New Jersey makes a cacophony of sounds.

I have not listened to much new music lately, but I have listened to New Jersey.

Camden sounds like a crying child right after birth. I know it is graphic. It still holds so much of the old world in its arm, but wants to be born again. I hope that it will find its way, but I am not sure that it will. I want to look to the horizon of a rising sun, but I am not sure that they will ever get through this night.

Please sing for them.

Listening in Silence

I was reading the other day that Led Zeppelin had a thing against singles. They wanted their albums to be an experience as a whole. Sometimes I think bands are so worried about putting out good singles that they lose the feeling of an album. And the sunset is torn as they sit picking apart each song.

Music is a means to the soul. Just the other day I was reading an article on dance therapy. There is something powerful about the rhythms of graceful movement. Growing up, Christians never did dance much. For this I was always jealous of the Mormons, who always seemed to dance so well. I feel often that there is something missing in Christianity in this sense. Perhaps some theologians believe they have all the dogma down, but I would choose dance over dogma any day.

When I was in seventh grade my teacher told me that her husband and her would sometimes sit in their living room in an area where the acoustics were very good. They would put on classical music, and just do nothing.

And perhaps in the listening--in those moments of silence--we can find God. We can find the one who is above all others.

In a few days I leave for New Jersey for my summer mission. I will be working with children, and I hope that I can teach them to dance.

Your Own Criteria

“Who is your favorite artist,” Amanda asked me.

I can’t rightfully call myself a music critic as I have no real knowledge of music history (i.e. the trends, the names and the movements that have happened throughout history). I know about 2 percent of all there is to know about music theory. I can play piano and guitar. I tired saxophone, but gave it up for choir.

“Well,” I stuttered.

I always was indecisive.

“I really like a lot of bands a lot, but how do you make a choice as to who is the best? Is there some criteria out there that trumps all other criteria?”

“Make up your own criteria,” she responded with a slight smile.

“Well,” I always stutter.

I thought for a moment.

“I don’t like music that is just run the mill pop love songs, that is just boring.”

“Yeah,” she responded. “Neither do I.”

“A thing that makes a band really great is timelessness about their music. So that cancels out most bands that have come out within the last five years. The gods of rock may or may not look kindly on bands like The Killers and Kelly Clarkson forever.”

“Okay,” she looked interested.

“So that leaves us with a handful of bands that have lasted. I mean we’re talking big time now. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, The Dave Matthew Band, Sting, and band like The Who.”

“Ok, but The Beatles we’re probably the biggest deal in the past 50 years. I mean, everyone knows all four Beatles, but not everyone knows all the members of The Dave Matthews Band. I mean I don’t even know the drummer’s name.”

“Carter Beauford,” I responded quickly. I think she hears the snappiness in my voice. “Yeah, The Beatles are definitely the biggest, but I still love the show The Dave Matthews Band, and for me they will always be my favorite.”

“Like I said,” Amanda responded. “It’s your own criteria.”

The New Cinder Block Album - Superhuman (2007)

The Cinder Block album Superhuman is, in my humble opinion, very bland. The first two songs seem reminiscent of 80’s rock. Just read the lyrics:

Cause every time I rest my head down on my bed and you're not there
I wonder if you're somewhere else with someone new
I'm coming undone all over you

But if I want to listen to 80’s rock then I will go and listen to 80’s rock because it has already been done. The third song Back Home to You is reminiscent of an 80’s power ballad, and after this I could listen to no more. Why must people try and redo what has already been done without adding any of their own touch to the music? After the third song I could listen no more, so I just turned it off.

This album gets a thumb down. Listen to Queen if you want good power rock.

The White Stripes Album - Icky Thump (2007)

When I found out that The White Stripes was only a rock duo with drums and a guitar, I was dumbfounded. The album Icky Thump begins with a bang–a powerhouse beginning– with satirical view of immigrants on the title track followed by another powerful song (You Don’t Know What Love is.”). The record has a little bit of everything: hard rock, blues, bagpipes and songs with a Latin feel. Some have judged this as an unfocused album, while others praised the band for their bold experimentation as a rock duo.

While the lyrics are not earth-shattering or always incredibly moving, the variety of music keeps the album fresh. Within the record I felt like I was being taken back to a time with a feel similar to Led Zeppelin, and then taken to Scotland for two songs with the bagpipes. Overall, despite the disunity of the album because of the variety of songs, the album is fun to listen to.

I would not recommend buying it, however, if you do not like a variety of musical styles and are comfortable with something very different.

I would give this record four out of five stars.

Brad Paisley's New Album "Fifth Gear"

Brad Paisley’s new album “5^th Gear” is definitely a hit in the country world. Honestly, I had never listened to any of his stuff before this, so this is my first taste of a man from a genre I know very little about. The album is, in many ways, a traditional country album with some weird twists. For instance, the single Ticks has some interesting pick-up lines about going to a dark romantic places and picking ticks off a girl in places that are hard to reach. Songs such as All I Wanted Was a Car and Letter to Me are reminiscent of his youth—probably as a result of a new son in his life—while songs such as Online are clever with their satirical lyrics.

Some of the songs are quite good. Mr. Policeman reminds of older folk music that I really enjoy. If Love Was a Plane captures the risk of love with some interesting and powerful metaphors.

But overall the songs such as I’m Still A Guy reflect the male chauvinism of much of modern America, and Ticks has a catchy tune, but horribly sappy lyrics with metaphors that are just plain weird. The album in many places is just very sappy. Perhaps it is my lack of exposure to country, but if some of the songs were meant to be witty they turned out quite bland.

This album receives about a 3 out of 5

Aqualung's New Album "Memory Man" (2007)

When singer/songwriter Matt Hales was asked why he chose to go by the pseudonym of Aqualung he answered, “Being called 'Matt Hales' seemed a bit limited, a bit too 'singer-songwritery.” I liked the idea of a more enigmatic name for the project that generated less explicit musical expectations.” And he certainly has delivered a variety of sounds on his album. While the first few songs, such as Cinderella and Pressure Suit, have a very broad pop appeal, the genius behind the album comes towards the middle of the album with such songs as Rolls So Deep, The Lake, and Black Hole.

The album originally was going to have an outer space feeling, but Hales, a new father and husband, felt that this general theme did reflect his current surroundings. Hales does note, however, that “if you know it was there, you can find it. It's like a space ship that explodes with fragments all on the ground. Some of those fragments are identifiable as being part of that original space travel concept.” But it does provide a nice contrast. There is a certain degree of hope in the music, but the album does not deny the many problems that are going on in the world.

In Hales words, “You know, I have a son now. I mean, his world is the one that we're currently fucking. And this record is to some extent defined by that.”

The real power behind the record is the imagery that is evoked by a combination of powerful lyrics and creative sounds layered on a usually simple melody. Listening to The Lake evokes not only the feeling of being at a lake, but a feeling that it is night and a bit scary. The song Rolls So Deep evokes feelings of thunder and lightning. There is a powerful amount of hope in the lyrics, but not overly hopeful or a false tinsely hope.

This album gets a thumbs up.