Back in November of 2004 Relient K released their album MmHmm, I finally heard it yesterday. Rock. On.

This CD was awesome, pure and simple. They rocked, they sang, they were clever, they had insightful and meaningful lyrics with a mix of humor (ie. My Girl’s Ex-Boyfriend). They sounded like a mature blink-182 in places, which I dug.

I knew they had some good stuff to say when in Be My Escape they bless our ears and minds with:

And this life sentence that I’m serving
I admit that I’m every bit deserving
But the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair

That just shuts up every thought of mine that likes to complain that life isn’t fair. In reality we are lucky (I suppose I should actaully say “loved enough”) that life isn’t fair.

Here are two of their songs that I especially liked, but there really isn’t a bad one on this cd.

Read full blog entry…

Good stuff indeed! Thanks to Erin for hooking me up (of course I own a legal copy now!) and also Happy Birthday!

Shalom

Last night in Bible study we took a look at different worship songs that had made an impression on each of us for one reason or another. Here is a look at what we choose:

I chose On Distant Shores by Five Iron Frenzy. I chose this because I think it clearly and acurately depicts our Christian life and relationship with God. It shows we are broken and need to be freed from our sin. This is one of my favorite songs (if you have been reading my blog you will know I have quoted it before) because I think each verse is very potent and contains deep truth (which I find very interesting considering how silly and mindless FIF can be too!). I feel two verses are quite profound and should be meditated on:

And off of the blocks, I was headstrong and proud, at the front of the line for the card-carrying, highbrowed. With both eyes fastened tight, yet unscarred from the fight. Running at full tilt, my sword pulled from its hilt. It’s funny how these things can slip away, our frail deeds, the last will wave good-bye. It’s funny how the hope will bleed away, the citadels we build and fortify. Good-Bye.

Night came and I broke my stride, I swallowed hard, but never cried. When grace was easy to forget, I’d denounce the hypocrites, casting first stones, killing my own. You would unscale my blind eyes, and I stood battered, but more wise, fighting to accelerate, shaking free from crippling weight. With resilience unsurpassed, I clawed my way to You at last. And on my knees, I wept at Your feet, I finally believed, that You still loved me.

And the rest of the selection: Read full blog entry…

So what do you think of those songs? What are your favorite?
Shalom

I saw the (quite) lovely ladies of Late Tuesday tonight (6.10.05) at The Q Cafe. They put on an awesome show, I might even have to go see them in Burlington tomorrow at Common Ground. Plus I think I have a crush on Jocelyn.

Please see my previous post on Late Tuesday for more information and a few of their songs. Or you could just head over to latetuesday.com.

I took some pictures and have posted them here. They aren’t the best quality as I don’t really like to use the flash that often at concerts like this one because I feel that they are a bit distracting. If I go tomorrow night, maybe I will get some better shots.

Here is a quick video clip (5.94MB).

Clicking the following pictures will take you to a gallery or you can view them by “Reading full blog entry”.

Read full blog entry…

Enjoy and shalom.

Catchy title, eh? Of course that isn’t true, for one, Beethoven is dead, and two, his music is being given out for free!

I thought I would bring you all a little (more) culture this evening with some music links from the BBC (h/t to Donald Sensing). BBC Radio is offering free MP3 downloads of some of Beethoven’s symphonies. Currently you can download: Symphony 1, Symphony 2, Symphony 3, Symphony 4, and Symphony 5 with four more to follow. All the symphonies are performed by the BBC Philharmonic and conducted by Gianandrea Noseda.

Please, enjoy.

UPDATE: Symphony 1-5 have been removed from their site. If you want the files, email me and I can send them to you.

Technically, this is part of my Family Book and CD/DVD Exchange for May, but since I haven’t even looked at the book yet, I thought I would post on Late Tuesday right now.

Let me introduce you to Dana, Jocelyn, and Tara of Late Tuesday, a trio out of Bellingham, WA. Of course, I don’t actually know them, but really, that is who they are (at least that is what their website and CD info told me!). You think I have a chance with Jocelyn? She is cute!

I was recently introduced to them by Erin and have enjoyed their heartfelt harmonies. Being male, as I am, some of the lyrics I can’t relate to, but they are still well written with great music behind them. The combination of their voices, piano, electric and acoustic guitar make for some good tunes.

Here are a few tunes of their most recent album: Remember We Forget.

To Not Be Let Down (3.39MB):

Lord only knows what you’re going through
Lord only knows how deeply you’ve been bruised
and i cannot tell you how much i am sorry
i wouldn’t wish this hurt on any friend
and all i can do is say that i’ll pray
and that i am glad i know you today
words might do little to ease your mind
’cause they are what caused so much pain at the time
so this is the least that i can offer
Lord only knows what you’re going through
just trying to keep going got stuff to do
but nothing in what’s happened seems fair
so you keep moving on and healing will come
it comes along
until then may friendships hold you together
words might do little to ease your mind
’cause they are what confuse things all the time
so this is the least that i can offer
picture God in all His glory He’s holding you still
and He loves you without end
picture heaven in its splendor
it’s nothing like this earth
where your love will not be let down

Simply Beautiful (2.72MB):

i can’t wait for you to give in to love
i can’t wait wait for you to get what you’re made of
won’t that change everything
won’t it make life more than it has seemed
won’t you see you weren’t made for nothing
you are beautiful
and i know you well
but i can only do so much for you
and i would do it all if i could just show you truth
you are beautiful

23 (3.25MB):

save me from wandering
carry me home
make me lie in pastures green
restore my soul
guide me on righteous paths
though i walk through shadows of death
i will fear no evil here for you are here with me
comfort me as i lay
prepare a table for me
surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life
and i will dwell in the house of the Lord forever

Good stuff, eh? If you want to buy some of their stuff (which I need to do!) head over to the Late Tuesday store. I have heard their Christmas EP rocks too. You could also sign up for their newsletter to download “exclusive” songs (including their awesome rendition of Alison Krauss’ Down to the River to Pray (3.19MB)).

They are playing over at The Q Cafe in Seattle this Friday (along with Sam Ashworth and Matt Slocum from Sixpence None the Richer), anyone want to go listen?

Shalom

EDIT: See pictures from their June 10th, 2005 concert at Seattle’s Q Cafe.

I have been going through some of my CDs and ran across one from Harrod and Funck. Jason Harrod and Brian Funck are a folkish singer/songwriter duo that put out some great songs. Here are a few excerpts from their self titled album “Harrod and Funck“:

Your Voice At Tidewater (4.67MB)

Tidewater
I can feel the ocean pulling inward, I’m sinking on sand.
It makes me think about Peter
Sinking like a stone, and not believing he grabs for your hand.

I go to a movie.
I can feel the tears on my neck stinging, because I just shaved.
Someone gets killed.
Someone else gets shot up real bad, and in the end someone gets saved.
And in the end someone gets saved.

And you say
Come, come, cry me a river now.
Come, come, laugh out loud.
Come, come, let me hear your heart beat.
Come, come, lay your body down.

Walk into the Wild (5.44MB) - About Chris McCandless (see Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer)

The bag of rice emptied yesterday, ranging through the wood, Alex knows the food is low.
But his ragged sould will never die, he rereads his tattered Walden and Dr. Zhivago.
Catch a fish, cherish the moment as he smokes it in the dirt.
His belly cries out louder, it’s more trouble than it’s worth.

Getting weaker by the day, without that map he burned Alex has lost his way.
Imprisoned by the river, day 100 still had the sweetest taste.
Writing on the bus, his mind slips into a dream.
“In God’s name someone help me.” Signed Chris McCandless.

Lion Song (3.40MB)

See the green rush by your head.
You will break out, you will.
‘Neath you run some fleeter feet.

‘Cause what have we not been given?
And what have we not been shown?

These two lions that I know,
As beautiful as they are strong,
Sleeping in each other’s arms.

So when the thunder rocks your bones,
And the night is cold and long,
Their jungle kept me.

Harrod and Funck have since gone thier own ways but Jason Harrod continues to sing and write. If he is in your area, I definitely recommend checking him out. He also recently came out with a new CD - Bright As You - that I need to pick up. I am sure it will compliment his Living in Skin quite well. If you like folk / bluegrass, you will enjoy Harrod I am sure.

Here are a few songs from a “bootleg” of a show at Zoka Coffee in Seattle that a friend recorded and I edited.
Carolina (3.96MB) - From Living in Skin
Siren Song (4.58MB) - From Living in Skin
Mad Girlfriend (4.23MB) - From Bright As You
Hand Draws Flowers (5.86MB) - From Harrod and Funck
Nemo Incognito (3.12MB) - Not previously recorded.
When I Get Home (4.06MB) - From Living in Skin

He also sang “When I Fly Away”, “Messed Up Everywhere Blues”, “Tidewater”, “Waiting For My Day”, “Worn Out Welcome”, “Kickin’ Mule”, “Goodnight Sunshine”, “Siobhan”, “39″, “Lion Song”, “Looming”, and “Place To Be” so if you want to hear any that I didn’t post, just email me.

Shalom

Edit: I have created a page for Jason Harrod’s Live performance at Zoka Coffee on July 26th, 2003 so stop by to hear more of his songs.

Cool song by Pedro the Lion off of their EP titled Whole. Also check out the instrumental “Hymn” on that EP. Good stuff.

“Whole” by Pedro the Lion

A hole that big
I’d never seen before
in the tummy of a good ol’ boy who always wanted more.
Then just yesterday
I saw him satisfied.
It seems he’d met the hole fixin’ man, much to his surprise.

But are you for real?
Mr. Hole Fixin’ Man, you fixed my friend can you fix me?
Hey Mr. Hole Fixin’ Man, I’m as broken as a boy can be,
so how ’bout fixin’ me?

And all the charms
that never were enough
it seems the hole was always twice as big no matter what it was,
but to see him now
is almost to believe
that maybe Mr. Hole Fixin’ Man might have what I need.

But are you for real?
Mr. Hole Fixin’ Man, you fixed my friend can you fix me?
Hey Mr. Hole Fixin’ Man, I’m as broken as a boy can be,
so how ’bout fixin’ me.

Mr. Hole Fixin’ Man, he says you died on Calvary.
Hey Mr. Hole Fixin’ Man, if you’ve got proof I will believe,
so how ’bout fixin’ me.

Won’t you please,
won’t you please.
Start by fixin’ me, start by fixin’ me.

Do you need proof for the Hole Fixin’ man to start fixin’ you or would him fixin’ you be proof enough to believe?

Shalom