Bright Morning Stars

I love Pandora for many reasons.  One is discovering new (to me) artists.  I was listening to my AKUS station and started hearing tracks from the Canadian group called The Wailin’ Jennys.  I love the Bright Morning Stars for its’ harmonies and style but I fell in love with the thanks to their live album.

Sojourn The Water and The Blood

Sojourn is a group of musicians out of the Nashville area.  They have several albums.  The Water and The Blood is an album of Isaac Watts hymns.  They took the hymns and put them to new music.  The album mixes styles all with a southern feel (country, blues, bluegrass, rock, etc.).

Soveregin Grace Music Risen

Sovereign Grace Music is one of the best sources of Christian Praise & Worship music.  They write solid biblical lyrics and put good music to them.  They also take old hymns and make them new.  They released two albums this year.  Both are very good.  The first is Risen.  It celebrates the death and resurrection of Jesus.  The second was recorded live at a conference (WorshipGod11) called The Gathering.

Bear McCreary BSG S1

This year I have grown to appreciate the composer Bear McCreary.  He composes music for television series.  The puts a great deal of thought in to what is trying to be conveyed in the scene.  He uses all types of instruments and uses them in different ways.  I bought both, seasons one and two of Battlestar Galactica’s sound tracks.

Adele 21

Well to bring this (non-exhaustive) list to a close is Adele.  She is honest in her lyrics and feelings.  She has said she makes music for the ears not the eyes.  She is not model thin and does not want to be.  21 is a great album.