My Wish List

These things are a bit out of budget, but here are some wish-list items.

Gibson Les Paul

Marshall Amp Head (preferably a JTM 45)

Dr. Z Amp Head (Prescription Jr. Strength)

Peavey Classic 30

and a ton of pedals.

I need some money before I get any of these. I'd also need to do a lot of research too.

BP and KU

First of all, I am all excited about the Keith Urban concert happening here in Nashville on Saturday night. It's also my friend Billy's birthday. What a great night it will be (even though Billy will be 800 miles away in Waco). Urban is supposed to make some big announcement at the show as well. Check his website for more info.

I got his album from when he was in the ranch. If ever one doubted how country KU could be, check out the twangin' licks on these tracks. The fun-lovin' Urban sound is there intertwined with the country telecaster licks that make up this album. While it won't get as many spins as Golden Road, Be Here, Love Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing, or Defying Gravity, I enjoy it more than Keith Urban. But that's just my opinion.

Brad Paisley's Part II was another album I got recently. There's no question Paisley is a country picker. This album contains the hit "I'm Gonna Miss Her" which is a big reason I got the album. I'm old fashioned and will still buy an entire album based on a single or two. Part II is made up mostly of slower love and pain songs. It's better for when one is in a melancholy mood, while American Saturday Night is better for an upbeat mood. However, Part II is still a big part of my music collection.

Two singles that I've gotten recently are Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Way" and Death Cab for Cutie's "Little Bribes." Both are bluesy tunes that just feel good. I've been in a bluesy mood lately, and these tunes did the trick. I also went back and pulled out ZZ Top's "LaGrange" and have been giving it some spins as well.

Early Thoughts on Old Music

My dad and I have a tradition for my birthday - he always gets me a CD or two of music with which he grew up. This year I got Billy Joel's Piano Man and Hall & Oats' The Best of.

Joel just rocks and rolls. This is instantly a favorite of mine.

I had Hall & Oats playing in the car while a friend was riding with me up to the lake, and he made the comment that this music should be played on a date. I agree. It's some great date music.

I also have a couple groovin' singles (Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Way" and Death Cab for Cutie's "Little Bribes") and two other older albums (Brad Paisley's Part II and Keith Urban's In the Ranch) that I need more time to soak up.

Happy listening!

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I Swear This Has Something to Do with Music

...I'm just not sure how it has something to do with music. Maybe through the notion of writing what you feel. Here's the skinny:

The line from "Let That Be Enough" by Switchfoot is pretty close to accurate: "It's my birthday tomorrow, no one here would know." While my birthday is actually today, it's close enough. I don't make a big deal about birthdays in general, but especially mine. It's just another day, IMO. That being said, it still is my birthday, and that makes today a great day.

On a less-happy note, I'm a little frustrated right now. My parents and I have differing views on what direction I should take come my college graduation in 8 days. They want me to get a full time job with benefits and health care and all that. While that's great and I'd love to have all that, I don't think I want that JUST NOW.

Ideally, I'd love to sell my Pathfinder, buy a motorcycle, head down to Orlando and work at Disney or something for a few months. Then, I'd come home for Christmas, and start working full time at the place I am currently interning. Granted, that is the ideal. But it is highly possible and very feasible that this could work.

The icing on the cake (no pun intended...well, maybe just a little) is that my dad got upset when it was mentioned that someone was complaining that they didn't get to see their friends all summer. I replied with, "I'm working three jobs," to which my dad quickly responded, "I'm working three jobs, too!" However, I'm getting paid for only one of my jobs. Also, I am not trying to support a family; I am a college student and part of that JOB is to have fun and hang out with friends WHILE learning. Let me just say there's more emphasis on the learning part than the other two.

I'm done venting on my birthday. I'm glad to have that over with. On to a happy day!

Dead End or Three-Way Stop?

When trying to write a song, write what you feel. OK, but what about when you aren't even sure of what you're feeling? I try to write my feelings, but I don't know what is going on in my head. It seems to just be a hurricane of emotions and thoughts and dreams. The result is a lot of unfinished work and frustration in failing to be able to know myself. I've never been very good with emotions.

There are times that I get thrown into an emotional funk. I'm not quite sure what ends up pulling me out of it, but I always seem to come around. I can't wait until I do.

For now, I'm not sure if I'm at a dead end or a three-way stop. By that I mean, is my songwriting creativity over, or am I stopped while I determine whether to turn left or right?

3 for 3

I am very happy with the last 3 albums I have bought. They are: Brad Paisley's American Saturday Night, Darius Rucker's Learn to Live, and Jars of Clay's Long Fall Back to Earth.

Brad Paisley has done it again. A review I read in Billboard today said it well that Paisley knows what his fans want and how to give it to them. In my opinion, this album was toned-down slightly, much like Keith Urban's latest. However, it is still a great album. The songwriting is great - pondering who his son will grow up to be, the first meeting of BP and his wife, the blender bowl we know as America. There is even a guest appearance by his son, Huckleberry Paisley. There are a couple songs on the album that almost don't sound country, including the second track "Everybody's Here." Go buy this one.

The frontman for Hootie and the Blowfish has done what he has been trying to talk the band into for years. I heard on an interview a while back that Rucker tried to convince the Blowfish they needed to do a country album. But the Blowfish blew him off. Rucker showcases his songwriting skills, co-writing all but one track. Paisley even makes a guest appearance, playing guitar on one of the tracks. Paisley's producer, Frank Rodgers, also produced this album. You know it's got to be good.

Finally, the band that makes the music other Christian artists should be making. Jars of Clay upped themselves once again. While I have liked most everything they have done (partly because each album is so different), I thought Good Monsters was their best. Now I believe it is their second best. Musically, this album sounds like it could be played on mainstream radio. The musical creativity is there in abundance. They may not mention God explicitly in the lyrics, but should they have to? There are hints of Coldplay and Kings of Leon in the folds of these tracks. If you don't listen to any other Christian music, you should listen to this album. Check out "Closer" just for me.