Tuesday, October 6, 2009

You're Not the Last Thing That I've Loved and Lost

And let's finish this. I've got a lot more to write about. Specifically, the new Relient K and David Crowder*Band albums, and some future concerts. Either way, let's finish this up. No images this time, 'cause I'm sleepy, and images keep failing.

5. As Cities Burn - Come Now Sleep

Never before in the history of music has one band undergone such a stylistic change between albums. Showbread's change from "No Sir, Nihilism is Not Practical"s Screamo to "Age of Reptiles" Synth Rock was a pretty big change, but I think that As Cities Burn's change was a little bit bigger. First, we had "Son, I Loved You at Your Darkest Time", featuring dual vocalist and brothers, altering between Screams and Clean vocals, shouting memorable lines such as "What is love without trust? At my big, would you bring your Isaac?". Now, suddenly, the opening track eases in. 7 minutes later, after hearing a man question the existence of God, we here a new person come in, pointing out that a man's pride has caused him to doubt God. That God has been there, but the man's pride has pushed him away. No screams, just ambient rock. From there, we transition into typical As Cities Burn riffs and progression(still unique to this day), as we hear about overcoming pride and stereotypes, the need for grace, and the incompetence of humans(but success through Christ). By the ending tracks, we're left agreeing with the singer. "If I make it to heaven, I may be as bloody as Hell". "I'm sure if you wanted to stop love, you could just untie your end and let it go. But my God, you don't. Yeah, I think I love your for it." When the last minutes of "Timothy" end, we're left wanting more. Sure, gone is the abrasive rock and the screaming, but the ambiance that has replaced it more than makes up for it. In the end, even with only one vocalist, this albums is amazing. "This is it, this is it. You're gonna sink for your sins, unless grace be the wind."

Tracks to check: Empire, Wrong Body, Our World is Gray, This is It.

They're not too bad live either.

4. Deas Vail - All the Houses Look the Same

Have you ever gone down into a neighborhood, looked at the homes, and realized, "Wow, all these houses look the same!". Yeah, I have. Putting that aside, AtHLtS is the debut, if you will, album by Deas Vail, an indie rock band from Arkansas. Wes, the vocalist, knows how to hit his falsettos, and when to use them. Trust me, its not easy to consistently switch from falsetto to normal and back, but he does it. Keys are abundant, both piano and synth, but never in a poppy way. Much of the music is atmospheric and dreamy. From the opening, with its simple chords, to the lightly floating pianos in "Shoreline", or the soaring vocals in every song. It doesn't matter. Its consistently good throughout. Honestly, I can't exactly go into detail about why I like this album so much. I just do. It has consistently received plays on the iPod, years later. The White Lights EP was just as good, and with "Birds and Cages" being released this month, I'm excited. The live show is spectacular, and if the new songs they've played mean anything, then "Birds and Cages" could surpass "All the Houses Look the Same".

Tracks to Check: Shoreline, Lover's Charm, Anything You Say, Life in These Little Boats.

3. Paulson - All at Once

Paulson was interesting in that I'd never actually heard of them until I went to go see As Cities Burn live with my buddy Justin. Coincidentally, my roommate at the time, Nathan, mentioned that he liked Paulson. They ended up being spectacular live, even though I only managed to listen to one song by the time the concert came around. Either way, I started listening to the CD, and immediately, I was hooked on "Calling On You". Hooked enough that I consistently listened to that track. It was only when I accidentally left the CD on that I next hear track 4, Window Frames. I randomly decided to play the first two tracks as well, and loved them, and so, I started listening to the first four. On repeat. Eventually, I managed to expand into the full album. Honestly, I liked the tracks enough to where I had trouble listening to the new tracks. Seriously. Paulson is, at its core, electronic pop. But, oddly enough, it doesn't sound like typical electro pop. Its not about sugary things, despite heavy synth use. Its a full band with pop-rock music, but with definite emo tendencies. Not "Slit your wrists with me because my girlfriend broke up with me at a Dashboard Confessional Show" emo, but rather, real emotion. Breaking up, moving on, insecurity, need, all of it, wrapped up in synths, guitars, bass, drums, and vocals that sound real. The words aren't necessarily sung, nor are they spoken like mewithoutYou, but rather, somewhere in between. It works. Its electronica rock with real emotion and doubt, not, "Everything is perfect". Although, um, I admit, I love that junk. Either way.

Tracks to listen to: Voids, Window Frames, Break Me In, What Are You?

2. Emery - In Shallow Seas We Sail

I've been a fan of Emery back since the days of "The Question", and "The Weak's End" was brilliant. Then came "I'm Only a Man" and "When Broken Heart's Prevail". Emery is basically a post-hardcore/screamo/punk band with two vocalists(three live) who trade off singing and playing bass, and even singing at the same time. The dual vocals really shine. I was convinced that nothing would be able to outdo gems such as "Walls" and "Ponytail Parades" from TWE or "So Cold I Could See My Breath" and "Listening to Freddy Mercury", from TQ, but then came In Shallow Seas We Sail. Cutthroat Collapse opens with the same intensity as "Walls", and dual vocals shine. This album is straight perfect throughout. Honestly, I'd write more, but I've already wrote a review of it. Go check it to see, and keep watchin' for the "Butcher's Mouth" video. BTdub, "In Shallow Seas We Sail" is both their best album, and best track.

Tracks to Listen to: Cutthroat Collapse, The Butcher's Mouth, In Shallow Seas We Sail, Dear Death pt 1 and 2.

1. Owl City - Maybe I'm Dreaming.

Somewhere in the world (aka, downtown), my friend Jefe just made that typical awkward noise that we both make. I won't go into it, but its made whenever I mention Owl City(and is usually followed up by "Strawberry Avalanche"!). Either way. I had a tough time choosing between this and "Ocean Eyes", but in the end, Maybe I'm Dreaming edged it out. Both have their charms, but in the end, MID wins. Check out my full review for why I love it so much.

Random side fact: My favorite Owl City track, "Hot Air Balloon", isn't on any album. Single only.

Tracks to check: Rainbow Veins, The Saltwater Room, Dear Vienna, West Coast Friendship.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

If There's Complications, Pull the Plug Out

Top 10 lists. Bless their souls. I swear, I see so many of them that are just thrown together. So before I made one(and trust me, I wanted to), I wanted to think about it. So, I've just been listening to music, and thinking about it.

25 albums later, I was, well, sorta ready. I suppose, it was more than 25 albums. But that's what I narrowed it down to. So I present to you, in no order other than alphabetical, my top 25 albums of all time:

Anberlin - Never Take Friendship Personal
As Cities Burn - Come Now Sleep
Beloved - Failure On
The Classic Crime - Albatross
Deas Vail - All The Houses Look the Same
Dead Poetic - New Medicines
Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism
The Devil Wears Prada - With Roots Above and Branches Below
Emery - In Shallow Seas We Sail
Falling Up - Captiva
Far-Less - A Toast to Bad Taste
Jon Reuben - The Boy Vs. The Cynic
Kids in the Way - Safe From the Losing Fight
Lights - Lights EP
Life in Your Way - Waking Giants
Mae - The Everglow
mewithoutYou - Brother, Sister
Owl City - Maybe I'm Dreaming
Paulson - All At Once
Relient K - Five Score and Seven Years Ago
The Rocket Summer - Do You Feels
Seabird - 'Til We See the Shore
Thousand Foot Krutch - Phenomenon
UnderOath - Lost in the Sound of Separation
The Wedding - Polarity

Then came the hard part? Which would be my top 10? In what order? Better yet, why? Well, let's get started.

10. Death Cab for Cutie: Transatlanticism


So, this is an odd entry, considering that about a year ago, I hated Death Cab. Then Narrow Stairs came out, and I rather enjoyed the single "I Will Possess Your Heart". So I gave the album a chance, and loved it. From there, I got Transatlanticism and Plans, and was set. I still haven't heard the others, but man, Transatlanticism.... Simpler songs like the title track, more upbeat songs like "Title and Registration", downtempo songs like "Passenger Seat", and the simple acoustic track "A Lack of Color" are great.

Recommended Tracks: Transatlanticism, Passenger Seat

9. Dead Poetic: New Medicines


I'll admit, way back in high school, I had no idea what I was getting into with this album. I didn't really do music before that. I was used to the occasional pop/rock hit, and country music. I was recommended a bunch of albums, and honestly, I just picked one. This was the result. Popping it in, I was greeted with "Taste the Red Hands", and BAM. My first taste of truly aggressive music. But not that typical I'm-so-freakin'-ticked-off-at-everyone kinda angry, but rather, the why-are-you-going-down-this-path aggressive. The stop-being-so-lazy-and-make-a-difference aggressive. Whether it was Vanus Empty's screams to end shallow judging, or Bury The Difference's call for an end to mindless, groundless judgments, or even the call to end mindless action, and to move and do things whole hearted. I admit, I wasn't ready for someone to cut off the filter and say what needed to be said. It was the first time I started to listen to what bands were saying. And I liked it.

Recommended Tracks: Vanus Empty, Modern Morbid Prophecies

8. Falling Up: Captiva


Falling Up started on the whole "Rapcore" deal, but by the second album, they were transitioning. There was still rap vocals, but it was now over more atmospheric rock anthems. No more DJs, just atmospheric rapcore. And by Captiva, they had nearly abandoned the rap, and kept layering on the atmosphere. I don't joke when I say that this was the album that most made me want to start keyboarding. From the more upbeat Goodnight Gravity, the slower Arc to the Achilles, and the epic The Dark Side of Indoor Track Meets, I was hooked. The aforementioned track, Indoor Track Meets, is still a top track in my book. I still remember being amazed at the bridge, with that key shift that changed the entire mood of the song into this deep, dark feeling, matching the lyrics, before another key change into a much more hopeful mood for the end. I still need to learn that song....

Recommended Tracks: How They Made Cameras, The Dark Side of Indoor Track Meets

7. Relient K: Five Score and Seven Years Ago



Ah, good 'ole faithful Relient K. I think my initial draw to them was that they were one of the few bands that not only became quite popular(even signing to a major label and STAYING on the major label), but kept their faith a priority. Yes, any doubt that I had that they would water it down was erased by favorite Relient K track yet, Deathbed. From silly songs to serious songs, aggressive to passive, it was all there, balanced, and ready to go. From "Fallen Man" to "Faking My Own Suicide", Relient K demonstrated that they weren't going anywhere fast. Then, of course, there's one of my favorite love songs ever, "Must Have Done Something Right". And to epically end with the 11 minute epic of layer upon layer of track after track, all without sounding crowded, and use it to tell the ultimate story of failure and redemption, and, well, its just not easy to do. And they did it.

Recommended Tracks: Must Have Done Something Right, Deathbed

6. Beloved: Failure On


Well, let's throw a little aggression back in the mix, shall we? Beloved was a post-hardcore band from my neck of the woods. I was highly recommended them, but with the slew of new music that was coming out at the time, I only had enough time to give it a quick spin, and not to really listen to it. Big mistakes. I passed it over as "decent", but nothing special. Hah! Hah! Yeah, right. Finally, I randomly listed to it again, and this time, LISTENED to it, and was blown away. Suddenly, the stand out track, "Death to Traitors" was equal to so many other tracks. "Defect From Decay" followed soon after, "Inner Pattern" and "Aimless Endeavor", and the hopeful, yet aggressive closer, "Insult to Injury" Despite being 6 years old, being around for much longer than I've been into music, I still play that record, and still love it just as much. "But rest assured, we will fight for you".

Recommended tracks: Defect From Decay, Insult to Injury

And with that, we've completed the first half! Now, let's continue!

At a later date.... Its bed time....

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

We Could Fall Between These Lines if You Would Work With Me

So, I forgot my login stuffs. Hence why there has been no update. Now there is!

So, rather than reviewing CDs, I'm gonna review a few shows I've been in. Let's get started!

Deas Vail/Abel @ The Lampstand

This, was a pleasant show, if I do say so myself. I went for one purpose only, and that was to see Deas Vail.

The show opened up with a local band, Peter's Shadow. They put on a decent show, I guess. The music was okay, but there was absolutely no energy from the band, which was odd. The music was pretty energetic. They, with the exception of the singer, were stiff. Lame. Oddly enough, the singer was sick.... Either way, I'd give them another chance, but I really can't recommend seeing them live. The music was okay though.

Music: 7
Live Show: 3

The Forever Endeavor was next up. I was a bit cautious though. The lead shinger was wearing purple girl pants.... I was a bit scared, but then, they hauled four keyboards(2 M-Audio MIDI-Controllers, 1 Yamaha Digital Piano, and 1 Korg MicroKorg Synth), and I was interested. The set was basically rather happy electronica music with a few guitar parts, and overall, I was rather impressed, aside from the intense use of auto-tune. The energy was matched by the lead singer, who would often move around and even dance a bit on stage, and even convinced some others to dance too.

Music: 8(Sorry, too much auto-tune)
Live Show: 8

Keegan was 3rd, and I had no idea what to expect. What we got was only four songs, but four intense, epic, atmospheric, WIN. There were very few vocals, but dag, the guitarist could sing. The other guitarist, the lead guitarist, was able to both tap-play his electric and play left handed piano chords AT THE SAME Time. Not only were they skilled, they were awesome. They didn't move much, but they just exerted an unmatched energy that night. They were into, but were calm at the calm parts. Dang near perfect.

Music: 9
Live Show: 9

Next up was Abel, one of the 2 headliners. They were a rather "As Cities Burn"-esque band, with some crazy good lyrics, and nice, personal stuff in between songs. Had I know the lyrics, I would have sung along, no doubt. Catchy, post-rock stuff. I admittedly wanted them to continue playing. Still, it ended with the lead singer singing "I'm not like Christ at all" as he prayerfully expressed his desire to improve.

Music: 9
Live Show: 9

Deas Vail was the last, and most anticipated for me. I'd seen them randomly before, and definitely loved them, and wanted to see what they'd do headlining. They played a couple old songs (Shoreline, Rewind, Undercover), and two new songs, before ending with a very passionate, very intense version of "Follow Sound", ending with the Bassist literally playing in the crowd. We eventually convinced them to come back and play one last song, and the set ended with "White Lights". They were honestly surprised that we wanted an encore, but it was well deserved. Totally awesome show.

Music: 10
Live Show: 10.

I'll write up a couple more reviews. Still gotta do the Relient K/Owl City/Rookie of the Year/Deas Vail show and the Embracing Goodbye show.

Until then, music updates. I finally got a gig bag for my Keyboard, and will be playing in the Praise band on the first CCF. I also ordered some new Instrument Cables(neon green for the win!) and some cable ties, and will be ordering my new Keyboard in about a week. Awesome! I think I'll name it Ashley.... Maybe Kori or Sylvia. Either way, its a 61 Key Korg X50 with Dual Polyphonic Arpaegiators. Um, heck yes? Yes, heck yes.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

The Careless Lies Behind Those Brown Eyes That You Swore Were True More Times Than I Can Count

Its officially been a while... like, almost a month. Maybe even a month. Wow. Anyways, I needed to write. To put it simply, the new Emery album is too amazing to NOT talk about. Sure, they strayed off the path a little bit with "I'm Only A Man"(and don't get me wrong, I loved that album), but then they released "While Broken Hearts Prevail...", and I got excited. Now here it is: Possibly the best Emery album yet. "...In Shallow Seas We Sail". Go ahead, throw the two album titles together. "While Broken Hearts Prevail, In Shallow Seas We Sail".

The album opens with a kick to the face. "Cutthroat Collapse" starts off in the vein of "Walls" from their first album, and immediately, all doubt disappears. "Time runs out". Screams, and even a few lowers screams, blast through the speakers, and then suddenly, calm. Toby and Devin trade off vocal duties, sometimes even singing different parts at the same time, culminating with the chaotic-yet-calm chorus consisting of Toby singing, and Devin singing, albiet slight delayed. The cycle of calm and chaos continues, culminating in the bridge, and then ending with another kick.

"Curbside Goodbye" too opens harshly, but a little less harsh, before calming down a lot. Light vocals on the verses, and soaring dual-vox chorus make this song really stand out. "Inside Our Skin" is a bit different for an Emery song. For one, they make direct spiritual references in the song. While the members are all Christian(check out some of their side projects for proof of that), they try not to be overtly spiritual in hopes of being able to reach more people through conversation. That ends here as they scream "If God is good, then what are we? There is no plant without a seed. When morning comes, will we believe all that was lost can be retrieved? You say you’re good, then let me see. A faith is dead without the deed. How can we fail if we believe? Let’s be who we were meant to be."

"Churches and Serial Killers" starts up next, opening with drums and keyboard strings before the guitars and vocals kicking in, and a rather favorite lyric of mine, "There is a part of me that always sees the easy way out. If it doesn't hurt, then not another word". It also has some really nice clean vocals with underlying screams. The dual vocals seem to be really prevalent on this album, and I gotta say, its a welcome addition. Then we get to "Butcher's Mouth" and "In Shallow Seas We Sail", probably two of my favorite tracks on the record. "Butcher's Mouth" throws down some heavy drums and lyrics that remind of, well, facebook.... "I've got a way of figuring out what you said, but I want to hear it from the butcher's mouth". Another high point: The intense parts. Emery has always know when the time for intensity has come. In this case, its at the bridge, as they scream about someone who is taking advantage of people's kindness. "Throw yourself a pity party! Pull on each and every heartstring! We've brought you here, we've brought here, and no one will come to your defense".

Then we come to the title track. It starts out as a typical Emery track, with keys, dual vocals, slightly crunchy guitars, and intensity changes. Then it gets to the bridge, and I officially get blown away. Toby and guest vocalist/producer Aaron Sprinkle sing together in the typical vocal style of Emery, but something about Aaron's voice just makes it, I dunno, great. Kinda poetic. "I fell apart when I fell for you".

We blaze through the next couple tracks, with "The Poor and the Prevalent" with more dualing screams/cleans, followed by "The Smile, the Face", 1 of 2 tracks from the previous EP, followed by "A Sin to Hold on To" which speaks of casting off lust and being a light to others, and another great track, "Piggy Bank Lies". We then move to the other recycled EP track, "Edge of the World". And then, the closer. And in mu opinion, Emery has a great track record for closers.

I present to you, "Dear Death Part 1" and "Dear Death Part 2", a single track that is for some reason split into two. It starts off with a nice acoustic riff with some piano in the background, and Toby's vocals singing softly along, before giving us a nice little surprise: Spanish singing! Sure, it ain't much, but he closes the short Part 1 with the echoing "Esta noche sera mia", or "This night will be mine" over slow strings and keys. Part 2 then kicks in with a rock vibe, but feeling a bit different than their other straight rock songs. I dunno, it just does. Maybe its the alteration of the crunchy guitars and the less crunchy guitars. Either way, more dual vocals, and more amazingness. And then, we end. And I flip it back to the beginning.

Seriously, this may be Emery's best album yet. Yes, it may even beat out "The Weak's End". "....In Shallows Seas We Sail" takes the best of Weak's End and the best of "The Question" and adds a bit of progression. Its officially up for the best album of 2009 so far. Sure, its gonna have a big competitor in the form of Owl City's "Ocean Eyes"(which the first two tracks released are seeming amazing", and Relient K can always pull out some new stunts, so we'll see. Either way. This is an album to listen to.

And just for reference: Here's the best albums of the year so far.

1. Emery - In Shallow Seas We Sail
2. The Devil Wears Prada - With Roots Above and Branches Below
3. As Cities Burn - Hell or High Water
4. mewithoutYou - Its All Crazy! Its All False! Its All A Dream! Its Alright.
5. And Then There Were None - Who Speaks For Plant Earth?

Sunday, May 3, 2009

I don't think I deserve it. Selfless, find your way into my heart.

So, I haven't updated particularly lately. Partially because its now exam crunch time, and I have 3 exams over the next two days, and only one of them will be a cake walk. Thank you, Ichthyology class, for being so interesting, and therefore, being easy for me to study. Go ahead. Ask me anything about any fish from the most primitive agnathan to the most primitive of the modern body fishes. Sadly, we can only cover the less derived ones, as we've run out of time. That being said, I can give you an informative look into at roughly 1000 fishes now. Too bad that there's around 28000, and my knowledge is most related to primitive jawless fishes, sharks, skates, rays, ratfishes, coelacanths, gars, lungfishes, sturgeons, and bowfins. And some eels. Well, at least those are the interesting ones.

Wait, what was that? That had nothing to do with music.... Either way, I also haven't updated because I don't write about emo-I'm feeling-rather-meh type stuff. Even if I have been feeling rather meh for a while. On the plus side, exactly one week from today, I head up to Dearborn, Michigan(aka, the home of the largest concentration of Arabs outside of an Arab nation) for an 8 day mission trip of prayer and building stuff.

So now, onto musics.

Its official. This summer could very well be the best summer for music EVER. Or at least, in a very long time. Its technically summer, apparently, because the first "summer blockbuster" just came out. So anything from here on out is far game. Starting off though, As Cities Burn just released Hell or High Water, and its amazing. But sadly, not a part of the summer. The summer for music kicks off Tuesday, which will be a VERY metal day, with the release of albums by The Devil Wears Prada(the subject of this post), The Chariot, and Zao. In addition, we have albums by mewithoutYou, Family Force 5, and Decyfer Down in May, Emery, For Today, and Everyday Sunday in June, Project 86, Stryper, August Burns Red, and Showbread in July(I'm iffy on that July release for Showbread), and Skillet and Flyleaf in August. In addition, Relient K's new album is scheduled for sometime this summer. I'm excited.

Anyways, The most anticipated album of this week is With Roots Above and Branches Below by The Devil Wears Prada(TDWP). It is, to say the least, the best album by TDWP.

"Sassafras" and "I Hate Buffering" kick off the album, and it becomes clear that TDWP is both evolving and staying the same. Keeping the same silly song titles, but making the hard parts of the songs harder, and the more melodic parts more melodic. These two blistering tracks then lead into two of the four highlights of the album, "Assistant to the Regional Manager" and "Dez Moines". Amazing "The Office" references aside, these two songs rock.

"Assistant" has the blistering breakdowns, the amazing synths(which are more prevalent on this album. Yes!), and amazing clean vocals, courtesy of Jeremy. This includes one of my favorite lines of the album, "All glory to the one in existence. Bring upon your name, your grace, your everything". Please, let no one question these guys faith. Seriously. "Dez Moines", which I can only assume will be the lead single, as it was the first track released onto their Myspace, is the typical anti-materialism song that I've come to love. I believe I mentioned how August Burns Red had some anti-materialism songs, but TDWP is big on it. Hence their name. Yes, it comes from a book. But it has a different meaning. This is more of a paraphrase than a quote, but the band has explained the name before.

"It's the same concept as our lyrics 'emeralds hold no hope' and many many others. What we believe it to mean is that possessions don't matter at all and someday everyone will realize that this is true. When standing before God, He won't care about your sweet Prada scarf or Gucci shoes or whatever. It's a Christian reasoning for the name, we didn't name it to attempt at being fashionable or whatever."

"Dez Moines" continues that with the lyrics "Take all your medals, take all your ribbons, take all your awards, take them down to the ground!"

The next two tracks are standout as well. Seriously, a sweet run of 4 amazing tracks? Not that the first two aren't good. But these 4 are amazing. So yeah, those two are "Big Wiggly Style" and "Danger: Wildman". "Big Wiggly Style" wins the award for best intro ever, with a sweet little synth/guitar riff, before busting into a breakdown. On the other hand, "Danger: Wildman" has some of this best lyrics, opening up with a brutal scream of "I know a ghost", and later on, Jeremy lets the clean vocals fly over more sweet synths with the amazing line "All mistakes can be marked by borders. All of love can be traced to a maker." Really guys, that's pretty amazing.

The album continues chugging through as "Ben Has a Kid", "Wapakalypse", and "Gimme Half" continue. And then, we come to the curveball, and possibly the best track on the album. The title of this blog post comes from the lyrics. Say hello to the first TDWP song, sans screaming. Musical diversity? Check. "Louder than Thunder" is not only one of the first songs without a silly title, but its the only song to focus completely on clean vocals and use the synth as the primary instrument. Lemme tell ya, it is pure bliss. "I know, I could, I could be better. I don't think I deserve this. Selflessness, find your way into my heart. Our thoughts could be quieter, our hearts could be warmer." That is amazing. The album then finishes up in epic style with "Lord Xenu", and I begin to fear for the guys, as Scientologists don't take well to being teased. Not like they probably even realize that this band exists, but still...

And with that, I conclude this post. I have run out of happy, and have to study for physics tomorrow. I think my next post, if I can get it out before I leave for Dearborn, will be on Indie Bands. Right now, I'm looking at 3 unsigned bands to cover. "Sent by Ravens"(who might finally be getting signed soon), "Embracing Goodbye", and "a Clerestory".

And in the meantime, production of my EP has finally started. Band name? Check. Myspace page? Check. Lyrics? Semi-check. Music? Semi-check. I've got some lyrics to a few scattered songs(none complete), and some interesting little riffs that I'd love to build stuff around. the problem now is getting some drum tracks down(very important in electronica/pop music) and filling in various synthy background noises without an actual synth. The sooner I get a synth, the better chance I have of getting this thing done by my hopeful release date of mid-August(aka, the start of my senior year of college). Fingers crossed. The other hopeful date I have is to get at least a sample of a demo up by the end of May. I've ended the recording experimentation phase, and now how to at least get a chorus and maybe bridge completely written so that I can get a 1.5 minute sample up by Glenjamin's wedding at the end of May.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Everything's a Miracle

I have no idea where this post is going. Just a forewarning. I don't think it will involve music. I apologize for the lack of musical things. But this has been on my mind.

Balance is something that I've been thinking of. Metaphorically speaking, and literally. Now, anyone who knows me decently knows that I like metaphors, and well, they don't always work. So the fact that I'm thinking metaphorically should tell you that what I'm saying might not make sense. I'm honestly not sure if it makes sense to me. But think about this:

A seesaw works on the principle of leverage. Yeah, odd. But just hang with me. A seesaw is classified as a 1st class lever, meaning that the fulcrum, or balance point, is located in between the input effort and output load. When two people of equal weight sit down on the seesaw, everything is perfectly balanced. But what happens when one of the two people messes up something? You see, with the fulcrum located perfectly in the center of the effort and the load, and when the effort matches the load, nothing occurs. The lever is at equilibrium. The movement of both sides is 0, and therefore, the net movement is 0. Perfect equilibrium. By the way, please excuse the following images. I threw them together quickly in photoshop to illustrate my point.

So, seesaws. And messing up. Say one person places his legs on the ground and pushes. The creates an imbalance in the equilibrium of things. Suddenly, side A is moving up. What does side B do? Well, because this is a lever, side B has to move down. The movement of A is, let's say, +5. In order to maintain that equilibrium, side B must move away from the equilibrium by a magnitude that's the exact opposite of side A. So, side A has a movement of -5. (+5) + (-5) = 0. Equilibrium is maintained. Balance is still obtained. Equilibrium may not be obtained, because there is movement, but balance is maintained.

You see, a lever requires a perfectly straight, immobile, inflexible piece of material. No hinges, no elasticity. If one side moves away from equilibrium, the other side has no choice but to move away. With hinges, or elasticity, one side could move higher, to a different state. The other side could then remain immobile by resisting, or could even push up with side A. But it wouldn't be forced down in response to side A's movement up.

Wouldn't that be amazing? Maybe not. But I can think of a few cases where it has happened like that. And a few cases where I would prefer if things were like that. Situations where an unexpected movement from one side didn't require the other side to act in the opposite way. Perhaps in these cases, its for the better. I just wish that it didn't happen that way. Christ, of course, is a bit different. He operates with that hinge in place, if you will. We can move closer to him or farther away, but he only moves in one direction: To us. Because he loves us. I feel it necessary to make this point, even though, in this post, I'm not referring to that. Either way, what I'm saying is, sometimes, I wish things had hinges. I wish that one side's movement didn't force the other side to move in the other direction. I really wish that. But that's how it works, sometimes. The only way to change it up would be to break the seesaw. Then, the two sides could join the seesaw back together however they wanted. But then again, that wouldn't be a lever, would it? Levers, levers, levers. Literally, you serve as a way to entertain kids.

I hate levers. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Bright eyes and Subtle Variations of Blue

WARNING: THIS POST IS FILLED WITH AMAZINGLY HAPPY LYRICS ABOUT HAPPINESS, LOVE, ROMANCE, FLOATING, ECT. IF YOU WANT TO BE EMO, GO AWAY! IF YOU WANT TO BE HAPPY, STICK AROUND!

Its not very often that I fall in love with a certain musical assemblage. However, this has not only happened, but its happened 3 times. I owe it to a man by the name of Adam Young. It started simply enough, with a recommendation by Jefe, who referred to them as "Death Cab with more synths". While I completely disagree with this, it doesn't matter. I check them out Thursday night after Bible Study, and was hooked not even halfway through the first track, "On the Wing". By "them", I technically mean "him", however, it could technically be either of the two. You see, this absolutely amazing musician has three musical projects. The main project, the focus of this blog, is known as "Owl City". The two others are "Swimming with Dolphins" and "Port Blue".

I suppose, before I go on about Owl City, I should briefly explain the two others. Owl City is my favorite of the three projects, but I'm not sure which to peg as numbers 2 and 3. Swimming With Dolphins is a very very electronically influenced project, complete with heavy vocal distortions and intense synth beats. Port City on the other hand, is completely and utterly instrumental. I'm not even going to attempt to describe it. Instead, I'll post how Adam himself describes it.

Port Blue is music that can be heard playing in elevators, hotel lobbies, airports, museums and restaurants inside my head. It is the soundtrack to my dreams. If I wrote music for movies, this is what my film scores would sound like. Much of the aesthetic of Port Blue is not what lies in the recordings but rather what is extracted from them.

Dreamscapes. No vocals.

In my opinion, there is a huge lack of imaginative, unconventional music being created by artists today and what little there is, goes widely unappreciated by the masses. Port Blue is my attempt at re-creating the music I want to hear and the emotions I want to feel.

I hope you enjoy my art as much as I enjoyed creating it. If by chance you ever feel as though you've come to know these songs, please consider yourself a friend because in a manner of speaking, you know me. This music is my heart and soul. This is who I am. With that being said, I am so very glad to meet you.

Taste the sky. Dream in color.


Honestly, I'm absolutely blown away by this guy. And I haven't even gotten to his music yet. Seriously! I mean, his description of Port Blue is my entire philosophy on music. Conveying how he feels without words. Amazing. Who am I kidding? Port Blue beats SWD. Not to say anything bad about SWD, but Port Blue is just absolutely amazing. Yet, for some reason, it still gets beaten by Owl City.

So yes, Owl City. Owl City is essentially the music that I love the most. Often time minimalistic. A simple drum track, a background noise, a synth-y base, and a synth riff. As I write, I'm listening to "Air Traffic". There's a simple drum beat going, an arpeggiated synth riff, and piano chords played in simple whole note patterns that mimic the chords being arpeggiated. Other times, it kicks it up, using more complicated drum riffs, multiple layers of synth, and various other noises to fill in space. He even throws in the occasional acoustic guitar riff. But its never too much. Never. The lyrics are never belted out, but rather calmly sung, fitting in with the rather relaxing music. Not to say that they'll put you to sleep. There's definitely upbeat music as well, and I love it just as much, if not more, than the down tempo songs. I suppose, you have to types of songs.

The album kicks off with "On the Wing", starting with a simple reverberating noise, with a simple arpeggio kicking in, followed by a riff, then the drums, before fading into a series of chords with the lyrics. The lyrics, as with all of the songs, are mostly romantic lyrics, coming close at times to giving various people sugar induced commas. Other times, they are poetic. "On the Wing" tends to lean more towards the poetic side. The song changes tempo a few times, kicking up and slowing down at all of the appropriate times. This is a sign of things to come. None of the songs are really limited to a single tempo. They can change to fit the mood of the song. Songs can drop from multiple layers of synth down to just a simple series of chords with a light accompanying riff, and jump up to a multitude of layers, all conveying the feeling that you're floating. Honestly, what a way to kick of the album. Going head first, busting out all the tricks.

"I am floating away, lost in a silent ballet. I'm dreaming here out in the blue and I am right beside you, awake to take in the view".

"Rainbow Veins" continues. Honestly, this song gets pretty sugary. Well, good thing I like that. I can't help it. I realize that there's a lot of bad in the world, but honestly, God is there. You can't just focus on all of the bad. Be joyous. Maybe that's why both myself and Adam Young here love happy sappy music. I realize that some may find lyrics such as "Cheer up and dry your damp eyes and tell me when it rains, and I'll blend up that rainbow above you and shoot it through your veins" as a bit too corny or sappy, but it fits so perfectly. The music is just so happy sounding. You'd know what the guy was thinking even without lyrics. The highlight of the album comes with the "breakdown" as I'm tempted to call it (there's my hardcore showing again), one of the few times that the album gets complicated with a single layer, busting out into a nice synth lead solo, not too fast, but enough to really get me ready to go.

"Super Honeymoon" continues the sugary-ness, with its upbeat tempo and overall happiness. It slows down again with "The Saltwater Room", my favorite song of the album, and apparently, according to playlist records, the most popular songs he's written. It features a nice little acoustic riff, which is then mimicked by a synth, as Adam's vocals come in. The album keeps going on before slowing down at the pre-chorus, and then launching into a full scale(though still downtempo) duet(I really need to figure out who does the other vocal part. 'Cause she's amazing, and appears in a few more songs). Its about love, I'm not gonna lie. But the "dueling" vocals between the two blow me away. Its not a complicated song, and there's not much to look into musically, but its still absolutely amazing. I honestly can't particularly describe it. Its just.... amazing.

Now, at this point in time, I think I'm going to have to stop rambling so much about the awesomeness, as I've only covered 4 tracks of 12, and I'm about the length of my previous actual post(the ABR one), which covered various tracks from 2 albums.

"Early Bird" continues the album, bumping up the tempo again. One again, another electronica breakdown gets thrown in, with a rather amazing synth bass beat going on, which is personally, one of my favorite segments of the album(going up again a part from the final track, vying for my favorite moment of the album). "Air Traffic", as I mentioned earlier, slows the tempo down again, before jumping into another album highlight, "The Technicolor Phase", a lyrically simple song that for some reason stands out a lot. Seriously, I can label a lot of reasons why this project stands out so much, but at the same time, so much is just intangible. "Sky Diver" keeps the tempo down, albeit, a little further down from "The Technicolor Phase", which is more of a midtempo song.

"Dear Vienna" is another highlight, another positive upbeat track with synth beats galore, simple yet amazing drums, and amazing vocals. I don't think I've commented much on the vocals yet, but seriously, Adam has some vocals on him. There is, I believe, some slight vocal distortion(it is electronic music, seriously, so its expected). However, even without the distortion, the vocals are amazing. I dunno. I'm honestly just starting to get lost in this music. More on that later.

"I'll Meet You There" and "This is the Future" are two more slower tempo songs, the last of them. "This is the Future" is especially noteworthy because of its distinct lack of synth. Not that they aren't there. No doubt, there is synth, but there's more piano only tracks, showing that Adam isn't only a talented synth player, but he can break it down and play only the piano, and play it proficiently at that.

"West Coast Friendship" ends the album with another upbeat song. Another one of my favorite parts of the album occurs near the end, with a bit of a key change, giving the song almost like another revitalizing shot of life. Although it was in no way, shape, or form, about to die, its still a welcomed addition, almost acting as a second climax.

Seriously, I haven't loved an album this much in quite a while. The closest thing that I can compare it to is "And Then There Were None", but honestly, that was just a fun album. I'm still not sure what its about. Its mostly just an album to have fun with. But this album seriously just makes me happy. Seriously. And Adam himself seems like an amazing person. He's officially near the top of my list of people that I want to see in concert. In fact, he might be up at the top. I'm disappointed to say that I won't be seeing him play any time soon. He's on tour with Relient K(ugh, I want to go so bad!!!!), but on the west coast. He's also got a few shows with his other project, Swimming With Dolphins, meaning that a few times, he'll be playing twice. Opening as Swimming With Dolphins, and co-headlining the same show a few times with Lydia. Ugh, amazing! Seriously, check into this. Its amazing. Please, do yourself a favor, I mean, look at this guy's influences!

God, Optimism, Photography, Air Travel, Vegetarianism, Vintage Fashion, Australian Accents, Swimming Pools, Abstract Art, Wave Race 64, G-rated Movies, Pizza, Romance

While I'm not a vegetarian, nor do I like Vintage Fashion, God and Optimism are amazing. And then, pizza, romance, g-rated movies, and Wave Race 64? Wow, Wave Race 64. Talk about old school. Dag. I suppose I'll end with Adam's description of Owl City. I really like it.

If your household appliances wrote love songs while you were away on vacation, their cheerful blips and bleeps would pour out the windows, sweep through the neighborhood like candy-coated tidal waves, and you would return home to find crowds of people standing on your lawn, clapping and singing along to the happiest pop melodies imaginable. Welcome to Owl City.

I repeat, go listen. It should make you feel happier.

And by the way, in case you haven't figured it out, I give this album a 10/10. The best album I've listened to in a while. The last record that I called amazing was Underoath's Lost in the Sound of Separation, back in early early September. And I only gave it a 9.5/10.

Owl City Myspace
Port Blue Myspace
Swimming With Dolphins

The Saltwater Room on Youtube

Monday, March 30, 2009

Intermission: The Lamb Knocks

So, I'm debating about what to write about next. Honestly, I'm afraid this thing is gonna die before it really gets off the ground, because I'll run out of ideas. However, I got a nice jump start today, with a slew of new music news that's pumped me up.

-August Burns Red's new album is DONE and the guys are predicting late June to early July for the release. I'm excited to see what Bible verses will be in it. Apparently, they'll be spoken word, in order to make sure that people know what's being said.

-The Devil Wears Prada's new album is out on May 5th. They've already posted a new song, "Dez Moines", which is pretty awesome. I like the guitar hovering over the breakdowns, rather than being mixed in. And now, they've got a live version of "I Hate Buffering", which too, is good. I still want to hear "Assistant to the Regional Manager" though....

-Techno Rock band And Then There Were None are shooting two videos, one for "Reinventing Robert Cohn" and one for "Thank the Watchmaker". Its been a while since I saw a decent techno video.

-Grindcore act Impending Doom is recording a video for "Serpent Servant". These guys are beast, but their videos are kinda lame. Hopefully this is better.

And now for the three things I'm anticipating the most:

3. Everyday Sunday is releasing "The Best Night of our Lives" on June 16th. Their last album, "Wake up! Wake up!" was awesome, and I have high hopes for it.

2. Relient K is recording a new album, and they've put up their first of four studio videos! I tell ya what, if I ever record an album professionally, I want to work with Mark Townsend. The man is amazing. And being in the studio with his would be so much fun. So yeah. My only problem is that all you get to hear in the video is some bass lines and a few drums. No doubt, it sounds good, but its difficult to gather anything about it. I don't care though. I'm excited. Also, Ethan Luck (the new drummer) seems so out of place, physically. He's all tattooed, he looks gruff, and he's got some piercings. But I love the man. His work with Demon Hunter (as their guitarist) is awesome, and he seems to really fit with the Relient K guys.

1. As Cities Burn will be releasing "Hell or High Water" on April 21st, and in celebration, they've got a new song up. "84' Sheep Dog". Its easily recognizable as an ACB song, complete with the distinct chord progressions that I've yet to hear anyone else utilize. However, its definitely still progress. Progress, but within the same, unique style. I'm not sure what's best about the song. The orderly chaos, the signature ACB guitar riffs, the faint bit of synth going on, or the guest vocals by previous vocalist TJ. TJ originally did the screams, but left after the first album to be with his family, so his brother Cody took over full vocal duty(as opposed to just doing clean vocals), essentially eliminating screams. However, TJ's signature scream is back, if only as a guest, and I couldn't be more excited. I'm interested to be able to distinctly learn the lyrics, other than the repeated "They fixed your brain, when you were young". I'm interested to hear what they're talking about. They always have deep lyrics. "What is love without trust? At my bid, would you bring your Isaac?" Oh yeah, I'm pumped.

Now I just figure out what to write about next. I was planning on doing something more light and happy (as opposed to the darker ABR post I did). Maybe The Rocket Summer, or Relient K. Seabird is also a potential choice, and Sent By Ravens. I dunno. As Cities Burn have officially thrown me into chaos. Go listen.

As Cities Burn Myspace
Relient K Studio Webisode

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Your life fell apart in your hands and you've got the scars to prove it

I never really got into hardcore music(note, when I say hardcore, I'm referring to it as a very very broad term, not a specific term) until college. Sure, senior year of college, I had one song by Underoath, and it was pretty awesome. "Reinventing Your Exit", off of the album "They're Only Chasing Safety". But really, let's be honest. That album was definitely on the lighter side of hardcore. Especially that song. However, in college, I was introduced to a variety of bands by a man named Jon, who would later go onto be a major influence in my life. Somewhat of a mentor, if you will. He introduced me to such bands as Haste the Day, He is Legend, and August Burns Red. Over time, he's introduced me to many more (the latest probably being Mychildren, Mybride). August Burns Red is the subject of this post.

August Burns Red, henceforth referred to as ABR, encompasses a few genres, like all hardcore music. I believe that most people, including myself, tend to refer to it as “technical metalcore”, aka, “mathcore”. Yes, mathcore. I wonder what kind of math sometimes. Calculuscore? Non-Euclidean Geometrycore? Algebracore? Either way, it doesn’t matter. What ABR does is technical, to say the least. The guitars are spot on in their riffs, the drummer hits with precision(and has a really nice set of cymbals), and the breakdowns are amazing, to say the least. The vocals, too, are amazing. An all around success. And unlike many hardcore bands, I liked them on the first go through. Haste the Day, for instance, was the first hardcore band that I really listened to. And I hated them the first couple times through. Same with Blessthefall, He is Legend, and others. But no, ABR hit me from the start.

Their first big album, “Thrill Seeker” was put out by Solid State Records. While not as good as “Messengers”, it’s still an amazing album. Especially four of the tracks. The opener, and single, “Your Little Suburbia is in Ruins” kicks things off. Like most of their standout tracks, it’s a brutal crushing song with a message. In this case, it’s simple. “Lend a hand and break the chains of regularity that you lean so closely upon.” The song is about getting caught in the routine of things. I know it may not be immediately apparent, but ABR is a Christian group. Their music speaks for itself. Regularity is a big problem nowadays. People go to church because they’ve been their whole lives, but they don’t go because they love Christ. They pray meaningless prayers because that’s what they were taught, not because they want to grow closer to Christ. It’s no surprise that they’d write this. Nominalism is rampant throughout the states, and it’s not good. We’ve made a suburbia that consists of white picket fences. What we need is love, and devotion, not routine.

Also noteworthy is “Barbarian”, which contains one my favorite lyrics. “Dance until the end my friend, and find joy in every living thing. Optimism, it’s not a choice, it’s a belief.” There’s a lot of junk going on in the world, and a lot of mistakes. But we can make it through.

“Eve of the End” is a sweet instrumental track that busts into the epic ending, “The Seventh Trumpet”. If there was any doubt on ABR’s beliefs, it ends here. It’s a call to end the obsession with temporary pleasures and focus on the world to come. “Something big is going to happen, something so big it could forever change the world.”

Moving on to “Messengers”, but favorite of the two albums, we get some more amazing lyrics. The instrumentation is better, and the message is still there. We have a problem, and Christ is the answer. “The truth hurts, but denial’s what will kill you.” Once again, they present a problem that we in America struggle with. “Materialism”. Glen talked at aCRe one night, and told us a story about a man. The man said that he would rather have a son addicted to pornography than be materialistic, and would rather have his daughter get pregnant before marriage than to have her be materialistic. I think he’s kinda right. It’s a big problem, and it breeds bigger problems. We’ve got to get rid of it, but we cling to it strongly. We buy things that we don’t need, things that are useless and won’t last. We buy it on a whim. I’m guilty of this, I know. It’s not something I’m happy with. But it can be fixed through Christ.

American Dream” follows the same theme. But it’s not all gloom and doom. “Composure” talks about something we all go through. Despair and trials. “Your life fell apart in your hands, and you’ve got the scars to prove it.” But it’s not hopeless. “Composure” is probably the best track on the album, possibly the best song that they’ve written. It keeps presenting problem after problem, much like what we go through in life. “More and more your demeanor looks like quicksand. It seems like you’re giving up on everything you worked for. It’s pulling you under. It’s gripping around your throat.” And then, it hits you. Don’t turn your back on the strongest crutch you’ve ever had. There’s hope. You’ve got friends who’ve been through the same thing. And you’ve got Christ. We’ve been going through Revelation in aCRe, and the first thing we covered was the pictures of Christ presented in the book. One important thing is that Jesus knows what we’ve been through, because he went through it all, and more. He knows our struggles, our trials, and our falls. Because he too went through it. “They have always been there to brace your fall”. If I could use one word to describe this song, it would be “hope”. Christ didn’t put us here alone. He gave us brothers and sisters to help us through our struggles, and he himself is there for us. “It’s time to gain some ground.”

I suppose the last track I want to talk about it, once again, the epic ending. In this case, it’s a humble cry for help. They’ve presented the problem. Now, they admit fully that they suffer with the same thing, and I think that’s important. They aren’t some group of preachers who roam around on college campuses proclaiming that we’re all horrible people, but they are perfect. Strange as it may seem, I’ve witnessed guys proclaiming that. Luckily, there’s at least one good guy who goes from campus to campus preaching. But I have literally heard a guy say that he never sins. And that’s a flat out lie. ABR puts in simply. They need Christ as much as we do. They aren’t above us, they are right there with us. That’s why they hang around after shows and talk with people. “I am just a man with a heart and sinful hands. I am a fallen victim. Lord, show me the way.” Powerful stuff. The song is filled with it. “Be my strength, be my voice, my glory.

So yeah, that was longer than it was supposed to be. But that’s beside the point. ABR is an amazing band, but what really puts them out there is this: This isn’t just music. This is a message that we need to here. We have a problem, and we have to face it. Christ is here for us, and he’s going to continue to be with us until the end. The Bible tells us the same thing. Romans tells us that we all fall short of the glory of God. Thankfully, we have Christ, because I know that I wouldn’t be anything without him. And that needs to be told to the masses. I think one of the reasons that ABR uses this style of music is because we need to reach the people out in the clubs, in the bars, getting drunk and listening to horribly negative music. Take that style, and change the message to hope. They’ll listen to it. I’ve seen it happen. Sure, ABR loves this style of music, and God has blessed them with a talent to play it. But it’s a tool to spread God’s love. And that folks, is the end of my first blog post thingy. Watch the video if you want.

August Burns Red: Composure

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Obligatory Opening Post

"Boys speak in rhythm, and girls in chords" - Anberlin

So yes, blogs. I've debated doing this for a while now, mostly because sometimes I get the urge to write about music. Sometimes, music that I've listened to, sometimes music that I've written. Sometimes music in terms of theory, sometimes in a general sense. And on rare occasions, there's that whole non-related music post that pops up, and I forget. I plan on writing all of these things here. But first, some important info.

1) I am, in no way, a writer. So please, don't expect intricately designed blog posts. Nor should you expect good grammar. Mine isn't horrible, but I'm not concerned with it. You should, however, expect me rambling about music that I find amazing(and sometimes that I'm horribly disappointed about), and lots and lots of commas.

2) I don't just cover one type of music. Heck, if you were to classify music with a Linnean system of classification, I would cover more than a single kingdom of music. I tend to listen to just about every style of music, whether it be metalcore, piano pop, techno, or bands that don't neatly fall into one category or another. What you can assume, however, is that the music that I cover will be contain, for the most part, positive messages. At worst, it'll be mildly sad or pessimistic, but never negative. No horribly depressing music that puts you in a bad mood, and most certainly no music about suicide and killing people.

3) In case the whole thing about Linnean classification didn't tell you, I'm a science major. Marine Biology, to be exact. So ocassionally, you may find something obscure related to the subject. Most likely related to jellies(not jellyfish!) or some odd species of fishes. Somehow, they just slip in sometimes.

4) Most importantly, I love me some Jesus. I would go so far as to say that the overwhelming majority of my music is Christian. I truely believe that some of the most amazing music that is made is made to glorify God, worship God, spread the Gospel to others, present hope in Christ, or provide introspective in a Godly way. This, of course, can cause a little controversy with some of my classmates(or as they prefer to be called, collegues), as we don't always see eye to eye. But that doesn't matter. They're still pretty cool people.

So there ya go. I know present you with "Speaking in Rhythm." The title is inspired by the song "Foreign Language" off of Anberlin's first album, "Blueprints for the Black Market." I always liked the concept of boy's speaking in rhythm, and girls in chords. Too bad, though, that for the longest time, I was wrong. Turns out, the lyrics are "Boys speak in rhythm, and girls in code." Sorry, not as cool. Doesn't matter. I still sing "and girls in chords."

Finally, I should point out my musical orientation. By that, I mean my instrument of choice. My first love was the drums. And I still drum implusively to this day. However, I now "shred" with a Casio WK-3300 keyboard, decked out with lime green grip tape. And a stuffed jelly that I have christened "June" on the "control panel" if you can call it that. I plan on getting a synth over the summer, as Cassy(my keyboard) has limited synth options. She'll be delegated to digital piano mode. And hopefully, a sweet midi controller. In the meantime, I occasionally mess around with a friend's Alesis Micron, while I start working towards the amazing Korg x50, or Korg x50-CF. Either way, June the Jelly will be there. I have my "public" debut or whatever on Tuesday playing worship, and I plan on having June with me.

So yeah, that's it for this intro post. That being said, excuse my lame name. Old habits die hard.