Song Of The Week - February 27

Happy March Break! Still can't believe that it's already here... usually I'm excited for it, but this year, it's just meh I suppose :P. Don't know if any of you are going anywhere sweet this break, but if you are, or even if you aren't, have a good time. I'm sure you guys will think of something good haha.

This week, I have some new music for you guys. It's comforting to know I still have a couple tricks and treats up my sleeve. Haven't given all my music gems away yet :P. I honestly just found this band about two days ago, but they have an amazingly refined sound, different, indie, and not subject to the limitations of mainstream music.

The Mirror - Cool Hand Luke, The Sleeping House

"With all these different images/Of who they think is me/I don't know which one to be..."

Cool Hand Luke is an indie band I had the privilege of discovering this week. It's awesome to hear good music from musicians that aren't mainstream or even popular to the public, and I speak for both secular and Christian markets with that comment. We have our own mainstream music. Artists such as Hillsong, David Crowder Band and Passion fill this niche nicely. Not saying that they're not awesome in their own right, it's just that you don't hear other songs. If it's radio, it's Hillsong, Paul Baloche, maybe even some Starfield. If you ask a bookstore for album suggestions, you usually get that as well. I believe that you need to look beyond just what's overtly marketed and advertised, because you'll miss some excellent pieces otherwise.

The Mirror is a song with such... ambiguity in its symbolism. The mirror is just an opening for the rest of the themes presented, but in that, creates some beautiful imagery. You know what a mirror reflects, right? Those tables, the china haha, maybe a toothbrush or two. But it is generally a tool with which we see ourselves. But does a mirror reflect every part of us? Physically, perhaps, but it doesn't reflect our personalities, our feelings, our emotions... It only reflects one side of us, omitting the others, the good and the bad. The artist really pens the lines with a striking reality. We have many different appearances that we reflect to others. To our family, our friends, complete strangers... which one of these are we really? The Mirror really spins the thread around, creating a vivid fabric of thought and contemplation. That, and it fufills the three rules: it's good, it has a resonating message, and I definitely believe that you guys can tolerate it. More so, greatly enjoy it. Have a good March Break everyone, we'll see you back here next week for another article.

The Mirror - http://www.mediafire.com/?mtyii5nwzi0

Feb 25th Service

Once again, we have another set of songs for this week to listen to, and they do sound good, minus me :P. I'd also like to apologize for yesterday guys, I was a bit out of line, and shouldn't have been as negative as I was. We can talk more about it later, but thanks for bearing with me. I'll see you guys at youth band after March Break. Have a good one, in the mean time.

February 25
Your Name High
Every Move I Make
Remedy (First)
Remedy (Second)
All Day (Celebration)

Song Of The Week - February 20

Another week's gone guys! They're slipping away like quicksand haha! But as the weeks go by, it heartens me to see how much this here blog has grown. It's something that I look forward to going on, not just because I'm the creator or post stuff up here, but because it's something that's... well, ours I suppose, and it has grown from one of those wannabe blogs into a hotbed of evangelism :P, and I believe that it can become even more so in the coming months. Up this week for the coveted title of SOTW is a band who isn't foreign to mainstream spotlight.

Never Say Never - The Fray, The Fray

"You can never say never/while we don't know it..."

We've all heard of The Fray. If you haven't heard of them, then you, sirs and madams, have been living under rocks with very good sound isolating properties :P. The Fray took mainstream audiences by storm almost 3 years ago now, and everyone loved them. I didn't want to have much to do with them at the time honestly, but I have to admit, How To Save A Life was pretty catchy. I'm just not much into the mainstream market I guess, which is a shame, because I missed an opportunity to listen to a good band with some good talent.

Never Say Never is a new track from The Fray's self-titled album, and it's really growing on me at the moment. I see The Fray as a piano driven band, and they did not dissapoint with this one. The piano is the main emotional driving force of this song, which is more than fine by me :). But joking aside, it really helps the rest of the arrangement shine. The song is talking about... the things that we don't talk about. The singer is speaking about how we live with a mask on, in my opinion. We all have stuff that we don't talk about, the uncomfortable, unnerving, disconcerting... and we keep it behind a "smile", pretending like everything's alright. It talks about more, but this is what I get most out of it. And that's just the first verse haha! I think as a whole, the song talks about a difficult situation, and offers solution and hope through the lyrics that are presented. "I will be your guardian/when all is crumbling/I'll steady your hand". I'm of the belief that everything comes in many different shades, colors, textures. This song is no different. It is definitely a more contemplative piece, and while I find myself drawn by the first verse, you may not be. I'm not saying all there is to say about this song, because I want you to see what it invokes in you, without too much interference. Signing out for this week, remember to listen ;), not just with your ears, but with an open mind as well.

Never Say Never - http://www.mediafire.com/?nkgm2wzglkz

February 18th Service

Hey all, today we had an awesome service :). I really enjoyed it, and I hope that everyone else did as well. We were missing a little drive though :P... hope you get better soon Peter. Here y'are:

High School
Undignfied
Hosanna/For All Who Are To Come

Calling Everyone :P - Setlists

Hey guys, as I unfortunately learned from Matt this morning :P, I have made a few mistakes with the format of the setlists, in that every week that it says "N/A - Connect Groups" is actually a week we play. One of these weeks would be this week... so until I can sit down and rectify my mistake, I'd like to know what you guys would like to play. 3 songs, so:

Simon - choose one (1)
McMaths - choose one (1)
Abekahs - will choose two (2) :P... jk

one from each of us for a 3 song setlist. If you see, please respond! We should probably try and have a setlist before we actually get there Tuesday night haha. Cheers. Remember, worship songs! No Skillet (although I wouldn't have too much of a hard time with that ;) )!

Song Of The Week - February 13

Friday the 13th :O! hahaha, a lot of superstition shrouds this day, and even I got a little apprehensive today :P. But no ill even has befallen me on any day such as this, so I'll take that and shove superstition right out the window! I almost didn't know which song should be our SOTW for today, and I almost reverted to using another song from an album that an SOTW was already picked from. But following Ian's... displeasure, I decided against it, and chanced upon a song that I had picked as a candidate weeks ago. Now, it is time for it to shine:

Everything - Telecast, Eternity Is Now

"No matter what this day will bring/I will lift my hands and sing/ Oh be my everything"

I don't know if any of you have ever heard of Telecast before, except for the McMaths in passing. I have grown quite fond of them these past few months. They are a band that has the concept of quiet, contemplative worship right under their belt. They're an awesome band to listen to when you don't want to listen to anything too rowdy :), and you just want to relax and focus on the simple, yet beautiful lyrics, and the melodies that tie themselves to them.

Everything is one of these tracks, calm, simple, and very well executed. It reminds me of Be My Everything from this past week, almost like an extension of what we sang at Youth this week, albeit in a different key, and with a different beat. The messages, however, are very similar, in that both songs are songs are asking God to be our everything. Everything expands a bit more on this message, stating that despite the toils, hurts, and troubles of the world, God is still worthy of being praised. We can put our trust in him, even when he feels like he's far away. This ties in a bit with Faithful, but I digress...

I don't know why I didn't talk about this song earlier, because it is such an awesome one, in both the lyrics and the music. The piano, at least to me, acts as a gentle friend, repeating its delicate theme again and again, weaving in and around the rest of the song's attributes, and providing an ambient sonic space for the listener. I apologize for the comparisons, similies, and metaphors, but it is the best way I know how to explain what I perceive when I hear something. And so, on this superstitious Friday the 13th, Everything stands as our Song Of The Week.

Everything - http://www.mediafire.com/?5ynvmmjtym5

Tonight's Service

Hey guys, like yesterday, I'm trying to put these up quickly. I really enjoyed tonight, I would like to do something like that again. But we'll see. Here we go:

Middle School
Take My Life (And Let It Be)
Our Love Is Loud
Your Grace Is Enough
Be My Everything

High School
Take My Life (And Let It Be)
Our Love Is Loud
Your Grace Is Enough

Practice Feb 10

Hey, putting these up slowly... give it some time.

Your Grace Is Enough (Second Time)
Our Love Is Loud (First Time)
Be My Everything (First Time)
Take My Life

a little rough haha, we need to work at it a bit.

Check, will be updated.

Satan, The Fallen Worship Leader

*The last (ex)angel, Lucifer, served God in worship, like many of us. I find it quite uncomfortable to be compared with the devil, but the truth is that we we need to keep on our toes against vanity and pride.*

*As seen on Guitarpraise

Hey guys, this is the start of what I hope will be more activity on my part on updating the blog more regularly. Exams are over, so there's no excuse :P!

I just thought I'd share something interesting, and slightly concerning, that I found on the front page of Guitarpraise. It concerns the three named angels of The Bible, Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer, and their works for God. Should've read that passage more clearly! I find it extremely disconcerting that Satan himself was the original angel of worship to God. The article talks about Lucifer being a being of perfection, which caused him to be prideful, and also caused the eventual slide to his fall out with God... I find it hard to believe that this is a coinicidence, right after playing at honestly, a huge event for many people. The article then warns us, specifically musicians, to be wary of our pride. It can be quite the poison, that emotion... I encourage you all to check it out, it is a very well written article from the GP admin, and should be thought upon.

Sunday Night Live

Wow guys... I just want to say, I am privileged to be able to play with each of you. You were amazing tonight. Well here we are, what we've been working for. I recorded SNL tonight, and the results are a little reverby, but they'll do haha. I'm sorry to say that I might not be able to put up Majesty, because there were too many people talking near the mic. But apart from that :)

Again, you guys did amazing. My limbs are physically in pain right now from all that exertion hahaha. Guess I need to stop playing those 16ths :P. God Bless you guys, and thank you for an amazing night.

Sunday Night Live - February 8th, 2009
What The World Will Never Take
Here Is Our King
Our Love Is Loud
All Day
Lead Me To The Cross
I Am Free
How Great Is Our God
Dancing Generation

This Week's Service = Lots of Songs

Hey guys, I thought I'd leave a reminder here about the service we're supposed to be having this week. If Matt hasn't switched anything, it'll be for Valentine's Day, and we'll be doing five songs:

Take My Life (And Let It Be)
Our Love Is Loud
Jesus Paid It All
Be My Everything
Your Grace Is Enough

so... three brand new songs that we haven't done. I just wanted to make sure to put a reminder about it so we're not all caught off guard on Tuesday. Have a good one.

Song Of The Week - February 6

Another week has come and passed, hopefully it was a good one for all of you! As we get closer to Sunday and SNL, I've just been thinking more and more about how we should be using this opportunity. And the answer came to me this Wednesday. It's not about good sound (specifically tone haha), but about the heart, the underlying motive and driving force of the worship. That's why this past Wednesday's service was a blessing. The group from Bethany wasn't trying to show off, they were playing with what they had, and that made it special for me. They also kindly presented with our coveted SOTW for today...

You Won't Relent - Misty Edwards, Relentless

"Come be the fire inside of me/Come be the flame upon my heart"

This song is actually quite amazing. It really is. It just has something raw and... authentic to it. I found that this came across when XD performed it, and it is even more apparent here. I love it for its simplicity, and its intimacy. It begins with a simple organ sound, and a sole male voice, singing "You won't relent until You have it all". Amen. God does not give up in attempting to bring others unto Him, and pursues us with all that He is. Misty Edwards then comes in, crooning several relevant truths. Her voice has a sort of... haunting quality to it, which embellishes the song further more. It then reaches the breaking point, and rips into a veritable rock fest of worship. The guitars just belt it out with the shouts of praise coming from both singers. I was surprised when I first heard it, because XD did a great job with the song, but they were missing the heavily overdriven guitars that the album version possesses, which were in full effect. It adds up for an amazing time of worship. I certainly hope we get the chance to perform it for others, because it is a song that deserves to be sung. It definitely spoke to my heart this week, and I hope it speaks to yours.

You Won't Relent - http://www.mediafire.com/?mzmwyejnmom

SNL Practice #1 (Or 2, if you count that time when...)

Hey all, I plan on putting the practice from Tuesday up soon. I'm going to try putting it as a full file again, for many of the same reasons as last week. But hey, speak up! Do you guys want the practices spliced into different songs, or are you alright hearing the whole practice? Tell me what you think. Unfortunately, this week's recording is... well, horrible :P. There's a lot of static in it, since we peaked the mics about every couple seconds with our excessive dBs of awesomeness haha! It's alright, but I have yet to find a suitable recording setting for the stage's new location. I'll work on that though. I'll update the post once the file is uploaded. Cheers.

Feb. 3 Practice