"Fight Outta You" by Ben Harper

Ben Harper is a talented musician. I don't have a great reason why this is the song of my day, I was just driving down the road and the line "I would rather take your punch than not give you a shot" popped into my head.  So I gave the song a good listening, and it is definitely a good jam.

Harper has a unique and varied musical past.  He has some music that rocks pretty hard, and at the same time is known for skill on the guitar and his soft soulful voice.  I remember a few years ago I read in a relevant magazine interview that Ben had either broken or dislocated ribs from screaming so hard at a concert.  I know that sounds far fetched and tried to find that article online but didn't have any luck, so you'll have to take my word for it or find it yourself. Harper has partnered with Jack Johnson on his label Brushfire Records, and in 2005 won the grammy for best traditional soul gospel album.

The song "Fight Outta You" comes from his 2007 album "Lifeline."  Lifeline is an album that demonstrates Harper's tremendous voice and skilled acoustic guitar playing.  This has been an album that I have gone to over and over again since its release in good times and bad times.  It has good music, a lot of soul, and doesnt get boring.  "Fight Outta You" has tons of great one liners, in a song about taking a chance on someone.  I remember sitting at my good friend Ron Cepek's house when he lived in Rochester and we were hanging out talking about that moment with a girl where you really aren't sure if she's into you or not, and you're trying to decide whether or not its worth taking a shot.  When we were talking that night it was shortly after I got this album and I referenced that line and then like 10 minutes later a song from the album came on the music channel that was on the tv.  I enjoy those moments in life where you sit around with friends listening to a good song and not really saying anything because you're just taking it all in.

I hope you like the song, dont let it take the fight outta you.

"June Hymn" by the Decemberists

The potential exists for a lot of good music to come out this year.  So far there have been lots of good things heard from bands like Iron and Wine and The Decemberists.  I'm expecting good things from Bright Eyes, Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, My Morning Jacket, Radiohead, Coldplay, and last but certainly not least G. Love.  In fact, G. Love's album, which was produced by the Avett Brothers I think, just dropped the other day, and "Fixin' to Die" was close to being the SOTD today.  It wasn't though, because I really got a good chance over the last few days to listen through the new Decemberists album... and I have liked what I heard.

The album "The King is Dead" came out on January 14th of this year.  This album is a solid contemporary folk rock album.  It is a significant change up from a lot of the heavier sounds of their 2009 release, "Hazards of Love," but they don't lack passion, and a few of the songs still venture into harder rock.  This is the bands third album released by Capitol Records, and it demonstrates what many have come to expect from The Decemberists in the way of intelligent lyircs, wonderful harmonies, and unique instrumentation.

I would really love to feel the warmth of spring again... like last week.  I want to go take my dog for walks, play disc golf, and ride my motorcycle.  I think that "June Hymn" is a great reminder that warm weather is just around the corner.  This song is a hopeful and seemingly serious ode to the early summer month of June.  The vocals and harmonies are definitely the carrying force of the song, and the acoustic guitar, harmonica, accordian, bass, and maybe even a little wurlitzer do a wonderful backing job.  "The Decemberists" are very good at sounding old.  This song reminds of a Northwestern town in the woods that has made it through a hard winter, and is awakening to the warmth of summer, but not a town we would visit today, a town like a hundred years ago. I like the vibes, I like the lyrics, I even like the album cover.

The Decemberists are a band that stands on the merits of their music.  They aren't flashy, they certainly don't look as cool as Justin Bieber and Usher, but I think they bring good things to the world of music.  The sun is shining today, and June will be here pretty soon... not really soon, but sooner than yesterday I guess so give "June Hymn" a try.

Summer concerts are taking shape so make sure to check out tickets now.  The Decemberists will be in Pittsburgh on May 21st at the Benedum Center, and if you have the loot I'm sure it will be a good time.


This is a performance from MusicfestNW in Portland this past year.  A perfect song for Portland.

"Somebody's Crying" by Chris Isaak

"Somebody's Crying" is a solid mid-90's song of the day. When the weather took a turn for the worse this past weekend I turned to the bluesy sounds of Chris Isaak, and this song is a gem.

Up until last year the only song that I knew from Chris Isaak was "Wicked Game," a song that was out in 1989, but remained popular through the 90's.  On my second trip to Seattle last year we spent some time hanging out in Fremont, a really hip, young section of town, and we were checking out some used CD's at "Jive Time Records," and came across the Chris Isaak album "Forever Blue." Whenever one of us picked it up my good friend Ron Cepek got the crazy look in his eyes that happens when he gets excited about music and even though I cant remember the details I am certain that Ron launched into a half a dozen different stories about the tracks on the album.  Ron has a great taste in music, and a gift at remembering specific details about songs and albums that he loves.  I've never been steered wrong by Ron's musical taste, so I picked up the album that day.   A few days later Ron, Christian, Ryan, and I took a trip out to the coast, a surprisingly long drive from the port town of Seattle, but it was a great time spent with good people listening to good music.  "Forever Blue" was definitely one of the best albums we listened to that day, and "Somebody's Crying" is a great track.

When I looked up some information on this song I found out it was written after a break up with a girl.  No surprise there of course with much of the great art of human history coming directly as a result of heart break.  The cool thing about the story I read was that Isaak was at a friends party after the break up, but he wasn't in the mood to party.  In my mind I imagine that night he was probably just going through the motions smiling and telling little dumb stories to friends all the while trying to keep it together on the inside.  At some point through the night he found himself alone in a walk-in closet with a guitar, and started writing "Somebody's Crying."

I found an interview with "Addicted to Noise," a 90's online music magazine that former Rolling Stone Editor Michael Goldberg founded, where they asked Chris a couple questions about writing this song.


Addicted To Noise: What were you thinking about when you wrote that?

Isaak: If you were looking at my life at the time, it looked like everything was okay. That I was having a good time. But in actuality, I was missing her more than ever. I like the first lines of the song: "I know somebody/ And they cry for you/ They lie awake at night." Not only are you saying that this is happening, but it's kind of in a secret way. It's like a little kid's way of saying things. Most of us are as terrified of love as little kids are terrified of the world. Little kids come up to you and say, "I know someone who loves you" or "I know someone who likes you." They say it like, I'm not going to really come out and say it. And for adults, it's probably the same way. They never really get beyond that fear."
 
This album was a great suggestion from Ron, and if you're feeling a little blue, id give it a shot. This is a good performance of the song in the video, and it gives you a good preview of his style of music, but I would check out some other songs to hear the range and power in his voice.  Enjoy.

"If its the Beaches" The Avett Brothers

There are few bands that I love more than the Avett Brothers.  I was first introduced to the Avett Brothers a few years ago from my friend Jake Nelko and my sister at right around the same time. At this point the Avett Brothers were not the Columbia signed, Rick Rubin produced band that has CD's sold at Starbucks and a big radio single.  They were seemingly small town boys playing free shows at the Pittsburgh Arts Festival and were making good impressions in local folk and indie circles across the country.  Unlike some people, I'm not mad at the Avett Brothers for making it big.  I don't resent that they signed with Columbia or allowed Rick Rubin to help guide their recordings,  I'm just glad that I am able to say I liked them before those days.

I remember the first time I saw the Avett Brothers play at the Carnegie Library and Music Hall in Munhall.  We were near the front, and it was the most energized concert and excited crowd I have ever seen.  Between songs there was a buzz in the audience about what would come out next, and for every song the applause started all over again.  After the show I waited outside with my brother, Jake Nelko, and some of Jake's friends.  Everyone waiting outside was pretty laid back.  People were just kind of chilling in their little circles talking about the show.  Then the Avett Brothers came off the tour bus and started making their way around to the different circles.  I was amazed at the way it all went down.  People were just cool and waited patiently for the Avett Brothers to come to their circle.  They weren't rushed by mobs of fans, they weren't being hassled by loads of girls, and they weren't waiting for the fans to come to them.  The Brothers just made their rounds, hanging out, graciously signing autographs, throwing frisbees with their fans, and stopping for a picture with my brother and I (as you can see below).

I have seen the Avett Brothers a few times since they've become a big name, and their demeanor hasn't changed.  I ran into them again at Newport Folk Festival, and they were so nice and appreciative to the fans around them.  Basically they're sweet guys.  They play good honest music, and they really seem to love and appreciate their fans.  I love seeing a band like this grow in popularity.  They aren't pretentious, they aren't dark, and they don't have to add a ton of effects or choreographed dancing to make their performance entertaining.

 When Jake and I are talking before an Avett Brothers concert we always talk about the different songs that we want to hear from their extensive catalog, and "If its the Beaches" always topped my list.  This is an uncharacteristically mellow song by the Avett Brothers, but it is definitely one of my favorites.  The song has a wonderful string section and builds into a really powerful song about loving a girl well, and doing whatever it takes to let her know she is loved.  Its a good solid song.  This isn't one of the more popular songs for the brothers to play in concert (probably because its mellow and their live shows are a foot stompin' party), but the last time I saw the Avett Brothers in Pittsburgh they played it.  Whenever the intro to the song started, Jake and I just looked at each other and our little group started going nuts.  I sang that song with everything I had in me that night, and when Scott Avett forgot the words (a rare mistake in all the awesome sets I've seen from them) I sang even harder.  I like to think that when he says he heard someone singing in the audience he was talking about me.

So I love the Avett Brothers, I love this song, and they are playing a show in Pittsburgh on May 27th that you should all come see.

this is the video from the Pittsburgh show where Scott forgot the words. Like I said this is a subdued video, I would go to youtube and check out some of the other videos as well. To fans of the Avett Brothers, I would love to hear your favorite song.

"Out Loud" by Dispatch...no no "The General" by Dispatch

I'm in Chicago for a work conference.  It was a cool (or make that a really cold) couple of days.  I've never been to Chicago, but I had these images in my mind about Al Capone style gangsters, deep dish pizza, and lots of wind. When I got a schedule I found out our training stuff ended early in the evening so I decided I was going to rent a car while I was in town to do a little exploring.  Last night I did experience some deep dish pizza from Gino's East, which is suppose to be one one the best spots around town, and I also experienced a lot of nasty wind when I was walking around the city taking in the views.  Chicago is a pretty beautiful city, but I probably wont really feel a strong need to come back in January.

Tonight I had a great time getting to see some old friends. I met Georgi and Lacy back in the summer of 2007 when I was working at Jackson Lake Lodge in Wyoming.  They are both beautiful spirits, that are filled with laughs, smiles, and dreams.  I haven't seen Georgi or Lacy since either late 2007 or early 2008, and it was a really wonderful opportunity to get to catch up with them and hear all about the path that they have been on for the last few years, and dreams about where they're headed in the near future.  I remembered how much I loved sending time with Georgi and Lacy because they are just happy people that love life.  Georgi and Lacy also met in the summer of 2007 back at the lodge and I remember when they started dating and I thought they were a perfect fit.  So as I'm back in the hotel room and writing this blog I feel really blessed by the opportunity to see some old friends, but I also haven't forgotten that this is a music blog.

Dispatch is a band that I first listened to when I was a senior in high school, but really got into when I was a senior in college.  I remember listening to the "Gut the Van" album a lot the summer that I was in Wyoming. "Out Loud" is an awesome Dispatch song.  It was the first song I heard from them when a girlfriend from high school put it on a mix cd for me.  I think that mix cd's might be too cheesy or outdated to be cool now, which is sad because I don't know if there is a gift I would rather receive from a friend than a heartfelt mix of songs.  So I love "Out Loud," and it would always be a great SOTD, but right now I am watching a documentary about the last dispatch concert, which is appropriately titled "The Last Dispatch."  On July 31, 2004 the band was going to perform a free concert as their last show in a park where they estimated somewhere around 10,000 to 20,000 people would show up, but on that day 110,000 people from all over the globe came to see Dispatch making it the largest independent music event in history. The last song that Dispatch played was "The General."  You can go ahead and start criticizing me for choosing their most popular song, but the truth of the matter is that there is a reason its popular, its a great song.

"The General" is really a great example of good jam band music.  It is light, fun, and good for bobbing your head to while you're listening.  When I listen to this song I think about those great warm summer nights with shorts, flip flops, and tie dyed shirts. So you should listen to the General, and you should check out Dispatch.  I am happy to be able to tell you that Dispatch decided to at least have one more dispatch, and is playing a few shows around the United States for the first time since their "farewell" show.

I would love to hear your favorite summer time music while we're all trying to feel a little warmer.

"Blue Beard" by Band of Horses

Im working out of the coffee shop today.  Writing some invitations to youth group, doing some reading for a meeting with my intern Jesse later, and doing some ordination reading.  I love an americano on a cold overcast January day. Something else I love on days like this is the music of "Band of Horses."

A few weeks ago Amazon was running a great deal on a bunch of albums from 2010 so I bought way too much music for one sitting and am just making my way into really giving the Band of Horses album "Infinite Arms" a good thorough listening.  A lot of times I like to listen to an album three or four times before I make an assessment to see what songs rise to the top because a lot of times I find the songs that initially catch my ear aren't necessarily the bands best work.

Band of Horses is a Seattle based band, which is no surprise when you give their music a listen.  They have the subdued personalities and introspective emotional song writing that we have come to expect with so many of the great bands coming out of the Pacific Northwest.  "Infinite Arms" is the third studio album from the band since they were formed by Ben Bridwell in 2004.  This album has received critical acclaim, and is nominated for the upcoming Grammy awards under the category of "Best Alternative Music Album."  I don't mean this to be critical of other bands, but I think one of the coolest things about this album is that the band wanted this to truly be their album so the project was self-funded and self-produced.  Certainly lots of bands out there fund and produce their albums, but a lot of them, especially early on in their careers, wouldn't produce anything close to music being considered for a Grammy.

The song "Blue Beard" begins with some of the trademark haunting vocals that BOH is known for, and moves into a cryptic story about someone the writer used to know. I like the way the falsetto harmonies back up Ben's vocals, and the way the determined drumming seems to match the singers quest to find what or who he is looking for, even if the banana peels are true.  Check it out, this video was made by the band, at least that's what YouTube says so it must be true.

"Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" by Elton John

*I wrote this last night, but I didn't take the time to find good pictures and the video link until this morning, so this might be my SOTY instead of SOTD.

I just finished typing my last ordination paper, and while I was typing I was watching a movie that has some killer music, and just as the movie is coming in to the climax of the story the song "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" by Elton John plays sweetly in the background.  It's the part in the story where a dream ends and the reality of loneliness sets in.

Forget the Elton John you think you know if you're in your twenties.  Im not talking about the guy who likes to rap with Eminem or wear big bedazzled sunglasses (ok, maybe keep the glasses, he's been rocking those for a long time, and in the video below he's wearing a sequins shirt).  A lot of us don't know how good Elton John is as a musician because of what his perception has been in our time. 

Rolling Stone wrote, "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" shows how much John can really do in the space of a single cut. Using minimal instrumentation and singing one of Taupin's most direct lyrics, John effortlessly reveals the myth beneath the myth of "... a rose in Spanish Harlem." He expresses his involvement with the city, his need for its people, and his final desire to be alone through one of his best tunes, simplest arrangements, and most natural vocal performances.

This song is the hit.  It has one of my favorite choruses of all time, and Elton does an incredible job of painting this picture about these people wandering around in New York City, all together and somehow all alone.

Give it a listen, you might just like Elton John more than you thought, and for more good Elton John cuts check out his 1971 album, "Tubleweed Connection."