From a car-ride with Bono to a flash-mob in Bahrain

You know Michael W Smith for his Contemporary Christian Music over the past several decades. But, in this book, Michael clearly demonstrates that he was loved well by an earthly father that greatly influenced how he now sees his Heavenly Father. This included a prodigal period where many prayers were offered on his behalf. Clearly Michael's father wanted his son to walk in the destiny of God's calling and purpose for his life, to the point, where Michael could not be present when his father passed from earth to heaven due to a concert he was performing at the Budokan. In the book, Michael tells many great stories - among this reviewer's favorites are the flash mom in Bahrain and the 25-minute car-ride on the interstate with U2's Bono. Fan of his music or not, this easily readable book will inspire and encourage you. An advance copy was made available for review without any obligation for favorable comments.

Why the gospel is good news for the body too!

From its fearful and wonderful creation to its redemption, Sam Allberry has written a great resource on the importance of the physical body to our faith. We are created in the image of God, and God chose to manifest Himself on earth through the incarnation with a physical body. Of course all of the things that sin has allowed to come into the world have also impacted the body, affliction, shame, brokenness and death. Even Jesus in His body had to endure brokenness and death. Yet, God allows us in our body to become a temple for His Spirit. Allberry writes "deth is the most potent reminder that our bodies are broken. Even as we live, even if we are in relatively good health, the specter of deth in our own body is unavoidable. Not only is the aging process itself a testimony to the decline our body will inevitably face, but our very skin cells are conitnuelly turning to dust all around us." Yet, as Christians there is great hope. "I don't need to worry about squeezing every last drop of pleasure out of this physical life when I can look forward to an eternity of enjoying the new creation in a resurrected body." But, you see - there is still a body, though thankfully new and glorified. So, this is a great resource to read about the body and why it is important as Christians. An advance copy of the content of this book was made available through NetGalley in exchange for this objective feedback.

Going deep with Dylan

As a fan who has seen Dylan live in concert 4 times over the last 4 decades, after reading this book I consider myself a novice. So unless you have an already deep appreciation for Dylan, you may struggle to get through this work. For me, I never knew there were so many angles with which to consider Dylan's catalog. When does the harmonica come in? What is it paired with? Is it in response to lyrics? What kind of poetry does Dylan use? What tone - is he crooning or using rhythm to drive home a point? Rhythm in general, back-ground vocals, minor key, song structure? So many ways to analyze Dylan's music and make observation of the changes over the years. The best way to read this book is with a streaming service (or the real thing) at hand to listen about the tune you are reading about and learning from. So go deep, learn new observations and start listening to Bob Dylan. This book is scheduled for a September 14, 2021 release. An advance digital copy was made available in exchange for a review without any obligation of favorable summary.

A Decade in Search of Justice

At Any Cost is a great read for True Crime story fans. I follow a lot of true crime via podcast, documentary and books but somehow was totally unaware of the tragic death of this young mother Shele. Maybe because it took about 10 years to bring charges against her husband who was ultimately convicted. This work contains lots of detail and comments by those who knew both in this couple, and follows the investigation through the trial and verdict. Sadly there were young children involved to live with this trauma to this day. It is quite readable and highly recommended. An advance copy was made available for my review via NetGalley without any obligation for positive feedback.

Dealing with SIN

Whatever the sin you find yourself struggling with Pure in Heart is an important work that will help you on your recovery to freedom. J. Garrett Kell uses many scriptures to support the strategy and statements, as well as some key works over history that are well referenced and documented. If you are like me, you may be inspired to go back and read some of those, especially "The Mortification of Sin" by John Owen, a revered Puritan work. Some key thoughts from Kell are that "using your body for pure sex is an act of worship, but perverted sex unites your Spiritindwelled body to another's in a way that uniquely offends God and harms you." Kell points out that Satan is warring very diligently to destroy sex as created by God because it was actually designed to promote His glory, and also as opportunity to serve our spouse. We should not measure our fulfillment as a person on anything sexual as Jesus Himself was never married or romantically involved - yet He was joyful and complete. And a sobering reminder too that God created the men and women employed in the porn industry, they are made in His image with souls - they have real stories. The most difficult part of the book is the reminder that we cannot keep our sin in secret because that's where it thrives - but as Proverbs says "he who confesses and forsakes (his/her sins) will obtain mercy." So again, this is a solid work to help focus our minds to bring change to our hearts for any sin area that is a struggle for us as a Christian. An advance copy was made available from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review, without any obligation of positive feedback or endorsement.

Tacking the Dirty Dozen

We'll all heard of the 7 vices, now we have the Dozen Habits. Yep, some expectedly overlap. I'm sure if we are honest, did I already say that Lying is one of the habits that a full chapter is devoted to, we are guilty of multiples of these habits if not at times all. But there is hope of course as a Christian through the forgiveness and changes possible through Christ. This very readable work helps us ask the right questions to discover where we are with each of these habits and after we take the initial step to "Own it" provides some steps to help reduce the power of each one in our lives and to ultimately and hopefully eliminate it. Still as Poe points out, most of these did not develop overnight and will most likely take some time. We will stumble, fall, and fail - but we get back up again and keep trying in this journey of life. We can be the people God desires for us to be as He made the way possible. I received my advance copy through Netgalley with no obligation for a positive review.

Fastest Read of the Year

I cannot recall the last time I read a book in one day - until this one. Maybe I never have. This one drew me in and kept me there until the very end - a page turner. Blackstock makes easily identifiable characters - ones that you'll find yourself wanting certain things to happen for.... but maybe they will, maybe they won't. You'll need to find that day when you can devote yourself from start to finish too and find out. This is my first Blackstock read in many years - and I do believe I'll need to discover more of her recent work in my near future. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Just to add... I still bought the paperback the day it came out.

As American As Apple Pie

I felt like I knew Katie by the time we travelled to all 30 ballparks in America. Actually as a huge baseball fan, I'm a little envious and happy for her all the same. The baseball theme is what attracted me to this book but it was more than I expected. While at certain stops in some cities, I wished there had been more attention the details of the park or the game she saw - I was ultimately pulled in to her story. Katie had planned to visit these parks with her mother, whose life was taken by cancer before it could happen. Katie herself was later diagnosed with cancer too and showed bravery by making this journey happen and documenting it with letters to her mom which lets us in to her emotional and nostalgic thoughts. In this way, Katie's mom was there. She still made the trip to all of America's ballparks. You'll enjoy taking the trip with them too. Oh and you'll enjoy the photo from each park with a sympbolic splash of red. An advance copy of the book was available for me without obligation of a favorable review.

Bible by Drone-Flyover

I read through the Bible every year - but I'm a reader who is often challenged with comprehension due to mind wandering or distractions. This book appealed to me for that reason - to tie the whole story of God's love and plan for us to the many different stories of the Bible, as woven together. Angie Smith makes the journey enjoyable and easy to understand. I'd be quick to recommend or give this book to new believers or someone trying to just figure out what the Bible is all about. The only down side for me was the off-beat, sometimes cheesy humor. But - I get it, it broke up the challenging and difficult things, places, people that can be hard for us to relate to and for some it will be what keeps them going to get through the whole woven story. That would be my only drawback and otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed reading through and getting fresh perspective in connecting all of the dots - many I already knew, but I got to see them in a fresh way. It was kind of like flying over the by drone to see the whole landscape of God's Word at once.

Hope Can Be Your Name

The author Shannon Dingle and I have never met - but I was drawn to her story because of my own vacation story on the same island. Two years ago Shannon's husband Lee died unexpectedly after being hit by a strong wave at Oak Island, NC. While my story in 2014 didn't end in physical death at the moment, it was the beginning of a process that would. Our large family was also vacationing on Oak Island when my 80 year old father, already undergoing chemo treatments in Pennsylvania, fell extremely sick and was transported to the local hospital - our stay suddenly became an extended stay in Wilmington, NC while he slowly recovered to be well enough to go back home two weeks later. There were times we thought he wouldn't make it. The cancer and related conditions ultimately took his life 3 years later. We are indeed grateful for the extra time with him we didn't expect when it happened. We have not returned yet to what was our favorite vacation spot. When I heard of the incident with Shannon's husband in the news, there was an immediate connection because I had been to the same place. That connection led to me follow Shannon on social media and I was excited to finally be able to read her completed book - though she will be the first to tell you it changed greatly from when she first started writing it. Shannon writes brave (not brave-ly ... you'll need to read her work for that story). As a woman of faith, she shares very openly about those moments where she is still mad at God, but yet has days filled with hope, and others not so much. Shannon shares openly about the sexual assault at the hands of her family as a young girl and the pain it still causes and her struggles as a single widowed mother raising six children with different ethnicities and medical conditions. Hoping that Shannon will continue to write as she continues to heal - she has much insight to offer our troubled world. Even when she doubts it or doesn't feel it, it is clear that Shannon does have hope and that's what counts. We are all broken and yet beautiful and hope can become your name (again you'll have to read the book for that to make sense). Shannon's work is touching because her life story is touching and you'll find yourself with teary eyes by the time you finish. Shannon has found so much support in her community and from her "framily" though that this is one time the acknowledgements are as readable as the book. Shannon -- keep hoping, keep writing. This book was advanced to me through NetGalley with no obligation for a positive review. It is scheduled for a July 2021 release.

Like a Phoenix Rising from the Ashes...

From American Phoenix: “That day, I saw humanity at its best and worst. Humanity doesn’t have race, creed, or color―not when you look into the very souls of people.” ―Christopher Braman, Army Sgt. 1st Class (ret.) -- just one of so many inspiring quotes in this new book about what happened when the Pentagon was struck on 9/11. After so many books about the Twin Towers and the heroes of Flight 93, it is refreshing to finally read a work focused on the impact left on our world when Flight 77 flew into this American stronghold. All of the events of 9/11 need to be remembered as we all proudly say when each anniversary rolls around, but until now not that much has been published about the Pentagon attack that day. This work is filled with personal stories and tons of pain. So many people started that day going to their office, serving our country in the military, unaware it would be their last moments on earth. Others were unaware of what would be required of them as they became the heroes that saved the lives of those around them. Some risked going back into the extreme heat of fire to pull others to safety. Our president visited the wounded as they were treated in hospitals. Not all made it. The book concludes with every name listed. Read this, remember them, remember the cost for our freedom so we don't repeat this part of our history. I was able to preview this thanks to NetGalley without any commitment or obligation on my part for the type of review provided.

It is kinda' like unwrapping the Gospel on Christmas morning!

This book changed the author's life - before he wrote it - which is why he wrote it. And - it is starting to do the same for me. At first, I must admit I was a bit skeptical as it was relaying concepts of Christianity, faith and the gospel in some ways that I hadn't really heard before - and I've been a Christian for almost 50 years and in church longer. I want more people to read this book, so if I got too much into the content here I'd have to throw out a spoiler alert. Let's just say the balance between how we see grace and the law, the flesh and the spirit -- it starts to make so much sense and it is almost like hearing the gospel for the very first time. Ultimately freedom is found in these pages - because that is why Jesus came for the world. Some excerpts I can share that I hope will tease you into reading and not give away too much: "being under the law actually undermines this goal (of obedience), making it more difficult to obey God and enslaving us to sin"; "our faith in God's grace is actually the only thing that delivers us from sin, whereas our sheer will to obey God's law ... is never enough"; "desires of the flesh may appear to be a part of you, but if you confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you must not confuse them with you". Because of this book, I found the author's podcast on the subject and have started listening to try to really absorb what God has revealed to him last year. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Eye of the Storm: Experiencing God When You Can't See Him -- Ryan Stevenson

Before reading "Eye of the Storm' I hadn't listened to a lot of Ryan Stevenson's music, but certainly knew the big song that the book was named for. Having studied radio, worked in Christian radio, and as a collector of albums - I have a great interest in the story of the artist as well as the story behind the song. This book was a winner on both accounts. As an alumnus of Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA -- where DC Talk met and formed -- I couldn't help thinking that 'had it not been for...'... this story might have been totally different. Without giving any spoilers away, Toby Mac of DC Talk was a great influence on Ryan and part of his success story. I was also very encouraged by seeing how God was always at work in bringing Ryan to fulfillment of the passions of his heart - and how he used others, even people very unlike Ryan, to make it happen. Again, no spoilers here but there are some real God-moments in the story. Ryan's story allows us to also meet his wife and mother and is one that I'm glad he told in greater detail here than we'd be able to get through an interview or listening to one of his records. The key take-away if to remember that whatever your storm may be, God is in the eye of it, and He is always working things for your good.

I appreciate Harvest House Publishers and Netgalley for making an advance copy of the book available before it's July 7, 2020 release - in exchange for feedback.

More Than Love An Intimate Portrait of My Mother, Natalie Wood by Natasha Gregson Wagner

I've always been intrigued by the story of Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner. I grew up watching Robert on Hart to Hart and I guess I imagined that he and Natalie in real life were as destined to be together as he and Stefanie Powers on the show. So when I requested an advance copy of this book

, I really thought I'd learn more about Natalie's tragic death. Instead, what her daughter has given us is a picture of who her mother was, their tender relationship during the few short years she had with her. There were tough times two - evident by Natalie's first and second marriage to Robert with one in-between. Natasha, who was named after her grandmother, actually felt like she had two dads. The death of her mother shaped who she would become in the years thereafter. It is an emotional and tender book, and any fan of Natalie, or Robert should read it. Maybe its time to stop thinking Natalie was murdered and we know by who and why and instead remember her for who she was - even go back and watch some of her main work and enjoy the life she was given to share with us, though it ended so tragically young. This copy was advanced via Netgalley in exchange for a review of the work.

The Dilemma

So what would it be like to have some bad news that you did not want to share because you wanted the recipient to enjoy their planned celebratory event first - only to have that person have news they were putting off sharing with you as well. What would that do to the relationship when it all came out?

That's the dilemma that Livia and Adam face in this new work by BA Paris that comes out in June.

The work alters perspectives between Adam and Livia - husband and wife in the midst of looking forward to a 40th birthday party celebration - allowing the reader to become part of the inner thoughts of both participants in the dilemma.

The whole work builds as the party approaches and the questions haunt. It becomes a page turner by the end and may not end as you hope or expect - and ultimately leaves the reader with the same looming question of what would you do?

I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.

What Caught My Ear in February (17.6, 17.7 and 17.8)

Hi readers... getting harder and harder to keep up with this weekly, even bi-weekly, so catching up here for the last 3 weeks. I've selected one release each week that introduced me either for the first time or just a bit deeper into who these artists are. So enjoy...

What Caught My Ear for 17.6 (Feb 10 releases)
Its the throwback 70's vibe that catches my ear hear on Mr. Elevator and The Brain Hotel's second album, 'When the Morning Greets You'. Amazon's editorial review says "the bands' love for vintage keyboard sounds, concept albums, and 70s pop remains intact, furnishing an album that entrances listeners and evolves over the course of its run-time into an array of bright, complex patterns and shapes." See, makes you want to listen to, doesn't it?

What Caught My Ear for 17.7 (Feb 17 releases)
Biggest standout for the week comes from Strand of Oaks and their project "Hard Love". Had a chance to hear this band live last year in Charlottesville when they opened for Alabama Shakes. A reviewer of the record on Exclaim! writes "Written by a person whose conscience seems to keep him from having too much fun, Hard Love is a conflicted yet summarily good record that breathes new life into good ol' rock'n'roll." The reviewer says the record is "rough around the edges but still soft, sensitive and introspective where it matters."

What Caught My Ear for 17.8 (Feb 24 releases)
This week I was drawn to "Freedom Highway", Rhiannon Giddens' second solo album. Paste Magazine has already named this one their top album so far of 2017 and had this to say in their review: "Always ambitious, Americana/traditional folk artist Rhiannon Giddens uses Freedom Highway, her second solo album, for a contemporary end: tracing the roots of the #BlackLivesMatter movement from plantation property to today." Gidden, a member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, provides a great cover of the Pops Staples' tune as the title track.

As Victor Hugo is quoted to have said “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent”
― Victor Hugo

Tonight's Grammy Awards

It is like my Super Bowl of music ... as sometimes my team is playing and often-times not.

So just for fun, before the players hit the field, here are my picks and predictions for a few of the biggest categories.

Picks are those that I think should win the coveted Grammy. Predictions are who I think will win.

Album Of The Year:
Pick -- 25 — Adele
Prediction -- Lemonade — Beyoncé

Record Of The Year:
Pick -- "Hello" — Adele
Prediction -- "7 Years" — Lukas Graham

Song Of The Year:
Pick -- "Hello" — Adele Adkins & Greg Kurstin, songwriters (Adele)
Prediction -- "Love Yourself" — Justin Bieber, Benjamin Levin & Ed Sheeran, songwriters (Justin Bieber)

Best New Artist:
Pick -- The Chainsmokers
Prediction -- The Chainsmokers

Best Pop Vocal Album:
Pick -- This Is Acting — Sia
Prediction -- 25 — Adele

Best Pop Solo Performance:
Pick -- "Piece By Piece (Idol Version)" — Kelly Clarkson
Prediction -- "Hold Up" — Beyonce

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
Pick -- "Stressed Out" — Twenty One Pilots
Prediction -- "Closer" — The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album:
Pick -- Fallen Angels — Bob Dylan
Prediction -- Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway — Barbra Streisand

Best Rock Performance:
Pick -- "Joe (Live From Austin City Limits)" — Alabama Shakes
Prediction -- "Blackstar" — David Bowie

Best Rock Song:
Pick -- "Burn the Witch" —Radiohead, songwriters (Radiohead)
Prediction -- "Blackstar" — David Bowie, songwriter (David Bowie)

Best Alternative Music Album:
Pick -- A Moon Shaped Pool — Radiohead
Prediction -- Blackstar — David Bowie

Staying away from the country because I'd just be guessing. Have thoughts on the Christian categories but doubt they'll be on the recorded broadcast. So, get some popcorn popping later and settle in to see if we can outsmart the music industry. Love to know your thoughts on these categories as well. Who are your favs and where do you see it differently than I do?

What Caught My Ear - 17.4 and 17.5

On the eve of another new music release day, I find myself catching up for the last two weeks.

“Music is the mediator between the life of the senses and the life of the spirit.” Beethoven (1770-1827) The search for new music is never-ending because of this connection to the senses, to the spirit, to the soul.

What really caught my ear for 17.4 (Jan 27 releases):

I find no better expression of that this year so far than Ellie Holcomb's "Red Sea Road". Not only is Ellie's voice beautiful, but the vulnerability from which this sophomore release was written finds a place to connect with each of us on this journey of life. Ellie has a great blog with recent posts that explain how her songs came into being. A big influence behind this project was the pain of learning that her father, CCM-famed Brown Bannister, was diagnosed with cancer. Just this week she wrote "the past two years for our community have been heartbreaking. Red Sea Road is one of those songs that I had to write because I needed to sing what was true. I remember sitting down with my dear friends and co-writers, Christa Wells and Nicole Witt. I cried my way through catching them up on the year, and the tears were for the pain and the struggle and the loss we were walking through with several dear friends, but they were also for the way I kept being surprised by God’s faithfulness to draw near to our breaking hearts and make a way for us to carry on, even when the grief and the pain felt unbearable."

This one deserves listening and re-listening. There is beauty in her voice and so much comfort, inspiration and encouragement in the songs and lyrics.

Moving on, you'll recall I was looking forward to the Japandroids release "Near to the Wild Heart of Life". It did catch my ears, but wasn't as much as I was expecting. I'd agree more with the review from Uncut than some of the others I've read. "An expansive record which fizzes with a desire to play around with the possibilities of the studio rather than the stage, shifting the parameters of their music beyond the fast and frantic." The title track may be my favorite as I still love the opening lyrics:

"The future's under fire
The past is gaining ground
A continuous cold war between
My home and my hometown"

Fun release but don't think I'll find myself listening to it as much as some other of this year's releases so far.

What really caught my ear for 17.5 (Feb 3 releases):

This week was all about inspiration and the spiritual connection. Kari Jobe's "The Garden" is bound to be around for years to come with new songs that will touch the soul and spirit and you will probably hear a few of on Sunday mornings. The duets with her husband Cody Carnes are beautiful and no doubt will get Christian radio airplay. CCM's website predicts it will garner some Dove Awards.

Listen to Kari, and then the simple and stirring interpretations that Reba brings to some classic hymns on the 2-disc release ‘Sing It Now: Songs of Faith and Hope’ and you've got a heart-stirring pair.

A reviewer on Sounds of Nashville writes -- "Whether it be the “Faith” or the “Hope” disc, each of these cuts resonate with hope and peace. Life has a way of knocking us down the ladder a few times, and I don’t know whether she could have approached the lyrical content the same way, say twenty years ago. The fact that the legendary songstress has lived through life, and survived some of the hardest knocks one can go through shows the timeless power of these songs."

So pick an inspirational release from the last two weeks - there's several to choose from - and soothe your soul.

In the meantime, any picks for the Grammy's?

What Caught My Ear - 17.2 and 17.3

So sorry to have left you hanging for a week - but no worries, we'll catch up and look at both weeks, though I think I'm already excited about 17.4 which comes our way tomorrow.

So what new music have you found so far in 2017? I think that music can help bring us together, whatever our politics, religion, worldview, or life experiences - and we really need that now! As Levon Helm once said "If you pour some music on whatever's wrong, it'll sure help out."

What really caught my ear for 17.2 (Jan 13 releases) will surprise some of you. I listened several times to Oczy Mlody by The Flaming Lips. Wait - I can explain. Yes there are some really silly lyrics like:

At first there should be unicorns.
The ones with the purple eyes,
not the ones with green eyes.

And yes, there are enough (4-letter and other) words dropped which I don't use in the course of normal conversation, garnering the 'explicit' warning label on the cover - and some drug references (there you were warned). Yet those moments sneak in as they are sung so softly and are nearly-ethereal sounding that you barely notice. Maybe it is the unexpected of this album and that irony that catches the ear.

Don't be mistaken, there are still moments like this in "Sunrise (Eyes of the Young)":

Tell me love is neither living or dying
It's a power in your mind
I think it's with you all the time
It only hurts when it leaves you

Paste Magazine says The Flaming Lips here "manage to build a bridge to the rest of us norms, making some of their must listenable and straight-up lovely music along the way."

Moving on to less-sombre sounding music that caught my ear... this one comes from the garage rock sound of The Molochs on America's Velvet Glory. A reviewer on www.musicexistence.com describes 'The One I Love' as a tune that's "sweet without ever being too sugary with lyrics such as “I will pour the water on your heart to grow”.

Another project just as happier-sounding and fun comes from Colony House, a group making the late-night circuits to promote their sophomore release "Only The Lonely". Part of their fame comes from the fact that two of the band members' father is Steven Curtis Chapman, known for his success in contemporary Christian. The web site www.wepluggoodmusic.com credits their U2 and The Killers influences as the reason their sound is "a nostalgic trip to when music was not about perfection but about energy and making people dance."

What really caught my ear for 17.3 (Jan 20 releases) was first and foremost, Foxygen's Hang, on which the band enlisted the help of a 40-plus-piece symphony orchestra. I've loved Foxygen ever since 2013's "We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic". That's still a classic in my book and if you've never heard it, you should. I love how Foxygen takes elements from so many places, that, as you listen will sound familiar, yet fresh. Your mind will be so active, causing you to ask yourself repeatedly 'what does that remind me of?" - yet its like nothing you've heard before.

From the song "Rise Up":

Quite a few shall wonder
Very few shall know
Everybody wants to change the world
Everybody wonders where the red fern grows
Everybody wants to save their souls
And everybody wonders
The very few shall know

Here, Foxygen is performing the opening track on Conan, Follow The Leader.

Want something really different? Try Throwing Snow's Embers. The album ends as it begins, with the smoldering remains of a dying fire, driving home the album's theme of interconnectedness (www.allmusic.com). This is the second full-length release for the British electronic producer Ross Tones and includes natural field recordings from around the small English village he held the recording sessions at (www.metacritic.com). It will draw you in, not with lyrics, but with feelings, and with the imagery in your mind.

Now about tomorrow - 17.4! Japandroids release their new project Near To THe Wild Heart Of Life. The title track is already out and if it is anything like the rest of the album, I'll have good things to say. Title track kicks off with these lyrics:

The future's under fire
The past is gaining ground
A continuous cold war between
My home and my hometown

Also looking forward to Ellie Holcomb's new release. Her beautiful, rich and emotive tones have captured my ears for the last couple years. If you need to catch up, her last release "As Sure as the Sun" is available now via www.noisetrade.com. Get it now and prepare yourself for tomorrow and 17.4

What Caught My Ear - 17.1

New music every Friday ... its like perpetual Christmas, even a dream come true. I'd like to think that the search for new favorites yields satisfaction through the process of discovery alone, but also connects with something deep in our soul that music speaks to as well as making us culturally more relevant. Dietrich Bonhoeffer claimed that music "will help dissolve your perplexities and purify your character and sensibilities, and in time of care and sorrow, will keep a fountain of joy alive in you.” Henry David Thoreau knew that when he heard music, it made him stronger - “I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest.”

For years I have welcomed new music release day - always a Tuesday in the USA until July 2015 when it was moved to Fridays to get the entire world synced on the same day to standardize chart performance and reduce the potential for illegal downloads. So, I thought this year I'd let everyone in on what catches my ear as I look through the releases. I know my favorites will still be influenced by first what catches my eye - either by cover art, title, or the artist and will most likely be genres that I have an affinity towards - but I'll try to be more inclusive and wider in my considerations in selections.

So for the first release day of the year - 17.1 - I have two titles that I've been listening to.

Gone is Gone is a metal "super-group" composed of Troy Sanders (Mastodon), Tony Hajjar (At the Drive-In), Troy Van Leeuwen (Queens of the Stone Age), and film composer Mike Zarin. Not a head-banger? I wouldn't say I am either, but don't let that stop you from giving "Echolocation" a spin. At times bleak and heavy, the disc has a solid rock groove. As the reviewer on consequenceofsound.net writes, this collaboration is "a steely and glum collection, with crunchy guitar riffs giving way to brief expanses of ethereal textures".

One that I've listened to on repeat in the car even more this week is "11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory" - a product of the always-fun and raw Dropkick Murphys. Addictive in energy, Paste Magazine's description sums it up best... "Loss and the possibility of redemption represent the twin themes of pain and glory fueling the Celtic-punk band’s ninth album". And you really haven't heard "You'll Never Walk Alone" until you hear this brilliant cover version!

Let me know what you think about either of these ear-catching selections of the week.