OK, #3!

We will hold an official press conference later.

No 3: Evanescence - Fallen

Serious, since the top 5 hit, these albums have gotten astronomically awesome! I can listen to these things for two weeks without feeling the desire to move on...hmm.

These guys are classified as Goth-rock, and I have never really known what that actually means. I'm starting to think it might mean hard rock with strings and classical choirs...plus some painful, introspective lyrics. That's pretty easy to understand, isn't it?

First off, the sound of Evanescence blows apart anything ever done in Christian music (where it was originially marketed) and still is a sound all its own in mainstream music. The power and crispness of the guitar is unparalleled. Lyrically, wow, there are some painful, introspective lyrics. (In fact, after lead singer Amy Lee's mother heard the music she asked if Amy wanted to see a therapist!) Many, however, hold a very spiritual base.

Do you remember me / lost for so long / will you be on the other side / or will you forget me / I'm dying, praying, bleeding and screaming / am I too lost to be saved / am I too lost? / My God My Tourniquet / return to me salvation.

I seriously can't pick out favorite tracks...maybe Going Under, My Immortal (rock version), My Last Breath, and Hello. That last song holds my favorite lyric on the album, which can only be felt by swimming in the depths of Lee's painful yet beautiful vocals interlaced with a lonely piano and cello. "Don't try to fix me I'm not broken."

I believe the magic in the album lies in the combination of Amy Lee, co-founder and guitarist Ben Moody, and keyboardist David Hodges. Both Moody and Hodges are Christians. Lee was six when her three-year-old sister died from an illness. Moody has struggled with depression. The two bonded through their music and their pain.

Evanescence is releasing a new album later this year, but I seriously wonder if the group can recapture the magic. Hodges left the group when Lee and Moody wanted to steer the group more into mainstream music. And Moody excused himself from the group while they were in Sweden on tour, although both he and Lee were glad to have him out of the group. So Lee is guiding the ship now, on her own.

What I like about "Fallen" is not that Evanescence had a neatly packaged set of uplifting lyrics, or even that the members effectively worked through whatever issues they have, but that they put out 11 tracks straight out of their insides. These songs are "blood and guts" and insides. They are painful. They are powerful. Some have hope and some don't. And product of what came out is so unique that I really don't think it can ever be duplicated again.

Hopefully you don't think *I* need to see a therapist for liking this album...

Back for Four

Wow, that was a break...vacation to Illinois will do that!

No. 4: DC Talk - Jesus Freak

How can you not include the most influential, ground-breaking, and significant Christian album of all-time? (Yes, and I DO still put three albums on top of this!)

DC Talk had already made a name for itself as a Christian rap group. With Jesus Freak, however, they turned the Christian music world on its ear. The bevy of talents and strengths of Toby McKeehan, Kevin Smith, and Michael Tait exploded into a style NO ONE has EVER reproduced, Christian or mainstream. The resulting album established DC Talk as the most influential group in Christian music and also helped open the door for Christian crossover music (which was later blown open by Jars of Clay with "Flood.")

Let me list off the names involved with the Jesus Freak album - some were big names when the album came out in 1995, some used it as a springboard. Aside from the three members of DC Talk there was Mark Heimerman (song writer and producer), Charlie Peacock (song writer and Christian music extraordinaire), Billy Graham (evangelist with "audio cameo"), Todd Collins (future Gotee Brother and producer), Otto Price (stud bass player and future producer), Jerry McPherson (guitars and future lead of Seven Day Jesus), Chris Rodriguez (solo Christian artist), and Zilch (backing band with later turned into Sonicflood.) Wow, that is THE most heavy weight list of names I have ever seen.

The artistry and poetry of the album are rarely duplicated in Christian music. And the single "Jesus Freak" has to be one of the best songs in Christian music ever.

What can I say?...Jesus Freak was just an outstanding album. Just outstanding. Hail to the Chief(s).