tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26997085954189819492024-03-08T15:04:02.700-08:00Light From the UndergroundUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-8468430841059630982015-01-03T16:35:00.002-08:002015-01-03T16:37:10.312-08:00My Favorite CD's of 20141. Hal Ketchum - I'm the Troubadour (Music Road) - I first heard Hal's music in late 1990 or early 1991. I was working for a country radio station in Grayling. I didn't really think of myself as a country music fan but driving around Northern Michigan I had lots of time to listen to our music. I hadn't listened to his music since the early 90's but his latest came in the mail from the very cool Texas label Music Road and I made a point to take it home for a listen. This is his first album in six years and his first non major label release. I was hooked with the first listen and new it would be one of my favorites this year. Little did I know that it would top the list. Hal seems very comfortable with music that brings together country, rock and soul influences. It really is sad that articulate artists like Hal, Vince Gill, and Lee Ann Womack can't find a place on country radio anymore.<br />
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2. The Choir - Shadow Weaver (Galaxy 21) - These indie rockers continue to put out great music 30+ years after their first album. Shadow Weaver is among their best bringing together Steve Hindalong's thoughtful lyrics and Derri Daugherty's ethereal yet edgy guitar playing. My favorite song is "Everybody's Got a Guru" with the alnum's lyrical highlight:<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;"><br />Living in the heartland</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">or in Islamabad</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">The voice of fear and hatred</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">It is not the voice of God</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">You can grease the hand</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">Of the preacher man</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">Who sees it like you do</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">I'm taking a big step backward</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">To expand my point of view</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">3. Over the Rhine - Blood Oranges in the Snow (GSD) - This is Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist's third Christmas album, and I'm hoping they have several more in them. This time around it is nice to hear more of Linford's singing. His voice provides a nice harmony vocal to Karin's voice and he even steps out for the lead vocal on "Another Christmas." My favorites include the soulfully sad take on Merle Haggard's "If We Make it Through December" and "Bethlehem." But there's not a bad one on this disc. This is the perfect soundtrack for late nights with the lights dimmed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">4. Steve Taylor and the Perfect Foil - Goliath (Splint Entertainment) - The 20+ years between this and his previous album had some wondering if we would ever hear new music from him again. Any new music will be compared with his career best with Chagall Guevara and Goliath stands up nicely. "Only a Ride" kicks the album off in true rock fashion. Thankfully they are already talking about doing another album.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">5. U2 - Songs of Innocence - I remember being amused by the reaction people had to how they received the album. I'm not an I-Tunes person so my first thought was, "I'll take it off your hands." After all, U2 is one of my favorite groups and Songs of Innocence is a nice step forward after the misstep of No Line on the Horizon. There are lots of songs to like and my favorites include "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)", "Song for Someone", and "Iris." Next time around I think they should drop the worries of commercial relevance and just put out music that moves their soul. After a certain point you've earned the right not to worry about hit singles.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">6. St. Paul and the Broken Bones - Half the City (Thirty Tigers) - My friends Ron and Erin turned me on to this band. They deliver Southern Soul with lots of horns and a singer that can grab you by the heart. You can tell Paul Janeway has spent time listening to soul greats like Otis Redding and Al Green, and to my ears you can't go wrong with that as your frame of reference.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">7. Bill Mallonee - Winnowing (Independent) - Winnowing fits in well among Bill's best and that says alot when you're talking about someone that Paste Magazine called one of the top 100 living songwriters. Even with great critical acclaim he continues to make music in relative </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">anonymity. If you're not familiar with his music do yourself a favor and dig into his catalog. The first thing I noticed about this disc is that his voice is weathered and weary. He has a voice that owns songs like "Those Locust Years" and "From an Old Beat Up Ford" because you can tell he has lived what he sings. The realness of his voice and music continues to draw me back for repeated listens. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">8. Damien Jurado - Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son (Secretly Canadian) - I have one or two of Damien's previous discs and first heard this new one when NPR played "Silver Timothy." I was hooked and made a point to look for it the next time I was at a record store. This album brings together Indie Rock, Folk and Psychedelic influences that creates an album that is haunting.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">9. Bruce Springsteen - High Hopes (Columbia) - This album brings together outtakes, covers and new versions of previous songs. Springsteen draws creative energy from his collaborations with guitarist Tom Morello, who brings a renewed creative verve to songs like "The Ghost of Tom Joad." I'm a late coming fan to Bruce's music but he definitely has me for any new music he'll put out.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">10. Jonathan Rundman - Look Up (Salt Lady) - Jonathan was focused on the Finnish American Folk of his duo Kaivama, but with the demise of the group he has returned with his first singer songwriter album in ten years. I especially enjoyed seeing that he enlisted Brent Bourgeois to sing on "Northbound Traffic." The CD won't officially release til this month so it may find a place on my 2015 list.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">11. Rodney Crowell - Tarpaper Sky (New West)<br />12. Walter Salas-Humara - Curve and Shae (Sonic Pyramid)<br />13. Parker Milsap - Parker Milsap (Okra Homa)<br />14. Gavin Mee - Mee Mantras (Birthings)<br />15. Scott Musick - Americana Gold (Independent)<br />16. Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis - Our Year (Thirty Tigers)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">17. Switchfoot - Fading West (Atlantic)<br />18. Lone Justice - This is Lone Justice: The Vaught Tapes (Omnivore)<br />19. Wussy - Attica (Shake it Records)<br />20. Sinead O'Connor - I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss (Nettwerk)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;"><b>Honorable Mentions</b><br />Appleseed Collective - Young Love<br />The Blueflowers - At the Edge of Disaster<br />The Gaslight Anthem - Get Hurt<br />Jon Brooks - The Smiling and Beautiful Countryside</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">David Olney - When the Deal Goes Down<br />Flying Colors - Second Nature<br />Transatlantic - Kaleidescope<br />Matisyahu - Akeda</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">Claudia Schmidt - New Whirled Order<br />The Call - A Tribute to Michael Been<br />Billy Brandt and the Sugarees - The Time is Now</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">Funeral Bonsai Wedding - Funeral Bonsai Wedding<br />Stewart Francke - A Familiar Fire<br />Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellys - Here Between</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">Mary Gauthier - Trouble and Love<br />Nickel Creek - A Dotted Line<br />Lac La Belle - A Friend too Long<br />Need to Breathe - River in the Wasteland</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-73305272952794261862014-01-03T08:07:00.001-08:002014-01-03T08:07:27.172-08:00My Top CD's of 2013I listen to quite a bit of music each year through my work at Trinity House Theatre, WHFR.FM, and 88.1 The Park. Here are the CD's and songs I enjoyed the most.<br />
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<b>Albums</b><br />
1. Joshua Davis - A Miracle of Birds (Earthwork) - Amazing songs from the lead singer of Lansing's Steppin' In It. They were birthed out of a trip to Palestine. Song after song is great but "Waiting on the Dove" is a song above songs.<br />
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2. Jars of Clay - Inland (Independent) - This CCM band broke away from their Nashville label and created the best album of their career. I also had a chance to see them live with about 100 people at the Crofoot Pike Room and it was one of my favorite shows this year.<br />
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3. Jason Harrod - Highliner (Independent) - Jason created his most complete album yet. Poetic songwriting with great musical twists. I've seen him perform many times and his live show has gotten stronger and more confident.<br />
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4. Daniel Amos - Dig Here Said the Angel (Stunt) - I'm always glad to see new music from Terry Taylor and his cohorts in Daniel Amos. This fits in well with the rest of their albums and is one of their best.<br />
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5. Over the Rhine - Meet Me At the Edge of the World (GSD)- This is one of those albums that you need to live with for some time. I hear new things with each listen. It is especially cool to hear Linford's harmony vocals on so much of the music.<br />
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6. The Civil Wars - The Civil Wars (Columbia)- I wasn't sure this would be in my top 10 but as I came back to it I was struck by how strong it is.<br />
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7. Jason Isbell - Southeastern (New West) - The former Drive by Trucker member comes into his own with this CD. I liked bits and pieces of his former band but this album tops them all.<br />
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8. Court Yard Hounds - Amelita (Columbia)- New music from 2/3 of the Dixie Chicks is always good. This is their second album as a duo and big step forward from their first disc. Right away you notice much stronger songs that should be on pop radio if there was any justice in the world.<br />
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9. Harper and Motor City Josh - Bare Bones (Blu Harp)Harper sets aside the didgeridoo and as he and Josh turn to an acoustic blues focus. I'm glad someone brought them together through a live performance because this duo should make plans to record and perform more.<br />
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10. Blue Rodeo - In Our Nature (TeleSoul) - I've always been aware of Blue Rodeo and I really liked their classic song "Lost Together" but I've gotten more into their music over the last several years. I'm looking forward to the chance to explore their past catalog in a more serious way.<br />
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11. Dolly Varden - For Awhile (Mid-Fi) - I got this CD early in 2013 and knew it would be among my favorites of the year. This Chicago based roots rock/Americana band deserves more acclaim due to the strong songwriting of Steve Dawson and the excellent musical performances.<br />
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12. Mavis Staples - One True Vine (Anti) - Mavis has a voice that demands to be listened to. She totally owns these songs with one strong performance after another. This is the second disc that Jeff Tweedy (Wilco) produced.<br />
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13. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Specter at the Feast (Vagrant) - Fuzzy rock and roll influenced by bands like The Jesus and Mary Chain. I became a fan after their CD Howl which had more of an Americana influence. I love their cover of The Call's "Let the Day Begin."<br />
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<b>Honorable Mentions</b><br />
Audrey Assad - Fortunate Fall (Fortunate Fall)<br />
Sam Baker - Say Grace (Independent)<br />
Slaid Cleaves - Still Fighting the War (Music Road)<br />
Ryan Dillaha - Awful Blue (Independent)<br />
Eels - Wonderful Glorious (Vagrant)<br />
Gifts or Creatures - Yesteryear Western Darkness (Earth Work)<br />
Gungor - I Am Mountain - (Hither and Von)<br />
Haim - Days Are Gone (Columbia)<br />
Emmy Lou Harris and Rodney Crowell - Old Yellow Moon (None Such)<br />
Jan Krist and Jim Bizer - Too (Yellow Room)<br />
Graham Parker and the Rumour - Three Chords Good (EMI)<br />
Pinnick/Gales/Pridgen - Pinnick Gales Pridgen (Magna Carta)<br />
Red Tail Ring - The Heart's Swift Foot (Earth Work)<br />
Brion Riborn - Don't Look Back, Never Look Back (Independent)<br />
Stryper - No More Hell to Pay (Frontier)<br />
Switchfoot - Fading West EP (Atlantic)<br />
Robert Randolph and the Family Band - Lickety Split (Blue Note)<br />
Richard Thompson - Electric (New West)<br />
Brooks Williams - New Everything (Red Guitar Blue Music)<br />
Holly Williams - The Highway (Georgiana)<br />
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<b>Songs</b><br />
1. Slaid Cleaves - Still Fighting the War<br />
2. Joshua Davis - Waiting on the Dove<br />
3. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Let the Day Begin<br />
4. Haim - The Wire<br />
5. Harper and Motor City Josh - Why Can't We All Just Get Along<br />
6. Daniel Amos - Forward in Reverse<br />
7. Emmy Lou Harris and Rodney Crowell - Open Season on My Heart<br />
8. Jars of Clay - Reckless Forgiver<br />
9. Over the Rhine - Earthbound Love Song<br />
10. Court Yard Hounds - SunshineUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-6856301521187844362010-06-29T11:53:00.001-07:002010-06-29T11:54:20.717-07:00The Lost Dogs - Old AngelI’m not sure it’s fair to call the Lost Dogs a side project anymore. The band that began as an opportunity for four talented songwriters to work together has in many ways become their main gig. Sure you might still get a new release from one of their original bands but they’ve been much more prolific as the Dogs; which is great news for anyone who enjoys their take on Americana.<br /><br />Their new CD, Old Angel, was inspired by a road trip they took on Route 66. The band started in Chicago and crossed eight states on their way to California. They brought long time friend and fellow musician Jimmy Abegg along to film and photograph the tour for a DVD release.<br /><br />Old Angel holds its own among the best music the Lost Dogs have released. Terry Taylor wrote seven of the songs outright and co-wrote five others. His poetics talents can be heard throughout the record. In my opinion he is one of the most underrated songwriters making music today. His writing holds its own with the best of the best. The same can be said for the lyrical and musical contributions of the other Dogs. Mike Roe’s guitar work is impeccable. I could listen to Derri’s sweet voice sing the phone book and Steve Hindalong brings such beautiful touch to the percussion work. Together they create music that demands repeated listens. I found myself listening over and over to many of the songs throughout this album.<br /><br />The CD opens with “Israelites and Okies.” The lush, beautiful music reminds me of “Broken Like Brooklyn,” which began their last CD, The Lost Cabin and the Mystery Trees. The lyrics are propelled by the subtle yet stunning guitar work.<br /><br />I caught myself thinking that “The Glory Road” would fit perfectly on a Daniel Amos CD. Then I realized it was written by Terry and longtime DA collaborators Greg Flesch and Tim Chandler. After a little more digging I found that it was on a Daniel Amos album. It is great hearing it on this new recording with Mike on the vocals.<br /><br />“Traveling Mercies” is a beautiful showcase for Derri Daugherty’s charming vocals. I loved the EP he released several years ago and I’m excited to see that a new disc from the Choir is in the works. I only hope he will take the time to record a full length solo album. “Traveling Mercies” will also serve as the perfect send off for those who are planning road trips this summer.<br /><br />One of my favorite songs on the disc is “Pearl Moon (Hooverville Camp, 1932).” I knew from the title that this had to be based on a historical reference. Hooverville Camps were depression era shack towns built on the edge towns during the Great Depression. They provided a home for the down and out. This is one of those beautifully sad songs that you can’t help listening to again and again.<br /><br />“Wicked Guns” provides a rocker for Mike Roe to showcase his wicked guitar work. It wouldn’t be a Lost Dogs record if Mike didn’t have a chance to rock out.<br /><br />My one complaint is with the art work. Don’t get me wrong, Jimmy Abegg’s photography and art work is beautiful. But this is the type of album that demands a much more expanded booklet. I would love to see more of the photos Jimmy took. It would have been great to see them create an expanded disc and booklet for fans that want to pay more.<br /><br />I could go on and on about Old Angel. This is an album that deserves much greater attention than it will receive, but the band will most likely continue to record in obscurity. <br />That is an injustice.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-10792798784891307822010-04-09T07:13:00.000-07:002010-04-09T07:41:52.418-07:00Amy Grant - Somewhere Down the RoadI have been horrible about writing in my blog consistently. It figures that it would take a new Amy Grant CD to get me to write.<br /><br />Her new CD Somewhere Down the Road is amazing. I've been a fan since high school, maybe even earlier. Her albums Lead Me on and Behind the Eyes are among my favorite albums ever. But I have to admit I get nervous when I hear there is a new CD coming from Amy. Though she can be brilliant she can just as easily put out something that falls flat (Simple Things). She also has a way of putting out way too many Christmas albums. They are always enjoyable listens but I've always been hoping for something that reaches the artistic heights of Behind the Eyes.<br /><br />Somewhere Down the Road does that. It makes sense that it includes two songs from Behind the Eyes (Somewhere Down the Road and Every Road). But fear not, this is not just a repackaging of her past music. It has four brand new songs along with some previously unreleased tracks. All the music blends together like it was created just for this CD.<br /><br />The lead off track, Better than a Hallelujah, stops me in my tracks. I can listen to this song over and over again.<br /><br />We pour out our miseries <br />God just hears a melody <br />Beautiful, the mess we are <br />The honest cries of breaking hearts <br />Are better than a Hallelujah <br /><br />The song was written by Sarah Hart and Chapin Hartford. I'm not familiar with Chapin but Sarah is a wonderful songwriter worth checking out.<br /><br />Amy also has a chance to sing with her daughter Sarah on the song Overnight. Their voices blend together beautifully in this wonderful duet. She said she has been looking for just the right song to do with her daughter and she found it with this one.<br /><br />It is always interesting to see who Amy is collaborating with on her songwriting. Usual suspects like Wayne Kirkpatrick and Chris Eaton are on this album. She also took time to write with Mindy Smith and Ian Fitchuk and Justin Loucks. Ian and Justin produced Mindy's latest CD and the three of them were excellent choices for Amy to work with. I read that she also cowrote some music with Jon Foreman, though none of that made this CD. Hopefully it will be on another one soon.<br /><br />One of the centerpieces of this CD is the rerecording of her song Arms of Love which she slows down for this take. The new version makes it beautifully reflective.<br /><br />In a fairly daring move Amy included Come Into My World which features just her and a guitar. That's not something you typically see from most pop singers but the song fits beautifully with the overall theme of the album.<br /><br />It is has been seven years since her last album of new songs (Simple Things). Behind the Eyes was six years prior to that. Hopefully this album will rekindle a passion for recording new music. I personally don't want to wait another six or seven years for new music from Amy.<br /><br />I noticed that she is coming to the Detroit area this summer for a concert with Michael W. Smith. Until I heard this new music I was probably going to miss it. Now I have to get off my butt and look into tickets. I can't wait.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-84526383144166979232010-01-14T16:59:00.000-08:002010-01-14T17:30:08.359-08:00Cheap Trick is my Fave of 2009Some people smile when they see Cheap Trick "The Latest" at the top of my 2009 faves. I think some people just don't take them seriously. There is probably good reason since so many classic rock bands are relegated to the nostalgia tours and repackaging their greatest hits.<br /><br />I've always loved Cheap Trick when I heard them on the radio, well except for some of the late 80's stuff they put out. Great rock songs from a band that doesn't take themselves too seriously. But my love of Cheap Trick was limited to hearing them on the radio, until their last CD "Rockford" came out. I read a few reviews that praised it and said it was among the best that year. That was all it took for me to check it out. Sure enough, Cheap Trick had produced a gem and I was hooked.<br /><br />It took me several months to pick up "The Latest." I wanted to but I kept putting it off. Finally I saw it on a few end of the year best of lists for the Metro Times and that put me over the edge. After one listen I knew why these critics ranked it as their favorite of the year. It has great rock songs filled with hooks that bring you back to them hours later. They also avoid any calculated attempts at radio airplay. You get the sense that they set out to please themselves, and in the end they created a CD that holds its own with their best albums.<br /><br />So far my favorites are "Miss Tomorrow", "These Days", and "Sick Man of Europe."<br /><br />Interesting note, this is their first CD that they self released. I guess that saves them any arguments with the record company about what songs to include. I was also interested to see that in addition to a vinyl version they also released it on 8 Track Tape. Too funny. They even have a You Tube commercial on their website for one of their shows. It says "The Latest" is the number 1 selling 8 Track of 2009. Imagine that!<br /><br />I have a dream that sometime they will play a show at the Salem High School Auditorium as a benefit for the high school radio station I manage. I know, it won't likely happen. But WSDP could use the money, and I'm sure they would come away with quite a few new fans. I'll keep my fingers crossed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-89190783557693232002010-01-13T12:13:00.000-08:002010-01-13T12:21:45.499-08:00Cheap Trick Tops My Best of for 2009I'm a little behind on getting my best of 2009 together. I wrote a list of CD's that I picked up throughout 2009 and mulled it over for a few weeks. I thought Switchfoot would be my top choice and then I picked up both Cheap Trick and Rosanne Cash at the end of the year and they changed my opinion.<br /><br />I've been very negligent about writing in my blog this past year. I hope to spend future blogs writing about some of my favorites of 2009. Hopefully I will get started on it before May. There's a resolution for me.<br /><br />1 Cheap Trick - The Latest (Independent)<br />2 Rosanne Cash - The List (Manhattan)<br />3 Switchfoot - Hello Hurricane (Atlantic)<br />4 Drew Nelson - Dusty Road to Beulah Land (Waterbug)<br />5 Buddy and Julie Miller – Written in Chalk (New West)<br />6 Derek Webb – Stockholm Syndrome (INO)<br />7 Over the Rhine – Live From Nowhere Vol. 4 (GSD)<br />8 Need to Breathe – The Outsiders (Atlantic)<br />9 Sara Groves – Fireflies and Songs (INO)<br />10 Jen Sygit – So Long Pollyanna (Earthwork)<br />11 Sam Baker – Cotton (Music Road)<br />12 Susan Werner – Classics (Sleeve Dog)<br />13 Pierce Pettis – That Kind of Love (Compass)<br />14 Wilco – Wilco (The Album) (Nonesuch) <br />15 U2 – No Line on the Horizon (Interscope)<br />16 Transatlantic – The Whirlwind (Radiant/Metal Blade)<br />17 Rachele Eve – Mouth of Feathers (Independent)<br />18 The Mountain Goats – The Life of the World To Come (4AD)<br />19 Jars of Clay – The Long Fall Back to Earth (Gray Matter/Sony)<br />20 Mindy Smith – Stupid Love (Vanguard)<br />21 Chris Richards and the Subtractions – Sad Sounds of the Summer (Gangplank)<br />22 The Ragbirds – Finally Almost Ready (Independent)<br />23 Mark Olson and Gary Louris – Ready for the Flood (New West)<br />24 Michael Miller – I Made You Up (Shiny Shiny)<br />25 Tinted Windows – Tinted Windows (S Curve)<br />26 Keri Noble – Keri Noble (Telarc)<br />27 Jo Serrapere – Love Going South (Detroit Radio Company)<br />28 Gurf Morlix – Last Exit to Hollywood (Independent)<br />29 Mayer Hawthorne – A Strange Arrangement ( Stones Throw)<br />30 Serena Ryder – Is It OK (Atlantic)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-62948170865833616642009-08-26T07:15:00.000-07:002009-08-26T07:16:13.710-07:00<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/s5pBXY2AkeY&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s5pBXY2AkeY&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-12835787067549730112009-08-11T08:55:00.001-07:002009-08-11T09:27:33.758-07:00Mindy Smith's New CDMindy Smith will release her latest CD, Stupid Love, this month. Many of her fans became familiar with her music through her debut CD "One Moment More" and the cross-format hit Come to Jesus.<br /><br />Her latest CD brings a bit more of an edgy sound to some of the songs. The CD opens with What Went Wrong, a song that incorporates some crunchy, distorted guitars. If there is any justice the current single, Highs and Lows, will pick up airplay on adult alternative stations. It has pop hooks galore.<br /><br />One of my favorite songs is Surface. Mindy's gorgeous vocals captivate you as she sings "Everybody's searching, trying to find a reason to live in this world of fallen kingdoms, looking for a little truth, cause maybe just a little truth may get us through." In just under 4 minutes she manages to capture so much of the human condition.<br /><br />She has alot of her friends contributing musically. Guest vocals from Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Leigh Nash, Thad Cockrell, Susan Ashton, and Kate York. Add on that the beautiful cello work of Matt Slocum and you have a CD that is very easy to enjoy. I love hearing Leigh Nash on the backup vocals for What Love Can Do. Their singing styles blend beautifully.<br /><br />I only have a couple complaints. The CD packaging is disappointing. The CD would have benefited from a booklet complete with lyrics. This isn't her first CD so lets put some money into the packaging to make this a more worthwhile purchase. Who knows, hopefully this packaging is just for the pre-release and they'll do it up a bit when people shell out their hard earned money.<br /><br />One of her producers, Ian Fitchuk, duets with Mindy on True Love of Mine. He is a pleasant vocalist but when you have folks like Vince Gill and Thad Cockrell singing backup vocals, I think you could shuffle the singing responsibilities and have one of them sing the duet.<br /><br />With that said there is alot to like about Stupid Love. Hopefully Mindy will garner more airplay for this CD, and pick up more fans along the way.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-56701291971234351602009-06-06T18:25:00.000-07:002009-06-06T18:41:39.361-07:00One of my Favorite New SongsMy last post was about a horrible song I heard on Christian radio. I decided to post one of my new favorite songs as a balance to the last post. A band called Roman Candle has a new song called "Why Modern Radio is A-OK With Me." I liked their last album quite a bit so I decided to order the new one when I had an Amazon Gift Card to spend. When it arrived I noticed the song right away, probably due to my years of work in radio.<br /><br />Lately I've been frustrated by the number of quality people that have been fired by their radio stations. So many stations are making more and more cuts, usually impacting people that I never thought would be let go. But this song has more to do about the bland programming that so many stations serve up. If you have a chance check it out online please do. I think you'll enjoy it.<br /><br />I was down at my favorite watering hole with a buddy of mine that was out on parole and we were flipping through the jukebox, talking how we'd been and how we are.<br /><br />Well he'd got a library card and he'd pierced his tongue And a buddy in prison had turned him onto Neil Young And he thought it'd be best to play some for the entire bar. Now he didn't know it but while he was in Jail I'd had my heart broke by a woman to wondrous to tell And wed fallen in love to half the songs that jukebox playedS o when he flattened his dollar on the side of the machine and I saw Comes a Time come on the karaoke screen I'd realized there was a few things I had forgot to say:<br /><br />Don't play Neil Young Don't play Van Morrison Just let some high school emo band start versing and chorusing Because theres no way it will break my heart as far as I can see And thats why modern radio is A OK with me.<br /><br />(Over the sound of the bar noise my friend looked at me and said) He said a pop song used to be a powerful thing, you could turn on the AM and John Lennon would sing or Frank Sinatra would speak to all of the girls. And you could think like a hawk or think like a dove or think of a winter afternoon when you fell in love and Ten songs on a record sounded like a string of pearls.<br />Now my buddy rattled on till an hour had passed And I thought about shoving his head through the front door glass And leaving him for dead, but a friend is a friend to stay. So I listened to him talk about Johnny and June And how true love goes from midnight to noon I bought another round just in time to hear him say:<br /><br />They don't play Sam Cooke They dont play Johnny Cash They let some high school emo band play the prettiest trash And theres no way it can break my heart as far as I can see And thats why modern radio is a sack of monkeys to me.<br /><br />He said it makes me so mad I want to get out and shout it And I smiled and said I hadn't thought that much about it and we walked out the street and parted ways I might've gone to a movie, but my money was spent so I went on home, the Lord knows where he went and wrote and open letter to all modern djs (saying)<br /><br />Don't play Bob Dylan Dont play Loose Ends Dont play anybody thats ever heard Sir Patrick Spence Because broken hearted people are looking for a little something to ignore And that is why modern radio is better than ever before And that is why modern radio is better than ever beforeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-52504497947953180312009-05-20T05:27:00.001-07:002009-05-20T05:33:22.342-07:00If I Was JesusI was listening to Christian radio recently. (I know, why do I do this to myself?). I heard a song by Paul Coleman called "If I Was Jesus." It might be one of the worst songs I've ever heard on Christian radio, and that says alot. I was looking for the lyrics online and noticed that Toby Keith also recorded it (enough said).<br /><br />I also noticed that it was cowritten by Phil Madeira, who I think is an excellent songwriter. Don't let this song discourage you, if you haven't heard his music you should check it out.<br /><br />Where should I start. Here are the lyrics. I'll let you decide.<br /><br />If I Was Jesus, I’d have some real long hairA robe and some sandals, is exactly what I’d wearI’d be the guy at the party, turnin’ water to wineYeah me and my disciples, we’d have a real good time.<br /><br />Ooh and I’d lay my life down for you (woooooh)And I show you who’s the boss (woooooh)I’d forgive you and adore youWhile I was hangin’ on your cross<br /><br />If I Was Jesus.I’d have some friends that were poorI’d run around with the wrong crowd, man I’d never be boredThen I’d heal me a blind man, get myself crucifiedBy politicians and preachers, who got somethin’ to hide.<br /><br />Ooh and I’d lay my life down for you (woooooh)And I show you who’s the boss (woooooh)I’d forgive you and adore youWhile I was hangin’ on your cross<br /><br />If I Was Jesus.If I Was Jesus, I’d come back from the deadAnd I’d walk on some water, just to mess with your headI know your dark little secrets, I’d look you right in the faceAnd I’d tell you I love you, with Amazing Grace.<br /><br />Ooh and I’d lay my life down for you (woooooh)And I show you who’s the boss (woooooh)I’d forgive you and adore youWhile I was hangin’ on your crossIf I Was Jesus.If I Was Jesus.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-74467037629466773132009-05-02T19:01:00.000-07:002009-05-02T19:07:25.482-07:00My Top 40 of all timeFor awhile Facebook was filled with people posting their top 5, 20 or 40 CD's of all time. I read many of the lists and they got me thinking. Of course, it took me far too long to get my list posted. But here it finally is. I probably missed something that I'll think of as soon as I hit "publish post." I admit that I cheated and included some best of's and box sets, but I stand by the picks.<br /><br />1. U2 – Joshua Tree<br />2. Elvis Costello – King of America<br />3. Peter Case – The Man with the Blue, Postmodern, Fragmented, Neotraditionalist Guitar<br />4. Vigilantes of Love – Audible Sigh<br />5. Johnny Cash – Unearthed<br />6. Stevie Wonder – At the Close of the Century<br />7. Amy Grant – Behind the Eyes<br />8. Emmylou Harris – Wrecking Ball<br />9. Over the Rhine – Good Dog Bad Dog, or Eve, or Ohio (depends on the day and my mood)<br />10. Tonio K – Romeo Unchained<br />11. The Innocence Mission – The Innocence Mission<br />12. Arrested Development – 3 Years, Five Months and Two Days in the Life of…<br />13. Kings X – Gretchen Goes to Nebraska<br />14. Bob Marley – Legend<br />15. Jon Anderson – Three Ships<br />16. Sam Cooke – Portrait of a Legend<br />17. Sam Phillips – Martinis and Bikinis<br />18. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky<br />19. Mark Heard – Second Hand<br />20. John Austin – The Embarrassing Young<br />21. Jan Krist – Curious<br />22. The Alarm – Declaration<br />23. Al Green – Let’s Stay Together<br />24. Lone Justice – Lone Justice<br />25. The 77's - Seventy Sevens<br />26. Kansas – Vinyl Confessions<br />27. The Bears – Rise and Shine<br />28. John Hiatt – Bring the Family<br />29. Steve Taylor – I Predict 1990<br />30. Charlie Peacock – Secret of Time<br />31. Bruce Cockburn – Nothing But a Burning Light<br />32. Rodney Crowell – The Houston Kid<br />33. Midnight Oil – Blue Sky Mining<br />34. Julie Miller – Broken Things<br />35. Monk - Quiver<br />36. Pierce Pettis – Making Light of It<br />37. TheByrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo<br />38. Rich Mullins – A Liturgy, A Legacy and A Raggamuffin Band<br />39. Larry Norman – Only Visiting This Planet<br />40. Patty Griffin - Living With GhostsUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-57400422016177170812009-01-23T12:10:00.000-08:002009-01-23T12:17:39.783-08:00Two CD Reviews - Fiction Family and John OatesI wrote a couple reviews for the WSDP Alumni Newsletter. WSDP is the high school radio station I manage. I've realized that I'm on the once a month posting schedule so I decided that I need to get off my rear and add something. This is a good way to use something I previously wrote.<br /><br />Fiction Family – Fiction Family (ATO Records)<br /><br />Fiction Family has Jon Foreman (Switchfoot) and Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek) diverging from the musical sounds we’ve come to know them for. The two San Diego natives have known each other for several years and began collaborating together under the name the Real SeanJon. The Fiction Families sound is very acoustic (“Not Sure” and “War in My Blood”) and sometimes a bit more experimental sounding (“Out of Order”). This is an album that requires multiple listens because the lyrics are at the forefront. WSDP is playing their first single “When She’s Near.” It’s a radio friendly song that can easily get you humming along. It has one of my favorite lines in the chorus, “When she’s near the new years here and there is not a resolution that I can’t do.” They’ve been touring this winter and hopefully they’ll build a fan base that will keep them around for years to come. That’s a resolution I hope they make.<br /><br />John Oates – 1000 Miles of Life (Phunk Shui Records)<br /><br />John Oates has been making music for decades so it is surprising that his first full-length albums were released in the last several years. He’s become identified with the Philly Soul through his years with Hall and Oates but on “1000 Miles of Life” he delves into a folk/Americana sound that hearkens back to his early days of music in the 1960’s. He and producer Jed Leiber have brought in an incredible mix of musicians to flesh out the music (Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Bonnie Bramlett, and many others). One of my favorites is the gospel influenced “Sending Me Angels” that has him singing with the Blind Boys of Alabama. “Ghost Town” spotlights the banjo of Bela Fleck on a song that looks at New Orleans post Katrina. John Oates has always been the other guy in Hall and Oates. Hopefully “1000 Miles of Life” will open up opportunities for him to step in the forefront more often. I look forward to hearing the music he creates.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-34274931406874601662009-01-02T10:27:00.000-08:002009-01-02T12:24:10.966-08:00Bill's Top Albums of 2008I love checking out year end best of lists. I always like seeing which artists I missed and who might agree with me. This year it looks like I missed TV On the Radio and their CD "Dear Science." That CD put them on so many best of 08 lists Here are my favorites from this past year. Who did I miss and what were some of your favorites?<br /><br />1. Rodney <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Crowell</span> “Sex & Gasoline” - His <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">CD's</span> have been among my year end favorites since his 2001 CD "The Houston Kid." This album finds him working with Joe Henry on songs about women from an imagined woman's perspective.<br />2. JD <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Souther</span> “If the World Was You” - Legendary songwriter who has written songs for Linda Ronstadt, The Eagles, James Taylor, The Dixie Chicks and many others. This album finds him working with some amazing Jazz players including Bela Fleck, Jeff Coffin and Rod <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Mcgaha</span> on his first album in almost 25 years. Great music and very thought provoking songs.<br />3. The Pretenders “Break Up the Concrete” - Chrissie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Hynde</span> enlists new band members in a much more <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">rootsy</span>, Americana project. I stumbled on this CD in December and it quickly became one of my favorites of the year. I love Chrissie's voice and now I want to dig back into the Pretenders vast catalog.<br />4. Sam Phillips “Don’t Do Anything” - Sam has worked with former husband T Bone Burnett as her producer and for the first time takes on the producer's role. This album fits in well with her past two, "Fan Dance" and "A Boot in A Shoe."<br />5. John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Mellencamp</span> “Life Death Love and Freedom” - I became excited about this CD when I heard that John would be working with T Bone Burnett. I recently listened to John's greatest hits and realized what a wealth of great music he's recorded. This album finds him stretching even more.<br />6. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Steppin</span>’ In It “Simple Tunes for Troubled Times” - The first of many Michigan artists in my top albums of 08. This Lansing quartet has recorded the best album of their career, and they've recorded some very good ones. My favorite song is "Break of Day" which takes on the idea that bigger is better. The fact that it takes a few shots at the current state of radio makes it even more poignant for me. Their cover of Randy Newman's "Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man)."<br />7. Jackie Greene “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Givin</span>’ Up the Ghost” - This California songwriter has been selling out the Ark for several years. This was my first introduction to his music. When I first heard it I thought it might be my pick for the best of 08. It has dropped a bit but its still among the year's best. Trivia note: Bruce Spencer of the 77's is Jackie's drummer. Jackie sings some vocals on the 77's latest "Holy Ghost Building."<br />8. Jakob Dylan “Seeing Things” - A more acoustic, stripped down recording from the son of "Bob." He enlisted the production help of Rick Rubin who gets credit for reviving Johnny Cash's career in the 90's. He has the unenviable task of following in the footsteps of his dad, but this album is a great step in that direction.<br />9. American Mars “Western Sides” - American Mars is one of the top bands in the Detroit area. I had only heard a song or two from their previous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">CD's</span> so this album was a welcome introduction in the winter of 08. Their website describes their sound as atmospheric roots-influenced rock. I hear the influences of bands like the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Jayhawks</span>, Ryan Adams and Tom Petty.<br />10. Brooks Williams “The Time I Spend With You” - Such a smooth singer, songwriter and guitarist. He's become one of the favorites at Trinity House Theatre over the years. The title track from this album became a favorite of mine through his live performances. He's equally skilled at singing folk, blues and jazz.<br />11. Brian <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Vander</span> Ark “S/T” - My friend John turned me on to Brian's solo work. I was a fan of his work with the Verve Pipe but solo <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">CD's</span> find him exploring a bit more of a sophisticated pop sound. This is one of those albums that has grown on me with each repeated listen.<br />12. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Ralston</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Bowles</span> “Rally At the Texas Hotel” - The Grand Rapids based songwriter released this album on Judy Collins' Wildflower Record Label. He teamed up again with critically acclaimed producer Marvin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Etzioni</span>. I really enjoyed "Velvet Elvis", with Charlie Sexton on vocals. Like his first album this one kicks off with a Mark Heard cover ("Satellite Sky"). I'm just glad this includes a version of his concert favorite "Friend of God."<br />13. Greg <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Mahan</span> “Thirty Five Cent Daydream” - Greg is a very talented Cincinnati based songwriter. This CD was eight years in the making. "Fireflies" and "Thirty-Five-Cent Daydream are two of the most beautifully nostalgic sounding songs I've heard. "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Mento</span>" will remind you of "Graceland" era Paul Simon. Here's hoping he will get some wider recognition.<br />14. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">BoDeans</span> “Still” - The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">BoDeans</span> have been favorites of mine since college. This album finds them teaming up with T Bone Burnett again. They've had a couple pop breakthroughs but have generally stayed under the radar of most people.<br />15. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Emmylou</span> Harris “All I Intended To Be” - On this album <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Emmylou</span> returns to her roots with producer Brian <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Ahern</span>. He produced her first 11 albums. I would have been happy with another album with Daniel <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Lanois</span> or Malcolm Burn producing but I like this change of pace. "Shores of White Sand" and "Gold" are very beautiful.<br />16. The Innocence Mission “Street Maps”<br />17. Rachael Davis “Antebellum Queens”<br />18. Lindsay Buckingham “Gift of Screws”<br />19. Jen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Chapin</span> and Rosetta Trio “Light of Mine”<br />20. Larry Norman “Rebel Poet, Jukebox Balladeer: The Anthology”<br />21. Martyn Joseph “Evolved”<br />22. Seventy Sevens “Holy Ghost Building”<br />23. Al Green “Lay It Down”<br />24. My Dear Disco “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Dancethink</span> LP”<br />25. Kate Campbell “Save the Day”<br />26. Jon Foreman “Limbs and Branches”<br />27. Christopher Williams “Sweet Redemption”<br />28. Mark <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Erelli</span> “Delivered”<br />29. Dave <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Boutette</span> “The Piccolo Heart”<br />30. Thrice “The Alchemy Index Vol. 3 & 4 – Air & Earth”<br />31. Luke Sayers and the Last to Know “Radio Flower”<br />32. The Refugees “Unbound”<br />33. Rosie Thomas “A Very Rosie Christmas”<br />34. Bonnie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Bramlett</span> “Beautiful”<br />35. Jeff Coffin and Charlie Peacock “Arc of the Circle”<br />36. John Oates “1000 Miles of Life”<br />37. Doug <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Hoekstra</span> “Blooming Roses”<br />38. Claire Holley “Hush”<br />39. Dolly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Varden</span> “13”<br />40. Joe Wilson and Drew Howard “Steels Heal the World”Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-78235764295206235172008-12-29T09:00:00.000-08:002008-12-29T10:13:40.290-08:00Over the Rhine 20th Anniversary CelebrationThere are few bands I will drive through a snow storm to see but Over the Rhine is definitely one of them. December 19<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> my wife Heidi and I were planning to leave for Cincinnati to see Over the Rhine celebrate their 20 years with two concerts. We were planning to leave work early but the plans changed when a big snow storm hit Detroit that morning.<br /><br />School was cancelled but we still left about the time we originally planned. As we drove down Telegraph I thought we might just make it to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Cinci</span> in time for the concert. My friend Brook seemed wise to have left 12 hours earlier, and it took him ten hours to make the 4.5 hour trip.<br /><br />Once we got off Telegraph and on to I75 the roads got better. It is funny how you notice you're at the State line by the nicer roads in Ohio. Our timing was actually good because we missed the ice storm in Ohio. The roads were salted and we could enjoy all the beautiful ice on the trees. I thanked Heidi for not putting her foot down to squash the planned trip. She knew how important this weekend was for me.<br /><br />I've always regretted not seeing Over the Rhine prior to Ric <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Hordinski</span> and Brian Kelly's exit from the band. I became a fan of the band in the early 90's when I bought a cassette copy of their album Patience, but I always assumed I would catch them later. Friends who were much smarter always told me of their legendary performances and I could get a taste of it on live recordings but nothing is like seeing the real thing live.<br /><br />The band has become a different beast since Ric and Brian left, still amazing live and on CD. Less alternative rock and more American/Folk Rock. The original lineups last album, Good Dog Bad Dog, foreshadowed that change in sound.<br /><br />There was excitement in the air for this first night. I heard many people say this was the night they had to make. When the band walked on stage you heard people shout "Welcome back," to Ric and Brian.<br /><br />Ric is amazing on guitar and that was clear on so many songs. If I'm Drowning and Daddy Untwisted were the obvious examples to point to. During Daddy Untwisted I thought he would become possessed by the song as he shook every bit of guitar magic out of it.<br /><br />I underestimated what a fine drummer Brian Kelly is. My friend Brook described it as the soul that he brings to the music. I'm not one for most drum solos but as he was left alone on stage for the end of If I'm Drowning I was able to marvel at his playing.<br /><br />It was also fun to watch <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Linford</span> strap on the bass. I'm so used to seeing him behind the keyboards so it was great to see what a talented bass player he is. It was obvious he was having fun. I appreciated hearing his comments about how the band came together while they were in college.<br /><br />Karin is definitely the focal point for the band and rightfully so. She so effortlessly creates magic when she sings. She can <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">caress</span> a vocal like the best Jazz singer, or her vocals can soar like the best gospel or rock singer. It is hard to adequately describe what she does, you have to catch her live if you haven't already.<br /><br />They did many of my favorites including Circle of Quiet, Within Without and Like a Radio. I just hope this wasn't a one time trip back in time. They really need to take this line up to Cornerstone or the Calvin Faith and Music Festival. I would also love to see what they could create if they stepped back in a recording studio.<br /><br />Saturday morning started off great with breakfast at Bob Evans. Heidi and I enjoyed the candy cane hot chocolates (she still tells people about them, they were that good). Heidi decided to stay at the hotel for the day to read and watch movies. Actually I think she wanted to avoid the parade of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">geekery</span> as Brook and I planned to hit used record and bookstores. Our first stop was<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Everybody's</span> Records. What an amazing store. Brook and I agreed that we could drop a fist full of money without even trying. I made my way out with copies of the latest <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">CD's</span> from the Pretenders and Lindsay Buckingham, along with a used vinyl copy of a Delaney and Bonnie album from the early 70's. We also checked out the Ohio Bookstore, five stories of used books, and picked up coffee and hot chocolate at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Khaldi's</span> Coffee Shop. We picked up Heidi and then were off for dinner before night two of Over the Rhine.<br /><br />I really enjoyed talking music with Brook. It is always cool to meet someone that likes <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">some of </span>the same music, and isn't afraid to admit their love of old Christian rock (the good, the bad and the ugly). I won't forget the Black Sabbath vinyl that he dug out to listen to on the turntable at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Everybody's</span> Music.<br /><br />Night two focused on the last ten years of Over the Rhine. So much great music to pick from. I was hoping for Little Blue River. I've always enjoyed the beauty of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Linford's</span> piano playing in that song. Unfortunately it didn't make it on their set list, but there were so many great songs it was hard to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">quibble</span>. The Trumpet Child was the focal point for the show, and the song Trouble was one of my favorites. I especially enjoyed the few from Ohio that kicked off the second set and Changes Come was very powerful.<br /><br />Karin and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Linford</span> always <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">surround</span> themselves with such talented musicians. Jake Bradley and Mickey Grimm were great. Kenny <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Hutson</span> is a great addition to the band on various guitars and mandolin. I always missed him after he left Vigilantes of Love. I always thought VOL was at its peak when he was in the band. And you can't forget Kim Taylor and Julie Lee on background vocals. The ladies were stunning. I wish I could have caught their solo songs on Sunday at St. Elizabeth's.<br /><br />I can't wait to hear the next Live From Nowhere CD. Hopefully some of these special performances will make their way on it. And who knows, maybe they'll have enough for a double live CD. I'll keep my fingers crossed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-61951117551276485822008-12-10T15:14:00.000-08:002008-12-10T15:26:43.870-08:00Top CD's of 2008It has been way too long since I last posted. Thanks for your patience. I've been thinking of my favorite music of 2008. I'm writing this from the top of my head so I will probably overlook something. I'll comment more in detail at a later time.<br /><br />These are in no particular order:<br /><br />JD Souther "If The World Was You"<br />Rodney Crowell "Sex and Gasoline"<br />Sam Phillips "Don't Do Anything"<br />Jackie Greene "Giving Up The Ghost"<br />Steppin' In It "Simple Tunes for Troubled Times"<br />Ralston Bowles "Rally at the Texas Hotel"<br />Kate Campbell "Save the Day"<br />The 77's "Holy Ghost Building"<br /><br />I knew my mind would blank out. Oh well, more to come later.<br /><br />What are some of your favorites from this past year?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-46731685998297936582008-11-03T18:34:00.000-08:002008-11-03T19:00:17.779-08:001000 Recordings to Hear Before You DieI recently received the book 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die as a gift from my wife. The book is written by music critic Tom Moon. Moon's musical selections span genres, from rock to classical and opera to folk.<br /><br />I enjoy reading it because even though I'm familiar with alot of music, there are still many albums that I have no clue about. For that matter there are many genres that I'm less than familiar with. I look forward to digging into some of the classical recordings.<br /><br />Anytime you look at lists like this you notice albums they missed. Sure they had Elvis Costello represented, but not my favorite "King of America." I think I have three different versions of that CD. I also think not including Peter Case is an oversight, especially his album "Blue Guitar." I would have also included something from T Bone Burnett, Vigilantes of Love's "Audible Sigh," Over the Rhine's "Good Dog Bad Dog," and Kings X's "Gretchen Goes to Nebraska."<br /><br />But I'm impressed by how many he included that I thought would be missed. It was great to see Sam Phillip's "Fan Dance," and Arrested Development's "Three Years, Five Months and Two Days in the Life of..." That album is a must have for fan's of thoughtful hip hop. As I got ready to write this I flipped through again and noticed Graham Parker's CD "Squeezing Out Sparks/Live Sparks," another favorite of mine.<br /><br />This book is well worth checking out. Even though it was released this year it is very recent in scope and includes the most recent CD from The Mars Volta, which was released in early 2008.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-56836934371250158842008-11-02T14:18:00.000-08:002008-11-02T14:43:30.569-08:00The Lyrical Poetry of HymnsToday at Church we sang the song In Christ Alone. We've sang this modern hymn many times but for some reason part of the lyrics caught my attention.<br /><br />There in the ground His body lay,<br />Light of the world by darkness slain;<br />Then bursting forth in glorious day,<br />Up from the grave He rose again!<br /><br />The song is written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend. I think I was especially struck by the poetic beauty of the line "Light of the world by darkness slain." It is funny how you can sing a song many times but not notice the line. We've sung this song at Easter, Funerals and in weekly services. I've even seen it on a Christmas CD by Christopher Williams.<br /><br />I was reminded of the Charles Wesley hymn, And Can it Be. I've loved this song for years and we even used it as part of our wedding ceremony. Wesley wrote 6,500 hymns over his lifetime and this one was written near his conversion. I'm especially struck by verse four.<br /><br />Long my imprisoned spirit lay,<br />Fast bound in sin and nature's night,<br />Thine eyes diffused a quickening ray<br />I awoke; the dungeon flamed with light<br />My chains fell off, my heart was free,<br />I rose, went forth, and followed thee<br /><br />There are a few modern hymn writers that reach the depth of classic hymns. I think of Twila Paris, Melody Green, and the previous song by Getty and Townsend. But there is something rich that we can't miss in the classic hymns of the faith. That is the sad part of the modern churches move away from hymns. Singing the same chorus over and over again might create a momentary high, but the theological depth is lost.<br /><br />Writers like Wesley were packing theology into their songs as a way of teaching important truths to people that didn't read. Charles' brother John was instrumental in starting the Sunday School movement and these songs were an important teaching tool for them. Even though we read today, we can still benefit from the great truths these songs have to share.<br /><br />The next time you sing a hymn take time to reflect on what you're singing. I think you'll come away challenged. I can't wait until we sing And Can It Be again in church.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-31531913747621319172008-10-25T10:11:00.000-07:002008-10-25T10:27:40.964-07:00Teacher Staff On-air DayI manage a high school radio station. I was also a student at WSDP so the station has a special place in my heart.<br /><br />Today we are having teachers and school staff members in the studio to host hour long radio shows. They get to pick all the music and plan their talk breaks. I've really enjoyed the wide mix of music they've played. We just finished an hour of 80's hair metal which brought back some memories of high school. I can remember walking across campus, at the end of a day, as someone's boom box blared Def Leppard.<br /><br />I'm always amazed by the preparation work the teachers put into the shows. Most come in with full scripts, we've even had a few on-air giveaways. The prize goes to our hair metal teacher who came in with a long black wig and the leather pants. He was definitely ready to rock.<br /><br />Two of our staff members had their daughter and nephew team up for a show, complete with halloween jokes. Our board operator and program director made sure to let them know that they did a better job then many of our high school dj's.<br /><br />We've also noticed that are staff dj's are dominated by English teachers. It must be their creative side yearning to come out. We need to get those math and social studies teachers in on the action next year.<br /><br />There is something fun about developing an on-air theme and picking music to share. Sometimes the hardest part is narrowing the list of songs down to 12-15 that can fit in the hour.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-27450603020557123152008-10-10T19:01:00.001-07:002008-10-10T19:13:44.396-07:00More OTRNo, I'm not going to write all my posts about Over the Rhine. If you read the last post you know I'm looking forward to seeing them in Cincinnati in December. The chance to see them play with Ric and Brian again is something that can't be missed.<br /><br />I got a little taste tonight as Ric played at Trinity House Theatre with Sarah Masen. As Ric and the band did "Circle of Quiet" I turned to my friend Brook and said "I can't wait to see that in December. We both nodded in agreement. I always liked Ric's version but add in Karen's vocals and that will be even more special.<br /><br />Late in the show Ric brought Sarah back on stage for a take on the Charlie Peacock song "The Way of Love." The band lit up with Sarah on the mic, and this magical version was stunning.<br /><br />Over the Rhine's posting board has contained some suggestions that Sarah Masen would be a good opener for their Taft show. After seeing Ric and Sarah, I second that.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-17993034897849140342008-09-27T07:54:00.000-07:002008-09-27T08:21:08.412-07:00Road Trip to Cinci for Over the RhineI've recently found myself digging out my old Over the Rhine <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">CD's</span> for fresh listens. I'm listening to their album "Eve" as I write this.<br /><br />I'm especially excited because I'll be going to Cincinnati to see them play in December. I've been to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Cinci</span> several times but never to see <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">OTR</span>. Each December they do a special Christmas Concert at the Taft Theatre, and I've considered going in the past (especially when they performed with Sixpence None the Richer), but for some reason I've never made the trip.<br /><br />This year's Taft concert is extra special. They are celebrating 20 years of making music and they've divided the concert into two nights. December 19, will focus on the first 10 years and December 20, the second. I'm especially excited because the first night will include former members Ric <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Hordinski</span> and Brian Kelley.<br /><br />I've been a fan of the band since the early 90's. My first <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">OTR</span> album is a cassette copy of "Patience." But for some reason I never caught the band live while Brian and Ric were part of it. I had so many chances since they came through Michigan quite often. The first time I saw them was sometime in the late 90's while they were touring in support of "Good Dog Bad Dog." There shows have been among my favorites each year. Whether I've caught them at the Ark, an outdoor festival, or Calvin College, there has always been something magical about Over the Rhine live. Much of that is captured in the amazing songs they've written over the years.<br /><br />That said, I have to admit I've regretted never seeing the original four piece band live. Their live shows were legendary. The band had more of an edgy rock sound. Right now I'm listening to "Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander" and I get excited thinking about the band doing this live.<br /><br />My personal favorites are "Circle of Quiet" and "Within Without." The December 19 show might be incomplete if those songs don't find their way on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">set list</span>. It has been fun watching the discussions on their web page posting board as people discuss the songs they have to see. They may have to play into the wee hours of the morning to make all their fans happy.<br /><br />I'm also looking forward to night two of the concerts. Karin and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Linford</span> have continued the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">OTR</span> legacy beautifully with albums like "Ohio," "The Trumpet Child," and "Drunkard's Prayer." <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">OTR</span> is different but they are still a powerful force to be reckoned with. "Ohio" is one of my favorite albums from 2003. These two nights will be a wonderful celebration of this band, a band that deserves far more recognition and acclaim.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-25874317964462446022008-09-10T05:38:00.000-07:002008-09-10T14:55:01.967-07:00Sam Phillips at The Ark - 9/9/08Sam Phillips performed at the Ark in Ann Arbor on Tuesday. After a 35-minute intermission she opened the show with “I Need Love” from her CD Martini’s and Bikinis, but she quickly turned the focus to her new CD, Don’t Do Anything.<br /><br />"I Need Love" had one of my favorite lyrics of the night:<br /><br />i need love<br />not some sentimental prison<br />i need god not the political church<br />i need fire to melt the frozen sea inside me<br />i need love<br /><br />For the past 11 years Sam has worked with her former husband T Bone Burnett as the producer, but on Don’t Do Anything she stepped into the producer’s role, and did an excellent job carefully crafting these sometimes painfully beautiful songs.<br /><br />One of the things that stood out was that Sam is such a charming performer. She took time to interact with the audience. She wasn’t afraid to admit when a performance didn’t meet her expectations. One of the audience members complained about the loudness of the drums. While many performers would have dismissed the complaint Sam waited so the gentleman could be seated in a better spot. Her graciousness and concern for everyone was evident.<br /><br />Speaking of drummers, Jay Bellerose was amazing to watch. He had so many percussion instruments to work with, including noisemakers that were attached to his ankles. He was able to play with such finesse and complimented the songs beautifully. But he wasn’t afraid play with more force when necessary. Jay was a true joy to watch, especially on the song "My Career in Chemistry."<br /><br />But the main focus was Sam’s compelling songs. In the past her songs were built on layer upon layer of interesting music, but since Fan Dance she’s been exploring simpler yet more intriguing song styles. She strips away the unnecessary to get to the heart of the song.<br /><br />Some of my favorite songs included "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us," "I Need Love," "One Day Late," and "My Career in Chemistry."<br /><br />At the beginning of the show Sam mentioned what a beautiful day it was in Ann Arbor. She said she was tempted to take the performance outside, leading a parade through the streets. The night was even more beautiful after Sam’s compelling performance.<br /><br />Jill Jack and Billy Brandt opened the show. Jill is so at home on the stage. Though Sam and Jill are such different performers, Jill was able to win new fans with her very heartfelt performance.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-66929314658677100272008-09-05T18:06:00.000-07:002008-09-05T18:14:32.171-07:00Sam Phillps is coming to the ArkI'm really excited. Tuesday Sept. 9, I get to see Sam Phillips at the Ark in Ann Arbor. Her new CD, Don't Do Anything, is wonderful. It is exciting to see her step out this time as the producer. She learned alot during the years that T Bone Burnett produced her CD's.<br /><br />My favorite song is "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us." It was great hearing Allison Krauss and Robert Plant cover it on their latest CD but Sam makes it extra special.<br /><br />My one complaint about Sam's CD's is that they are way too short. These days a 35 minute CD seems 10-15 minutes too short.<br /><br />I hear that Sam is touring with the Section Quartet. They have an album of classical quartet covers of Rock classics. There is nothing like a quartet covering RadioHead or David Bowie. They are all over Sam's latest CD and I'm sure they'll help make the show extra special.<br /><br />I'll post some information on the concert next week. Another treat is that Jill Jack will open the show.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-28618942795928304562008-09-04T08:23:00.000-07:002008-09-04T08:25:40.702-07:003000 CD'sI read an article about a guy who has over 300,000 albums and CD's. It fills eight rooms. Wow, and I thought I had alot. I told my wife about him last night and mentioned that I was well behind and needed to get to work catching up. She told me I could sleep in the car.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699708595418981949.post-88960357164556191422008-09-01T14:09:00.000-07:002008-09-04T08:23:44.027-07:00Why Me - Does the world really need another blog?I've enjoyed reading blogs from various friends and I've often thought, "I should write one of those." I've usually wised up quick and realized I probably don't have the time for this. But for some reason this time I got further along and actually created the page.<br /><br />What will I write about? Definitely music. With over 3,000 CD's in my collection I have an opinion or two to share about some of the new music I'm listening to.<br /><br />I also think I'll throw some thoughts in about popular culture, media, and faith. That probably gives me enough to keep me busy for awhile.<br /><br />One of my loves is volunteering at Trinity House Theatre. You can find out more about this little theatre at <a href="http://www.trinityhouse.org/">http://www.trinityhouse.org/</a>. Our season opens next weekend with a Peter Mulvey concert. I'm excited because I've been trying to get him to play here for awhile. He's a very fine singer, songwriter and guitarist. The intimacy of the theatre will help make it a very special night, I'm sure.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2