Share This Blog Entry

So what have I been listening to the past few years the most? What do I get the most enjoyment out of? What do I recommend to artists and friends? Old albums. I’m talking about “classic” albums. In particular the 4 albums below. 3 of which were released before I was even born which points to their ultimate timelessness. I have known most of the songs from these albums for years but it hasn’t been till the past few years that I have really dug in to these albums as a whole.

Fleetwood Mac “Rumors” (1977)
9 of the 11 songs became singles or classics for the band’s career. The 12th song, the song they cut from the original master, became a hit too. The songwriting, tones, and vocals on this album blow me away.

Billy Joel “The Stranger” (1977)
6 of the 9 songs were either singles or have become classics. 4 charted on the Billboard Hot 100.

Bruce Springsteen “Born to Run” (1975)
8 songs. 4 radio hits. All have become classics. Seeing this album played from beginning to end last year was amazing. Did you know that even though the album is branded with the imaging of a guitar, all of the songs (except for 1 part in the title track) were written on the piano?

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers “Damn the Torpedoes” (1979)
4 of the 9 songs became singles or classics. The album introduced a new level of production especially with drums.

So if you are looking for something new to listen to don’t waste time trying to find the new “it” band. Just look to the past and I promise you’ll listen to an album that will bring more enjoyment than almost all of the new SXSW, Warped Tour, and Alternative Press bands.

Share This Blog Entry

33 Bottles of Beer Journal: Perfect for my 30 in 30 challenge next month. Thanks to Uncrate for the tip and if  you decide to buy ‘em go to ScoutBooks.com where they are 3 for $12 with no shipping costs.

Madden NFL Arcade for the PS3: 60 yard field. 5 on 5. 4 downs to score. No special teams. No penalties. The online playability allows me to play my brother in PA even though he kicks my ass.

Vans Era black, white, green flash: My first pair of Eras. Plus a great sale price from Nashville Clothing Company.

Gungor “Beautiful Things”: A truly amazing worship album.

PS: Today would have been Johnny Cash’s 78th birthday…I only wish I could have met him.

Share This Blog Entry

Facebook.com/iTunes: More FREE music if you become a fan of iTunes on Facebook. This time it’s a 20 song “Artists to Watch” sampler. It’s the 9th sampler I’ve downloaded. Stop sleeping on this opportunity for new music that’s free.

Answers?!: A great LOST parody.

The Smashing Pumpkins “Teargarden”: So far the first 2 tracks are great and what’s even better is that they are free. I just hope Corgan starts offering them quicker so it doesn’t take till 2014 to have the entire 44 song collection.

Dispatches from the Island: Jorge Garcia’s blog (Hurley from LOST).

Share This Blog Entry

Sara and I have been together for over a year now.

Seeing AC/DC for the first time…which included a full size locomotive engine on stage.

LOST on Wednesday nights with Sara, the McNeely’s, and Adam.

A trip to Chicago in March with Sara to see the Jimmy Eat World “Clarity 10 Tour”.

Signing Abandon Kansas to Gotee.

My first show at the Ryman…Death Cab for Cutie.

A trip to Maui in May with Sara and her family…which included a day trip to Oahu to see filming locations for LOST.

My niece Eva Sephora was born on July 25 to my brother Brandon and sister in-law Samantha.

Holding Eva for the first time on August 8.

Carnton Plantation concerts from SixtyFour and an Eagles cover band.

Seeing Metallica for the first time…which included an encore with Lemmy from Motorhead.

Taking Sara to her first Penn State football game (a white out)…even though I was sick, it rained, and we loss.

Seeing Them Crooked Vultures…which included legendary bassist John Paul Jones.

A trip to FL in October with Sara to see U2 for my first time and go to Universal Studios.

Road trips with Sara that included visiting wineries off the Natchez Trace and Fall Creek Falls.

Seeing Jay-Z and Bruce Springsteen for the first time…a 3 hour set from the Boss included the entire “Born to Run” album.

Witnessing THE Titans win of the year at LP Field with a 99 yard drive and a 4th down last second touchdown pass.

Seeing SixtyFour go from a performance at a housing clubhouse in January to an electric show at 12th & Porter in December.

Spending Christmas in Indio/La Quinta, CA with Sara and her family that included a day at DisnleyLand, my first ostrich burger and date & banana shake, and evenings in the pool with 2 Buck Chuck.

Ending the year in PA with the Moist family.

Share This Blog Entry

1. Gasoline Heart “Nostalga Ain’t What It Used To Be”
2. U2 “No Line On The Horizon”
3. Pearl Jam “Backspacer”
4. Bruce Springsteen “Working On A Dream”
5. Switchfoot “Hello Hurricane”
6. Jay-Z “The Blueprint 3″
7. Muse “The Resistance”
8. Mike Dunn & the Kings of New England “Sundowner”
9. Pearl Jam “Ten (Legacy Edition)”
10. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers “The Live Anthology”

Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order)
The Almost “Monster Monster”
Brand New “Daisy”
Green Day “21st Century Breakdown”
Hillsong United “a Cross/the Earth: Tear Down The Walls”
John Mayer “Battle Studies”
Metric “Fantasies”
Street Sweeper Social Club “self-titled”
Them Crooked Vultures “self-titled”
30 Seconds to Mars “This Is War”
Thrice “Beggars”

Share This Blog Entry

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band “Working On A Dream” Tour: My first time seeing the Boss. The 3 hour Nashville show included the entire “Born to Run” album plus covers of “Ring of Fire” and “Higher & Higher”

Rolling Stone magazine: I usually only pick up cover stories I want to read. I’ve never been a subscriber. That is till recently. I got a free subscription when I bought this Johnny Cash shirt. And I must say, I really enjoy reading it. I don’t dive into the political articles but so far it’s great bathroom reading.

Whatever: The 90′s Pop & Culture Box Set: 7 discs of 90′s music? Yes please! I owe this purchase to the Warner Music Group Charity CD Sale to benefit Habitat for Humanity. It’s where WMG sells promo CD’s for $1 and box sets for $10-$15.

DrinkFit app: I figured I better start watching my “beverage” calorie  intake.

Netflix for PS3: I’m test driving it right now. Not too many “new” releases and only a few are available in HD. I really liked the “Man on Wire” documentary that I watched last weekend.

Share This Blog Entry

I received a copy of Switchfoot‘s new album “Hello Hurricane” today.

There are few artists that inspire. I mean truly inspire, challenge, and encourage with the music they create. There are few artists that care enough deeply about their own music and how the power of what they sing about impacts people. And even if an artist does truly care they may have 1 of those albums in their career. Too often artists do care in the beginning but after the industry, record sales, radio, and popularity happen it is dismissed in favor for those same things that kill it.

I feel Johnny Cash and U2 have had those albums throughout their career AND have also been able to inspire different generations. For many U2′s “Joshua Tree” was that album but for me and my generation I believe it was U2′s “All That You Can’t Leave Behind”. “Joshua Tree” came out when I was 9 and to be truly inspired, challenged, and encouraged I feel you need to be older. Yes sometimes an older album can do that later for someone but the impact of the initial release is what sets it apart.

So every now and then we have a few more artists that come along and create an album that does just that. For me personally there was also a former local PA band named Jawbone Hill that created an album called “Grind” that was actually the first album to move me to tears. I also believe dcTalk’s “Jesus Freak” was one of those albums.

Talking about the songs leading up to the those that would become Switchfoot’s newest album “Hello Hurricane” Jon Foreman said this. “They didn’t feel like the type of the song you wanted to die singing. And for ‘Hello Hurricane’ that became the prerequisite for the song. If you’re not crying why are you singing it. If you don’t believe it with every ounce of you then there’s no point in singing it.”

Many will say that Switchfoot did that 6 years ago with “The Beautiful Letdown”. But I believe they have done it with “Hello Hurricane”. Why? Because they care to. Because they took almost 3 years to write it. Because they were independent and didn’t have the industry beating down their door for the next radio single. Because they care to engage with their fans but more importantly they care to inspire, challenge, and encourage themselves.

Most bands don’t rebound after having the amount of success that Switchfoot did with “The Beautiful Letdown” and then the “let downs” of 2 albums following it. I too was even a skeptic of if Switchfoot could bounce back and in some regards had lost my desire for the band’s material. The 3 years between albums by all industry standards could’ve killed this band but I believe this album will be the band’s shining moment. I believe this album will be the album people remember.

Share This Blog Entry

U2 360: I got to see the Tampa show 2 weeks ago. I loved it. I only wish I could see 1 more show. Here’s to hoping for more USA shows in 2010.

Pearl Jam “Backspacer”: Thanks Ed for working with Brendan again. “The Fixer” is a great song and even Bono thinks so. It’s not as great as the first 3 albums but it’s just as good if not better than the last. It’ll be in my top 5 of 2009. Plus you get 2 free full concert downloads of your choice.

“Bottle Shock”: A great film from 2008 based on the true story of the Judgment of Paris in 1976 when California wine beat French wine in a blind taste test.

Starbucks Mobile Apps: The myStarbucks comes is very handy when traveling. It pulls up spots in Targets and even hotels. Maybe the Starbucks Card Mobile will spread to TN at some point.

Facebook.com/iTunes: More free music. This time a 15 song Austin City Limits 2009 sampler and a 15 song Back to School 2009 sampler.

Share This Blog Entry

The Beatles (Remastered Stereo Box Set):  I never had all the albums. Now I do and they sound amazing. I love how the packaging is identical to the original vinyl versions too. Classic.

iTunes 9: Slick.

Jay-Z “The Blueprint 3″: I’m glad Hova is back. Check out the track “On To The Next One (with Swizz Beatz)”.

Guitar Hero 5: Being able to play online with other players and import all the songs from Guitar Hero World Tour and my downloaded content is GREAT.

Share This Blog Entry