Tonight we can be as one

Over the last 18 months this has become one of my favorite songs.

carried away

Check out this new music video from friend and artist Marc Scibilia.

Does anyone else recognize the other guy (not Marc) in the video?  It's Brandt Ruso.  He's an advocate for the homeless and travels the country in an old converted veggie oil bus.  Really cool guy.  He's featured in the documentary of the Jesus for President book tour, called Ordinary Radicals.

And while I was out looking for links, I discovered the Ordinary Radicals blog!  It's new to the blogroll, so check it out.

another one for the roommaters

Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey.
Along came a spider
Who sat down beside her
And scared poor Miss Muffet away.


(imagine this sung screamed in E-minor. Metal, or maybe 80's hair band)

Lent-Easter MMIX

One of my good friends from this summer has put together a great collection of songs for the Lent-Easter season.  You can read about the music and partake in some great devotionals at his dedicated blog.  The download link on his site has expired, but you can download all but the last song here.

I uploaded Isaiah 53 for your streaming pleasure:

free exchange

I'm currently listening to this album.  I just got it in the mail from some guy I don't know from Bowling Green, OH.  I sent him a little book called the Search for Significance.  I think I got it for free somewhere.

In the next few days I'm expecting The Untimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and a book called Light Force to arrive in the mail.  How, you might ask?

I was recommended this website: www.swaptree.com.  And now I'm recommending it to you.  It's completely free.  You just sign up, input the books, DVDs, CDs, or games that you're willing to trade, and make a list of things you want.

You can find trades yourself, or swaptree will find them for you!  I'm getting Hitchhiker's Guide and Light Force by three-way trades that the website found for us, so the people that I just mailed a movie and a book to are sending something else to the people who are sending me the books.

of course, postage isn't free, but this is exactly the kind of anti-consumerism that I love.  Easy, efficient, and cheap ways to reuse rather than buy new.  Check it out!

new music

So, it's taken me a while to get to this last one, but here it is, in all it's glory.  I'll probably do some wrap-up post, unless someone accosts me with more new music before I get around to it.

Previously:

Eisley :: Room Noises :: 7/10

Armor for Sleep :: Dream to Make Believe :: 6/10

Bright Eyes :: Cassadaga :: 4/10

The Almost :: Southern Weather :: 9/10

Bedouin Soundclash :: Sounding a Mosaic :: 8/10

Cursive :: The Ugly Organ :: 5/10

Sara Bareilles :: Little Voice :: 6/10

Catch 22 :: Keasbey Nights :: 6/10

Paramore :: Riot! :: 8/10

The Ataris :: So Long, Astoria :: 7/10

Mae :: Singularity :: 8.5/10

Brand New :: The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me :: 5/10

Kevin Devine :: Put Your Ghost to Rest :: 8/10

The Format :: Dog Problems / Invitations and Lullabies :: 7/10

mewithoutyou :: Brother, Sister :: 9.5/10

Feist :: Let It Die :: 7/10

Psalters :: The Divine Liturgy of the Wretched Exiles :: 9/10

Artist:  Matt Costa

Album:  Unfamiliar Faces

iTunes Genre:  Alternative & Punk

My Rating:  7/10

Thoughts:  I enjoyed Matt Costa.  His music is really chill, easy to listen to.  There's not much diversity, thought.  Unless I'm paying attention a lot of the songs sound the same.  I would never be upset if one of these songs popped up in a random shuffle, but depending on my mood I could just be bored.  This review may have been more positive if I wasn't already feeling a little tired when I started listening.

Best Track:  Miss Magnolia

theme music

I walked by Troy's room this morning after taking a shower and heard his computer playing the Mission Impossible theme.

I suddenly felt like I was a spy on a secret mission.  And I didn't even know that it was the Mission Impossible theme.

Getting dressed was suddenly much more entertaining.

It's amazing how our minds make mental associations.

new music

Previously:

Eisley :: Room Noises :: 7/10

Armor for Sleep :: Dream to Make Believe :: 6/10

Bright Eyes :: Cassadaga :: 4/10

The Almost :: Southern Weather :: 9/10

Bedouin Soundclash :: Sounding a Mosaic :: 8/10

Cursive :: The Ugly Organ :: 5/10

Sara Bareilles :: Little Voice :: 6/10

Catch 22 :: Keasbey Nights :: 6/10

Paramore :: Riot! :: 8/10

The Ataris :: So Long, Astoria :: 7/10

Mae :: Singularity :: 8.5/10

Brand New :: The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me :: 5/10

Kevin Devine :: Put Your Ghost to Rest :: 8/10

The Format :: Dog Problems / Invitations and Lullabies :: 7/10

mewithoutyou :: Brother, Sister :: 9.5/10

Feist :: Let It Die :: 7/10

Artist:  Psalters

Album:  The Divine Liturgy of the Wretched Exiles

iTunes Genre:  Unclassifiable    (that makes me smile)

My Rating:  9/10

Thoughts:  This album is very aptly named.  I love the presentation of it.  Perhaps it's not fair to incorporate my love for the presentation of the album (artwork, lyrics, etc.) since this is one of two of my new music albums where I have more than the CD itself.  But I can't help myself.  The liturgy is beautiful.  More than any new music I've listened to, there is a unity throughout the whole work.  It is one worship experience.  And yes, it is definitely worship - Jesus is first for the Psalters.  Their music is full of emotion, passion.  It's in the way they play and sing and compose and groan and wail and shout.  The dissonant wailing is the only reason they don't match up to mewithoutyou.  It's really powerful, really moving, and generally excellent, but it's just a touch too much for me.  That being said, the more I'm listening to it, the more accustomed I am to it.  I could grow to love the Psalters even more.  Musically, unclassifiable is true.  The Psalters are kind of a genre of their own.  The music is very inventive, the use a variety of implements to make music, some of which you might call instruments.  The harmonies are spectacular.  The guys with the crazy low voices rock.

See the Psalters live if you ever have a chance.  It's extraordinary.

Best Track: Lord's Prayer

Up Next (and last?):  Matt Costa

new music

Previously:

Eisley :: Room Noises :: 7/10

Armor for Sleep :: Dream to Make Believe :: 6/10

Bright Eyes :: Cassadaga :: 4/10

The Almost :: Southern Weather :: 9/10

Bedouin Soundclash :: Sounding a Mosaic :: 8/10

Cursive :: The Ugly Organ :: 5/10

Sara Bareilles :: Little Voice :: 6/10

Catch 22 :: Keasbey Nights :: 6/10

Paramore :: Riot! :: 8/10

The Ataris :: So Long, Astoria :: 7/10

Mae :: Singularity :: 8.5/10

Brand New :: The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me :: 5/10

Kevin Devine :: Put Your Ghost to Rest :: 8/10

The Format :: Dog Problems / Invitations and Lullabies :: 7/10

mewithoutyou :: Brother, Sister :: 9.5/10

Artist:  Feist

Album:  Let It Die

iTunes Genre:  Pop

My Rating:  7/10

Thoughts:  7 seems to be a pretty average rating for this new music.  I'll have to plot the results afterwards and do some statistical analysis.  What?  Otherwise I couldn't say with confidence that I'm a nerd.  Anyway, I enjoyed listening to Feist.  I don't feel the need to listen to the album again.  I'm afraid that digging into the content of the songs will make me like them less, though if anyone out there is a big fan of her lyrics, let me know.  I really like Feist's voice (or whatever her name is).  Her voice and the music blend well, and create a generally pleasant listening experience.  I can't say I was moved by any of the songs.  I simply enjoyed them.

Best Track: When I Was A Young Girl

Up Next:  Psalters

new music

Previously:

Eisley :: Room Noises :: 7/10

Armor for Sleep :: Dream to Make Believe :: 6/10

Bright Eyes :: Cassadaga :: 4/10

The Almost :: Southern Weather :: 9/10

Bedouin Soundclash :: Sounding a Mosaic :: 8/10

Cursive :: The Ugly Organ :: 5/10

Sara Bareilles :: Little Voice :: 6/10

Catch 22 :: Keasbey Nights :: 6/10

Paramore :: Riot! :: 8/10

The Ataris :: So Long, Astoria :: 7/10

Mae :: Singularity :: 8.5/10

Brand New :: The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me :: 5/10

Kevin Devine :: Put Your Ghost to Rest :: 8/10

The Format :: Dog Problems / Invitations and Lullabies :: 7/10

Artist:  mewithoutyou

Album:  Brother, Sister

iTunes Genre:  Gospel & Religious

My Rating:  9.5/10   (nothing's perfect)

Thoughts:  Suspicion confirmed.  I love mewithoutyou.  I saw them in concert at Purple Door a few years ago, and was hooked.  Now I've finally gotten to listen to some of their music.  The poetry is outstanding, and music inventive, moving.  I love the way this album seems itself to be a work of art.  There are threads that run through the whole work, from Yellow Spider/Orange Spider/Brownish Spider to the thought that "I do not exist" which spans from the first song to the last.  Really good art, really good music.

Best Track:  A Glass Can Only Spill What It Contains

Up Next:  Feist

new music

It's been a while since I've taken the time to listen to some new music.  I think I had new music overload.  And I wasn't exactly sure how to deal with the Format, since the disk I'm borrowing is a compilation of two albums.  Anyway, here goes:

Previously:

Eisley :: Room Noises :: 7/10

Armor for Sleep :: Dream to Make Believe :: 6/10

Bright Eyes :: Cassadaga :: 4/10

The Almost :: Southern Weather :: 9/10

Bedouin Soundclash :: Sounding a Mosaic :: 8/10

Cursive :: The Ugly Organ :: 5/10

Sara Bareilles :: Little Voice :: 6/10

Catch 22 :: Keasbey Nights :: 6/10

Paramore :: Riot! :: 8/10

The Ataris :: So Long, Astoria :: 7/10

Mae :: Singularity :: 8.5/10

Brand New :: The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me :: 5/10

Kevin Devine :: Put Your Ghost to Rest :: 8/10

Artist: The Format

Album:  Selections from Dog Problems and Invitations and Lullabies.

iTunes Genre:  Rock

My Rating:  7/10

Thoughts:  I did much more lyrics reading for the Format than most of the other new music that I've listened to.  I think that's because the music is much more lyric-driven.  The words are clear, at the forefront of the music experience.  Most of the lyrics are some sort of love-related song, but many of them are about lost love, or contain bits of melancholy, so I didn't really connect with them well.  The lyrics are generally quite poetic, which I really appreciate.  This is certainly a band worth continuing to listen to.

Best Track:  On Your Porch

Up Next:  mewithoutyou

story and music

A friend and I were recently discussing the many commonalities between story and music. They can draw out same emotions, connect with the soul in similar, powerful ways. Bad stories are a lot like bad music. Good music is a lot like a good story.
Perhaps you can express everything worth expressing in music. I'm not sure about that yet. It's probably true if you're talking about songs with lyrics. Perhaps you've heard that stories aren't always written in prose.

Anyway, here's a brief article from my friends over at the Rabbit Room that touches on story and song, and the combination of the two together. Using song to tell a story is a beautiful idea.

new music

Previously:

Eisley :: Room Noises :: 7/10

Armor for Sleep :: Dream to Make Believe :: 6/10

Bright Eyes :: Cassadaga :: 4/10

The Almost :: Southern Weather :: 9/10

Bedouin Soundclash :: Sounding a Mosaic :: 8/10

Cursive :: The Ugly Organ :: 5/10

Sara Bareilles :: Little Voice :: 6/10

Catch 22 :: Keasbey Nights :: 6/10

Paramore :: Riot! :: 8/10

The Ataris :: So Long, Astoria :: 7/10

Mae :: Singularity :: 8.5/10

Brand New :: The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me :: 5/10

Artist:  Kevin Devine

Album:  Put Your Ghost to Rest

iTunes Genre:  Alternative

My Rating:  8/10

Thoughts:  I've really enjoyed this album.  I like the relaxed sound, the inventive lyrics.  It's refreshing, in a sense.  I'm a fan of vague imagery in lyrics -- stuff where you kind of have an idea what it means, but you're not sure you could actually explain it to anyone.  I felt that way about a couple of these songs.  Downsides include a touch too much country.

Best Track: Go Haunt Someone Else

Track with the Best Content:  The Burning City Smoking

Up Next: The Format

brand new

My most recent new music review was of Brand New. I didn't like their music. And my distaste for the music prevented me from making the effort to understand their lyrics. I have since been challenged to forget the music and actually read the lyrics.

Turns out their not too bad at poetry. I'll throw the text of "Jesus Christ" at the end of the post. That being said, I believe good poetry can make good music better. It doesn't make painful music worth listening too. Brand New should write a book of poems. Or someone else should steal their lyrics and write new music for them.


Jesus Christ, that's a pretty face
The kind you'd find on someone that could save
If they don't put me away
It’ll be a miracle

Do you believe you're missing out?
That everything good is happening somewhere else
But with nobody in your bed
The night is hard to get through

And I will die all alone
And when I arrive I won’t know anyone

Well, Jesus Christ, I’m alone again
So what did you do those three days you were dead?
Because this problem's gonna last
More than the weekend

Well, Jesus Christ I’m not scared to die
I’m a little bit scared of what comes after
Do I get the gold chariot
Do I float through the ceiling

Do I divide and fall apart
Cause my bright is too slight to hold back all my dark
This ship went down in sight of land
And at the gates does Thomas ask to see my hands?

I know you'll come in the night like a thief
But I’ve had some time alone to hone my lying technique
I know you think that I’m someone you can trust
But I’m scared I’ll get scared and I swear I’ll try to nail you back up
(everyone now)
So do you think that we could work out a sign
So I’ll know it's you and that it's over so I won't even try
I know you'll come for the people like me
But we all got wood and nails,
Trying to turn our hate in factories
But, we all got wood and nails
Trying to turn our hate in factories
Yeah, we all got wood and nails
Trying to turn out hate in factories
Yeah, we all got wood and nails
And we sleep inside of this machine

HT: Moses, sing365.com

new music

Previously:

Eisley :: Room Noises :: 7/10

Armor for Sleep :: Dream to Make Believe :: 6/10

Bright Eyes :: Cassadaga :: 4/10

The Almost :: Southern Weather :: 9/10

Bedouin Soundclash :: Sounding a Mosaic :: 8/10

Cursive :: The Ugly Organ :: 5/10

Sara Bareilles :: Little Voice :: 6/10

Catch 22 :: Keasbey Nights :: 6/10

Paramore :: Riot! :: 8/10

The Ataris :: So Long, Astoria :: 7/10

Mae :: Singularity :: 8.5/10

Artist: Brand New

Album:  The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me

iTunes Genre:  Alternative & Punk

My Rating:  5/10

Thoughts:  Some of the tracks are interesting.  I'm sure it's pretty inventive musically.  It's just not my taste.  Not much of an emo fan, I suppose.  Though I do care about feelings (recently I used the fact that I care about feelings as a defense in a mafia game... and it worked).  I have no idea if the lyrics are good.  I didn't care enough for the music to pay attention to the words.

Best Track:  Degausser

Up Next: Kevin Devine

new music

Previously:

Eisley :: Room Noises :: 7/10

Armor for Sleep :: Dream to Make Believe :: 6/10

Bright Eyes :: Cassadaga :: 4/10

The Almost :: Southern Weather :: 9/10

Bedouin Soundclash :: Sounding a Mosaic :: 8/10

Cursive :: The Ugly Organ :: 5/10

Sara Bareilles :: Little Voice :: 6/10

Catch 22 :: Keasbey Nights :: 6/10

Paramore :: Riot! :: 8/10

The Ataris :: So Long, Astoria :: 7/10

Artist:  Mae

Album:  Singularity

iTunes Genre:  Gospel & Religious

My Rating: 8.5/10

Thoughts:  I told myself I wasn't going to stoop to the decimal scale, but I couldn't help myself.  I didn't leave enought room between 8 and 9.  Mae is better than Paramore and Bedouin Soundclash, but not quite as good at The Almost.  I like the alternative rock feel, a little bit calmer, with solid lyrics (though they're mostly straight forward -- i like a bit more metaphor).  This album has a good mix of song topics.

Best Track:  Sometimes I Can't Make It Alone   (is that my third "best track" in a row that's about a girl?)

Up Next:  Brand New

new music

Previously:

Eisley :: Room Noises :: 7/10

Armor for Sleep :: Dream to Make Believe :: 6/10

Bright Eyes :: Cassadaga :: 4/10

The Almost :: Southern Weather :: 9/10

Bedouin Soundclash :: Sounding a Mosaic :: 8/10

Cursive :: The Ugly Organ :: 5/10

Sara Bareilles :: Little Voice :: 6/10

Catch 22 :: Keasbey Nights :: 6/10

Paramore :: Riot! :: 8/10

Artist:  The Ataris

Album:  So Long, Astoria

iTunes Genre:  Alternative & Punk

My Rating:  7/10

Thoughts:  I've actually listened to this album a few times, and rather enjoy it.  It's definitely fun, artistic, high quality.  But, I still can't rate it higher than Paramore, so The Ataris are stuck at 7.  Not very helpful thoughts, I must admit.  I don't really feel like actually analyzing anything right now.

Best Track:  In This Diary

Best Track Title:  The Hero Dies In This One

Up Next:  Thursday

new music

Previously:

Eisley :: Room Noises :: 7/10

Armor for Sleep :: Dream to Make Believe :: 6/10

Bright Eyes :: Cassadaga :: 4/10

The Almost :: Southern Weather :: 9/10

Bedouin Soundclash :: Sounding a Mosaic :: 8/10

Cursive :: The Ugly Organ :: 5/10

Sara Bareilles :: Little Voice :: 6/10

Catch 22 :: Keasbey Nights :: 6/10

Artist:  Paramore

Album:  Riot!

iTunes Genre:  Alternative & Punk

My Rating:  8/10

Thoughts:  Great album.  I was really tempted to give it a 9, but I couldn't claim it was as good as Southern Weather.  Lyrics are occasionaly good enough that I notice them, but it's the music that carries the work.  Catchy tunes.  The content is a mix of God-themes and romance-themes, sometimes with both in the same song, which I'm into currently.

Best Track:  Miracles

new music

Previously:

Eisley :: Room Noises :: 7/10

Armor for Sleep :: Dream to Make Believe :: 6/10

Bright Eyes :: Cassadaga :: 4/10

The Almost :: Southern Weather :: 9/10

Bedouin Soundclash :: Sounding a Mosaic :: 8/10

Cursive :: The Ugly Organ :: 5/10

Sara Bareilles :: Little Voice :: 6/10

Notice that I've ammended my rating for Sara Bareilles.  Apparently it was more mediocre than I origionally thought.

Artist: Catch 22

Album:  Keasbey Nights

iTunes Genre:  Rock (they're more ska, at least in this album)

My Rating:  6/10

Thoughts:  Though this album is very different than Sara Bareilles, I have similar feelings about them.  Perhaps it's just the day, but I was just not really impressed.  Nothing stands out.  The beats are good, the music fun, happy, easy to listen to.  But I didn't fall in love with it.  That's not to say I was disappointed.  The music was good, just didn't really do anything for me.

Best Track:  Kristina

(maybe I'm just a sucker for love songs right now?)

Next Up:  Paramore

new music

Previously:

Eisley :: Room Noises :: 7/10

Armor for Sleep :: Dream to Make Believe :: 6/10

Bright Eyes :: Cassadaga :: 4/10

The Almost :: Southern Weather :: 9/10

Bedouin Soundclash :: Sounding a Mosaic :: 8/10

Cursive :: The Ugly Organ :: 5/10

Artist:  Sara Bareilles

Album:  Little Voice

iTunes Genre:  Pop

My Rating: 7/10

Thoughts:  This is an easy album to listen to.  Sara has a beautiful, clear voice, and the lyrics are decent.  The music itself isn't terribly inventive, but it's fun, pleasant.  This album works for me.  It's not something I'll listen to all the time, but I'd never be disappointed to hit one of these songs on shuffle.

Best Track:  Love Song

Next Up:  Catch Twenty-two