Song of the Week: "I Celebrate the Day" by Relient K

I have loved Relient K ever since I heard "Softer To Me" on an old HM compilation back in 2000. This song is a few years old, but it still brings a tear to my eye during the holidays. The vocals are amazing, the piano melody is absolutely beautiful, and the lyrics speak for themselves:

And with this Christmas wish is missed
The point I could convey
If only I could find the words to say to let You know how much You've touched my life
Because here is where You're finding me, in the exact same place as New Year's eve
And from a lack of my persistency
We're less than half as close as I want to be

And the first time
That You opened Your eyes did You realize that You would be my Savior
And the first breath that left Your lips
Did You know that it would change this world forever

And so this Christmas I'll compare the things I felt in prior years
To what this midnight made so clear
That You have come to meet me here

To look back and think that
This baby would one day save me
In the hope that what You did
That you were born so I might live
To look back and think that
This baby would one day save me

And I, I celebrate the day
That You were born to die
So I could one day pray for You to save my life

You can listen to this song on Last.fm Just click play on the player in the upper right. Check out their homepage here.

I truly hope that, today, you are celebrating the fact that Jesus came to die for you and me. And if not, what are you waiting for?

Song of the Week: "Let It Fall" by Nevertheless

This song is from the album "Live Like We're Alive." It was one of my favorites of 2006. It is one of those albums I can listen to over and over because, not only is the music great, but I emotionally connect to so much of it.

I have been listening to "Let It Fall" almost every day this week. There is something about it that gives me hope. Check out the words:

We wear it on our face. 
We keep up with the pace and don’t slow down. 
But perfection without grace is such a lonely place to be found. 
We go ‘round and ‘round and never really move at all. 

Oh, we are bruised and destined to lose doing this alone. 
Oh, let it fall and cover us all – this grace that’s not our own. 

See it in our eyes. We’re running for the prize. Don’t burn out. 
But without a hand to hold, we’ll never really know what life’s about.
We go ‘round and ‘round and never really move at all. 

Let’s live like we’re alive. We’ll take the pain in stride. 
We’ll learn from our mistakes and be glad we ever tried. 
Let’s live like we’re alive.
Live like we’re alive and run with him into the night! 

I really like these guys. They just released a new CD about a month ago. I don't have it yet. The songs they have put online are a little bit softer than their previous stuff. I think I hear a little more piano too.

You can listen to a clip of this song on Last.fm You have to scroll down a bit, it was number 19 last time I checked. Check out their full page here or on MySpace.

Song of the Week: "Receive" by The Wedding

This song has been rolling around in my head ALL week. Even my 6 year old son has been singing it with me. Their blend of pop-punk infectiousness with hardcore inspired screams and breakdowns had me hooked since I first heard them on Power FM.

I missed seeing these guys back in August. They were playing at a church 30 minutes away, but I had committed to a prior engagement... I hope that won't happen again. I can imagine this band is a sight to see live. Here are the lyrics:

I can hear a train a-comin'
I hear the ground beneath my feet
This is not speculation, this is my bones growing weak.
The sound of angels screaming
The drums are marching off to war
This is not speculation, please do not televise The King.

It's like a fire coming down
We got it, We got it now.
Burn it up, burn it red
We got it, We got it.
It's like the rising of the sun
We got it, We got it now.
Turn it up, breath it in
Full redemption.

Clap your hands for breathing
Feel your heart begin to beat
This is our desperation, this is the deep calling deep.
You cannot keep us silent
We are the prisoner set free
This is our desperation, we are the service of The King.

All aboard. I hear, hear a train. Do you hear it?

Go check them out on their MySpace page. It's the first song on the player.

Worship Wednesday

It's something I came up with years back when I was in college. I'm not even sure how the idea came about, other than Jesus inspiring me to do it. I call it Worship Wednesday and I do it like this.

First, you have to understand fasting. Fasting is a time when you voluntarily set something aside to focus more on God, and his provision and providence in your life. Usually this is with food, but it can really be done with anything. Worship Wednesday is a type of fast.

Second, you have to be pretty into music or at least listen to a lot of it. Music is the thing that gets fasted so music needs to something you will actually miss if it is gone.

Okay, here it is and it's real simple. I stop listening to all of my usual music for the day. No metal, no hardcore, no punk, no Power FM. Nuthin. When I'm in my truck on Wednesday, the radio is off. I use that time to pray and clear my head. During the day I only allow myself to listen to 2 types of things. I will listen to music that is very praise and worship oriented, or I will listen to podcasts of my favorite preachers like Ed Young, Mark Driscoll, or Perry Noble.

I feel refreshed and recharged by the end of the day. And when Thursday roll around, I feel very appreciative and enjoy my "regular" music that much more.

You could really do Worship Wednesday with anything that vies for your time. Try it out, and let me know how it goes.

Song of the Week: "Anyone Can Dig a Hole, But It Takes a Real Man to Call It Home" by Underoath

I have really been enjoying the new Underoath album this week. All in all, it is some of their most mature work to date. I found myself going back to one song in particular this week. It gets bonus points for having such a long title: "Anyone Can Dig a Hole, But It Takes a Real Man to Call It Home."

This song so perfectly sums up my emotions during the last few weeks of my life it is scary. I am always amazed at the level of connection that is possible through music. I'll let the lyrics speak for themselves:

I'm no leader, I'm just a mess
It's not the way it's supposed to be
It's just the way it is
I'm afraid we're all victims here
And I'm the one who's in charge
I've lead us all astray again

Oh, how the plot thickens
Are we too far gone
We always assume the worst
I'm afraid no one's listening anymore

I'm freaking out
I'm so sick
I'm making me sick
Don't look down, don't look down

The only thing in my way, is myself
I'm just thinking out loud, I'm just thinking
How can I still be alive
I should have been gone so long ago

I can't get away from it all
I messed up like I always do

I gave you nothing
I took you nowhere
You're still listening

The world around me has taken a turn for the worst
I'm left alone
Climbing to the top
Should I jump, should I stay,
Can I make another day

I am the one who's wrong
God forgive me

Unfortunately, this song has not been legally released on the web yet, so I can't share the whole thing with you. If you check my recently played played tracks on the right, or go to my Last.fm page you might be able to grab a 25 second listen. You can check out their other stuff on MySpace and PureVolume.

I actually bought a NEW, NEW, NEW CD!

I actually did it. I think this is the first time it has ever happened. I purchased a CD that was new in all three categories! Let me explain.
*Category 1- Condition: I usually buy old CD's. You know- used, pre-owned, previously listened, gently loved, etc. It's a big thing for me to buy a new CD.
*Category 2- Freshness: I usually buy older CD's. Most albums I get have been around for a little while. Some may be fairly new to me or they might be old bands I have liked for a long time.

Most CD's are used/old or used/new to me. Some are new/old and a precious few are new/new to me. But today something magical happened...

*Category 3- Release date: I have never acquired a new CD on the super special Tuesday that all things new are released. This category has always been "old" until today. Today it all aligned and I have my first new, new, new CD! And it is sweet:

UNDERØATH Lost In The Sound of Separation

I have made it through half of the album as I type this. I am very impressed so far. I am a bit biased as these guys are one of my all time favorite bands ever. I was a little disappointed with their previous release "Define the Great Line." It never grabbed me like their previous work did. This new material is drawing me in much more. I think I already have the song of the week picked out...

Check them out on MySpace and let me hear your thoughts.

Song of the Week: "Promise" by Spoken

God speaks to me through music. If that sounds freaky to you, then God probably doesn't speak to you in music. If He does, then you know exactly what I'm talking about.

It has been a VERY difficult week for me with all the typical duties of a husband and father of three plus the added stress of getting ready to start a new school year. This song came on the radio at one of my lowest points this week. I know God is trying to cheer me up and wants me to lay my worries on Him. These lyrics have definitely been speaking to me:

Yet another day seems like it’s wasted
You don’t feel you’re any closer to the prize
A dead end job where there’s no future
Praying that tomorrow things won’t be this way

Things will get better this I promise you
And I know that you won’t feel this way forever
Things will get better this I promise you
And I know loneliness won’t last forever

Yet another day, another tired morning
You’re catching up to your intentions
You’re thinking life has to be easier than this
Maybe tomorrow things won’t be this way

Things will get better this I promise you
and I know it wont feel this way forever
Things will get better this I promise you
and I know we can find a way to make it better
things will get better this I promise you
And I know loneliness won't last forever

I got a chance to go see these guys about two years ago with a good friend of mine. The stage presence and energy these guys have live is astounding. Check them out on PureVolume. "Promise" is the last song on their playlist. They also have the video on their MySpace page.

Love at the Core

I have been listening to Run Kid Run's new album "Love at the Core" more than just about anything lately. I always know when music connects with me because I willingly seek out time to listen to it.

Although the music itself is nothing groundbreaking, it is phenomenally executed. It's just solid rock with pop and punk influences. It's the kind of stuff that gets stuck in your head for days. This band arose from the ashes of another band, Sidewalk Slam, for anyone who cares about such things. I think I like this stuff better. Click the Bull's Eye target at the bottom and let me know which song you like the best.

But it's not the insanely catchy melodies that keep me coming back to this record. It is the simple, yet touching lyrics penned by the band. The title track is especially close to my heart:

"We want love, love at the core
The cold of the flesh always seems to creep inside of my chest
And I need the pulse of you, God
To fill these veins and touch my heart
So I can start living again
We’ve seen the dark of the night
Sun won’t you come shine some light on our lives


We want love, love at the core
So much more then what we’re living for
We want love , we want love
Love at the core
So much more of this
Life that we’re reaching for
We want love to bind us tonight
Leave behind your own disguise
So love can find you and I"

This is such a wonderful description of what Jesus did for us. It is incomprehensible to imagine the sacrifice. Romans 5:8 says "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us". Amazing. To pay for all of our filth, lies, hate, idolatry, lust, and jealousy, it would take nothing less than "Love at the Core."

Check out the rest of the lyrics for "Love at the Core" and listen to the song on my MySpace page.