i love lights, and i love blessthefall. and i love that lights and beau bokan have such a great thing going. i pray that they have an amazing marriage and life together.
beau, frontman for christian core up-and-comer blessthefall, posted this beautiful blog on heartsupport today. i just want to share it with you. forgiveness is an insanely powerful thing, but it’s hard to come to terms with people who hurt you, letting go of what’s happened, and moving on in love.
all of us have stories of people hurting us. the choice we make, to forgive or to hold on to that pain, will seriously, honestly, affect the way your life plays out.
let it go.
the blog is here.
it’s so good that we have real role models to look up to, ones who stand up for their faith and live it out at home and on the road. we need more role models.
WELCOME BACK TO LIFE, CAPITAL LIGHTS! this is Coldfront Heatstroke, a track from the upcoming record Rhythm N’ Moves set for a july 17th release date.
this song is… pretty good. the thing with powerpop is that every song tends to sound the same, and that was kind of the case for their previous LP, This is an Outrage.
granted, that same sound was a GOOD sound, but hearing so much of it in a row can make everything blend together. this is a welcome change from their earlier sounds: still poppy and powerpoppy, but with a little more depth and tastes of different genres. at heart, it’s still powerpop, and so the lyrics are a little empty here and there, but overall a good release from a band i am SO excited to see back together.
for old times’ sake, here’s one of the previous videos for Outrage. just…fun to listen to.
cheers,
EDIT: i need to say this. bassist frontmen are awesome. AWESOME. i’m lookin’ at you, nate henry.
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most of my friends give me a hard time because i am NOT a big fan of maroon 5. they have some great songs, but adam levine’s douchiness [and his just alright voice] in combination with a sort of sellout feel has left an unfortunate taste in my mouth. don’t get me wrong, i think they are solidly talented and have written a great catalog of good music. that’s as much as i can say for them though.
i have no commitment to the name, no jumping to defend the band and the music, no faithfulness to the group at all, and for me, that’s a huge chunk of why i like what i like. it’s not just good music, and i’m not just listening because “i like the beat” [gah. GAH!!] but i’m invested in what the band stands for and believes in and ultimately sings about. and in the immortal words of jeremy mckinnon, at least i can say i stand for something.
that said… there have been a ton’s ton of covers on youtube of this freakishly catchy song Payphone. i’ll post a few here that i’ve seen:
1 alex g. i love LOVE alex g. she’s talented, energetic, confident, and gorgeous. i don’t see a huge reason to credit this jameson bass person, since anyone could’ve done that, but hey. haha.
2 skarlett. i’ve never heard of this band until last night. i’m really not that happy with the way the rap parts worked out or the vocals in general, but otherwise it’s a pretty solid cover with a full band. it preserves some of the original emotion as well, which is key. [for the greatest pull-off of original emotion, check out a skylit drive’s cover of Love the Way You Lie. incredible.]
3 jayesslee. every one of my friends love them. i think they’re alright. the concept of attractive twins who can sing in sync [N SYNC, AMIRITE] at an astonishing level is cool, but not quite my cup of tea. even so, good cover. those accents though.
and of course, the original with wiz khalifa if you haven’t seen it.
watching it now again… man, adam levine’s voice is normally alright, but when treated and polished into a slick sheen it becomes really tweety and annoying. not really into it. sorry man. also, i’m not a rap connoisseur in even the slightest sense of the word, but wiz’s part seems weak.
there comes a point when just dropping the f bomb everywhere is a copout, you just can’t come up with better lyrics. i found the point. it’s in this song.
the cobra’s a nice touch though.
cheers.
]]>this song has been overplayed to death, but wow. i enjoy jimmy fallon, and everyone who likes music should at least have a healthy respect for the roots.
i’d also like to take this time to say that there’s really no reason for the bassist to be in the original video. there is minimal noticeable bass.
carly rae jepsen, you’ve made a hit a hit twice over with this one, but jimmy really makes the vid. the classroom instruments are a perfect touch. especially, and i mean ESPECIALLY, the kazoo.
also, if you haven’t seen this… SIKE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oq9iPLyftOk
HEY, REMEMBER THIS?! pt. 2
i found this video after having a little chat on twitter with one of the harp and lyre guys, clay. he pointed out that FM Static’s first album and Hawk Nelson’s Letters to the President both came out 8 [EIGHT?!] years ago. freakin classic. i can’t believe i was in middle school then. unbelievable.
i first heard this song when i was a huge fan of trevor mcnevan’s other band, thousand foot krutch. i loved the rap/rock vibe and the songs were catchy enough, but when i heard trevor was heading a side project that was more pop-punk, i was definitely intrigued. FM Static put out some solid tracks… of which this is probably still one of my favorites. super catchy chorus hooks and classic high school drama together, who’s winning? this guy.
cheers,
edit: i spy a sweet blue strat with a single duncan invader. AWESOME. haha
edit 2: this video kind of reminds me of blink’s all the small things video. just for the sheer absurdity of it. haha
]]>@dividedbyfriday just dropped a video for the title track from their EP Prove It.
as far as i’m concerned, divided by friday is making big steps for such a young group. solid musicianship, good writing, and confident vocals usually add up to success, and i’m hoping the best for these guys. frontman jose villanueva has vocal traces of ryan dominguez [of Tokyo Rose] and of course, pat stump. some say he’s got a bit of brendon urie going as well, but i’m not quite so familiar with panic!.
the 4 piece is on hopeless records working on a full-length, or that’s what i hear. definitely looking forward.
check the video and tell me what you think. i think it’s a great start for a promising young act.
as an aside, it’s also always good to see some diversity. haha
]]>the latest @altpress issue [sleeping with sirens cover] has in the last article a comment about @relientk’s “who i am hates who i’ve been“….likened to a ben gibbard-sung sum 41 track. bummer. who i am… is easily, so easily one of the best tracks in the relientk catalog.
around the time of Two Lefts Don’t Make A Right… But Three Do, the old relientk known for goofy lyrics and 80’s and 90’s nostalgia transitioned out of adolescence and into one of the most fast-growing pop punk staples i’ve ever seen. song after song of witty, truthful lyrics layered comfortably over growing musicianship and expanded instrumentation made Mmhmm one of the greatest albums i’ve had the pleasure of owning. [i gave it to my then girlfriend, which converted her to a relientk fan. i miss it, and i miss her, but it was worth it.] topped with powerfully energetic live shows, relientk took growing up in stride.
after Mmhmm, two rock-solid albums have followed: Five Score and Seven Years Ago, and still the greatest breakup album of all time, Forget and Not Slow Down.
if you haven’t heard either of these, they are highly, highly recommended. this ohio five-piece hasn’t gotten where they are on power chords and cheesy lines. they’ve earned every screaming fan with 14 years of tireless writing, recording, touring, and honestly, just growing up.
the priceless acoustic version that altpress mentioned is here:
http://bit.ly/s9e3yU
it’s every bit as good as they say. trust me.
]]>now that i’ve had a few weeks to reflect on @sherwood’s finally calling it a day, i thought i’d post a little for those of you who haven’t heard much from this former california four/five piece.
in short: sherwood is one of the greatest pop rock bands to ever have been. maybe not a jimmy eat world, but on par in terms of influence with the late mae [which broke up late last year].
i picked up sherwood’s first big LP, Sing, But Keep Going, in 2006 or 2007 when tower records was closing. i think i got it for $3 or $4 completely new, and since it was essentially a fire sale everything in the store was for sale.. even the shelves and tables the cds were sitting on. i was trying to find some solid new music to take home, and sherwood caught my eye as one of the bands this particular girl i was really into at the time mentioned. she might not be a part of my life anymore, but for sherwood i’ll have to thank her lifetimes over.
Sing, But Keep Going was, for me, a poignant, honest, and beautiful cd about growing up. well thought-out tracks and clever/painfully honest lyrics kept me coming back for more. in particular, the town that you live in was a song i just listened to, over and over until i couldn’t remember where it started or ended.
Sing laid the groundwork for the 2007 follow-up album, A Different Light. to this day, ADL remains one of the most classic, timeless, perfect albums i’ve ever picked up. i had it signed when they visited [and filmed!] their seattle show at el corazon in 2008. every track [except for Give Up!, which i earnestly think is just okay…but every GREAT album has a track or two that are not quite as strong as the others] is truly a wonder of nostalgia, tight harmonies between bassist/frontman nate henry and telecaster riffer/background vocalist dan koch.
filling out the band was keyboardist/crazed dancer mikey leibovich, who could have and DID single-handedly pump up the crowd night after night, drummer joe greenetz, and, later, dave provenzano to make it a double-tele-outfit [and how else should it be, after all?].
i saw them three times in total: 2007 with mae, at that point still an up-and-comer, and relientk, whose newest cd at the time was five score… everyone flocked to the relientk table in the totally packed showbox venue, but that gave me a chance to talk to the sherwood fellas. they were all much taller than i expected, but also super down to earth and polite guys to hang out with. i told them that ADL as an album helped me keep smiling through my mom’s fight with cancer, and i could tell they were moved by that.
i saw them again on good friday in 2008, at el corazon with houston calls, the higher, and we shot the moon maybe? i had a chance to congratulate jonathan jones [of waking ashland and we shot the moon fame] outside the venue for making great music after waking ashland faded out.
i saw them last in 2010 or -11, i can’t be sure. probably ‘11, at chop suey with BARCELONA, a peerless pop band, moneta, and this day & age’s [also a peerless pop rock band….truly.] jazz-fusion reincarnation, the reign of kindo.
every show i saw, i could tell they brought everything of themselves on stage. whether it was playing their newer songs, covering classics, like the get up kids’ “holiday”, or catering to the longtime fans with older EP material, they always seemed elated to be sharing their work. and it was great work indeed.
at this point, sherwood has no plans of a goodbye tour, though i think most fans would appreciate it. the breakup was essentially due to everyone’s families needing them, a call i can respect. but these guys will be missed dearly.
i’ve attached the Best in Me music video, a delightfully charming little clip with an equally loveable song. it’s a bittersweet way to remember them, but i’d say, mostly sweet.
cheers, and rest in peace, sherwood. thanks for the memories.
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what is this i don’t even. @miikesnow has released a pair of pretty…interesting videos for new tracks on the forthcoming album, Happy to You.
i honestly have no idea what i just watched. something about perfect human, something about children and shirtless men with large noses being characterized as perfect. i still don’t…i don’t even know. i’m kind of creeped out.
miike snow is a swedish indie pop kinda band that has put out some highly entertaining songs, especially on their previous LP, self titled Miike Snow. it’s pretty chill and easy to listen to, and i’ll be the first to admit getting carried away from worrying about finals when i used it as study music.
most of their songs are laid back, pop and dance beats with soothing vocals and interesting instrumentation/arrangement. it’s hard for me to explain. i’ll let these two new videos do the talking.
of the two, i prefer the first as a song, but honestly i’m just a little too creeped out by both videos to really like anything.
you be the judge.
miike snow | paddling out
http://bit.ly/yskXXd
miike snow | the wave
http://bit.ly/zZYOV9
tell me what you think.
cheers,
]]>and a quick post of an interview from KP. everyone knows i love the KP, but not everyone knows she was a christian artist before her big break. it’s heartbreaking to me since her first few albums were rated perfectly. all the critics who got their hands on her early material raved about it, but for some reason it just didn’t catch with the public. i think that probably contributed to taking her where she is. either way, she is a gifted musician and i look up to her for that, and for not giving a crap about people judging her all the time. cheers to that, KP.
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