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lol. I don't get the appeal myself, but to leave them out would be depriving people of all the Viking splendor that is Týr :)
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http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...mpassRose2.png _____________________________________ http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...CentsSmall.png The Knife : Tomorrow, In A Year (2010) http://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/...-in-a-year.jpg http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...ster/3star.png PREREQUISITES:
BACKGROUND: The Knife is one of those acts that I didn't want to get into at first because of all the hype and controversy surrounding them. I can honestly say that I've never been able to fully connect with their musical P.O.V., which often seems abstract, opinionated, and somewhat indulgent. I was introduced to The Knife by this guy I met online. He's really into the big-name electronic artists on the cutting edge. This is the type of guy who likes artists and groups like Planningtorock and iamamiwhoami. All very streamlined, unusual and intellectual. While I appreciate the amount of intellect and conceptual thinking that goes into those artists' work, their music just doesn't appeal to me- far too "sophisticated," alien, and precise; it makes me feel like I'm sitting in a sterile lab on board a UFO, while Fever Ray sings furiously into a Saturnian microphone shaped like a crystal stalactite. Beyond that, The Knife's particular style has always come across to me as being too contrived, fussy and pessimistic; with a cutting-edge, futuristic, and somewhat disagreeable style, which doesn't really align with my personal taste very well at all. However, there's the occasional exception to the rule here and there; usually the more vintage-sounding cuts such as "Marble House." REVIEW: Created with the help of Mt Sims and Planningtorock, Tomorrow, in a Year is an album which explores the work of Charles Darwin, his observations, studies, and personal life as they relate to his theory of evolution. Also adapted into a high-concept musical, this is one of the more avant-garde albums released in the past couple of years. Many of the Knife's older fans dislike the album, due to the fact that it lacks its usual lyrical format, and plays around with experimental sounds. I actually prefer this abstract format, as it shows that the Knife can break away from their usual angst-ridden lyrics, and showcase their talent for concept and instrumentation. To listen to this album, you really need to understand that what you're listening to is, in fact, an electronic opera. It takes patience and focus to understand what it is you're listening to; which I think captures the work of a theoretical scientist quite well. In fact, the odd images and observations that Darwin recorded were used as lyrics throughout, set to an atmosphere which demonstrates both the grandeur of what these observations entail, and the alien nature of living matter viewed at thousands of times magnification. The album begins with a scintillating introduction, made up of various atmospheric sounds which gather themselves together over the course of the first 4 minutes and 32 seconds. As the drip-drops melt into gentle thunderous noises, which slowly creep in from the edges of the soundscape, I begin to feel my hairs standing on end, one by one. There's a general feeling of suspense, electricity, and solitude, and the listener has a sense that Darwin's world has just begun to materialize. As the introduction evolves slowly into the intense eeriness of "Epochs," tension begins to build. Eventually, the operatic vocals take their entrance. By this point, the song begins to lull a bit with repetition; and unless I was doing something that required my intense focus while listening at this point, I'd probably begin to drift off a little. But then, just at the nick of time, in rolls my favorite track of the album, "Geology." The drama heightens, and so does the opera. I've never heard operatic vocals singing so intensely about a scientist's observations before; but in this case it's a hair raising experience. Quite an interesting concept. The thing I like most about this track is its cyclical rising and falling, and the electronic instrumentation that sounds like it's being reeled in and out from a spool. Very different from anything else I've ever heard. Here are the lyrics for clarity: "A stream of lava formerly flowed over the bed of the sea, triturated recent shells and corals, baked into hard white rock. A precarious matter. I found a curious little stony cellaria. Each cell provided with a long toothed bristle capable of various and rapid motions. Simultaneous, and can be produced by irritation." Cool stuff if you're into biology and/or physics. From there, the album's feeling gets even more epic with the onset of "Upheaved," which literally creates the feeling of tectonic forces causing an upheaval, building up to what will become a mountain range. "Constant earthquakes, the wonderful force which has upheaved these mountains. These countless ages required to have broken through, removed, and leveled the whole mass of them." "Minerals" is the one that really creeps people out, which admittedly gives me a bit of maniacal pleasure. It jumps out at you when you least expect it. This track is explosive, penetrating, and powerful, and the vocals are manic and intimidating. It's so incredibly electrifying and out-there that the first time I listened to it, I had to keep playing it over and over. It's kind of like a shock of adrenaline in a way. After "Minerals," the album starts to go downhill for me. The track "Ebb Tide Explorer," is a tad annoying. Very slow and drifting, with the words "egg salmon" and "frame of mind" floating around in a cold soup of electronics. Yuck. It just gets a little too druggy from here on in, and I'm pretty sure Charles Darwin wasn't ever on acid. If I'm wrong, well, I guess I missed something. "Variation of Birds" is another odd track. A very insightful Youtuber made the point that it can represent the full circle of the evolution of musical inspiration; from birds to humans to synthesizers back to birds. Not that I agree, but it's an interesting concept derived from a conceptual song. The song itself just talks about Darwin's observations of the variation of birds, and maintains that horrid druggy atmosphere, which by this point begins to give me a headache. "Letter to Henslow" is good if you don't mind the sound of seagulls :(, and "Schoal Swarm Orchestra" is merely a collection of sleepy nature sounds and semi-industrial ambience. Pretty boring if you ask me. On Disc 2, "Annie's Box" is a very popular track with fans, as it sticks with a more traditional operatic format, and sounds like a cinematic piece. But besides the lovely use of violins, this song seems mediocre compared to some other tracks on this album. "Seeds" is probably one of the more conventional and popular songs on Tomorrow in a Year, adding a splash of color and momentum that is much needed at this point. The last 2 songs of the album really test my patience, and once the album is over, I feel like I can breathe again. I think you either really need to appreciate Charles and his ideas or the Knife to really get into it, but they do a good job of paying tribute to his work as a scientist. OVERALL IMPRESSION: While this album is a touching and unorthodox tribute to Darwin, I think that it will only truly capture fans that are whole-heartedly invested in the overall idea. Most people who have really enjoyed this album have been the ones that are either curious about Darwin's work, or that are willing to put in the time and effort to understand the meaning of each and every song in order to look at the album in context. This is a concept album that requires outside research and prior knowledge in order to be fully appreciated, and therefore, it's going to alienate some people. That being said, from a purely musical perspective, Tomorrow in a Year offers electronic music fans a chance to embark on an interesting adventure of sorts. There are sonic arrangements on this album that are simply mind-blowing and worth hearing. This "electro-opera" required a lot of research and innovative thinking. What I appreciated most was that the Knife, Mt Sims and Planningtorock were able to irreverently uproot opera- to take it away from its usual aristocratic formality- and just have fun with it; molding it into unusual forms that are startling and dynamic. If you're like me, you'll be picky about what kinds of sounds you like on this album and which ones you don't, but it's worth a listen or two. Who knows, it may just contain a hidden gem. _____________________________________ http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...mpassRose2.png |
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...mpassRose2.png _____________________________________ http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...er/mixtape.png http://www.phillytrolley.org/IMAGES/2320debut13.jpg This week, I'm taking a trip down to Philly with some warm and fuzzy soul tracks. If there's one kind of soul I like even more than Motown, its The Sound of Philadelphia. The slick, classically inspired arrangements of Philadelphia soul were the gateway to disco, as it began to come into focus during the 1970s. And what a heartwarming prelude! Philly Soul took the romance and slick arrangements of deep soul, and feathered it up into a brand new sound; easy, breezy, groovy & oh so smooth. The urban appeal of Philly Soul is my favorite part. I can just imagine myself sitting in an old-fashioned restaurant with a cheese steak in hand and a nice cold Dr.Pepper; the Delfonics playing in the background. This is the type of soul that makes your troubles just float away; and I've got more than just a little admiration for its class and style. So I've got a few Philly Soul tracks to share. They just might paint a smile across your face and brighten up your day. Spoiler for 8 tracks of Philly Soul:
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I'd never consider myself a real soul fan, but man some of those songs brought back memories! I remember listening to the Stylistics (admittedly, it was "You make me feel brand new") on my sister's "hi-fidelity" record player --- you probably remember; basically a case, leather or imitation leather bound, made of wood, huge like maybe a really big 70s amp, with a handle (!) and big knobs for volume, open the lid and the record player was in there, speakers built into the case: fearsome! --- and thinking how amazingly rich and deep the sound of that record was. Think that was my first real experience of great production. Loved the song too, so romantic, and not afraid to show it. Mind you, I used to think it was a girl singing! ;)
As for "When will I see you again", that was one of my all-time favourite songs when I was growing up, and still is. I don't know what it was about that, but between it and the Bee Gee's "Run to me" those songs just made me feel a way that sort of slipped away over the years, but they can still transport me back to those happy times of innocent youth, when I didn't even own a record player and would have to hear my music coming muffled through my sister's door. Thanks for rekindling those memories! :thumb: :) https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/im...C8Xe0ntEkXUGVg Edit: found a picture! Ah, that old record player! |
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...mpassRose2.png _____________________________________ http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...er/SunPost.png http://www.mp3songurls.com/images/mp3s/1334985.jpeg One of my favorite albums of all time, Amy Grant's Heart in Motion was a legendary and controversial album for Christian music. Released in the summer of 1991, Amy Grant dominated the airwaves; most notably with her hit songs like "Baby Baby," which marked the first time a Christian Contemporary artist ever claimed the top spot on the Billboard charts; "Every Heartbeat" which came in at the #2 spot; and the less successful, yet memorable ballad "That's What Love Is For." Heart in Motion was one of Amy's favorites to record, and she had a blast writing the songs and appearing in music videos (deemed a little too provocative for a Christian artist). This was before Amy's infamous divorce from her husband, fellow CCM singer Gary Chapman, and represented a kind of high point in her career. The smiling vocals and cheerful melodies she shared on this album have made for some great memories from both Christian and secular audiences. And that was really the intention of the album to begin with; to put out an few songs that would inspire the masses with optimistic messages and melodies meant to last through the ages. Whether Heart in Motion has passed the test of time or not really depends on who you ask. While it sounds somewhat dated; marked with the undeniable trends of early 90s pop, to many it remains a classic. The messages are simple and approachable, and share Amy's views on love, faith and devotion. Regardless of those issues, I consider this album to be a timeless classic, even though musically it isn't anything earthshaking. But it showed the world that Amy Grant is a woman of incredible compassion. While this may not be one of her strongest releases (I personally believe "Lead Me On" was her crowning achievement), it manages to fulfill its purpose as a fun pop album. There are few songs I know that are as catchy and delightfully sweet as Every Heartbeat, co-written and produced by the quirky and creative songwriter Charlie Peacock. In all its sugar-coated cheesiness, it still manages to remain one of my favorite songs, among others. I personally think it's much better than "Baby Baby" by a long shot. And judging by the fact that everyone was still head over heels for Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation 1814" at the time (think "Love Will Never Do [Without You]"), it makes sense that this was a hit. _____________________________________ http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...mpassRose2.png |
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That's a nice record player alright! And some great memories. Thanks for sharing. |
Don't know if you're interested, but by coincidence I reviewed Amy's "Lead me on" about this time last year. The Christian flavour to it was a little evident, but didn't turn me off. Great, great album, really loved it. Wasn't so blown away by "Heart in motion" though, seemed a little more poppy/commercial?
The link, in case you want it: http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ml#post1093248 Quote:
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Ugh. I have a deepseated dislike of Amy Grant. Never liked her. From the time my mother began playing her music to this very day... never liked her, never will.
That said, it's still a great post, as well as all the ones about that I didn't comment on. That Darwinism Electro opera was really, really interesting. Not really my flavor of music, but very interesting. |
Hmm. Didn't realize that review was from this time last year! Interesting. I found it in the album review index, and frankly I was surprised to find any of Amy's music there at all. I actually like your take on Lead Me On. It seems like you were able to appreciate Amy Grant as an artist with her heart in the right place; and the songs you singled out as being quality tracks are actually my favorites from the album.
As for the commercial pop sound, yeah, I'm aware of that. And so is Amy Grant, actually. She likes to kind of joke a little about Heart in Motion. As much as I want to dislike the often shallow mediocrity of commercialized music, it would be somewhat dishonest not to include them in my journal. Like I said in my intro post: Quote:
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Yeah, I don't know what led me (hah!) to buy that album. I had no idea who she was. Probably something shallow, like I thought she looked hot (she does), but once I started playing it I just loved the hell out of it. When I discovered she was singing essentially Christian music I was a little taken aback, but then I thought why should that spoil the music for me? Okay now, in fairness if every song had been along the lines of "glory to God in the highest" or "You must repent" then yeah, I'd have enjoyed it less, maybe even stopped listening. But the music is great, and the messages she puts in her music, while quite obviously and overtly Christian, are still basically human emotions and things we all believe in, like love and respect and family and fear of the future, looking back and looking forward. Nothing wrong with that.
As I said, I did get HiM but found it far slicker and poppier than LMO (hah! If there was an "A" in there...) :) which I feel is more mature, aimed towards the AOR/MOR crowd than the charts or pop singles, and I was quite disappointed with it as I recall. I felt she was taking the path of least resistance, giving in to pressure to have hit singles --- though of course I knew nothing about her situation --- and as a result had produced a much weaker album that meant very little to me, whereas LMO is still an album I play today, especially "What about the love" and "Saved by love", two entirely different songs which truly showcase how versatile Amy is, or was. As for allowing pop into your journal, hey it's your journal! You feature Norwgian noseflute music if you want! Anyway, I can't talk: Kylie, Pixie Lott, hell I even recently reviewed Wham! Nothing wrong with a bit of pop at all; shows you don't just ignore it out of, er, ignorance. |
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...mpassRose2.png _____________________________________ http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...er/mixtape.png http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3096/5...4e6d5134_z.jpg What a week! I've been here there and everywhere, except for in front of my computer screen. As much as I love the internet, It's been so nice to get away from technology for a while and clear my head. After a while, surfing the internet becomes more of a chore than anything else, and I'd prefer to keep it from feeling like an obligation. You know you've reached some kind of limit when you make a mistake in your sketchbook and then promptly search the page for the "undo" button ;). The amount of tangible things I was able to accomplish over the past few days has been amazing to me, since I have a track record of being criminally poor at taking care of my physical well-being. I spend so many days just sitting down, and eventually my inactivity catches up with me- aches, pains, and all those kinds of things I'm not supposed to complain about for another 3 or 4 decades start to creep into my system. Yup, I'm one of those. But whether I'm helping to re-landscape my parents' lawn, or I'm designing a 3D model of the front yard on Goodle SketchUp, I always like to have music playing. I remember how my granddad would always like to hum songs from the 60s while he did his gardening. I always thought they were the nicest little melodies I'd ever heard. Here are a handful of songs that have recently caught my attention- all light pop from the 1960s. From the musical Hair (no, I'm not a fan), "Where Do I Go" is a great little daydream song. Lovely instrumentation, and the lyrics are as vivid and surreal as you'd expect from the 60s. The Harpers Bizarre were an innocent light pop act that I've come to love over the past few months. Their take on Sunshine pop emphasizes the innocence and optimistic attitude of commercial pop in the 60s. This one's a classic. Remembered by grandparents all across America, 98.6 was one of the spoon-fed treats that space age kids would listen for on the radio. Even though it's essentially musical plastic, you can't replace melodies like this. This is one of those songs that I'd like to give an award for excellent use of lyrical hooks. The Rose Garden only ever had one "hit," "Next Plane to London" which reached #17 on the Billboard charts in 1967. Too bad, though, since this is a very memorable tune. While nothing incredibly special, the Critters were a decent pop group in the 60s, and put out some charming pop-rock albums. The big hits of the 60s are played so often that sometimes it's nice to take an alternative view. In my opinion, their stuff is very pleasant listening. _____________________________________ http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...mpassRose2.png |
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...mpassRose2.png _____________________________________ http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...kdrawer2-1.png As a collector of small interesting doodads and office supplies, I like to stash certain things away that might be handy to hold on to. As a result, I have a bunch of drawers that end up filled with a menagerie of strange and potentially useful objects. But being the disorganized person I am, I always manage to forget about some of the places I store my odds and ends. The same thing happens with music. I collect it, stash it away on a shelf or in a hard drive or a wishlist, or perhaps in my Grooveshark / last.fm archives, and I eventually forget that certain music even exists. And then one day, I decide to hit "Shuffle," or I go through the files in my external hard drive, and something pops up that I totally forgot I even had. Sometimes what I find ends up being amazing, and it becomes a part of my regular listening; but other times I wonder "why the heck did I even keep this garbage anyway?" The Junk Drawer section essentially deals with all the particularly interesting finds that have been lurking in the shadows, but for some reason or other, they never found their way into my regular listening cycle- until now. The drawer has officially been opened. The first dusty set of artifacts that have recently surfaced come from one of my "Take Note" playlists. If I'm ever on a streaming site that allows users to create playlists, I always set one aside called "Take Note" in order to stash away songs that I'm not totally sure I like, but that I'd rather not forget about either... just in case I change my mind later. These playlists end up being pretty eclectic and interesting, and if I'm in the mood for something fresh, my "Take Note" playlists are usually my first choice. These were in my "Take Note" playlist from earlier this year... I'd give the above songs 2 thumbs up now, but at first I wasn't too sure... Be Bop Deluxe and Bill Nelson were notable discoveries for me back in something like March or April. They caught my interest in a way music doesn't usually do, so it kind of caught me off guard. Bill Nelson has just the right kind of eccentricity and "sci-fi" sensibility to fit my taste, but it's backed up with equally as unusual and artistic instrumentation, and a highly distorted emotional palette. The only thing that kept Be Bop Deluxe from moving in to my iPod permanently is that the band doesn't go well with anything I currently own. Whenever that happens, I end up with "island" artists or groups with songs that don't fit easily with my other music, and so they don't get very many plays, even though I really enjoy the music. I wasn't too fond of many of the similar artist suggestions for Be Bop or Bill Nelson either. But I'll give them a chance, and hope that by some miracle Bill Nelson "the outcast" might be joined by some similar art rock comrades in the near future. If not, at least his music won't ever be overplayed (by me, that is) :). _____________________________________ Another odd find I ended up including in my "Take Note" playlist at that time was Tracie's "The House The Jack Built." When it comes to pop, all I usually care about is the overall mood of the song. Like most of the songs that end up in my "Take Note" playlists, this track has a kind of obscure, low budget B-list feel to it; like something you would hear playing in a second-hand store or an old novelty shop that feels like it should have been closed decades ago. As I recall, this song kept creeping into my head for about a week, but I'd never sing it out loud (lyrics aren't Tracie's strong suit- actually, I doubt she wrote them at all!). I don't even remember what led me to Tracie in the first place, but I kind of like having a song on hand that feels like it came out of nowhere. I still don't know how I feel about it, though - or even if I like it or not. It's pleasant and interesting, but I think I'll put this one back to rediscover later. _____________________________________ Lurking in the back of this particular drawer is a specimen of classic Bachelor Pad exotica. I bet I was searching up a storm trying to find some decent lounge music, and this was probably one of the search results. I'm glad I came across this one again, because it's a really amazing track! It plays like a mini-movie- with suspense, action, romance, drama and everything in between wrapped up in the musical plot. A quick search for 'Esquivel' leads me to discover that he's considered by some as the "king of space age pop." I'll have to check out his other music to verify that claim, but he looks so promising. We'll have to see about this one... _____________________________________ http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...mpassRose2.png |
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Is there any particular reason why you don't like Amy Grant? Just an instinctual thing, style preference, her as a person... or what? Just wondering... To put it out there, I kind of have a soft spot for her- not just because I like her music, but because so many people hate her for the decisions she's made in her life (I'm not assuming you do). If you ever did look up one of her videos, you would likely see what I mean. Lots of throwing stones without knowing the whole story, and heated condemnation. I admit that I'm a softy, though- always have been. And everyone likes different music (If I keep saying that I'll sound like a broken record). As for Tomorrow In A Year, pretty weird, eh? When I come across stuff like that, I kind of stop dead in my tracks and become obsessed. But when it comes to experimental stuff, usually I end up only liking certain tracks, and the rest just does nothing for me. Hopefully I can dig up some more electronic oddities :) |
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...mpassRose2.png _____________________________________ http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...er/SunPost.png This week's focus will be on one of my favorite bands, Sixpence None the Richer, a collaborative effort by Matt Slocum and Leigh Nash. Their name is taken from a passage of C.S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity" Quote:
As with most artists who manage to come off this way, reflecting life and art in unison, Sixpence None the Richer has had many problems with record labels over the years. I actually really like it when artists have to struggle to put out their music, and are able to persevere and see the album through anyway. Leigh has talked about the faith and personal growth that went into their latest album, Lost in Transition. It was released more than 2 full years after it was originally announced, having been pushed back and delayed 4 times. And after listening to it, it really sounds like it was their very best effort. As a long time fan, it was tough to endure the wait. Sixpence none the Richer's most famous and successful song is "Kiss Me." I remember it was on the top charts the day my little brother was born, and it was the only one that didn't sound like all the others. Leigh's voice is one of my favorites- delicate, gentle, sweet, and very mature. I recognize it anywhere. This song is great to listen to on cool summer nights. The band also put out a few covers, all of which are lovely in my opinion. They're also songs that I would have listened to anyway, and liked, had I not heard Sixpence's rendition. Having said that, I won't even bother to compare them to the original versions as far as enjoyment goes, just because certain bands do covers in such a way that they seem like separate songs altogether. Sixpence None the Richer is one of those bands. Cover of Crowded House- Don't Dream It's Over. What I like about this version is that there is enough attention paid to the original that it feels like the song is getting the respect it deserves, but it's merely being placed in a different light. Leigh's voice suits this song perfectly, so I'm glad they decided to cover it. Ditto for the others... Cover of The La's- There She Goes Cover of The Beach Boys- "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" If my life had a playlist, this song would be on it. This is precisely how I feel when I'm in a rut and I feel like the world just doesn't understand me at all (I can relate, Brian Wilson). Interestingly enough, from the Christian point of view, this world isn't going to fulfill our deepest longings anyway; which I think is what they were trying to hint at by doing this cover, while still identifying with the emotions expressed in the original song. This song is special to me, because it's the only one I can always listen to, no matter what mood I'm in or where I am in life. It's also the only song I can listen to on repeat for an hour without pulling my hair out. What I like most about "Breathe Your Name" is that it talks about basically everything my faith means to me, even though it never mentions God's name once. The point of the song is that the choice to be dedicated to Christ was Leigh's alone; that it's genuine, real, and persists over time. The song also has a piano solo I can't get enough of, and Leigh's voice is just stellar. My favorite song from them, hands down. The video is great, too! Finally, their most famous worship song, Breathe... A refreshing and gentle song, Breathe expresses the feeling of redemption and forgiveness; unloading the weight of the world in exchange for transcendent peace. Helps keep me going through difficult times. And that's just my favorite stuff from Sixpence. Their earlier work is much moodier and guitar-oriented, as they were signed on to a Christian metal record label in the early 1990s. Here's just one example of their earlier sound, before they went mainstream.... _____________________________________ http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...mpassRose2.png |
Once again, Geekoid, I don't actually like the music that you're posting but am thoroughly enjoying the writing about the music. Weird how that works.
Tell me, do you listen to Gungor or John Mark McMillan? I may be a bit biased since they're two of my favorite artists period, but I feel like you'd like them. John Mark McMillan is a kind of folky, sometimes countryish, sometimes experimental indie rock guy. Gungor is the name of Michael and Lisa Gungor's band, which is self-described as a "liturgical post-rock collective." It's fantastic. They're both technically worship bands, but are far better than many of their peers. John Mark: Gungor: And now I have to stop, because I could literally post every single song from Ghosts Upon The Earth. Such a freaking fantastic album. |
Hey, Blarobbarg.
Haven't been here in a while, (obviously). Darned video driver stuff. Glad to be back to reply to that post! I came across Gungor a few years back when iTunes recommended them. I liked their music- excellent lyrics! I also tend to like a lot of folky-sounding CCM, because it's so down-to-earth. I never got completely into them, because they didn't evoke a strong response from me musically at the time. Sometimes when that happens, I don't take the time to stop for a while and really listen to the music. I had some time today to take a listen to your suggestions, and I was really taken by some of the tracks. "Let There Be" is gorgeous. Actually, this couldn't be a better time to listen to these kinds of tracks because I've been getting into to a lot of bluegrass and more "downcast" folk lately. I don't remember ever hearing John Mark McMillan, but he's certainly compatible with my taste. Again, very passionate. What I appreciate about these guys is that their lyrics are honest- sometimes painfully so. Really make you examine where your heart's at. I think you actually just inspired my next journal post. Hopefully I get around to posting something new soon. I definitely wasn't intending to be on hiatus for this long... |
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Still a nice tune, though. |
Actually I have to say that I like your journal. I know you have said that you want me to hear some African music. My advice just take time. Maybe it can start with people like Youssou N'Dour and a band like Zaiko Langa Langa. These two artists I like. I know you would enjoy them.
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On that note, check out All Sons & Daughters, you'd probably like them too. They're a folk duo (I think... I may be wrong). Very, very good. |
With your interest in Christian music, Geekoid, I wondered if you might be interested in this guy? You'll have a ton of trouble finding his music, but you can get it from his own website david castle.net : Official Web Site of the Award-Winning Singer/Songwriter/Composer or I can set you up. Guy's name is David Castle, and these tracks are from his last album, "Voice in the wind". Not overly religious but definitely a spiritual theme to most of the songs; I emailed him about ten years ago and he seemed very religious in a "may God watch over you" sort of way, very nice guy. Definitely deserves to be more successful and famous than he is.
There is not one single YouTube of him from this album, so I had to make these myself... |
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