Archives for March 2008

Me & You & The World CD Giveaway

19 March 2008 by

All righty, internets – it’s time to have us a good, old-fashioned Dave Barnes giveaway.

Though I cannot actually give away Dave Barnes.

Because his wife would probably be a little upset with me. Not to mention that you would have a terribly difficult time explaining to your families why a grown man you have never in fact met is coming to live with you.

So the CD, I’m afraid, will have to do.

And the CD will actually do JUST FINE, THANK YOU MA’AM, because it is in fact delightful.

Here’s what you need to do if you’d like to win:

1. Click here to go to Dave Barnes’ website. If you’re on dial-up, go here instead. Because it will load a little faster. And you’ll be less likely to scream things like, “DADBLAMEIT, BOOMAMA WOMAN, DON’T YOU KNOW I’M ON DIAL-UP?!?!?!”

And the giveaway will be so much happier if there’s no screaming.

2. Listen to the song samples. Amazon’s song samples are super short (and, truth be told, somewhat random), so you’ll get a better idea of the Dave Barnes FLAVA (and I often use the word FLAVA in casual conversation, by the way – I think it suits me) if you listen to the songs on his website.

3. Come back here and tell me your favorite song in the comments. And if you already know your favorite song, then please click over to Dave Barnes’ website anyway, OH JUST HUMOR ME.

I’ll leave the giveaway open until Monday, March 24th – at which point I’ll use random.org to pick TEN LUCKY WINNERS!

(sidenote: I don’t really believe in luck, but it seemed somewhat odd to say TEN PROVIDENTIAL WINNERS, so we’ll just go with “lucky,” m’kay?)

Enjoy the Dave Barnes, my friends!

This giveaway is now closed.

Filed Under: Bloggity Fun

American Idol – Top 11

18 March 2008 by

Yay, Beatles. Again. For the second week in a row.

Yay. Woohooyay.

Don’t I sound enthusiastic?

Amanda Overmyer – “Back in the USSR” – I still think those pants from last week are rockin’. In case you were wondering. And does anybody remember Billy Joel’s version of this song? I haven’t thought about it in years, but I found myself wishing for it a little bit tonight. I think Amanda is great, and I’m officially a fan, but I think this was the wrong song for her – she seemed bored, almost. And I think she’s doing the same thing over and over each week. At this point it’s time to switch it up and surprise us just a little bit. I still don’t feel like I’ve really heard her sing.

Kristy Lee Cook – “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away” – Okay. This is tricky. Because she started off really, really well – to the point that I was thinking we had a comeback of gigantor proportions. But as soon as the band kicked in, she got a little off-pitch and seemed to lose her footing. It was better at the end, though – and even with the rough parts, it was leaps and bounds better than last week.

David Archuleta – “The Long And Winding Road” – So that? Was GREAT.

Michael Johns – “A Day In The Life” – I don’t think there’s ever been an Idol contestant I’ve wanted to enjoy more than I want to enjoy Michael Johns. But y’all? Week after week I feel like he’s just a little bit short of being really memorable. And tonight was the same sort of deal. I wanted him to just BREAK OUT and wow us, but it felt like both he and the song were sort of scattered. And that makes me a little bit sad.

Brooke White – “Here Comes The Sun” – For what it’s worth – and it’s no reflection on Brooke – I think that this song is really, excruciatingly boring. And Brooke seemed just a wee bit uncomfortable without having a guitar or a piano or anything in between her and the audience. But still. I love her voice. And furthermore, I thought that her dress was absolutely adorable.

David Cook – “Daytripper” – I could have done without the Roger & Zapp-like voice box action, but I thought this performance was pretty memorable. However, I think he has to be careful not to look like he’s doing his very best Daughtry impersonation week after week. I think he’s going to have to mix it up a little bit next week and show us that he can do something different.

Carly Smithson – “Blackbird” – This is actually one of my favorite Beatles songs – thanks to Sarah Mclachlan’s cover of it back in the early 90’s. And while I liked this performance, I didn’t love it. I don’t even know if I can explain why. I think that she’s super-talented, but she didn’t do anything tonight that blew me away.

Jason Castro – “Michelle” – I’m worried before he even starts because I think it’s dangerous to sing a song that has different languages in it when you don’t in fact speak those languages. And like “Here Comes The Sun,” this song is just a little boring to me. And because it’s a little boring, I don’t think Jason’s personality came through. I would have loved for him to do a crazy new take on it – really rock it out – but as it stands, it was just a’ight for me.

Syesha Mercado – “Yesterday” – I think this was her best performance so far. Hands down.

Chikezie – “I’ve Just Seen A Face” – So the arrangement was a little strange and surprising – to say the least – but hey, I wasn’t bored. Which is more than I’ve been able to say the rest of the night. And in the end, I really liked it.

Ramiele Malubay – “I Should’ve Known Better” – Hey y’all? I totally think that Paula picked out her outfit. I really do. And as for the singing, she still doesn’t seem entirely comfortable on the stage. She did better this week, but I felt like she got lost in the song.

Should go – Ramiele

Will go – Ramiele

Best of the night – In all honesty, y’all – IN CASE YOU DIDN’T NOTICE – I was bored out of my mind tonight. And it felt like the contestants were in the same boat that I was. But if I have to pick the best, I’d say David Archuleta.

Here’s to hoping that next week is better.

And if you want to link to your specific post about tonight’s Idol, just add the URL for your specific post to the Mr. Linky below. Thanks, y’all!

Filed Under: TV Is My Friend

Me & You & The World

18 March 2008 by

I promise that eventually this week I’ll write about something that’s not music-related, only not right now because OHMYWORD I just got Dave Barnes’ new CD courtesy of a UPS driver who was none-too-happy about having to navigate our steep driveway, and PEOPLE, I AM LOVING THE LATEST DAVE BARNES MUSICAL STYLINGS.

This CD is unbelievable.

Well, I mean it’s actually quite believable in the sense that I’m listening to it and looking at it rightthisverysecond and all. But the music is somehow old school and totally modern at the same time…every single song is thoughtful and clever and as a matter of fact most of the songs will make you want to dance (WATCH OUT, BAPTISTS!).

And in short comma the whole CD just reeks of springtime.

What? You don’t have CD’s that remind you of springtime?

I only have about twenty: Shawn Colvin’s Cover Girl, Dave Matthews Band’s Under the Table and Dreaming, Tracy Chapman’s New Beginning, Blues Traveler’s Four, Hootie & The Blowfish’s (HOOTIE! I MISS HOOTIE!) Cracked Rear View, Indigo Girls’ Nomads Indians Saints, John Mayer’s Room For Squares, Chris Tomlin’s Arriving, and what? This isn’t interesting? To take a walk down my springtime musical hall of fame? What? Should I stop?

Anyway.

I just wanted to mention the new Dave Barnes CD because, well, I am giving away ten CD’s tomorrow. Right here on the blawg.

Just in case you’re interested.

Which you totally should be.

Because, hello, IT’S SIXTY FOUR KINDS OF AWESOME.

See y’all in a little while.

Filed Under: Rambling

Because Nothing Says Easter Like A Mixtape

18 March 2008 by

A week or so ago I realized that I was listening to certain songs over and over again. I couldn’t figure out why I was gravitating to them, and then I thought, HAVE MERCY, IT’S ALMOST EASTER – and thus solved the repetitive song puzzle.

Let’s just say that the Cross has been a bit of a theme.

So then I decided that I wanted to make an Easter playlist of sorts for my iPod. I mean, I am, after all, a product of the 80’s, and a new iPod playlist is the 21st century equivalent of a mixtape. However, unlike the 80’s, there will not be any Corey Hart songs on this particular mix. Nor will there be any Rick Astley.

(Go ahead and try to get “Never Gonna Give You Up” out of your head right now. Just try. But you can’t, can you? Because that song’s never gonna give you up. Never gonna let you down. Never gonna run around and desert you. Never gonna make you cry. Never gonna say good bye. Never gonna tell a lie. And hurt you.)

(Thank you. Thank you so much.)

So after I finished my playlist, I thought, “Hey, I should post this list on my blog.” And in order to do that, I decided to bring the mixtape into the 21st century by creating an iMix on iTunes because as it turns out, I can share the iMix with the internets. Which is very handy.

However, I want to tell you something very important about my Mad Easter Mix. One of the songs I originally included that iTunes dropped from the mix (the song wasn’t available, apparently) was “Amen” by Larnelle Harris. It also tried to drop “Alive Forever, Amen” by FryDaddy, and I was just sick – SICK – about Travis’ song being left off of the mix (IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE LAST SONG! THE FINALE! MY WHOLE MIXTAPE WAS RURNT!), so I began making arrangements for him to travel to each one of your homes and sing it to you in person.

After all, it’s Easter. It was the least I could do.

But then I managed to fix it and “Alive Forever, Amen” is back in the mix – right where it belongs.

Also: I don’t think “Rock of Ages” is typically regarded as an Easter song, but Chris Rice’s arrangement is so beautiful that I had to include it. Just like I had to include “Hard To Handle” on that mixtape of ballads back in 1990. It didn’t fit the theme, but I needed to hear it. Because clearly I am a musical renegade.

So with all that being said, I give you my Easter iMix. And I really do hope you enjoy it. Even if you only listen to 30-second snippets of each song.

Just click here if you’d like to see my list…and feel free to add your own songs in the comments. Maybe we could combine all of our suggestions and make, like, THE BEST MIXTAPE EVER!

Or not.

But regardless: Happy Easter, y’all!

Filed Under: Faith, Jesus Music

And Then There Was Some Fire And Some Stuff Exploded, Amen

17 March 2008 by

So right before I left for Africa, I got an email from a friend of a friend (well, actually a friend of two friends) who just so happened to have some extra tickets for Winter Jam. Since I am almost always game for any sort of Live Music Event, I took Brody up on his kind offer and asked my sweet friend Elon if she wanted to join me.

Because, you see, Mercy Me was performing. And Elon’s a bit of a Mercy Me fan. And furthermore, she is also quite kicky and fun.

The concert was at our civic center, which is downtown, and as I have mentioned before, I am a hapless downtown driver. I don’t know where anything is, plus I get the streets mixed up, and so about four minutes before E. and I were supposed to be at the civic center, I called Brody and said, “I’m driving around in circles. I have no idea where to go. How am I supposed to park? I don’t know where to park. Did I mention that I have no idea where I’m going?”

Remarkably, I was able to park without incident (aye, and close to the arena, ohthankyouBrody), and since Brody shared some fayn-cee tickets with us, we were able to spend a chunk of our before-the-show time in an area with all the talented people who play and sing all the music.

And in case you were wondering: the few times I’ve ever been in a situation like that, I always halfway expect for someone to throw me out, and OH, it makes for some lovely, rambling conversation on my part, much like what you’re enduring right now, so you can imagine what a special treat it was for the talented people to had to put up with the likes of me on that particular evening.

Anyhoo.

Let’s talk about the show, shall we?

So this is Elon and me once we found our seats.

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And I show you that picture in order to illustrate the fact that MY NOGGIN, IT IS GINORMOUS.

Seriously. I think it could win a contest or something.

We hadn’t been in our seats more than five minutes before it dawned on me that just about every single teenager in attendance was using his or her cell phone; they were texting and taking pictures and texting some more, and it dawned on me that I should, like, TOTALLY text a couple of my friends to tell them that I was, like, AT A CONCERT AND ALL, so I opened my phone and spent the next five minutes trying to find the letters for, “Hey. Listening to NewSong sing “Arise My Love.” It’s taking me RIGHT BACK to 1993.”

But I only got as far as “Hey. List…” before I gave up altogether because the texting, IT IS EXHAUSTING.

Sweet mercy I don’t know how the youngsters do it.

So for the next thirty or forty-five minutes E. and I were clapping and singing and whathaveyou, and about that time Brody walked over and told us that a band named Skillet was getting ready to take the stage.

“Skillet?” I replied. “Who is this band they call Skillet?”

I mean, I like to think I’m sort of up-to-speed with the Christian music scene, but the Skillet, they have not been on my radar.

Y’all.

E. and I were standing off to the side of the stage when Skillet started their show or their set or whatever the lingo is, and when I tell you that SOME FIRE SHOT UP OUT OF SOME SORT OF CONTAINER ON THE STAGE AND I SCREAMED, I am not kidding. There was smoke and there was fire and there were explosive-type noises, and the teenagers were TOTALLY INTO IT and formed some sort of Mosh Pit For Jesus,TM and I have never in my life seen worship quite like it and IT. WAS. AWESOME.

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Granted, I was a tiny bit afeared that my eardrums were going to need to be anointed with some oil before the night was over, but still. IT. WAS. AWESOME.

One of the unexpected highlights of the night – for me, at least – was seeing Connersvine. I’d only heard one of their songs before the show, but they are right up my musical alley: heavy on the acoustic guitar and Thoughtful Lyrics, and I really, really liked them. There was no Mosh Pit For JesusTM when they performed, but that is understandable since it is often difficult to rave while listening to an acoustic guitar.

The guys from Mercy Me closed out the night, and as I listened to them sing “Word of God Speak,” I looked around that arena and saw about 8,000 people singing in unison. All ages, all races, all denominations. And I took a little mental picture. Because even though I didn’t anticipate it before I went to the concert, the whole night really helped to prepare my heart and my mind for the Africa trip. The timing was perfect.

So thanks, Brody, for the way cool tickets. And thanks to all the way cool bands that performed: Newsong, Skillet, BarlowGirl, Connersvine, Mercy Me – what an incredible night-o-worship.

And finally, internets, I wonder: has there ever been a concert – and it doesn’t have to be Christian music, ohmyword, because I have had some Major Life Moments while sitting in an outdoor arena and listening to James Taylor – that hit you just at the right time? Or is there a CD that you go back to over and over again when you’re Dealing With Stuff? Or when you need some musical encouragement?

Can’t wait to read your comments.

Filed Under: Jesus Music

Free To Good (Church) Home

16 March 2008 by

Hey there, internets.

I’ve been meaning to tell y’all this for a couple of days, but between the child’s rockin’ fifth birthday and a fun weekend of company – not to mention All The Napping we had to do this afternoon – I’m just now getting around to the aforementioned Thing I’ve Been Meaning To Say.

So.

Most of y’all know that Shaw-awn was one of the bloggers on the Compassion trip to Uganda. And I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that he is one of my favorite people in the whole universe. Because he’s hysterically funny. And a thinker. And someone who loves his wife and kids so much that when he talks about them all you can do is say “AWWWWW” and smile until your cheeks hurt.

To sum up: Shaw-awn – He’s Good People.

And that is why I want to tell you something that you may not know.

Shaun travels all over the country so that he can minister to people through music and tell them about the work that Compassion does. And he does this pretty much for free.

So if Shaun sang at, say, your church, all your church would have to do is provide him with a hotel room and a meal, neither of which has to be fancy. He’ll take care of air fare and any additional expenses. And he can sing one song and speak for two minutes, or he can sing ten songs and speak for two minutes, or he can preach and sing while wearing tap shoes and a Fundana.TM

The possibilities are endless.

I can’t help but think that there are probably a lot of people here on the interweb who would love to have someone as talented as Shaun visit their church, but you might think he would never visit your church because it’s sort of small, or he would never visit your church because your church doesn’t have a high-tech sound system, or he would never visit your church because your church choir wears purple robes and WHAT IF SHAUN DOESN’T LIKE PURPLE?

But I am here to tell you that Shaun will visit any church or campus ministry (schedule allowing, of course) provided that he can have two minutes to tell his audience about Compassion.

So if you think you might like for Shaw-awn to visit your church or college campus, click here for details. And if Shaun does in fact sing at your church while wearing tap shoes and a Fundana,TM I’d really like a copy of that video.

Thanks, y’all.

Filed Under: Compassion, My Friends Rock
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