Scott Freeman

These are the albums that most caught my ear this year.

10. Turn Heads by Tobias Froberg
This Swedish Singer-Songwriter delivers on his third album with a series of expertly crafted music that is somewhat reminiscent of vintage Simon and Garfunkel. This is “Just Behind a Brick Wall”

9. Another Country by Tift Merritt
Tift is this generation’s Emmylou Harris complete with the beautiful vocals and the country-folk sensibilities. This is “Broken.”

8. Hope For The Hopeless by Brett Dennen
Dennen’s follow-up to the masterful 2006 release So Much More was more of a slow boil for me but when it clicked it found itself on my frequent play list. Dennen is a consummate song-writer who uses his ability to point out injustice and bring awareness to social issues. This is “Make You Crazy.”

7. The Gabe Dixon Band by the Gabe Dixon Band
There has been a tremendous absence in the genre of piano driven rock ever since Billy Joel completed “River of Dreams” in 1993. No one has come close to the legacy of the Piano Man. Until now. Dixon is Joel’s heir apparent and is fully evidenced in the full length debut.
This is most likely my favorite song of the last 5 years “All Will Be Well.”

6. Ghost Notes by Matthew Barber
Barber is a highly popular singer-songwriter in Canada. His fourth full-length release is what brought him to my attention and is full of catchy folk-styled songs. This is “And You Give”

5. The ’59 Sound by The Gaslight Anthem
This is the definitive Springsteen inspired release of the year. The ’59 Sound is a tremendous blend of Bruce level story-telling and a punk backbeat that will stick with you long after the album ends. These guys are going to be huge. This is the title track.

4. Gossip in the Grain by Ray Lamontagne
This former shoe salesman in one of the finest musicians plying his trade today. His sweet, soulful voice breathes a richness and urgency to his songs. Gossip in the Grain should be his breakout album. This is “You Are the Best Thing.”

3. Chinese Democracy by Guns N’ Roses
I know that people are sharply divided over this release. Most of the negativity that I have heard has been along the lines of having waited so long for something that doesn’t approach the brilliance of Appetite for Destruction. That Axl was unable to recreate the greatness that they possessed for so brief a time 20 years ago. Well, it’s not 1988 any longer nor do I want it to be. Comparisons to Appetite will always come up short. That was a moment in time that can not and should not be recreated. Late 80s Guns were an anomaly even then. A last ditch rebellion against the Reagan-era and the feelings of vulnerability we had in the waning days of the Cold War and the insurgence of AIDS. For Appetite to be recreated would be to go back to an era that none of us should go back to. We can’t because we are older, wiser and have seen too much.
With that said when Chinese Democracy is judged on its own merits it is an excellent rock album in an era where quality rock and roll is hard to come by. There are a number of reasons that I have gravitated toward more contemplative, singer-songwriter style music. Sure, a large part of that is growing older and feeling my tastes change precipitously. Another reason is that the rock and roll that I love is hard to find these days. Chinese Democracy is a breath of fresh air to me.
If there is one quibble I have it is that every song strives to be anthemic. Axl swings for the fences on every song and runs the risk of trying to do too much. There is no understatement or minimalism at work here. But that is a minor issue. For the trademark voice is still there and results in great music.
It’s no Appetite. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. However, it is a great thing that it is no Use Your Illusion.
This is my favorite cut on the album “Better.”

2. Day After Tomorrow by Joan Baez
There was no stronger voice of protest during the 60s than Joan Baez. She has long been an activist voice. Her latest release, however, focuses more on issues of faith than anything else. This is the voice of a well-traveled troubadour who has seen so much now longer for that which is unseen. As a result it is one of the definitive albums of her career. Produced by Steve Earle, this album is beatiful, touching and a glimpse of the Divine. This is “God is God.”

1. Everything that Happens Will Happen Today by David Byrne and Brian Eno
This album hit me out of the blue. I have never been a Talking Heads fan but this album has made me realize that I need to go back and listen again. It also hit me because, although this is not a style of music that I typically gravitate to, I couldn’t get it out of my head. And the colossal influence they have on music cannot be underscored.
What results from this collaboration is a sonic tour de force of music, concepts and intellect. This, to me, is the definitive album of the year for making me look at music anew and shake me out of the doldrums of what is worth listening to. This is the title track followed by “Strange Overtones.”

Let’s try this again. I wrote this post yesterday but lost it in the Great Blog Meltdown of 2008. Needless to say I don’t feel like rewriting everything about each album so this will be a more abbreviated overview.
Guilty Pleasures, experimentation and soundtracks are featured in the bottom half of my list.

20. David Cook by David Cook
The newest American Idol winner is my guilty pleasure of the year. It is power pop at its finest and proof positive that American Idol can select the right winner every six years or so. I could see him fronting an 80s hair band. This is the lead single “Light On”

19. The Promised Land by Dar Williams
Dar Williams churns out yet another album that beautifully chronicles the human spirit with ethos and passion. She is consistently one of the finest song-writers around. This is the lead single “That’s Alright.”

18. Feed the Animals by Girl Talk
This is very atypical for me. I don’t usually like stuff like this and resisted downloading it for a long time. However, once I did I couldn’t deny its insistence on repeat playing. This is one long extended series of mashups. It’s a kick being able to hear a song that so expertly blends Phil Collins and the Beastie Boys. Part of the fun in listening to this is trying to identify all the songs you hear. Is that Argent? Why, yes it is. This is “What It’s All About.”

17. Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
These Columbia grads released a stellar debut album earlier this year. They are able to wed a myriad of influences to produce a raucous and fun album. This is “A-Punk”

16. Be OK by Ingrid Michaelson
I love Ingrid Michaelson’s work. Her 2007 release “Girls and Boys” is stellar and her 2005 debut “Slow the Rain” is an absolute masterpiece. This release, however, is a collection of covers, live tunes and previously unreleased material. It’s still great, though. This is the title track.

15. Fortune’s Favour by Great Big Sea
I’ve long been a Great Big Sea fan. Their latest release is more commercial than previous outings but it is still a great collection of Newfoundland inspired ditties. This is “Love Me Tonight.”

14. Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
This is not the best Springsteen inspired album of the year but it’s close. This album just plain rocks. This is the title track.

13. Mockingbird by Alison Moorer
Man, this woman can sing. Some of the finest pipes you will encounter anywhere. This collection of songs written by other female composers is some of Moorer’s finest work. This is the title track.

12. Backwoods Barbie by Dolly Parton
For all the times she has been the punchline of a joke there should be mention that Dolly Parton is one of the greatest country music songwriters of all time. Her latest effort does not disappoint. This is “Jesus and Gravity.”

11. Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog by Various Artists
The internet event of the year was a tremendous blend of humor and musicianship. And that’s not just because Neil Patrick Harris is the coolest man on the planet. This is “My Freeze Ray.”

This morning I wrote part two of my best albums list. As I pressed “Publish” I was whisked to a screen that said my WordPress Blog was suspended.
Apparently there was some sort of problem with slow server speed as a result of some comment plug-ins I was using. I had to either reduce that or find a new host. Considering I have paid up through next year that didn’t seem likely.
In the process of getting that fixed I had to delete all of the comments that I have received over the course of this blog. I was able to save them into a Word file for posterity but for all intents and purposes they are forever gone.
In addition the database that contained all of the posts since I switched over to this server appears to have been inadvertently deleted. I have tried restoring databases but it appears for naught.
I have been able to restore the last few posts through Google Reader and might go back and do that with the others that have been deleted over time.
Tomorrow (or tonight, if I feel so inclined) I will rewrite my best albums post and go from there.
I guess it goes without saying that there will be some tinkering on this blog over the next few days. Such is life, I guess.

Earlier this year I had bemoaned the fact that this was a substandard year for music releases. However, when I began to really listen to the year’s releases with an ear to compile my annual list I realized how wrong I truly was.
Sure, there was no disk that stood head and shoulders above the rest like McDermott and Ritter have the last two years.
But that is a good thing. All in all of the 70+ albums I have released this calendar year there were about 40 that really deserved to be in my final 20. And, in looking at my top 10 I see that any of them could have been number one.
I will take 20 stellar albums any year. However, before I get to the top 20 beginning tomorrow I wanted to give a nod to a few that just missed the cut:

The Geography of Light by Carrie Newcomer–The fact that one of my perennial favorites like Newcomer did not make my top 20 is testament to how competitive this year was. Although not a Christian artist she writes the most profound lyrics of faith of anyone out there.
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Exit Strategy of the Soul by Ron Sexsmith
You are not a Singer-Songwriter fan if you don’t love Sexsmith. This clip, Brandy Alexander, is one of my favorite tunes of the year;
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Changing Things (EP) by Meaghan Blanchard
If I considered EPs for my year end list this would be in my top 10. Blanchard is a 19 year old singer-songwriter from Prince Edward Island. I was blessed to find this on eMusic.

Some other Albums of note:

Mountain Goats–Heretic Pride

The Nadas–There Are Ghosts Inside These Halls

Laura Cantrell–Trains and Boats and Planes

Flogging Molly–Float

Idina Menzel–Brave

Kimya Dawson–Alphabutt

The Killers–Day & Age

Keane–Perfect Symmetry

She & Him–Volume One

Jackson Browne–Time The Conqueror

James McMurtry–Just Us Kids

John Mellencamp–Life, Death, Love and Freedom

Jesse Malin–On Your Sleeve

I don’t know anybody who enjoys horror novels besides me anyway and the Now Reading plugin hasn’t worked for me in a while. But I will share none-the-less.

10. The Keeper by Sarah Langan
Nominated for best first novel in the 2006 Bram Stoker awards. An auspicious debut that speaks of great ghost stories to come.

9. The Policy by Bentley Little
I am a big fan of Little’s work as he always comes up with intriguing story lines. This one is about an insurance policy that cannot be canceled.

8. The Conqueror Worms/Deluge by Brian Keene
Keene is the pre-eminent horror writer of this generation. He is prolific, imaginative and able to churn out top-rate scares. This two part-er is no exception. The skies mysteriously start raining and don’t stop. 40+ days later the world has changed precipitously. I’m not finished with Deluge yet as he releases a chapter each week on his website.

7. The Ruins by Scott Smith
The movie came out earlier this year but if you want the true fright pick up the book instead. Smith does not release novels fast enough for my taste. But when he does he does not disappoint.

6. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
This book would be higher on my list if not for the style. I am not a big fan of oral histories and would have like a more linear tell. That quibble aside this is a fantastic Zombie story of life after the uprising.

5. Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill
Hill is a consummate story teller. Although he has great bloodlines as the son of Stephen King, he is a novelist to be respected in his own right. If you ever receive a heart shaped box in the mail do not open it.

4. Ghost Story by Peter Straub
This is an absolute classic in the genre. It is the work that put Straub on the map and put him in the same conversation with Stephen King of great horror writers. As I am often a critic of length it is important to note that this tremendous ghost tale would be number one on my list if it has been a hundred pages shorter. At any rate it is top notch. Skip the movie, however.

3. Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin
You have probably already seen the classic movie and the book is every bit as riveting. Levin was a great story teller and this is his finest work. However, do not pick up the sequel: Son of Rosemary.

2. The Rising/City of the Dead/Dead Sea by Brian Keene
Honestly, my top 10 could consist of Keene books. He is that good. This is Zombie writing at its finest.

1. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
This novel, which has now been made into a movie three times, is a gripping piece of fiction that focuses primarily on one individual’s coming to terms with his role as the last human on earth. What emerges is a compelling portrait of a man striving to survive in a world that has radically changed and transformed into an archaic mess. The reader is sucked in to a battle that is best defined as a struggle between human and post-human.

Here is my list of fiction reads:

10. The Books of Ember by Jeanne Duprau
It seems that I have read enough Young Adult fiction this year to have a 5th list if I wanted. This series (with the exception of the needless prequel of the third book) is a riveting look at a city that lives in a darkened world.

9. Them by Nathan McCall
McCall does a masterful job of looking at the effects of gentrification on a predominately black neighborhood. The racial tensions crackle on every page and serves to illicit a profound meditation on prejudice and urban renewal.

8. The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
The movie is getting a lot of Oscar buzz at the moment and seems to be a shoo-in for best pic and another acting nod for Kate Winslet. The source material is a gripping story of a young man and his affair with a mysterious woman who later turns out to be a war criminal. Deeply affecting and moving.

7. The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
Okay, there is no readily explainable reason why I enjoyed these books so much. The best answer I can give to this tale of love between a mortal and a vampire is that it is just fun reading. You won’t get wrapped up in a labyrinthine plot but you will get to know the characters who Meyer develops with a great amount of affection.

6. Man in the Dark by Paul Aster
Which story is better: the one that is true or the one we tell ourselves. Auster paints a poignant picture of an elderly man who tells himself a story of a different world post 9/11. Shattered lives are the backdrop of this moving narrative.

5. Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O’Nan
This slight book is a quick read but has a lasting impact. It is set at the last night of a Red Lobster and the intersecting lives that will soon intersect no more. O’Nan is a tremendous storyteller.

4. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone/Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
OK, I am finally on the Harry Potter bandwagon. It took me a while but one of the greatest joys in my life right now is reading this for the first time with my kids. If I could bottle their laughs during the parts they find funny I would.

3. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
One of the best suspense novels I have read in a long time.

2. Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley
This hilarious story of an inexperienced, photogenic and unprepared TV judge suddenly thrust into the limelight as a inexplicable nominee for the Supreme Court was written BEFORE Sarah Palin landed on the radar. Talk about life imitating art. If you have never read Buckley, this is a great place to start.

1. Blindness by Jose Saramago
This was not the most enjoyable book I read this year. Enjoyable is a bad word for this work. However, it was the most intellectually and visually gripping. The story, where people are suddenly stricken blind, is a fascinating indictment about the hidden barbarity of man. A must read.

I am going to flip-flop my schedule and do the fiction entries tomorrow. In looking back over my reading I notice that I haven’t read as much theological writing this year as in years past. At least in my leisure reading I haven’t. It especially dropped off after June. A couple of reasons conspired for that. One is that I don’t want to read anything weighty after reading my grad school assignments. The other is that we had to do a spending freeze at church earlier this year and that limited my study materials.
However, I did read several notable works that bear mentioning:

10. Angela and the Baby Jesus by Frank McCourt
I know that this is not officially marketed as a Christian book. But this children’s book about the title character of Angela’s Ashes and her concern for the baby Jesus is a beautiful reflection on the hope of the Christ child. Beautifully illustrated and touching.

9. Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered: Growing in Christ through Community by James C. Wilhoit
I used this book as a basis for an adult class on spiritual formation earlier in the year and it proved to be a reliable resource. Wilhoit lines out four “pillars” of spiritual formation: receiving God’s grace, remembering our purpose, responding in service, and building relationships. It is an important entry in the discussion of discipleship.

8. Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals by Shane Claiborne
I’m a huge fan of Claiborne as he is one of the foremost gadflies in the Christian world today. He consistently, logically, and passionately pushes the church to be a better reflection of Christ. That is powerfully captured in his latest work. My one constant quibble with both of Claiborne’s releases is a lack of tightness and conciseness.

7. Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy by Kraybill, et al.
A moving account of the staggering depiction of forgiveness that the Amish community displayed in the aftermath of the Nickle Mines School shooting. What we must all aspire to emulate.

6. What about Hitler?: Wrestling with Jesus’s Call to Nonviolence in an Evil World by Robert W. Brimlow
This is an intelligent and scholarly response to the red herring that often surfaces whenever nonviolence is discussed. In this work he points out the elasticity of the Just War theory and repudiates notions of “success” in reference to the validity of nonviolence. A great addition to any nonviolent library.

5. The Shack by William P. Young
I am most appreciative of this book for the way it brought some serious and potentially divisive topics into the public consciousness. I know that many read it and never picked up on some of the more controversial themes but any step toward a more indepth and honest assessment of God’s love, theodicy and soteriology is a welcome step.

4. Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church by N.T. Wright
My commonly held perception of the “Afterlife” was first challenged when I took a grad course at Lipscomb back in 1993. It was then that I realized that there was more to the story than just “over yonder.” Wright has an uncanny knack of bringing these important subjects into the mainstream of religious thought. Hopefully, this will be seen as an integral work in forcing us to challenge our understandings of eschatology.

3. The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith by Marcus Borg
Borg is not for everyone, so exercise caution. However, he is one of my favorite Christian authors who never fails to challenge my thinking at the same time he pushes me into a more nuanced and refined relationship with God. Here he gets at the heart of what this is all supposed to be about.

2. Matthew And The Margins: A Socio-Political and Religious Reading by Warren Carter
I spent most of this year preaching from Matthew. This work by Carter was absolutely essential during that process. Carter does a tremendous job of laying out the important themes of shame/honor and the relationship of the empire with the message of Christ.

1. Saving Paradise: How Christianity Traded Love of This World for Crucifixion and Empire by Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker
Provocative and meticulously researched, this work is an in-depth look at the images, art and thinking of the early church and the absence of death as prime motivator. In the early church Jesus was depicted as alive and vibrant. Over the years that shifted. The reasons why are intriguing.

For the last 10+ years I have read predominantly non-fiction works. This year is the first in a long time that I read more fiction than anything else. When I began work on another Masters Degree in August I went almost exclusively escapist reading.
There were however some worthwhile non-fiction reads that I experienced this year:

10. Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life Is Your Hidden Strength by Laurie A. Helgoe
I am an introvert and that is often seen by people to be a bad character trait. However, as Helgoe points out, that is a tragic misconception of the great contributions that introverts bring to society. The point of this book is that introverts should embrace their given personality and not try to take on the personality of an extrovert. There is room for both. Nor is this a book that says the solution is isolation but is instead finding proper alone time and to embrace solitude.

9. The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible/The Know-It-All: One Man’s Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World by A.J. Jacobs
I include both of Jacob’s books together as they are indicative of the novel and creative approaches he takes to his writing. Both books were the results of experiments that he carried out: one to follow the Bible literally for one year, the other to read the entire Encyclopedia Brittanica. Both books are fun to read and filled with hilarious anecdotes of his experiences. My only quibble is the length of both. I repeat my refrain: editing is a good thing.

8. Storm Warning: The Story of a Killer Tornado by Nancy Mathis
My town of Ponca City has not endured a major tornado in over 50 years. Some say that the refinery weakens the tornado winds as they come closer to town. Some claim that the Indian burial grounds exude some mystical force. I think we are just lucky. Oklahoma is the home to some of our nations most unpredictable weather. On May 3rd, 1999 that was witnessed in its full fury as 71 tornadoes hit the state. “The biggest of them all spanned a mile—making it the largest in recorded history—and delivered ground-level winds of over 300 mph.” This is a compelling account of that day.

7. Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Ori and Rom Brafman
This is an intriguing look at why we tend to make irrational decisions despite evidence that making other decisions would be more productive. The inanity of most job interviews, ignoring fatigue and the over diagnosis of bi-polar disorder are all looked at.

6. Mudslingers: The Twenty-Five Dirtiest Political Campaigns of All Time by Kerwin Swint
Man, politicians are slimy people! This is an in-depth look at the dirtiest of political campaigns. It is often eye-opening and intriguing. It came out earlier this year so it did not include the latest campaign.

5. The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls
I am not a fan of memoirs but this is a book not to be missed. It is at times heartbreaking, at turns hilarious and consistently poignant.

4. Watch You Bleed: The Saga of Guns N’ Roses by Stephen Davis
A book that only true fans would likely find interesting, I was hooked with the depraved tale of musical geniuses and what could have been.

3. The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court by Jeffrey Toobin
For the second year in a row I have a behind the scenes look at the Supreme Court in my top 10. Toobin’s work focuses on the last twenty years of the Supreme Court and the difficult cases that have defined them. A highly entertaining read.

2. You’re Only as Good as Your Next One: 100 Great Films, 100 Good Films, and 100 for Which I Should Be Shot by Mike Medavoy and Josh Young
This is an entertaining, candid and informative look at one individual’s life in the movie business. Medavoy had a great run in the early 70s as a produced and has parlayed that into a length, successful run in the movie business. His recollections of the infamous Cotton Club shooting alone is worth the time spent reading.

1. Sundays in America: A Yearlong Road Trip in Search of Christian Faith by Suzanne Strempek Shea
Shea set out to attend a different church each week for a year in attempts to reconnect with her faith. In the process she visits a wide variety of churches from all stripes and records her impressions, some good, some bad, some ugly. If I wasn’t spoken for on Sunday mornings this is exactly the kind of thing I would love to do.