Lyle Lovett…Understand Me

Todd Agnew…My Jesus

The Bowerbirds…Tuck theDarkness In

Red...Hymn For The Missing

3 Doors Down...All I Think About Is You

What Makes a Song Sad?

from The Atlantic:

While there might be a loose correlation—reinforced by our particular musical tradition—between minor scales and "sadness," it's a mistake to think that the moods evoked by music can be confidently reduced to tonality in and of itself. Indeed, those recalcitrant minor key songs that defy generalization about the link between tonality and mood may tell us something more important about music than the ones that conform.

Don't forget: The main reason "Happy Birthday" sounds "upbeat" and "Eleanor Rigby" sounds "doleful" is that their composers intended that they should. And because that's what their composers obviously intended, that's the way the songs are typically performed. But there's much more than tonality that goes into evoking those moods.

Brooke Fraser...Something In The Water

Jesusfreakhideout up with staff selections for best of 2010

Jesusfreadhideout...

Elvis Costello...Cat Stevens...Sitting

J. Tillman - Master's House

J Tillman - Singing Ax

Beirut...Nantes

Beirut...Scenic World

Beirut...A Sunday Smile

All I want is the best for our lives my dear,
and you know my wishes are sincere.
What's to say for the days I cannot bear

A Sunday smile we wore it for a while.
And at cemetery mile we paused and sang.
A Sunday smile we wore it for a while.
And at cemetery mile we paused and sang
'bout Sunday smiles as we felt clean. (and)

We burnt till the ground left a view to admire
With buildings aside, church of white
Have burnt till the ground left a grave to admire
Hills reach for the sky, reach the church of white.

A Sunday smile we wore it for a while.
At cemetery mile we paused and sang.
A Sunday smile we wore it for a while.
And at cemetery mile we paused and sang
*--* our Sunday smiles and we felt clean. (and)

LaCrae...Rehab...Children of the Light

from JesusFreakHideout:
Rehab is a fantastic album and is easily Lecrae's best to date, even topping Rebel. Lecrae is able to show that he is the best and most diverse rapper around. The only thing keeping Lecrae from huge mainstream success is his unashamed approach and willingness to claim Christ as Savior in each and every song. They don't know what they are missing. Personally, I'm happy with and respect Lecrae for what he brings to the table. You do not want to miss this album. Even if you only rarely listen to rap or hip hop, you are going to want to pick this up. This is hip hop perfection.

John Mark McMillan...Skeleton Bones

John Mark McMillan...How He Loves Us So

Flyleaf...You Are My Joy

The Wrecking...About to Fall

Third Day...Surrender