#8: Owl City - All Things Bright And Beautiful
Not only does Owl City have the coolest name ever - Adam Young - but he puts out some really great music. If Ocean Eyes was just the icing on the cake of what Owl City could do when it comes to creating music in your basement, All Things Bright And Beautiful is the actual cake. Creative, whimsical music that soars with memorable melodies, electronic sounds, and even some traditional instruments, All Things Bright And Beautiful will make you rethink musicians who were discovered on MySpace. This album is that good.
Standout singles: Galaxies, Deer In The Headlights, Dreams Don't Turn To Dust
#7: John Mark McMillan - Economy
Yes, he used to be known as "that guy who wrote How He Loves, and I'm really uncomfortable about that sloppy wet kiss line so I'm going to change it," but John Mark McMillan now is comfortably lodged into the worship music scene. John Mark McMillan is different than most worship leaders and songwriters, however, because the music isn't formulaic, and when I'm listening to his CDs, I feel like I'm driving down Route 66 in the heart of America, driving by once-shiny towns now battered and bruised by the interstate system, and McMillan is sharing his heart with me as we cruise down the road together.
I love his honesty. I love his scratchy, unpolished voice. It certainly isn't worship music for those who like easy Psalty book answers and your standard G C Em C chord progression. It is for those who have more questions than answers, who like their music tinged with some Southern rock or a simple acoustic, and who listen to lyrics like "Chase me down like a lion, like a bird of prey, Lift me up from the ashes of my heart's own shallow grave, 'Cause I know that I love you, but sometimes I'm afraid" and know that John Mark is telling their story too.
Standout singles: Daylight, Love You Swore, Seen A Darkness
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