La MusicaOctober 16, 2006 6:18 pm

Top 7 Songs

It has been awhile since I have posted about the top 7 songs I’m listening to.

Here you go:

“Gravity” by John Mayer, on his latest Continuum album. Mellow and laid back. It would be perfect for one of those cool nights on the front porch when the stars are shining bright and the air is filled with nothing but the smoke of a fine Monte Cristo #2.

“Twenty Four” by Switchfoot, on their Beautiful Letdown album. I loved this song when I was in the Cinque Terres in Italy. Memories of drinking a bottle of Chianti Classico while staring at the Liguarian Sea flood my mind. Greatness.

“Chocolate” by Snow Patrol, on their other album Final Straw. My friend Tandoori says this song has one of the best lines in all of songdom: “This could be the very minute. I’m aware I’m alive. All these places feel like home.” Chew on that for a couple days.

“Brown Eyes” by Andy Davis, on his Thinks of Her album. Another friend of my who does NOT have a crush on Andy and who will also remain nameless thinks his music is heartfelt and well written. I’m not afraid so I’ll admit…Andy is hot and his music is rockin, try him out.

“Let Go” by Frou Frou, on their album Details. This is before Imogen went solo…it’s good stuff. Is it bad if I tell you that it reminds me of So You Think You Can Dance? Um, my wife made me watch it???

“Bullet” by Mat Kearny, on the Nothing Left to Lose album. Ok, so I can’t get enough of Kearny (Car-nee), and either can Grey’s Anatomy because the first 2 episodes of the season had his music.

“Constellations” by Jack Johnson, on his quickly forgotten album In Between Dreams. Jack did the Curious George movie and didn’t get much props for this genius of a record. This is the song I want to listen to in my new back yard when the weather is creeping close to 40 degrees and the chimenea is going strong with hickory logs. This song quietly screams relaxation.

Enjoy.
SB

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La MusicaJuly 15, 2006 8:31 pm

Top 7 Songs

Currently these are the top 7 songs I’m enjoying.

“Is It Any Wonder?” by Keane. album - Under The Iron Sea. This is Keane’s latest stuff and I can’t get enough of all these Brit bands becoming popular. Vocals, keyboard, and drums. Simple and superb.

“Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol. album - Eyes Open. I’ve become a big fan of these guys. Its the kind of rock music that just hooks you. This is the stuff you turn the dial all the way to the right for.

“World Spins Madly On” by The Weepies. album - Say I Am You. So maybe you’re not into Folk but there is something special about this music. Hearing the Weepies live was amazing. Its like nothing you’ve ever heard before and it’s perfect for relaxing and letting the stress drift away.

“A Quiet Mind” by Blue October. album - History For Sale. Warning about this band. I’m not a huge fan of all their stuff. But I love this song and a couple others. This song will not disappoint.

“Nothing Left To Lose” by Mat Kearney. album - Nothing Left To Lose. This guy writes solid songs and knows how to blend some hip hop type lyrics. The music video of this song is good.

“Shy That Way” by Tristan Prettyman. album - Twentythree. So I’m not crazy about the entire album but this song is pretty sweet. Jason Mraz joins her in the middle of this song and it’s just right.

“Look After You” by The Fray. album - How to Save a Life. This song never gets radio time and yet it was probably the best song they played at their concert. These guys simply know how to rock.

For now I hope you enjoy my current top 7. And remember to always purchase your music and spay your cats.

SB

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La MusicaMay 14, 2006 4:41 am

Broken CD Players

I’m not sure how you roll but I’m Old School. A 1997 Black Toyota Camry has captured my heart for 158,014 miles. She has been to NYC, Chicago, and the Rocky Mts. So maybe she’s not as sexy as she use to be but I still love her. The emblem is missing from the front grill, the front left rim has no center cap, and the tint on the driver side window is wanting to come off. About 4 years ago I was listening to a David Crowder cd when my cd player started to act funny. From that moment on I got use to talk radio and my cassette tape of Another Bad Creation. Until today.

For some reason I woke up this morning and thought to myself. Maybe my cd player will work today. Its been awhile but why not just give it a whirl. I get into my black beauty and cozy into my cracking khaki leather with hopes of second chances. I put in Blue October given to me by my friend J Dub and let the windows down to take in the smells of summer. The screen blinks blank. I can hear the cd spinning, so I hit all 6 buttons…and then it happens. Music. I turn the chorus up loud:

I only want you to see
My favorite part of me
And not my ugly side
Not my ugly side

I drove around today with the biggest smile on my face. I forgot what it was like! And 4 years of -ness made for the sweetest music enjoyment. There is something about second chances. Maybe its because when things are bad the good is just that much better. Or I wonder if its because down deep we all want second chances. Sometimes I think its because screwed up. And in those times there’s nothing more that we want then for someone to forgive us for our stupidity. Its even worse when someone has done wrong to . A bad argument or situation that caused hurt. The grudge and pride separates the relationship and a second chance is secretly hoped for to make things right again.

I’ve come to realize that our lives every day are filled with broken cd players. You can’t seem to avoid the stupid argument. The office job wears on you. Church confuses you and the unknowns in life frustrate. You desperately hope a beer or ice cream will Windex it all away…only to find it just makes you fat. I think everyone has things that break, and then just assume just like me that it will never work again. But take it from me. If you’ll give it a try, if you’ll take a chance, you might find yourself experience a new kind of music. In the midst of a confusing world there is a unique and special power in second chances. I turned the music up even louder. Miss Woodward burned me a cd and what better song to get a left arm tan to then “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey. I don’t think about the interior light not working or even that the back left door has no inside door handle. Because now the cd player can remind of all that is good. And that’s what second chances are all about.

SB

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La MusicaMay 12, 2006 11:29 pm

The Fray - How To Save A Life

Its dark in a crowded room of 1000 anxious fans.  The drummer is laying down a sweet beat as another guy is doing a really cool number on the electric.  Anticipation is building, we’ve been waiting 3 hours for what will be 90 minutes of incredible live music.  Issac Slade, lead singer of The Fray walks down the back stairs of the Gypsy Tea Room’s large venue and the crowd goes balistic.  He sits down at his shiney black baby grand piano and plays. 

Sold out crowd.  So sold out that none of my friends were able to get tickets.  But I couldn’t miss this night.  This was it.  After this tour the Fray would move on to bigger and better venues and I’ll have to enjoy saying, "I remember when…"  It took the Fray 14 months to get a million plays on their Myspace page.  3 weeks to get to 2 million.  And then only 11 days to get to 3.  They are now the #1 played band on Myspace and there is a reason.  They are good.

1 song into the concert an amp blows and they need a filler.  So Issac says, "I was going to wait until later for ‘Show & Tell’ but I guess I can do it now."  He proceeds to share with the crowd that he bought boots from a bona fide cowboy in Colorado and was handed down a vintage belt buckle from his grandpa.  What better way to show off the goods then get UP ON the baby grand piano and lift your jeans up to your knees revealing not only a very cool pair of jeans but pastey white legs.

People never cease to amaze me.  Airports, State Fairs, and now live concerts display the human race in its finest.  People upset and wanting to fight over standing in the space in front of me and blocking our view.  Come on people!  We’re jammed in like sardines and we’re worried about comfort?  How about lets complain that the tempature has risen to 104 degrees?  Camera phones were the main attraction as half the crowd was looking for a new wallpaper.  My phone does not have photo taking abilities but I was STILL able to get the same picture everyone else got.  Check it out below.Cold Play      Actually that is a photo at the Coldplay concert.  Picture courtesy of Skip.  But I promise, its looks EXACTLY the same.

I love group singing.  I guess thats why corporate worship is so great.  Or maybe its because if everyone is singing really loud then you can’t tell that I sound alot like William Hung.  At one point Issac is rockin’ the ivories and has everyone singing the chorus to "Look After You"

Oh, oh,
Be my baby
Ohhhhh
Oh, oh
Be my baby
I’ll look after you

And while the crowd sings slow, and I yack like an old cat, Issac soulfully sings:

You are so beautiful, to me

We keep singing, and Issac keeps singing and the combination is brillant.  And then we stop only to have Mr Slade finish it off with nothing but him and the baby grand:

Can’t you see, baby                                                                                                        You’re everything I hoped for
You’re everything I need
You are so beautiful to me
You are so beautiful to me 

Does it get better than a little Joe Cocker with the Fray?  I think not.  So it was definite good times.  Its all very interesting though.  People that is.  Listening to everyone sing.  The chants.  The screams.  I even had 2 girls before the show who couldn’t get tickets into the concert give me their CD cover and wanted me to try and get it signed.  I of course made no attempt to make that happen as there were 999 other people who wanted it just a tad more than I did.  But this skinny smoker wanted just a piece…just anything.  Its a hunger and a desire that can only be described with one word.  Worship. 

So I’m walking to my car at midnight with my ear drums still pounding and it hits me.  Its in us.  Worship.  Its in everyone, really deep.  The choice every day we wake up to is: what will we worship?

SB

 

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La MusicaApril 30, 2006 11:48 pm

Music Makes You Feel

“We built this city.  We build this city on Rock ‘N Roll.”  Now that brings back many memories for me. I remember as a little boy I would fall asleep to the radio every night.  I would lean over to the right side of my bed and hit the sleep button on my small brown clock radio.  For the next 59 minutes all of the current songs would play me to sleep.  Maybe this is where my love for 80’s music comes from.  I loved music.  I would memorize songs, dance to them, and I played drums (upside down popcorn tins) in the neighborhood band.  If we were lip sinking to “Pour Some Sugar on Me” I would take lead vocals and rock my half Korean booty.

Maybe it was moving for the 3rd time or that whole puberty thing but I went through a long phase where I didn’t enjoy music in the same way.  DJ Jazzy Jeff, Cocktail sound track, and the red vinyl jacket with lots of pockets.  These were only some of the many things that music was about.  Its what makes you feel, come alive, and enjoy life in a different way.

Only recently have I gotten back into music.  And I contribute almost all of that to my wonderful wife.  She is the queen of music.  She has 1000s of CDs and can name all kinds of bands from many eras.  I’m enjoying many different artist and want to begin sharing them with you.  So be on the look out for new and old artists.  My hope is we can all enjoy music together.

SB

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