The Open Door

Well, Evanescence's the Open Door has finally been released. I've been sort of fascinated with this release, not only because I really enjoyed Fallen, but also because I wanted to see what their first real post-Christian music release would sound like. For those not familiar with the group, since the band's founders at least previously claimed to be Christian and Fallen had some clearly Christian-flavored lyrics, it was briefly marketed at Christian bookstores, until a rather odd tirade by Amy Lee and Ben Moody, the co-founders, caused the label to pull the CD from the Christian market. I'm not sure whether Lee or the newer band members consider themselves Christians as of right now or not. At any rate, unlike Fallen, the Open Door is being marketed exclusively as a secular CD.

Moreover, it is the first release lacking Ben Moody, who not only co-founded the band, but was also the writer of the song that originally attracted me to the group, “My Immortal.” Given that I think Moody soften up the band's heavy sound a bit, I was wondering whether I'd like the Open Door or not. Even Fallen pushes the limits on what I can stand in music. I like it, but the heavy guitar sections of the CD come close to being too much for me.

From the iTunes 30 second preview clips, I'm not entirely sure of the Open Door, but at least several of the songs sound like they have potential. I've already heard “Call Me When Your Sober” on the radio, and it was pretty good; it is a bit different than their previous work while still maintaining the essential sound of the group.

I'll probably order the CD soon — in case anyone is interested, I'll post a review sometime after I hear the whole thing.

TQ: Music

This week's meme from Mark covers music. This is perfect since I just got back from the season opener of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Bartok's The Wooden Prince.

1. What is your favorite way to listen to music?
Live. OK, beyond that, probably in the car. I'm not so much interested in the volume as the acoustics and immersion factors. Being in a small, enclosed space that has six or eight speakers sounds great. Not as great as it sounded tonight at Powell Symphony Hall, though.

2. What classical composer doesn't get enough credit/airplay in your opinion?
In the spirit of the evening, I'll say Bartok. I must confess I was not at all familiar with him until tonight, but his composition was truly enjoyable. It was a fast paced, varied score that kept a 103 piece orchestra very busy for almost an hour non-stop. While I probably preferred the Mozart concerto that proceeded it, I'm glad to have been introduced to this Hungarian/Romanian composer.

3. What band / artist would you like to see (cough) retire immediately?
Pretty much any rapper, especially St. Louis's very own Nelly. I just don't think a rapper singing explicit lyrics represents the spirit of St. Louis.

4. Looking into your crystal ball, what will replace the mp3 player?
The MP3 player, in as much as one means an electronic player that plays digital audio files from some solid state or hard disk storage, I think the MP3 player is pretty much here to stay. Primarily, I suppose I see the same thing happening to it as has happened to the PDA: it will become increasingly part of cell phones rather than a stand alone device. Perhaps the successors to the 80 GB iPod, and other high end devices, will stick around in independent form, but in 2010, I think most people will use their 100 GB cell phones that can connect to the iTunes Music Store wirelessly for no additional charge.

Note: The questions on this page written by Mark are governed by the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 2.5 license. I believe my responses are allowed under fair use and therefore are not licensed under the Creative Commons license (I don't want people messing with adapting my personal opinions, thank you very much).

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Wow, David Robertson is some conductor! That was spectacular tonight. The SLSO is an amazing orchestra, but Robertson's conducting was simply an amazing performance all by itself. It was a good way to ring out this year; tomorrow's my birthday.

Rebecca St. James Finally Managed It...

I've listened to her music a number of times and never had anything really hit me as something I liked. As I was riding back in my mom's car from the dealer where we dropped my car off for body work (needed from when I was rear ended), “You are Loved” played on XM Radio's the Message. It now has the questionably good distinction of being the latest song to wedge itself into my head.

I finally like a song by Rebecca St. James. I might have to look over her music again.

We were younger then, you and me, full of dreams, weren’t we?
I went my way, you went yours, where did you go, dear?
Someone said you had left the life we lived together then
This is my way of reaching out ‘cause I remember…

This is what I want to say to you
If I had one chance to speak to your heart
You are loved
More than you could ever know
This is what I want to say to you
If I had one chance to tell you something
You are loved
More than you can imagine
Imagine

If I told you would you believe, the narrow road, I did not leave
If I told you would you understand that I’ve found truth
Are you jaded? Are you hurting now? How I wish that I could tell
Where your heart’s at…can you see? Mine has found – home

Not sure if I’ve, made it clear enough
It’s not my love I sing about
Everybody asks, “Is God good?”
I believe, He is
In fact I know, He is

No Doubt the Mall has Music

For some reason, shopping at malls have a tendency to cause music to stick in my head. I'm not sure exactly why, but it has happened a number of times, such as here. Well, its happened again.

I'm not exactly the frequent mall patron, but I found myself in the mall several times over the past few weeks, including last week when I went to pick up a suit at the Men's Warehouse. The mall played No Doubt's “Don't Speak,” the chorus of which lodged itself in my head thereafter:

Don't speak
I know just what you're saying
So please stop explaining
Don't tell me cause it hurts
Don't speak
I know what you're thinking
I don't need your reasons
Don't tell me cause it hurts

I've never actually heard of No Doubt. I did hear that song sometime last decade when it was new, but I never paid attention to who it was from. Well, the next week, I was at Borders Books, Music and Cafe (which is an anchor tenant at the same mall) and another song lodged itself in my head, but this time, only the accompanying instruments — I couldn't recall the words, which was even more frustrating than having a song in my head to which I could recall the words. I happened to be on iTMS looking to see what No Doubt sounded like beyond “Don't Speak” and tried listening to a song called “Running.” As it turned out, that was the second song I heard in the mall.

Running, running
As fast as we can
I really hope we make it
(Do you think we'll make it?)
We're running
Keep holding my hand
It's so we don't get separated

If you're waiting for some kind of pithy conclusion, I confess I don't have any. I just found it interesting that (1) music seems more likely to be “sticky” to my brain at the mall and (2) in the last two or three weeks, I've heard multiple songs from the same band (which I was not familiar with) at the same mall that managed to get stuck in my head.

Anyone else have a song stuck in your noggin at the moment?

All is Well

The song of the day, from Michael W. Smith's Christmas:

All is well all is well
Angels and men rejoice
For tonight darkness fell
Into the dawn of love's light
Sing A-le
Sing Alleluia
All is well all is well
Let there be peace on earth
Christ is come go and tell
That He is in the manger
Sing A-le
Sing Alleluia

All is well all is well
Lift up your voices and sing
Born is now Emmanuel
Born is our Lord and Savior
Sing Alleluia
Sing Alleluia
All is well

Numa Numa Dance

(That is, Dragostea Din Tei)

I'm not sure if I'm the last person on the planet to be referred to this, but just in case I am not, y'all must go watch the Numa Numa dance. Tell me if you aren't happier afterwards. Chalk it up to happiness through the somewhat absurd.

The actual words, when I find them in translation, aren't exactly as happy as the music sounds, and its a bit strange, but hey, who cares? Well, for one, a friend of mine who happens to be Romanian and doesn't exactly appreciate this phenomenon taking off as a representative of Romanian music. I recalled her telling me about a song that had become popular, that contained the following, “I sent you a beep/and I'm so buff” (her Romanian to English translation to the best I can remember it from six months ago), but I only realized after looking up a translation of this song that this was the same song. Heh.

Enjoy, but just keep in mind it shouldn't be taken as a representation of Romanian musical taste.

I Will Listen

I had not listened to this song in ages, but it has been stuck in my head for the last few days. I figured I might as well post part of it here, as such.

Hard as it seems
Standing in dreams
Where is the dreamer now
Wonder if I
Wanted to try
Would I remember how
I don't know the way to go from here
But I know I have made my choice
And this is where I stand
Until He moves me on
And I will listen to His voice

—Twila Paris

Song Du Jour: Every Time it Rains

This song caught my attention the other day when I first heard it. The words are pretty good, although you really need to hear it to appreciate it. It is available via iTunes Music Store if anyone interested.

Every time it rains I listen to the sky
And wonder what's so great about sunshine
Everybody lives and everybody dies
And no one's gonna love you like I do

When it was getting dark
I didn't need a match
I never needed light to see you
You thought I disappeared
But I was always here
I could never get that far from you

Though I misunderstand
And been misunderstood
So love me 'cause you can
And not because you should

Every time it rains
I know it's good to be alive
Every time it rains
I know I'm trying to survive

—Charlotte Martin, Every Time it Rains

So what are you listening to right now?

Music with Tim

John-Thomas did a post in which he posted on the first five songs to randomly shuffle from his music collection, so I thought I'd do the same. My collection is a bit different than his, although it does have some classical, none of which happened to come up during the shuffling period (it all seemed to play earlier today, oddly enough).

Purified (Michael W. Smith): This is my favorite song from the first Worship CD from MWS. It is a studio recording (unlike all but one of the other songs), but that isn't the treat. It's words make me think — am I really ready to stand in cleansing fires?

I will open up my heart Search me in the deepest part
And I will stand in cleansing fire
By You, purified
By You, I'm purified

Us (Sixpence None the Richer): This is a new song in my library from the Best of Sixpence None the Richer. I have all of Sixpence's CD's, but the Best of collection includes three unreleased tracks, of which this is one, plus a lot of the songs they contributed to other CD's, such as some of the multi-artist worship CD's. It is catchy, in fact, it has been stuck in my head. Hopefully the sentiment of it will fit my situation some day, God willing.

Let the River Flow (WoW Worship Blue): This comes from a CD that my church pawned off on unsuspecting members walking through the building one Sunday. It has a few good songs, but there was a reason why the youth group was so desperate to unload these on the innocent people heading to the coffee pot. I'll admit I don't usually by the stuff the youth are selling, so maybe this was poetic justice. It isn't very good as a whole. This song is way too slow. The first time I heard the first disc of the two CD set, I had to turn it off to avoid falling asleep.

I Will Remember You (Sarah McLachlan): This is a new purchase of mine off of iTMS. It isn't my favorite McLachlan song, but it has stuck in my head a few times over the years (from hearing it on the radio). I wish there was a studio recording of it.

Run for it (Leigh Nash/Delerium): This track had good timing, I just mentioned this song the other night. Like “Us,” this has been stuck in my head; clearly my iPod is thinking like I am. I'm not sure how to describe it, but I'll try. It is a fusion of Leigh Nash's always stunning vocals (from Sixpence None the Richer) and a sound that reminds me of Enigma to some extent. Nash actually penned the words, I understand, and she did a good job. I purchased this off of iTMS, you should go and do likewise for just $0.99.

Curious to see the trends in my shuffling? Some interesting ones occur tonight, and some other favorites appeared in the next ten songs, which I shall now proceed to list.

Read more...

In Lieu of Actual Content

Read what I am presently listening to:

I can't love a hater, it's a losing game
I'll never love a quitter, you'll get left in the rain

I can't help the helper when my feet are bound
I can't feel you near me if you're not the only sound

you are, you're not
you better run for your life, love, I'm walking I'm walking
you better run for your life, love, I'm walking I'm walking
you better count up your reasons, I'm leaving I'm leaving
you better count up your reasons, I'm leaving I'm leaving

—Leigh Nash (formerly of Sixpence None the Richer), Run for It