Here are our favorite albums released in 2015, including one from Jill Andrews whom we hosted in July.

Tree63 – Land:  Tree63 was a stalwart of the “Christian music” market a decade ago, but
nutrients are scarce in a shallow subculture, and the Tree eventually burnt
out.  They replanted after a seven year
hiatus in the deep soil of independence, producing and releasing Land through a kickstarter
campaign.  They still sing about faith
but are now free to explore it from many angles.  If you’ve ever patiently lived with doubt,
you may resonate with these songs.  If
you appreciate soaring male vocals and upbeat rock and roll, you may enjoy
these tunes.  I’m two for two.  The CD is literally stuck in my truck’s
player, and that’s just fine with me.

Jill Andrews – The War Inside:  I’ve long appreciated Jill’s smooth southern voice and thoughtful songwriting.  She has made a living in the Americana niche
for a decade.  I was pleasantly surprised,
however, by the progressive production on The
War Inside.  While I don’t resonate deeply
with all of the themes on this record, the fresh eclectic fusion of southern
and pop sounds is so good that I keep coming back to it.

Sandra McCracken – Psalms:  These songs are reflections on biblical psalms, orchestrated, played, and sung
soothingly by Sandra on piano and tracked live with a simple band.  The song “Sweet Comfort” could have been the
title track, because sweet comfort is what this record evokes from beginning to
end.  When guests were in my house in
2015, I often chose to play this record as an essential stratum of a welcoming
atmosphere.

David Ramirez – Fables:  I love an autobiographical artist as long as he tells the truth.  When the truth illuminates every word, there
is no glory in brokenness and grace eventually shines through.  David has chosen a path with some measure of mistakes,
which results in some honest pain being reflected in these songs, but there is
a glimmer of hope, however fleeting, in stand-out track “Rock and a Hard
Place.”  “Maybe I want to stare death in the
face.  Pound my chest and scream, ‘I
ain’t afraid!’  Truth is I’m beaten down
and broken from all the weight pushing me to trade my guilt for grace.”  Thank God for that grace, and God bless David
Ramirez.  His words mean a lot to me.