Episode 15

While doing laundry today I read some of the fantasy book that I have been working on for the past month. While I read I will usually listen to music. I have done this since I was in middle school. Reading and music have always gone together for me. Actually, music and many other thins seem to go well together, Surfing the net and playing video games for example. With the video games it has merged into one with the advent of Rock Band and Guitar Hero. Although I enjoy playing and creating music with actual instruments these games are a lot of fun for the rock star in all of us.

Faith No More – Angel Dust

The lead singer for Faith No More, Mike Patton, has such and incredible elastic voice. He has the ability to go from a classical form to a heavy metal scream within the same piece of music. If there was a way to contain his vocal prowess and make it do your will it would blow your mind. The band as a whole has made some uber fantastic music with in the rap/rock genre but the band is more than just a genre. They are genre bending with the music that they have created. This album is the 4th album but the 3rd with Mike as the lead vocalist. I really liked the song Midlife Crisis and A Small victory along with the 2 covers on the album, Lionel Richie – Easy and the theme from Midnight Cowboy. There are others songs on this album that are really fantastic but it is set up as an album. I think that it should be listened as such.

Blur – 13

This album was a late part of the British mimic of the grunge movement that happened in America in the early 90s. I say that it was a late part because it was released in the late 90s. They were trying to remain in the spot light by using sounds from the grunge scene with a British twist. It was a definite change from their initial albums that were so polished and clean sounding in that early 90s brit pop sound. This album has some very fun songs and some heart felt songs as well. The first single off the album was tender, my favorite of the album too. It shows a softer side of the band with a choir singing the backups. I remember seeing this song performed live on some late night show. It was very good. As I continued to listen to the album I started to think, “When is this over?” That is not a good sign. It is not that the album is bad in any way. It is that the album is to long. When ever I thought that It would get into a song that I was totally into. Then when the song would be ending I would think that again.

The Pixies – Doolittle

This is a classic alternative album. It was released before the Grunge movement hit hard. This album has a much cleaner sound than the predecessor, their first full length album, Surfer Rosa. This was mostly due to the new producer. The album still dealt with rough material that happens in this world we live in as did the first album but the music was a bit nicer to listen to. The 2 singles of the album are the real stand outs. They are Here Comes Your Man and Monkey Gone To Heaven. The album is interesting to listen to but is lyrically it makes you think about the world we live in.

The Polyphonic Spree – The Fragile Army

First off, this is a very large band. There are many members associated to this group. This was one of the albums that I purchased in 2007 in my splurge to get music. It is a good album but very bright. This is not by any means my favorite album but it is still a good album

Powerman 5000 – Tonight The Stars Revolt

I like to think of this album as space rock. There is lots of talk about stars and space all through out the album. There is also a few verbal snips from some b-movie sci-fi movies. The roomer is that the lead singer is the brother of Rob Zombie. I can not confirm this but there is one track where the lead singer has some similar vocal sounds to Mr. Zombie.

Pillar – Fireproof

They are a Christian band that focuses on the word and how it applies to peoples lives today. This is their second album. There were many versions of this album released. I wound up with the Special Edition release with a bonus DVD. The first single of the album was called Fireproof. It tells of how Christians are fireproof to the devil. He, the devil, may act in our lives but when we die we are God’s children and the devil has no claim on our lives.

The song I’m Further from myself hits me so hard. Every time I hear it reminds me of exactly who I am and where I should be if I am not already there. It is wholeheartedly and completely everything I want and everything I am all in one short piece of music. I am not sure that I can write any thing better to express how much this song means to me. I will add this much though. The acoustic version of this song is more rich and real than the studio version is.

The rest of the album is really fantastic and I would recommend it to anyone, Christian or not.

Decyfer Down – End Of Grey

This is another Christian group that has my heart. They sing about the word and use lines directly from the Bible that just pierce me straight through. With songs that talk about giving yourself up to God so that you can live a better life through him to songs that praise God for changing our lives so that we follow the light, God, instead of ourselves. There are also a couple songs that talk about turning away from god but realizing that you were wrong then coming back to a life of God and Christianity. If I want to think on who I am I turn to this album. It is that good.

I actually listened to this album a second time on the way home from work. It truly is that good.