(1) Achtung Baby - U2
One of the first albums I bought with my own money. An almost perfect album, I love both the music lyrics. The darkness of the album is one of its' strengths. Standout tracks (10 years later), Love is Blindness, One, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, So Cruel. Love is Blindness is still one of my favourite U2 songs, the live version is just magical.
Can hardly believe the album is now 25 years old. Would pay so much to hear U2 play it straight through and can you imagine if they played it with an orchestra!
(2) Jars of Clay - Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay were the first "Christian" band I listened too. Love the authenticity of the lyrics. World's Apart is one of my all time favourite songs - the music and lyrics blend perfectly together. Through Jars of Clay I discovered so many other artists. My love of Jars of Clay has grown with each album, and I think their song writing has also developed a great deal.
(3) The Swell Season - The Swell Season
Another almost perfect album. Glen Hansard's voice matches perfectly with Marketa Irglova. Like the others above, its an album you listen to all the way through. Hansard and Irglova bring light and shade to each song and the result is just beautiful. Just can't rate this album highly enough.