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East West
Floodgate / Epic

East West's debut is the perfect blend of hardcore rock with a taste of rapcore elements, along the lines of P.O.D., Korn, and Project 86. This impressive major label debut is destined to bring the band a great deal of success thanks to their polished sound and balance between raw rock intensity and vibrant melodic emotion.

Read the original review here.

Charlie Hall
sixstep / Sparrow

Hall lends his blend of alternative worship straight from the Passion movement to sixstep Records. This sophomore release for the worship label showcases Hall mixing up rock and roll with contemplative meditations. Porch and Altar closes with a breathtaking four-song sequence of peace, cleansing, meditation, and comfort.

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Shaun Groves
Rocketown

Thankfully there are still a group of singer/songwriters that aren't afraid to wear their hearts on their sleeves and challenge listeners with various themes. Groves is amongst the top new troubadours this year, combining cutting-edge acoustic jams with contemplative coffee-sipping tunes. Songs such as "Damage Done," "Should I Tell Them," and "Welcome Home" are a few poetic highlights from this performer with a promising future.

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The Elms
Sparrow

Since their debut EP, The Elms have matured tenfold, developing a knack for clever songwriting and a British-inspired rock backbeat. The group abandoned their formulaic acoustic rock sound to incorporate more prominent musical influences, including The Beatles and Radiohead. Songs such as "Hey, Hey" and a new version of "Lifeboat" are undeniably catchy, while the lush orchestration of "Real Men Cry" is timeless.

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Starflyer 59
Tooth & Nail

The Beach Boys had Pet Sounds for their career masterpiece while Starflyer 59 continues in that tradition with the release of Leave Here a Stranger. The group's mellow acoustic balladry reaches a high level of artistic intricacy and splendor. Consider playing this disc in its entirety to allow the problems of life to float away while the musical magnificence and peace take over.

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Further Seems Forever
Tooth & Nail

The Moon is Down is without a doubt the year's best release within the emo genre. It sports full guitar-driven arrangements fleshed out with vocalist Chris Carrabba's emotional wails. Although Carrabba left Further Seems Forever to join Dashboard Confessional around the time of disc's release, his remarkable singing style is preserved here with the band's Weezer-meets-The Get Up Kids hybrid.

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Bebo Norman
Watershed / Essential

Norman shows incredible maturity both musically and lyrically on Big Blue Sky, an album that has enhanced instrumentation and production quality. Norman is able to elevate his acoustic sounds in volume without alienating those who liked his older material's delicate and introspective feel. "I Am" and "Cover Me" are the project's breakaway singles and crowd-pleasers, setting listeners up for the rest of Big Blue Sky's pop sensibilities.

Read the original review here.

Chris Tomlin
sixstep / Sparrow

Straight from the Passion movement, Tomlin releases a touching record of worship set to a mix between acoustic and plugged-in rock and roll. Tomlin is blessed with the ability to lead worship well, and does so with a certain aura of artistic intricateness that hooks and reels listeners into the presence of God.

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