9 songs from 2009

Yesterday's post on the Good Letters blog was on nine songs from 2009 that had impacted the writer. It wasn't a meme but I thought I'd come up with my own version nonetheless. Here goes with the songs I've most enjoyed in 2009:

• 'Epistomology' - M Ward: 2009 was the year that I got into M Ward (late as ever!) via Hold Time. Good humoured lyrics and tunes with a core of seriousness as in this track where finding God or a girl is a matter both of luck and judgement.
• 'The Right Place' - Monsters of Folk: Discovering M Ward led on to checking out the Monsters of Folk album because of his involvement with Conor Oberst, Yim Yames and Mike Mogis. On a God-bothered album, this somewhat surreal country track questions whether we are where God wants us to be.
• 'The Beautiful Axe' - Woven Hand: More intense, gothic Christianity couched in King James English and picturing Christ cutting at the roots of sinful humanity from David Eugene Edwards.
• 'Carry Your Cross' - Michael McDermott: Beautiful piano ballad of resolve and commitment - "I'd take your doubt and fear when trouble's looming near."
• 'Moment of Surrender' - U2: Stunning ballad dealing with the insight that profound change can be occurring for an individual completely unnoticed by those around them.
• 'Black Swan Song' - Athlete: Loved Athlete at Greenbelt and this song of readiness for and reunion in death touches all sorts of vulnerabilities in my soul.
• 'Take Your Time' - Al Green: Incredible melding of voices in this wonderful duet with Corinne Bailey Rae from Lay It Down.
• 'No Cover Up' - Duke Special: Again, I really enjoyed the Greenbelt gig. My brother-in-law gave me Songs From The Deep Forest and it took me quite a while to get it; now that I have this plea for honesty is my favourite.
• 'I Feel A Change Comin' On' - Bob Dylan: The ever restless Dylan speaksinging his concise, comedic tale of change in the darkest part of the night just before the dawn.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David Rawlings Machine - To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High).