Through April 8

You guys know I love to do “Best of” posts as far as year-long stuff. Well, here we go. I’m here to give you guys some hints as far as who’s in the lead in certain categories.

MOVIES

I’ve seen five movies so far this year: Slumdog Millionaire, Taken, Race to Witch Mountain, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, and The Pink Panther 2. I’m taking Slumdog out of the picture because it would probably win everything. Favorites for right now are all taken. Pun totally intended. Liam Neeson for Best Actor, Taken for Best Picture. There are still a lot of movies this year yet to be released that I intend on seeing, so we’ll see. But so far, it’s weak.

MUSIC

This is where I’m hoping to have a good year. Right now, the favorites for Best Album are: FM Static’s Dear Diary and Red’s Innocence & Instinct (Deluxe Edition). Best Song: “The Unavoidable Battle of Feeling on the Outside” (FM Static-Dear Diary), “Forever” (Red-Innocence & Instinct (Deluxe Edition), and “Here Comes Goodbye” (Rascal Flatts-Unstoppable). There are still quite a few releases to be made this year: Relient K, Sanctus Real, tobyMac, Skillet, Switchfoot, FAMILY FORCE 5 HAS TWO ALBUMS! 

Yeah. So I’m pretty excited in the music realm, but the movie section needs to pick it up.

Album Review: FM Static’s Dear Diary

I love FM Static even more after listening to this album. Every song is good, and a few are spectacular. When I read a review of this album before I bought it, I thought it was “my album.” After listening to it, I don’t still feel that way, but there are a couple songs that a lot of teenage guys and even girls can relate to (but mostly guys). 

Dear Diary starts out with “Boy Moves to a New Town With an Optimistic Outlook,” the longest FM Static song title ever. It explains the song perfectly and starts us out on the story of Dear Diary, the story of a teenage guy who is going to write down his adventures in his diary. It’s a typical FM Static song that gets us started out on a journey unlike I’ve ever taken on a music record.

“The Unavoidable Battle of Feeling On the Outside” is guitar-driven pop-punk that sounds like a diary entry about the kid struggling to fit in. But God’s telling him to stick it out: “I’m not an idiot/but I feel like one a lot/’cause every time I end up here/right where I started… Then He said take your time/take what you need to/peace of mind/should never leave you.” “Boy Meets Girl (and Vice Versa)” starts out like a typical teenage love song about how great a girl looks, but it’s different. Lead singer/songwriter Trevor McNevan sings, “Now she’s comin’ over/what do I do now?/says she loves her Jesus/and she loves herself.”  It’s a great song, and one that I find humorous and awesome at the same time. It strays into Thousand Foot Krutch territory musically, which is nice (FM Static is a side project of  TFK members McNevan and drummer Steve Augustine).

“Sometimes You Can Forget Who You Are” is another “diary entry” that perfectly expresses another cry by teenage guys about wanting to be recognized in the world. It’s catchy and well-musicalized. I know that’s not a word, cut me some slack. “Man Whatcha Doin?” is another fun song that goes into that rap territory that TFK goes into. It’s great and has a great message. 

Lemme go ahead and say this right now. All these songs are great, I’ll say that. Some are a step ahead of the others (I’ll let you know which ones).

“The Voyage of Beliefs” is another great track featuring Tricia Brock of Superchick. Brock and McNevan’s vocals collide very well in this song about stepping out about your beliefs. It’s interesting hearing McNevan not backed by heavy guitars and drums, especially after his last output, TFK’s 2007 record The Flame in All of Us (which, btw, was an amazing album). Anyways, “The Voyage of Beliefs” is another great song on Dear Diary continuing the diary aspect of the album.

The story aspect of Dear Diary could easily become cheap, but a tragedy makes it realistic and worth listening to. I could easily imagine facets of the story happening in someone’s life. The storylines are simple and easy to relate to and understand. “Her Father’s Song” is the pinnacle of tragedy and is quite somber, reminiscent of “Tonight” from the 2006 record Critically Ashamed. Continuing the mood is “Take Me As I Am” and “Dear God,” two more good songs. FM Static continues to surprise me. McNevan comes up with a great story and all the songs are well-written and well-musicalized. “The Shindig (Off to College)” is the first Christian band song I’ve ever heard that references Pink Floyd, Def Leppard and Kid Rock. But, then again, FM Static has a habit of referencing older bands (check out “Flop Culture” from Critically Ashamed).

I loved Critically Ashamed. What Are You Waiting For? (the 2003 release from FM Static) was not as good. Dear Diary combines the best of both albums and puts together a solid release.

Now, those of you that follow my blog (probably 4 or 5) know that I like to have “END OF THE YEAR SPECIALS” as far as picking the best music and movies. Expect this record to be represented well.

Grade: A

Album Review: FM Static’s Critically Ashamed

            With Dear Diary coming out next week, I have decided to tell you guys about the band known as FM Static. They’re one of my favorites. In fact, I profiled them. I’ll start with a review of Critically Ashamed, the band’s 2006 12 track release.

            After a cute introduction titled “Hope The Rock Show Goes Good” from lead singer Trevor McNevan’s nephew, the album starts the musical portion with “Flop Culture.” As could probably be gathered from the title of the song, there are an abundance of pop culture references in this song. Avril Lavigne, MTV, Michael Jackson, The Beatles and Rolling Stone are all mentioned. McNevan wonders what happened to all of the stars of the past and how things have changed. Following that is “Six Candles,” a song I’m still trying to interpret because I know it has a deeper meaning. It’s a nice sounding song praising God and questioning him at the same time (“You’re amazing/ But You’re taking too much time,” “They try to fill my head with questions/They all doubt You/but I know You’re real”). “The Next Big Thing” jumps right back into the pop-ish sound of FM Static with a song about becoming a band and becoming the, you guessed it, “next big thing.” Following that is “America’s Next Freak,” a song that calls out possibly every stereotype possible and tells them to not worry about being different, to just be themselves.

            Next are two of my three favorite songs off the record. “Tonight” is a touching song that can be taken anyway off this basis: McNevan is mourning the loss of a loved one. It could easily be a girlfriend or a close friend or both. It sounds beautiful and tears at my heart every time I hear it. “The Video Store” is possibly my favorite “love song” after Relient K’s “Must Have Done Something Right” and a later song on this album. I actually wrote a short story based off the song that I will post soon. It’s peppy, fun, clever and I think of this song every time I go to a video store.

            Following those two are a quartet of more of the same from the first 5. “Girl of the Year” describes a girl that McNevan says is “one of a kind/I can’t get off my mind” and is different (“I met this girl who likes her heavy metal/She gets excited when Slipknot plays on Leno”). “Nice Piece of Art” is a pick-me-up for those who feel down and a thanks to God for making McNevan feel “like a lavender sweater/when I’m caught in that weather/in my Volkswagon Jetta.” “What It Feels Like” and “Waste of Time” are two similar songs that are nice additions but are nothing like the last song.

            “Moment of Truth” is a love song. A straight-up, A+ love song. If I was reviewing this song as a single, it’d get an A+. It’s supposedly written about McNevan’s girlfriend and he supposedly used it to propose to her (anyone got confirmation?) and it’s beautiful. When I first heard it, it didn’t make sense, but listen to it a couple times. It’s beautiful. Holy cow. I think it’s worth buying the whole record for, but you can just buy that song off iTunes.

            “We write music we think is fun. We just want it to be natural, and with no added pressures of trying to sound like this or that going on around us,” McNevan said about this record (Props to jesusfreakhideout.com for the quote). And it is a fun album. A fun album with three tracks that break your heart, make it beat again, and make you want to cry because of it’s sweetness.

 

Grade: B+

Album Review: 808s & Heartbreak by Kanye West

            I have usually strayed from the outputs of Mr. West because of his fondness for cursing. It’s just my personal beliefs that find the use of cursing where it’s not necessary rather annoying. But in 808s & Heartbreak, Kanye strays from that and gives us a product that is unlike any I’ve ever heard before. There’s more singing than rapping, even in the guest appearances.

            “Say You Will” reminds me of the Foreigner track of the same title lyrically, but the production is outstanding and odd and gives the listener a real taste of what’s to come on the album. The song is very haunting and a nice segway is given into the second track, “Welcome to Heartbreak.” This number, featuring West find Kid Cudi, is well-produced and well-written, describing the singer’s life falling apart.

            My favorite two songs are two of the next three. “Heartless” is my favorite song off the record. The production, coupled with the excellent songwriting, makes this a memorable track that held the #1 spot on the iTunes chart at its release. This was featured at #10 on my top songs of the year. Skip a track and you’ll find another #1 iTunes track, “Love Lockdown.” The keyboard, drums and lyrics mix well to make another great song.

            Shoved in between those two is “Amazing.” Featuring rapper Young Jeezy, this is the weakest song on the album.

            Following “Love Lockdown” are two more good songs about females being too nosy or worrying too much. “Paranoid,” featuring Mr. Hudson, is a snappy, catchy tune dedicated to those girls who are paranoid about what their man is doing when they’re not with him. “Robocop” is probably the third best track on this album. With a nice bass beat, this track is filled with catchy lyrics and a great string arrangement. Throw in some mechanical sounds during the end of the chorus, and you’ve got a great song.

            “Street Lights” and “Bad News” are two slower songs with piano intrusions that make for nice slow-downs after the upbeat “Paranoid” and “Robocop.”

            The last two songs are two more potential hits for Kanye. “See You in My Nightmares,” featuring rapper Lil’ Wayne, sounds great and the singing, the actual singing of both West and Wayne, are surprisingly good. “Coldest Winter” is another great track with synth creeping in on Kanye’s smooth vocals about missing someone special.

            Kanye West seems to have turned a new page with this album. Transforming his music from gangsta (haha) rap to more electronic hip-hop which involved singing. 808s & Heartbreak was another #1, with 450,145 units sold in the first week. I’m personally not a fan of his older stuff, but if West continues on this pattern, and loses a bit of his ego (I saw his acceptance speech at the 2008 AMAs) then he might be worth something.

 

Grade: A-

Album Review: The Flame in All of Us by Thousand Foot Krutch

I have started to love Thousand Foot Krutch. Everything they do seems to be great, from “Bounce” on Phenomenon to “Breathe You In” on The Art of Breaking. But I’ll look at those later.

            The Flame in All of Us was the first TFK album I owned. I had gotten “Falls Apart” off of iTunes and thought it was pretty good, but I wanted to hear more of the real thing. So I decided to get the whole thing.

            The opening guitar riff of “The Flame in All of Us” gets you thinking that this might be a hard rock album. The truth is, it gets that way sometimes, but it can get slow. The soft chorus tells you that there’s some softness to come, but the rockin’ transition tells you to snap back to reality. The words tell us about the “flame in all of us” that pushes us, “the strength in you and me that surrounds everything.”

            Next is “Falls Apart,” which I thought would be a great Guitar Hero track, but not so much. To be perfectly honest, I’m a bit tired of this song because it was my alarm for a long time, but to those of you that haven’t heard it, it’s a song that some can relate to, and it sounds pretty good as well. After that is “New Drug.” This might sound like a Disciple track to start it, but it turns into a Relient K. This song may be the epitome of the album in that it’s a rap/rock deal. Singer/lead songwriter Trevor McNevan’s vocals bring an edge to every song. “What Do We Know” is similar to “This is a Call” from Phenomenon musically; lyrically, it’s talking about society’s apathy.

            Next is one of my favorite songs. I actually wrote a skit using this song as the driver that we performed at Youth Sunday at my church. “Favorite Disease” is full of paradoxes, but it’s all truth and a song that I easily relate to. McNevan sings, “Sometimes I feel like a monster/and times I feel like a saint/I’m on my knees/ you’re my favorite disease.” At the end, he repeats, “I love the way You kill me/I love the way You heal me.” It’s a powerful message and my favorite song on the album. Another great song comes right after that: “My Home.” McNevan talks about how the cities he travels to are not his home, but God is; “You are my home/ You are my everything when I feel so alone/ You are my home/ You are my shelter/ when all my hope is gone.”

            After that, TFK shows a quartet of songs that I enjoy. “My Own Enemy” is a rock tune that says that “I’m still my worst enemy/the world around me/ they can see what they wanna see/ I need some help because I’m still my worst enemy/ I’m my own enemy.” “Learn to Breathe” is an interesting mix of violin and guitar with some interesting lyrics: “Take the time/ to learn to breathe/ someday we’re going under/ when did we all fall asleep/ won’t someone wake us/ take the time/ to learn to breathe/ someday we’re going under/ help us see what’s underneath.” “Inhuman” is a rock song yelling the truth of how God cares about us; “I’m alive because You touched me/ take away the things that brush me/ no one else can save me like You do/ You’re inhuman.” “Broken Wing” is lyrically reminiscent of “This Is A Call” but musically reminiscent of “I Climb.”

            The last two songs are radically different but both are great. “The Safest Place” is classic TFK about how the singer won’t be “the safest place to hide.” “Wish You Well” is actually two songs. The first deals with the aftermath of a break-up at a young age (16) with an interesting claim: “Sometimes love feels like pain/ and sometimes you wonder if it’s all the same.” It’s somber, and I’ve almost cried a couple times at this song. The second is titled “The Last Song” about being a band, going out on the road, etc. Both could easily be FM Static, McNevan and bandmate Steve Augustine’s side project, songs. It’s a nice closer for a great album.

            I love this album. And revisiting it for my “Album Review Spree” has been nice because going back and listening to the songs has helped me realize exactly how great it is. I wish you well, and hope you buy this album.

 

Grade: A

Album Review: Red’s Innocence & Instinct

This is the first album of 2009 that I have been truly excited for. I was truly blown away by the effort that Mark Barnes and company put out on 2006’s End of Silence. From the haunting intro, to the hard rock riffs and orchestral combos on songs like “Breathe Into Me” and “Already Over” to the piano-driven heartfelt, worshipful tone of “Pieces,” End of Silence is one of my favorite Christian albums of all-time. Yet it didn’t break into the realm of great regular albums of all-time, up there with CDs such as Kanye West’s brilliantly moody 808s & Heartbreak and OneRepublic’s haunting debut Dreaming Out Loud. With Innocence & Instinct now in stores, Red has that album that really puts them up there.

            The CD begins with another intro, labeled “Canto III,” that segways into the first single off the album “Fight Inside.” This is another song in the vein of “Already Over,” with that rock guitar and orchestral additions. The beginning may make it sound like a Linkin Park track, but the heavy guitar riffs bring you back to Planet Red. “Fight Inside” is a song about the interior battle that people face and about the reliance on God that is necessary to win the battle. “Death of Me,” the next track, could possibly considered the weakest output, and some reviewers have said as much, but it is still a great song. The lyrics remind me of one of my favorite songs, “Favorite Disease” by Thousand Foot Krutch, for their desire to be “killed” by God and then brought back up. The orchestral really comes on in this song, driving the chorus well. Next is “Mystery of You,” which in this reviewer’s opinion is the weakest song on the disc. The production is great with the great mixing of orchestra and guitar/drums/bass/etc. But I’m still having trouble figuring out the meaning of the lyrics. Fortunately, the next two tracks redeem the album.

            “Start Again” and “Never Be the Same” both carry a similar message but can be applied in two different situations. The former is what one reviewer calls “vintage Red:” hard vocals and guitars blending with the orchestra, which really plays a large role in this song. “Start Again” has become one of this reviewer’s favorite songs and definitely my favorite on the album; “What if I let You in/ what if I make it right/ what if I give it up/ what I want to try/ what if You take a chance/ what if I learn to love/ what if we start again.” It’s a great song of redemption and starting over. “Never Be the Same” is a different side of Red than was seen on End of Silence: the acoustic guitar-driven Red, with the same heartfelt lyrics. This is more a song for the new believer, the one who just realized how great God is. “I’ll never be the same/ I’m caught inside the memories, the promises of yesterdays/ and I belong to You/ I just can’t walk away/ ‘cause after loving You/ I’ll never be the same.” Those lyrics are just some of the many on this album that really bring the listener down to Earth and are relatable to all who hear them.

            Next is “Confession,” getting back to that “vintage Red” after settling down for a bit. It’s basically what the song title is: “I confess- I’m always afraid/ I’m always ashamed of what’s inside me/ I confess- I’m always afraid/ I’m always ashamed of what’s inside my head/ take this away.” “Shadows” is another highlight that shows Barnes’ vocal skills and writing ability: “I’m holding onto You, I’ll never let go, I need You with me as I enter the shadows.” It tells how the singer is going into the shadows, possibly the dark world we live in, and is holding onto God.

            I’m a fan of cover songs. Some of my favorites include Relient K’s cover of the dcTalk hit “Between You and Me” and David Archuleta’s version of Robbie Willliams’ “Angels.” I’ve never heard Duran Duran’s version of the song, but Red’s take on “Ordinary World” is just another example of how great this band is. “Out From Under” is another “vintage Red” song that continues to show how great this band can be with a combination of heavy guitar riffs, great vocals and orchestral additions. Last is “Take It All Away,” a very haunting song that repeats, “You take away” at the end. It’s a very interesting song, and it really makes you think.

            I love Red. I love their music. They used to be among the top 20 of my favorite bands in the lower-half mainly because I don’t, excuse me, didn’t really like hard rock music. But with Innocence & Instinct, they really prove how they can take that kind of music, throw in a bit of orchestra, heartfelt lyrics and vocals and make something beautiful.

 

Grade: A

Family Force 5 Remix CD? With New Music? YES!

Story copied from http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/. 

NEWS SOURCE: Independent Music Media
January 28, 2009

 

Family Force 5 is fast becoming one of the great stories of artist development on the scene today. The band’s sophomore release Dance Or Die has already sold over 50k units to date, proving to be unstoppable the band gears up to hit the road on the AP Tour 09 presented by Rockstar Energy Drink but just before they will hit the studio to record brand new tracks to be included on the Dance or Die Remix CD due out May 19.

“The remix record is going to be off the chain!! Our friends from The Secret Handshake, 3oh!3, and Cobra Starship will be mixing up FF5 like peeps have never heard before!!! Get ready for your booty to have a second dose of dance plus some new FF5 trax!!!” Says FF5’s Soloman Olds aka Soul Glow Activator

In a unique deal with EMI North America Family Force 5 have taken bold steps to remain independent with the release or Dance or Die and now with the release of Dance or Die Remix by forming The Transparent Media Group a label created and run by the band, manager Chris Woltman and producer Joe Baldridge.

“We feel fortunate to be one of the leaders of a business model where we own all aspects of the brand. The last year has been filled with many new challenges and our team has risen up for, and met, each one. The hard work on and off the road, the always over the top live show, the connection to the fans and great music will always provide the platform for success. We can’t wait to move into the next phase of “Dance or Die” with the remix record and a tour that is going to define the spring of 2009!” – comments manager and partner on Transparent Media Group Chris Woltman

Since the beginning of summer 2008 the band and their latest release Dance or Die have been garnering rave reviews and playing sold out shows on the Vans Warped Tour 08, Dance Rawr Dance Tour, Winter Wonder Slam and countless club dates. As we kick off 2009 the band refuses to slow down, announcing their run on the AP Tour 09 presented by Rockstar Energy Drink. As always, expect to see and hear a ruthless rush of wonderfully irresistible madness when FF5 hits the stage.

Alternative Press will be taking the nation by storm for the third consecutive year with the AP Tour 09 presented by Rockstar Energy Drink. The tour headliners are bands hand picked from the magazine’s highly anticipated ‘100 Bands You Need To Know’ issue. Joining Family Force 5 on the AP stage will be 303H!3, The Maine, Hit The Lights and A Rocket to The Moon.

Preview 2009: Albums

Albums are coming out this year I’m psyched for. Some of my favorite artists are coming out with new stuff. I’m ready.

• RED – Innocence and Instinct – February 10th: I’ve already written about this one.
• Fiction Family – Fiction Family – January 20th: I got “When She’s Near” free online and am looking forward a bit to this on. Jon Foreman is a great musician/singer/songwriter with Switchfoot and I imagine it carries over here.
• The Fray – The Fray – February 3rd: Holy cow. Ever since LOST used “You Found Me” in a promo on iTunes, I’m ready for Season 5 and this album.
• Switchfoot – untitled – March 24th: This is another opportunity for the brilliance of Jon Foreman to shine through on a 2009 CD. YESSSSSS!!!!!!
• FM Static – Dear Diary – April 7th: Holy crap! I’ve been waiting for this album ever since they announced it. I thought it would be done by Christmas, but I guess I have to wait. The one song they put up on MySpace isn’t half bad. I’m looking for another great song like “The Video Store” or “Tonight.”
• Sanctus Real, Skillet, tobyMac – Sometime 2009: These are three of my favorite artists and they’re all coming out with new stuff this year.
• Decyfer Down – Crash – Sometime 2009: This was supposed to come out a long time ago, but hopefully it’s worth the wait.

Greatest “Worship” Songs Not in Hymnals

I’ve picked up, over the years, songs that could be considered worshipful and used in contemporary church services. Some are used, some are not. Most of those familiar with Christian music has heard of the worship movement known as Hillsong/Hillsong United/etc. They’ve penned a couple songs and will definitely be included on this list. Also look for bands that I love to be on here. Here we go:

• “From the Inside Out” – Hillsong: I first heard this song at Snowbird this summer and immediately fell in love with it. It’s got great lyrics and it puts me in a worshipful mood whenever I hear it. LYRICS: “In my heart and my soul, Lord I give You control. Consume me from the inside out.”
• “Breathe You In” – Thousand Foot Krutch – The Art of Breaking: Thousand Foot Krutch is probably more well-known for their rockers like “Move” and “The Flame in All of Us.” But this last track on 2005’s The Art of Breaking talks about bringing God into a person’s life. LYRICS: “I’ve always been strong, but can’t make this happen. I need to breathe, I wanna breathe You in.”
• “Undo” – Rush of Fools – Rush of Fools: This is one of my favorite songs of all-time and will always be, I gather. The musical arrangement only compliments the humbling lyrics. LYRICS: “Turn me around, pick me up, undo what I’ve become. Bring me back to the place of forgiveness and grace.”
• “Strong Tower” – Kutless – Strong Tower: This was the first Kutless song I ever heard, and I don’t regret it. Coming from the rock band’s worship album of the same name, “Strong Tower” really reminds me of who my strong tower is. LYRICS: “You are my strong tower, shelter over me. Beautiful and mighty, Everlasting King. You are my strong tower, fortress when I’m weak. Your name is true and holy, and Your face is all I see.
• “Getting Into You” – Relient K – Two Left’s Don’t Make a Right… But Three Do: This is possibly my favorite song from my favorite band of all-time. It’s a simple, soft praise of God and admitting that the singer is “getting into Him.”LYRICS: “I’m getting into You, because You got to me in a way words can’t describe. I’m getting into You because I’ve got to be. You’re essential to survive. I’m gonna love You with my life.” 
• “Whatever You’re Doing (Something Heavenly)” – Sanctus Real – We Need Each Other: I was a fan of Sanctus Real’s somber The Face of Love, and I became even more a fan with songs like this on We Need Each Other. LYRICS: “Whatever You’re doing inside of me, it feels like chaos but somehow there’s peace. And it’s hard to surrender to what I can’t see, but I’m giving into something heavenly.”
• “No Longer” – Decyfer Down – End of Grey: I was fortunate enough to interview the drummer for Decyfer Down, and I regret not asking him about this song. The reason is I didn’t know how great it was when I talked to him. This has become one of my favorite songs now. The great guitar helps.  LYRICS: “No longer will I have to rewind the past, ’cause I’ve come to a grip with it. No longer will I carry this weighted mass. Now I face the day with no shame.”
• “Give Me Your Eyes” – Brandon Heath – What If We: I fell in love with this song the moment I heard it. The nice arrangement only compliments the smooth vocals and catchy lyrics. It reminds me of Mat Kearney’s “Undeniable.” LYRICS: “Give me Your eyes for just one second, give me Your eyes so I can see everything that I keep missin’, give me Your love for humanity.”

Check Out Free New Song by Fiction Family!

Fiction Family is a duo made up of Switchfoot’s Jon Foreman and Nickel Creek’s Sean Watkins. Their new album is coming out January 20th and a song is available for free download at http://jesusfreakhideout.com/default.aspx. The song, “When She’s Near,” is an indie tune that is quite catchy and the lyrics are great. Check it out!