As many people who write these things probably do, I had grand schemes of posting more consistently, and further even having compelling things to blog about. And here we are 3 weeks in to the year, and I've failed miserably in both aspects. Even tonight, I really don't have anything of interest to talk about. I just felt compelled to put a little bit up here since it's been right on a week since I last updated. How lame.
The past week has been busy as well. The job is continuing nicely, although today was quite slow. I put together a long string of left-over paperclips from all the paperwork that I go through while I'm there, I read the news (a lot), I went to a training meeting which lasted for about 30 minutes, and then I started playing around with new computers and equipment trying to get it working. I also saw how you etch a surface of a metal (you get cool chemicals like HF, HCl, and HNO3) and place it on top of the metal, and let it eat it away. It's used to see the grain boundaries (the way the material is fitted together I believe) in a failure analysis, since they're investigating a piece of something that broke during use. Pretty intriguing stuff. Tomorrow morning we're bringing the heavy-duty stuff. I've also been sick with some sinus/head cold symptoms, although it has finally passed I believe.
On a pretty exciting front, our small group is putting on a dinner (for Valentine's day, but not until the 24th) for the 55+ group at church. We're cooking for them (there's a professional chef in our group), and having some games, a slideshow, and pictures of each of the couples that comes that night. I think that it will turn out to be pretty cool stuff. Mandi and a couple of the other people in the group are planning, and I'll be helping out with some of the slideshows and game things. Speaking of games, we're putting on a Newlywed Game type thing with a few of the couples, and a couple from our own group and seeing how they do. So if you can think of any good questions to ask either the husbands or the wives, let me know.
It's been bitterly cold here the past few days. Really since about last Thursday. I know, it's really nothing compared to those northern states, but for getting down to 12 and 13 degrees around here, it's getting pretty cold. I envied the Murphy's in AmSam when they posted the other day about the temperatures. Those were days that I wished I lived on an island as well...Hopefully, in the next few days, I'll have a post of substance. But until then...
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Say All I Need
It's been hectic. I've felt as if I should put something on here many times the past few weeks, but just haven't had the time/energy to do so. Work has been going exceptionally well. In the past 2 weeks I have learned how to use a plasma etcher, coat samples in carbon, prepare samples for viewing in a TEM (transmission electron microscope), prepare bulk samples of asbestos (which comes in a variety of sizes), get some basic introductory walk-throughs on using the TEM and the SEM (scanning em), basic training in working with hot (in the nuclear sense) materials, as well as some of the entry-level stuff of logging samples, and handling the paper-work. It has been action-packed almost every day...except on those days when they're working on the classified work they are contracted on...in which case there are some interesting articles on Google news, and some not-so-interesting articles that hold some special kind of appeal on those days. All in all though, it's been a lot of fun.
I had another company calling today wanting to talk with me about possibly working with them, and I've been trying to interface with them, but with being at MCL from 8-5, it's hard to find a time to contact them. We're working on setting up a phone interview I think, but given the relatively short amount of time before my trial period is over...I don't know what will happen exactly. But I guess it doesn't hurt to keep the options coming until I've got something firm. I feel like we're just about there though...
I'm signed on to once again coach the Cedar Bluff Middle School Giants Soccer Team. Man, that's a long school name. But if it's anything like last year, it should be a blast. The only difference being that this year I'm working at a real job, which I don't know if they'll allow me to take off at 3:30 on practice days...hopefully I can find some kind of schedule that will allow me to leave early on those 2 days of the week and let it work. If not...I guess I won't be able to coach. It would be a shame as well, since I really did have a lot of fun last year, and there will be a number of the same kids coming back to play since I think that we only had 3 8th graders. And we've apparently got some incoming 6th graders that are pretty good and have played competitive for a number of years...so we should hopefully have a very good pair of teams. I'll just need to find a way to bargain for my working hours.
Last night was fairly interesting. As I think I've mentioned before, I've been playing basketball fairly regularly (at least once a week) with some people from church and elsewhere that play in a 3-on-3 league. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I am absolutely awful at basketball. I have managed, however, to see some signs of improvement. Yesterday was a fairly significant step forward, as I managed to score about 10-15 points per game (we played 4 on 4 full court to 50), and was fairly consistent at hitting my lay-ups off of steals and quick breaks. You may laugh, but those lay-ups were pretty dang hard to hit...when I was all by myself...standing still beneath the basket...and had about 3 attempts before someone caught up to me...yeah... But last night I was actually making them on the dribble, and I even got my 3-pointers to go in. Now, I have a terrible shooting technique, since I shoot from my shoulder. I think Mandi told me that I shoot like a girl...and I probably do. But I make it work, and nobody outside of brother has blocked me yet, which is strange since he's the shortest person that I've played against. At any rate, my "signature shot" is dribbling across the top of the arc from left to right and putting up my shoulder-level shot which banks in off the backboard. I guess it's pretty unconventional, but I get it to work about half the time. That's about what MJ shot from behind the arc, right? I actually have no idea on that one... At any rate, it is turning out to be a lot of fun, now that I can actually contribute in some way besides turning the ball over after missing easy shots.
I'll try and update the rest of the stuff on the page over the next couple days as it is fairly dated, but for now, I've said all that I need to say. Enjoy the new song by OneRepublic.
I had another company calling today wanting to talk with me about possibly working with them, and I've been trying to interface with them, but with being at MCL from 8-5, it's hard to find a time to contact them. We're working on setting up a phone interview I think, but given the relatively short amount of time before my trial period is over...I don't know what will happen exactly. But I guess it doesn't hurt to keep the options coming until I've got something firm. I feel like we're just about there though...
I'm signed on to once again coach the Cedar Bluff Middle School Giants Soccer Team. Man, that's a long school name. But if it's anything like last year, it should be a blast. The only difference being that this year I'm working at a real job, which I don't know if they'll allow me to take off at 3:30 on practice days...hopefully I can find some kind of schedule that will allow me to leave early on those 2 days of the week and let it work. If not...I guess I won't be able to coach. It would be a shame as well, since I really did have a lot of fun last year, and there will be a number of the same kids coming back to play since I think that we only had 3 8th graders. And we've apparently got some incoming 6th graders that are pretty good and have played competitive for a number of years...so we should hopefully have a very good pair of teams. I'll just need to find a way to bargain for my working hours.
Last night was fairly interesting. As I think I've mentioned before, I've been playing basketball fairly regularly (at least once a week) with some people from church and elsewhere that play in a 3-on-3 league. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I am absolutely awful at basketball. I have managed, however, to see some signs of improvement. Yesterday was a fairly significant step forward, as I managed to score about 10-15 points per game (we played 4 on 4 full court to 50), and was fairly consistent at hitting my lay-ups off of steals and quick breaks. You may laugh, but those lay-ups were pretty dang hard to hit...when I was all by myself...standing still beneath the basket...and had about 3 attempts before someone caught up to me...yeah... But last night I was actually making them on the dribble, and I even got my 3-pointers to go in. Now, I have a terrible shooting technique, since I shoot from my shoulder. I think Mandi told me that I shoot like a girl...and I probably do. But I make it work, and nobody outside of brother has blocked me yet, which is strange since he's the shortest person that I've played against. At any rate, my "signature shot" is dribbling across the top of the arc from left to right and putting up my shoulder-level shot which banks in off the backboard. I guess it's pretty unconventional, but I get it to work about half the time. That's about what MJ shot from behind the arc, right? I actually have no idea on that one... At any rate, it is turning out to be a lot of fun, now that I can actually contribute in some way besides turning the ball over after missing easy shots.
I'll try and update the rest of the stuff on the page over the next couple days as it is fairly dated, but for now, I've said all that I need to say. Enjoy the new song by OneRepublic.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Here It Goes
Usually, when there is a long break in posts by someone on a blog, it means that they have been exceptionally busy. For me...that usually just isn't the case. However, in this one particular instance, it really can be attributed to that. Let's start at the beginning, shall we?
About 3 weeks ago, I sent in an applications on the recommendation of a friend. While I was doing that, I happened to see another position that I thought I might be semi-qualified for. So I sent one off for that as well. I wasn't expecting to hear much, with the Christmas holiday coming up, and figured they would end up like many of the other things that I've sent off. I'd picked up dog-sitting for a family from church for the Christmas break as they were going to be in Europe, so we (my brother and I) head off to go to the house and see the dog and let them explain to me everything that they're going to want me to do while they're gone. While there, I get a phone call, and it happens to be from one of the employers that I had just sent a resume to. They wanted me to come in the next day and meet with them to discuss possibly working with them. Of course, I'm thrilled, so I go in the next day, and after about 3 hours of talking with a number of different people, they say that they want to bring me on. It's a small company, and so they want to have a trial period to allow both of us to feel out the position and see if it would work. They ask me to come in on January 3rd to get started, and I agree, going away happy.
The next morning, I wake up and get a phone call from the other company wanting me to come in for an interview with them as well. This position is with a large coke-producing (the burned coal variety, not the beveridge) company called SunCoke. I went in for my interview with them on the 2nd of January, which worked out nicely. I would be working with them as an enviornmental engineer, doing some management work, and travelling to their sites in Indiana, Virginia, Ohio and Brazil to see that everything is being done correctly and that everything is being done in an enviornmentally safe way. They said they'd get back with me in a couple weeks time either way. At this point, I don't really know what I would do if they offer me a position as well...it's kind of a good position to be in I guess.
The small business is called Materials and Chemistry Laboratories (MCL), and they are a small forensic research company. Basically what that means is that they find out what things are that people don't know. Or maybe people do know what it is, but they want to know the exact composition of the materials. Really, it's just a bunch of work to tell people that they have certain metals, radioactive elements, asbestos, or whatever else they can manage to fit into things these days, inside of their buildings, samples, or any other thing that they send us. It's a bunch of chemistry (I know, I'm a physics major...), but it's been enjoyable for the past couple days. I've already prepared samples for a TEM (transmission electron microscope), which is a multi-step day-long process, I've atomized carbon to coat samples, and of course I've done the grunt-work of logging in samples and updating the computer files. But it's been fun, and I think that I would enjoy working there for the next couple years.
The reason for going to the second interview is that the position at MCL that I'm in currently is classified as a temporary full-time position. As I said, it's about a month-long trial period, although I really feel as if I've fit in over the past two days. The people are also training me on just about everything, and not just having me log data, which I would have thought would have been the majority of the work if it was more trial than just a safe-guard for their overall business and everything. I guess you can't really hire on full-time with a substantial salary if they're not sure the person will stick with it or work well for them. So it does open up the option of taking the other position if they decide to hire me...it's really a tough call. Mandi and I had a good discussion about it the other night for a couple hours just weighing everything, and didn't even really get to a conclusion. It's just a lot to think about, and will be even more to consider if it does end up that I get an offer for the other one. I guess that it's a lot better position to be in than I have been for the past 6 months though.
Throw in New Years Eve celebrations (I'm going to have to get pictures off Mandi's camera of our "Ugly Christmas Sweater Competition" sweaters and put them on here), time with the family, hanging out with Dustin, playing some volleyball, Mandi's upcoming birthday, and just all around general holiday craziness, and it's not all that hard for me to see where the past week has gone. It's been a good Christmas/New Years, and it's been a good week, albeit a very busy one. A belated Happy New Year to all who read this. I, for one, am looking forward to what 2008 has in store. So, here it goes.
About 3 weeks ago, I sent in an applications on the recommendation of a friend. While I was doing that, I happened to see another position that I thought I might be semi-qualified for. So I sent one off for that as well. I wasn't expecting to hear much, with the Christmas holiday coming up, and figured they would end up like many of the other things that I've sent off. I'd picked up dog-sitting for a family from church for the Christmas break as they were going to be in Europe, so we (my brother and I) head off to go to the house and see the dog and let them explain to me everything that they're going to want me to do while they're gone. While there, I get a phone call, and it happens to be from one of the employers that I had just sent a resume to. They wanted me to come in the next day and meet with them to discuss possibly working with them. Of course, I'm thrilled, so I go in the next day, and after about 3 hours of talking with a number of different people, they say that they want to bring me on. It's a small company, and so they want to have a trial period to allow both of us to feel out the position and see if it would work. They ask me to come in on January 3rd to get started, and I agree, going away happy.
The next morning, I wake up and get a phone call from the other company wanting me to come in for an interview with them as well. This position is with a large coke-producing (the burned coal variety, not the beveridge) company called SunCoke. I went in for my interview with them on the 2nd of January, which worked out nicely. I would be working with them as an enviornmental engineer, doing some management work, and travelling to their sites in Indiana, Virginia, Ohio and Brazil to see that everything is being done correctly and that everything is being done in an enviornmentally safe way. They said they'd get back with me in a couple weeks time either way. At this point, I don't really know what I would do if they offer me a position as well...it's kind of a good position to be in I guess.
The small business is called Materials and Chemistry Laboratories (MCL), and they are a small forensic research company. Basically what that means is that they find out what things are that people don't know. Or maybe people do know what it is, but they want to know the exact composition of the materials. Really, it's just a bunch of work to tell people that they have certain metals, radioactive elements, asbestos, or whatever else they can manage to fit into things these days, inside of their buildings, samples, or any other thing that they send us. It's a bunch of chemistry (I know, I'm a physics major...), but it's been enjoyable for the past couple days. I've already prepared samples for a TEM (transmission electron microscope), which is a multi-step day-long process, I've atomized carbon to coat samples, and of course I've done the grunt-work of logging in samples and updating the computer files. But it's been fun, and I think that I would enjoy working there for the next couple years.
The reason for going to the second interview is that the position at MCL that I'm in currently is classified as a temporary full-time position. As I said, it's about a month-long trial period, although I really feel as if I've fit in over the past two days. The people are also training me on just about everything, and not just having me log data, which I would have thought would have been the majority of the work if it was more trial than just a safe-guard for their overall business and everything. I guess you can't really hire on full-time with a substantial salary if they're not sure the person will stick with it or work well for them. So it does open up the option of taking the other position if they decide to hire me...it's really a tough call. Mandi and I had a good discussion about it the other night for a couple hours just weighing everything, and didn't even really get to a conclusion. It's just a lot to think about, and will be even more to consider if it does end up that I get an offer for the other one. I guess that it's a lot better position to be in than I have been for the past 6 months though.
Throw in New Years Eve celebrations (I'm going to have to get pictures off Mandi's camera of our "Ugly Christmas Sweater Competition" sweaters and put them on here), time with the family, hanging out with Dustin, playing some volleyball, Mandi's upcoming birthday, and just all around general holiday craziness, and it's not all that hard for me to see where the past week has gone. It's been a good Christmas/New Years, and it's been a good week, albeit a very busy one. A belated Happy New Year to all who read this. I, for one, am looking forward to what 2008 has in store. So, here it goes.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Frank Caliendo
My brother showed me this impressionist, and I've always been a fan of people that can do good impressions, and this guy is great. Check it out for some great impressions of John Madden, Al Michaels, Pat Summerall, George W., Jeff Goldblum, and even Letterman and Paul from the band. It's great stuff. In addition, I put in my favorite song from my best album from this past year in the player. Check that out as well. I hope that everyone's had a great Christmas, as mine was fantastic. There have been some excellent developments on the job front, so I'll put up a little about that in a couple days. In the meantime...brainificate on this.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Music Year In Review Pt. 2
We now move on to the conclusion of the two-part music series. As before, a brief description with a few download-worthy tracks, all for your future listening pleasure.
Honorable Mentions (Part 2):
Rush of Fools - Rush of Fools
Another debut CD (I think I got a number of these this year apparently...), with a lot of potential. It's hard to appreciate how quickly things moved for the guys in this band, and they are all still quite young, from what I know. But seeing the results gives them a solid stepping-stone for future work. Mostly worship-oriented, the guys do a solid, if not spectacular, job, with a couple gems thrown in the middle of everything. Another group to keep an eye on in the future.
Download: Undo; When Our Hearts Sing; Already
Fuel - Angels & Devils
They've been out of the picture for a while, and after their lead singer quit the band, they went on a long hunt of finding a replacement, with a well-known decline from American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry. In the end, they finally found a singer, and with the songs already written, went right in to the studio. I liked this album better than the previous releases, if only because the production seemed to be cleaner, giving a better feel for the melody. Again, many of the lyrics are throw-aways...but what do you expect these days? For some solid rock sound, though, it's works fairly well.
Download: Gone; Wasted Time; Scars In The Making
Relient K - Five Score And Seven Years Ago
For a band that's been around for a long time, I hadn't ever really heard of anything until this album was set to come out. It makes for an enjoyable listen, with a number of catchy tunes, and a fair amount of wit within some of the lyrics. Even so, you can still see the message that they are trying to convey. This is a band that I can see growing on me, and maybe one day I'll pick up some of their previous albums.
Download: Must Have Done Something Right; Come Right Out And Say It; Devastation And Reform
5) 12 Stones - Anthem For The Underdog
When Mandi first put in one of their albums one of our caravaning trips back home from Harding, I basically had the same thoughts that she did. They can write some good stuff, but there's too much screaming and pointless overly heavy stuff in there. Fast forward about 5 years, and you've got their latest release, which has effectively eliminated the screaming, and replaced it with some solid songwriting and hooks. This album hardly bears any resemblance to their debut effort, and is the better for it. It's hard to find a weak spot in this album, as each song is performed well.
Download: Lie To Me; Broken Road; This Dark Day
4) Matchbox Twenty - Exile On Mainstream
This is probably more from personal bias than anything, because who would think that a compilation album would be a top album of the year? At any rate, this was one of my most anticipated releases for this past year as they are a band that I've always liked since I first heard them. Many will remember their singles Push and 3 AM from the late 90's, and from that fame, they held a high degree of popularity for the years to come. Even after 5 years, and no subsequent releases, this greatest hits package still came out at #3 on the Billboard best-sellers the week of it's release. For anyone that's been a fan, the main draw is the 6 new songs, while anyone that hasn't gotten any of their previous albums can get all 11 of the radio hits that this band put out over the past 10 years. If the 6 new songs are any indication, the next full length album they put out will be some of their best work yet.
Download: How Far We've Come; These Hard Times; All Your Reasons; Push; 3AM; Unwell
3) Mainstay - Become Who You Are
This band was an exceptionally pleasant surprise when their debut CD came out last year, so it was somewhat unexpected when I learned that they were going to be putting out their sophomore disc this year. When it did come out, I ran out and got it practically the next day. This album differs quite a bit from the first in terms of the material used in the writing process. This one is a much more personal album from the perspective of the writer and lead singer. There are songs about his family, his thoughts, and his personal beliefs, praises and struggles. It's mellow for the most part, and just an all-around good listen for a bit of praise and encouragement.
Download: Become Who You Are; Where Your Heart Belongs; Island; When You Come Down
2) Dizmas - Tension
Their debut was a disc that I personally could have cared less for. It was all screaming, not very melodic in my opinion, and just didn't seem like the type of band that I would come to appreciate. With their second release, however, I was surprised (as were many others, no doubt) by the change in their direction, and the level of musicianship that immediately became noticeable; what had been obscured by the screaming in their first release came to the front. What came out of it was 12 songs with infectious hooks and strong melodies. While some of the lyrical content can be vague, and sometimes plain silly (Dance, Shake It Off), there are just as many that have excellent meaning with a little thought. Again, for those long trips at night, or the late-night study/work session, you can't go wrong with Dizmas' Tension.
Download: Play It Safe; This Is A Warning; Sun
1) Anberlin - Cities/Lost Songs
I'm cheating here and including 2 CD's that were not released at the same time, but they make a solid double-album impression, and given their overall stellar quality, I felt they both merited an inclusion. When I first heard Anberlin earlier this year, I had no idea about them. They were simply a band name that I had seen, looked at the back of the CD, and read some of the names and saw that they were associated with a number of bands that I am a fan of. I went back, and listened to the most recent album they had put out (Never Take Friendship Personal), and was immediately hooked. Here is a band consisting of Christians that is able to make music that is open for everyone, without completely bashing the listener with theology. They have toured extensively with a number of well known mainstream bands including Fall Out Boy, which allowed them to share the message of Jesus over the course of the tour with them.
Back to the music, though. Cities is an impressive 12 songs, ranging from infectious (A Whisper & A Clamor) to epic (*Fin - which runs almost 8 minutes in length). It's a solid rock record, and while some of the lyrics will make you wonder, there are just as many that will make you think. This has constantly been in my player since I got it back in February, and it's one that I have yet to tire of. Lost Songs, on the other hand, is a collection of rare and unreleased tracks that have been compiled to finish contractual obligations before they move on to a major label this coming year. There are a number of B-sides from each of their CD's, acoustic cuts that are probably the most impressive, some fun covers off of bands that I don't really know, and a couple demos that don't really vary that much from the album cuts. Even with these demos, the album is surprisingly strong for a compilation CD of rejected cuts, with some stand-out tracks that make you wonder how they weren't initially included with the CD they were written for. All in all, for some solid pop/rock with strong melodies and excellent overall quality, you really can't go wrong with these guys. Look for their next full-length album of new material in the middle of 2008.
Download: Cities - A Whisper & A Clamor; Inevitable; The Unwinding Cable Car; Dismantle. Repair.
Lost Songs - The Haunting; Dismantle. Repair. (acoustic); Naive Orleans (acoustic), Uncanny
So there you have it. My top 10+ albums that I've gotten this year. Get you some. Oh, and a Merry Christmas to all...(if I don't post again soon).
Honorable Mentions (Part 2):
Rush of Fools - Rush of Fools
Another debut CD (I think I got a number of these this year apparently...), with a lot of potential. It's hard to appreciate how quickly things moved for the guys in this band, and they are all still quite young, from what I know. But seeing the results gives them a solid stepping-stone for future work. Mostly worship-oriented, the guys do a solid, if not spectacular, job, with a couple gems thrown in the middle of everything. Another group to keep an eye on in the future.
Download: Undo; When Our Hearts Sing; Already
Fuel - Angels & Devils
They've been out of the picture for a while, and after their lead singer quit the band, they went on a long hunt of finding a replacement, with a well-known decline from American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry. In the end, they finally found a singer, and with the songs already written, went right in to the studio. I liked this album better than the previous releases, if only because the production seemed to be cleaner, giving a better feel for the melody. Again, many of the lyrics are throw-aways...but what do you expect these days? For some solid rock sound, though, it's works fairly well.
Download: Gone; Wasted Time; Scars In The Making
Relient K - Five Score And Seven Years Ago
For a band that's been around for a long time, I hadn't ever really heard of anything until this album was set to come out. It makes for an enjoyable listen, with a number of catchy tunes, and a fair amount of wit within some of the lyrics. Even so, you can still see the message that they are trying to convey. This is a band that I can see growing on me, and maybe one day I'll pick up some of their previous albums.
Download: Must Have Done Something Right; Come Right Out And Say It; Devastation And Reform
5) 12 Stones - Anthem For The Underdog
When Mandi first put in one of their albums one of our caravaning trips back home from Harding, I basically had the same thoughts that she did. They can write some good stuff, but there's too much screaming and pointless overly heavy stuff in there. Fast forward about 5 years, and you've got their latest release, which has effectively eliminated the screaming, and replaced it with some solid songwriting and hooks. This album hardly bears any resemblance to their debut effort, and is the better for it. It's hard to find a weak spot in this album, as each song is performed well.
Download: Lie To Me; Broken Road; This Dark Day
4) Matchbox Twenty - Exile On Mainstream
This is probably more from personal bias than anything, because who would think that a compilation album would be a top album of the year? At any rate, this was one of my most anticipated releases for this past year as they are a band that I've always liked since I first heard them. Many will remember their singles Push and 3 AM from the late 90's, and from that fame, they held a high degree of popularity for the years to come. Even after 5 years, and no subsequent releases, this greatest hits package still came out at #3 on the Billboard best-sellers the week of it's release. For anyone that's been a fan, the main draw is the 6 new songs, while anyone that hasn't gotten any of their previous albums can get all 11 of the radio hits that this band put out over the past 10 years. If the 6 new songs are any indication, the next full length album they put out will be some of their best work yet.
Download: How Far We've Come; These Hard Times; All Your Reasons; Push; 3AM; Unwell
3) Mainstay - Become Who You Are
This band was an exceptionally pleasant surprise when their debut CD came out last year, so it was somewhat unexpected when I learned that they were going to be putting out their sophomore disc this year. When it did come out, I ran out and got it practically the next day. This album differs quite a bit from the first in terms of the material used in the writing process. This one is a much more personal album from the perspective of the writer and lead singer. There are songs about his family, his thoughts, and his personal beliefs, praises and struggles. It's mellow for the most part, and just an all-around good listen for a bit of praise and encouragement.
Download: Become Who You Are; Where Your Heart Belongs; Island; When You Come Down
2) Dizmas - Tension
Their debut was a disc that I personally could have cared less for. It was all screaming, not very melodic in my opinion, and just didn't seem like the type of band that I would come to appreciate. With their second release, however, I was surprised (as were many others, no doubt) by the change in their direction, and the level of musicianship that immediately became noticeable; what had been obscured by the screaming in their first release came to the front. What came out of it was 12 songs with infectious hooks and strong melodies. While some of the lyrical content can be vague, and sometimes plain silly (Dance, Shake It Off), there are just as many that have excellent meaning with a little thought. Again, for those long trips at night, or the late-night study/work session, you can't go wrong with Dizmas' Tension.
Download: Play It Safe; This Is A Warning; Sun
1) Anberlin - Cities/Lost Songs
I'm cheating here and including 2 CD's that were not released at the same time, but they make a solid double-album impression, and given their overall stellar quality, I felt they both merited an inclusion. When I first heard Anberlin earlier this year, I had no idea about them. They were simply a band name that I had seen, looked at the back of the CD, and read some of the names and saw that they were associated with a number of bands that I am a fan of. I went back, and listened to the most recent album they had put out (Never Take Friendship Personal), and was immediately hooked. Here is a band consisting of Christians that is able to make music that is open for everyone, without completely bashing the listener with theology. They have toured extensively with a number of well known mainstream bands including Fall Out Boy, which allowed them to share the message of Jesus over the course of the tour with them.
Back to the music, though. Cities is an impressive 12 songs, ranging from infectious (A Whisper & A Clamor) to epic (*Fin - which runs almost 8 minutes in length). It's a solid rock record, and while some of the lyrics will make you wonder, there are just as many that will make you think. This has constantly been in my player since I got it back in February, and it's one that I have yet to tire of. Lost Songs, on the other hand, is a collection of rare and unreleased tracks that have been compiled to finish contractual obligations before they move on to a major label this coming year. There are a number of B-sides from each of their CD's, acoustic cuts that are probably the most impressive, some fun covers off of bands that I don't really know, and a couple demos that don't really vary that much from the album cuts. Even with these demos, the album is surprisingly strong for a compilation CD of rejected cuts, with some stand-out tracks that make you wonder how they weren't initially included with the CD they were written for. All in all, for some solid pop/rock with strong melodies and excellent overall quality, you really can't go wrong with these guys. Look for their next full-length album of new material in the middle of 2008.
Download: Cities - A Whisper & A Clamor; Inevitable; The Unwinding Cable Car; Dismantle. Repair.
Lost Songs - The Haunting; Dismantle. Repair. (acoustic); Naive Orleans (acoustic), Uncanny
So there you have it. My top 10+ albums that I've gotten this year. Get you some. Oh, and a Merry Christmas to all...(if I don't post again soon).
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Music Year In Review Pt. 1
And now for your reading pleasure, the first in a two part series. Being that I am certainly someone who loves music, and loves listening to music, I'm once again giving some of my top album purchases from over the past year, as well as a few that I found on the side or through other people. I figured I'd do a top 10, with a little review of each individual album, along with some honorable mentions. I'll also list a couple of the tracks I would recommend for downloading if the artist appeals to you. If you like anything that I've had in the player the past year, then most of these songs will be coming off of those albums. Of course, I know that not everyone has the same musical taste as me, so this is probably more for my own personal benefit than yours...but I'll do it anyway. So here we go. My personal top 10 albums of 2007 (with a few bonus cuts).
Honorable Mentions (Part 1):
The Bourne Supremacy/Ultimatum Soundtracks - John Powell
Composer John Powell did some excellent work in these two films, providing an exciting musical score to go along with the frenetic action shown on the screen. The Bourne theme (instantly recognizable in 'The Drop' on the Bourne Supremacy) is followed throughout on both discs in many different variations. When I watched the Bourne Ultimatum, I was as stoked about the music accompanying the scenes as I was about the non-stop action. That's saying something.
Download: Supremacy - The Drop; Berlin Foot Chase
Ultimatum - Tangiers; Waterloo
Barenaked Ladies Are Men - Barenaked Ladies
In disc 2 of a two part presentation (Are Me and Are Men), we find the Ladies back to some of their wittiest, most fun pop/rock. In my opinion, this is the stronger disc of the two, with their lyrical goofiness and touch for a melody supremely evident. After their mis-step (in my opinion) on their album before these 2, this shows them back to their best. For me, any band that can put out 30 quality tracks in 5 months has more going for them than simply the ability to craft a catchy tune or two.
Download: Angry People; Maybe Not; Why Say Anything Nice?
Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long
This one is almost like a guilty pleasure. After their smash debut, they took 5 years to record their sophomore album. It's the same approach, with Adam Levine's smooth voice going over groovy beats, mixed in with some songs that up the ante. Granted, most of the lyrics are throw-aways, and some of the songs just really don't do much for the album (Kiwi, anyone?), but it's hard not to get caught up in the beat and groove of the other songs. When the lyrics don't take away from the song, there is a good, easy melody to ease you through the day, and I would challenge you not to be tapping along by the end of the disc.
Download: Nothing Lasts Forever; Goodnight Goodnight; Back At Your Door; Makes Me Wonder (Clean)
Alter Bridge - Blackbird
You would think that a band composed of 3/4 of Creed wouldn't really be anything worth talking about. But Alter Bridge, with the addition of Myles Kennedy as the lead singer, is anything besides Creed 2.0. Their sophomore album follows in the vein of their debut, with melodic rock that's nothing more, and nothing less. With some slick guitar solos and great melodies, as well as some fairly insightful lyrics, you get a new band that has gone and made everyone forget what band they used to be in.
Download: Brand New Start; Before Tomorrow Comes; Blackbird; Watch Over You
10) Thousand Foot Krutch - The Flame In All Of Us
This is one of those bands that I didn't really think I would like all that much the first time I heard them. They were too much of a rap-rock, almost screamo type band, of which I have a hard time appreciating. However, with each release, they have transformed from the rap-rock they used to pursue to more of a simply hard rock vein. And while I am not huge on ultra-heavy rock, these guys manage to make it fun, and even have good melodies to go along with their lyrics describing their spiritual journeys and thoughts. And even though they are known as a hard rock band, I am always a fan of their ballads that are, to me, incredibly insightful and sincere. An excellent way to keep you awake if you're making a late-night drive, and almost impossible not to sing along with.
Download: Falls Apart; What Do We Know?; My Home; Wish You Well
9) OneRepublic - Dreaming Out Loud
For a debut CD, these guys have been around for a while. They are one of the most popular bands on MySpace, and they had a hit single when Timbaland remixed their song 'Apologize' early on in 2007, except that they didn't have an album out to take advantage of their new-found popularity. Dreaming Out Loud remedies that problem, giving 12 tracks of melodic, piano-driven pop/rock. It's a testament to them that 'Apologize' in it's original form fares far better than the remix version, although if you pick up the disc you will get both and be able to decide for yourself. While very reminiscent of The Fray and Coldplay, they do just enough to be their own band, while crafting a number of memorable songs. Look for this group of Christian guys to do big things over the next few years.
Download: Apologize; All We Are; Say (All I Need); Goodbye, Apathy
8) Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light
This band has been around for a while, yet they didn't make it big until 2001 when 'The Middle' hit airwaves. After the last album's mostly dark approach, things are brightened up again for this 11 song journey. Described as emo (does anyone really know what that means?), the majority of the songs focus on relationships. Then again, what songs don't focus on relationships? Jimmy Eat World still knows how write a hook, and on practically every song you get drawn in immediately from the get-go. Ranging from the fun of Electable (Give It Up), to the huge album closer Dizzy, there is a little something for everyone in this one.
Download: Carry You; Here It Goes; Chase This Light; Dizzy
7) 33Miles - 33Miles
It's not often that you get a band that has more than a taste of country in the Christian Music scene. 33Miles, hailing from Nashville, changes that with a record that is more or less country, right down to the fact that the majority of the songs are ballads. The lead singer does not possess any type of twang or drawl (which I appreciate), but the musical arrangements will definitely remind you of some of the more contemporary country artists out there. For a debut CD, this is a solid effort, and there is certainly potential, as their musicianship really shows throughout in outstanding melodies and excellent harmonization. Throw in strong lyrics, and you've got a great disc. Look for more from these guys in the future.
Download: What Could Be Better; Stand Amazed; I Can't Deny; When I Get Where I'm Going
6) Lifehouse - Who We Are
They've gone through quite a few changes since they first came on the scene with that song that you couldn't get away from back in 2000. It was called "Hanging By A Moment" if you've forgotten. However, the past 7 years have seen numerous changes in the make-up of the band, with lead singer/songwriter Jason Wade remaining as just about the only focal point of the band since then. The past 2 releases have seen Lifehouse moving from the more grunge inspired rock of No Name Face to a more piano-driven sound. In my opinion, it's an improvement as this has allowed the song-writing of Wade to shine through. The melodies are clearer, the hooks are better, and the lack of all the guitars has given a cleaner sound to everything. With Who We Are, I think they've found a balanced mix of guitar-driven songs with the more laid back ballads. This album also contains one of my favorite songs of the year in Storm.
Download: Disarray; Whatever It Takes; Broken; Storm
Part 2 will follow in the next few days. There has been a development on the job hunt front...so hopefully there will be good news to talk about soon.
Honorable Mentions (Part 1):
The Bourne Supremacy/Ultimatum Soundtracks - John Powell
Composer John Powell did some excellent work in these two films, providing an exciting musical score to go along with the frenetic action shown on the screen. The Bourne theme (instantly recognizable in 'The Drop' on the Bourne Supremacy) is followed throughout on both discs in many different variations. When I watched the Bourne Ultimatum, I was as stoked about the music accompanying the scenes as I was about the non-stop action. That's saying something.
Download: Supremacy - The Drop; Berlin Foot Chase
Ultimatum - Tangiers; Waterloo
Barenaked Ladies Are Men - Barenaked Ladies
In disc 2 of a two part presentation (Are Me and Are Men), we find the Ladies back to some of their wittiest, most fun pop/rock. In my opinion, this is the stronger disc of the two, with their lyrical goofiness and touch for a melody supremely evident. After their mis-step (in my opinion) on their album before these 2, this shows them back to their best. For me, any band that can put out 30 quality tracks in 5 months has more going for them than simply the ability to craft a catchy tune or two.
Download: Angry People; Maybe Not; Why Say Anything Nice?
Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long
This one is almost like a guilty pleasure. After their smash debut, they took 5 years to record their sophomore album. It's the same approach, with Adam Levine's smooth voice going over groovy beats, mixed in with some songs that up the ante. Granted, most of the lyrics are throw-aways, and some of the songs just really don't do much for the album (Kiwi, anyone?), but it's hard not to get caught up in the beat and groove of the other songs. When the lyrics don't take away from the song, there is a good, easy melody to ease you through the day, and I would challenge you not to be tapping along by the end of the disc.
Download: Nothing Lasts Forever; Goodnight Goodnight; Back At Your Door; Makes Me Wonder (Clean)
Alter Bridge - Blackbird
You would think that a band composed of 3/4 of Creed wouldn't really be anything worth talking about. But Alter Bridge, with the addition of Myles Kennedy as the lead singer, is anything besides Creed 2.0. Their sophomore album follows in the vein of their debut, with melodic rock that's nothing more, and nothing less. With some slick guitar solos and great melodies, as well as some fairly insightful lyrics, you get a new band that has gone and made everyone forget what band they used to be in.
Download: Brand New Start; Before Tomorrow Comes; Blackbird; Watch Over You
10) Thousand Foot Krutch - The Flame In All Of Us
This is one of those bands that I didn't really think I would like all that much the first time I heard them. They were too much of a rap-rock, almost screamo type band, of which I have a hard time appreciating. However, with each release, they have transformed from the rap-rock they used to pursue to more of a simply hard rock vein. And while I am not huge on ultra-heavy rock, these guys manage to make it fun, and even have good melodies to go along with their lyrics describing their spiritual journeys and thoughts. And even though they are known as a hard rock band, I am always a fan of their ballads that are, to me, incredibly insightful and sincere. An excellent way to keep you awake if you're making a late-night drive, and almost impossible not to sing along with.
Download: Falls Apart; What Do We Know?; My Home; Wish You Well
9) OneRepublic - Dreaming Out Loud
For a debut CD, these guys have been around for a while. They are one of the most popular bands on MySpace, and they had a hit single when Timbaland remixed their song 'Apologize' early on in 2007, except that they didn't have an album out to take advantage of their new-found popularity. Dreaming Out Loud remedies that problem, giving 12 tracks of melodic, piano-driven pop/rock. It's a testament to them that 'Apologize' in it's original form fares far better than the remix version, although if you pick up the disc you will get both and be able to decide for yourself. While very reminiscent of The Fray and Coldplay, they do just enough to be their own band, while crafting a number of memorable songs. Look for this group of Christian guys to do big things over the next few years.
Download: Apologize; All We Are; Say (All I Need); Goodbye, Apathy
8) Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light
This band has been around for a while, yet they didn't make it big until 2001 when 'The Middle' hit airwaves. After the last album's mostly dark approach, things are brightened up again for this 11 song journey. Described as emo (does anyone really know what that means?), the majority of the songs focus on relationships. Then again, what songs don't focus on relationships? Jimmy Eat World still knows how write a hook, and on practically every song you get drawn in immediately from the get-go. Ranging from the fun of Electable (Give It Up), to the huge album closer Dizzy, there is a little something for everyone in this one.
Download: Carry You; Here It Goes; Chase This Light; Dizzy
7) 33Miles - 33Miles
It's not often that you get a band that has more than a taste of country in the Christian Music scene. 33Miles, hailing from Nashville, changes that with a record that is more or less country, right down to the fact that the majority of the songs are ballads. The lead singer does not possess any type of twang or drawl (which I appreciate), but the musical arrangements will definitely remind you of some of the more contemporary country artists out there. For a debut CD, this is a solid effort, and there is certainly potential, as their musicianship really shows throughout in outstanding melodies and excellent harmonization. Throw in strong lyrics, and you've got a great disc. Look for more from these guys in the future.
Download: What Could Be Better; Stand Amazed; I Can't Deny; When I Get Where I'm Going
6) Lifehouse - Who We Are
They've gone through quite a few changes since they first came on the scene with that song that you couldn't get away from back in 2000. It was called "Hanging By A Moment" if you've forgotten. However, the past 7 years have seen numerous changes in the make-up of the band, with lead singer/songwriter Jason Wade remaining as just about the only focal point of the band since then. The past 2 releases have seen Lifehouse moving from the more grunge inspired rock of No Name Face to a more piano-driven sound. In my opinion, it's an improvement as this has allowed the song-writing of Wade to shine through. The melodies are clearer, the hooks are better, and the lack of all the guitars has given a cleaner sound to everything. With Who We Are, I think they've found a balanced mix of guitar-driven songs with the more laid back ballads. This album also contains one of my favorite songs of the year in Storm.
Download: Disarray; Whatever It Takes; Broken; Storm
Part 2 will follow in the next few days. There has been a development on the job hunt front...so hopefully there will be good news to talk about soon.
Monday, December 17, 2007
The Big 100
After a little more than a year, this becomes the 100th post on this little blog of mine. Kinda crazy, thinking that I had enough things to write about that it would take up this many posts. In celebration, see one of the craziest light shows that I've seen (set to music no less) in the Christmas spirit.
The past few days have been exciting, and tiring. Mandi and I went to Charleston to hang out with Josh and Amber for a few days. It was 75 and sunny on Friday, so we went for the beach, and Fort Maultrie to hang out, take pictures, and generally just enjoy the afternoon. Then we went to Sweatman's BBQ, which I highly recommend for anyone that might be in South Carolina. It's only open on Friday and Saturday's, it has no phone, no reservations, and you essentially are eating right in front of the smokehouse where they are bringing in the meat. It was fantastic, and we all stuffed ourselves on their buffet. It was really quite amazing. Saturday we went downtown in the morning, walked around the market, and ate some lunch, before coming back and heading for home. Again, the weather on the drive home was horrendous, as there was constant rain, and the roads were terrible in that you couldn't even see the lines.
One incident of particular note was the high speed chase that went right past my car. Driving westbound (this is important) as I reached Sevierville, TN, I looked over into the eastbound lanes and saw about 4 cops with their lights flashing flying down the road. I figured that something had happened close by, and turned to look back up the road only to see headlights coming at my car from the shoulder. It turns out that some idiot, fleeing the scene of a wreck, decided to go down the westbound interstate going east at about 100 miles an hour on the shoulder for the most part. He eventually ended up crashing about 5 miles down the road from where he flew past me, with only minor injuries being reported. Truly, we were being watched over.
Today was a good day. Lunch with the grandparents, which is always fun, followed by candy making with Mandi, and then having to put together a devo for the youth group, our group, and a number of adults for tonight. I was informed that I was doing this devo this morning during church, so I was kinda stressed on getting it ready. I talked about the importance of communication...I'll possibly post some thoughts on this later. It ended up going well though. After that, we just came home and relaxed. It's been a crazy few days. Enjoy the lights.
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