Jesusfreakhideout.com: Staff Pick Their "Top 15 Albums Of All Time" (2008)


	Anberlin, *Cities* (2007) - "It's very difficult to keep this album out of a collection, as it is Anberlin's finest. The arrangement, the vocals, the songwriting, and the variety of songs are among the best that can be found in a Christian rock release or any release to date."

	Mad at the World, *Boomerang* (1991) - "The brothers, Roger and Randy Rose brought seven incredible albums from the late 80s to the mid 90s. Boomerang has some of the bands most memorable songs such as "Back to You," "Ballad of Adam and Eve," and "Draggin' the Chains." Every album from MATW is great and well worth the investment."

	Newsboys, *Going Public* (1994) - "The Newsboys began as an upbeat band from Australia opening up for Mylon LeFevre & Broken Heart in the late 80s. Going Public put this band on the map as an energetic alternative band with some incredible songs written and produced by Steve Taylor and Peter Furler. Who can forget greats like "Shine" and "Elle G."

	Code of Ethics, *Code of Ethics* (1993) - "This is one of the ultimate techno-alternative albums from the 90s, which captures the sound of groups like Depeche Mode and New Order."

	Steve Taylor, *Meltdown* (1984) - "Steve Taylor (producer of bands such as Newsboys, Guardian, and Sixpence NTR) defied the odds in the 80s. He provided songwriting that dealt with issues such as hypocrisy, politics, and testing faith. His music was ahead of its time and some didn't quite understand his direction and sarcasm; Meltdown is among his best albums of all time."

	Skillet, *Comatose* (2006) - "The once grunge band from the 90s has found a sound that works well for them. After having another complete makeover in 2003 with Collide, this album only evolves the sound a little further by balancing the hard rock with more keyboards."

	Sacred Warrior, *Wicked Generation* (1990) - "While the mainstream had Queensryche, Sacred Warrior brought us metal with the emotional vocals of Rey Para and the outstanding guitar driven melodies from guitarist Bruce Swift. This was a concept album where several of the songs were interwoven together much like Queensryche's Operation Mindcrime."

	Johnny Q. Public, **ExtraOrdinary*** (1995) - "Grunge music was the craze in the mid 90s, and this album is easily one of the best from a band that deserved more recognition than they received. I fell in love with this album instantly from beginning to end."

	Stavesacre, *Absolutes* (1997) - "Former vocalist of the thrash band, The Crucified, Mark Salomon formed Stavesacre. This sophmore release is easily their best as it contains many favorites like "Zzyzx Scarecrow," "Inclusive" and "Wither/Ascend."

	Switchfoot, *The Beautiful Letdown* (2003) - "Switchfoot really outdid themselves with this release and the mainstream buyers seemed to think so as well. Very few albums have this many good songs on one release such as "Dare You to Move," "Meant to Live," "This is Your Life," and "On Fire."

	Tourniquet, *Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance* (1992) - "This is the definitive thrash metal release and one of the best in its class. Ted Kirkpatrick is an amazing drummer that has a drum set that could fill up an entire living room! Think of it as Pantera with more caffeine."

	Jars of Clay, *Good Monsters* (2006) - "Jars of Clay will always share a special place in my heart for music. This band is full of surprises and they seem to get better with age. The sophomore release, Much Afraid was a huge favorite in my collection, but I like this release a little more. I love everything about Good Monsters as well as the concept artwork chosen for this release. "Work," "All My Tears," "Mirrors & Smoke" continue to amaze me with every listen."

	Holy Soldier, *Last Train* (1992) - "There was a lot of pop metal band acts in the early 90s, and Holy Soldier will be remembered for their incredible second release. This album is a little darker than their first release, but it sets the tone for great songs such as the title track. Fans of Dokken will love this release."

	Guardian, *Bottle Rocket* (1997) - "After releasing five albums, Guardian decided to save the best for last and it was produced by the talented Steve Taylor. Vocalist, Jamie Rowe, got rid of his signature long hair for this release. Guardian updated their sound while still keeping their style all its own."

	Grammatrain, *Flying* (1997) - "Established in Seatle, Washington (no surprise here), this band created some of the best grunge music known to man. This release contained greats such as "Jonah," "Pain," and "Rocket Ship."

	HONORABLE MENTIONS..... Wayne, being the brains behind this particular feature, just couldn't help naming a good number over the selected 15, so we decided to at least give mention to the rest of his list. Those titles included All Things New from Steven Curtis Chapman (2004), Beyond Belief by rock legends Petra (1990), The Best Worst-Case Scenario from Fair (2006), Rebecca St. James's electronic heavy release Transform (2000), Weapons of Our Warfare from Deliverance (1990), Sanctus Real's sophomore album Fight the Tide (2004), dc Talk's final full-length album, Supernatural (1998), Sixpence None The Richer's Divine Discontent (2002), and lastly, Stryper's Soldiers Under Command (1985)