The New Music Scene: May 2015

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

ICE ICE - Blurry Face

New Music released Tuesday 5-19-15

#Spotlight Artist

BadChristian's Emery released their #Hard Rock, #Metal album called, "You Were Never Alone". I am not "into" the NEW Metal sound as it is today, however I frequented more than a few "ANTHRAX" shows in my youth and was a fan of Metallica and Y&T among others.... sooooo, I know a little bit about metal.

I can appreciate the band's melodic singing and artistic expressions in the music. But it is the raw emotion that comes through in the screams that are the calling card of this genre. They are like the forward cutting edge of the sword that "screams" through the air.

Like Ned Starks Sword "ICE" as it is beheading a deserter from the wall..... ummm... sorry, did I drift off to Westeros again?

Ok... back to Emery.... If you are looking for good, Hard Hitting, music with a "bite" this is IT! Even from a self described, NON-Metal guy, I like this album a lot! It has more than a fair amount of singing and great music. The screaming is done as more of an accent, which I feel really adds to the depth of the song and the emotion is allowed to actually be heard. Like using an expletive...when you use it as every other word in a sentence it really loses it's expletive meaning... You know what I"m FREAKING talking about!?!

Emery is my pick for #Spotlight Artist of the week. You can purchase their new album on iTunes and Amazon, or at the BadChristian Website.

#Album of the Week

Last but certainly not least!.... Twenty One Pilots released their new album "Blurry Face". I have been a Twenty One Pilots fan sense I saw them at Q101's PiqNiq a few years ago! I won't do this review justice, so with no further ado.... the review of Twenty One Pilots "Blurry Face" by my daughter Kaitlyn!

(when I ask a Junior in High school, during finals to help me with a project... well..... )

Blurry Face is awesome.

I love the uniqueness of twenty one pilot's music in general, but [the album] BlurryFace takes it to a new level.
I loved the singles Stressed Out and Tear in my Heart. Stressed Out
because it truly encompasses all of my feelings about growing up. Tear in my Heart because
twenty one pilots doesn't write love songs, but this song is still so unique even though they
talk about love.
When the album came out I first fell in love with Judge. The song is just fun, I'm not sure if I've
caught onto the meaning yet, it's just a fun song to listen to. And lastly is Goner. I didn't even
really notice it until my friend told me it was her favorite and then I listened to it and I feel like
it's Tyler expressing his innermost thoughts in telling us he's a goner because he's not ok.

Watch the video below of "Stressed Out"

Here is a great list of other new releases from the Christian Music Scene.
New Release Tuesday

Also, be sure to check out the Indie Rock Cafe for more goodies.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

I Have to Start Somewhere... why not Kansas

Welcome,

I have decided to start blogging!...

    [yawn],
    "Yeah , you and about 100,000,000,000 others! So, what makes your blog different?"
    "Well, I'm glad you asked, for starters I will blog about the conversations that go on in my head... You see, like this one! Then we can all have Juice Boxes!"

Ok, really, nothing... there is nothing different, better, YOU HAVE to read my blog every week, about my blog. But I hope you do. (read it that is)

So, what am I going to blog about... Well, I'm glad you asked... (that's right we agreed not to do that anymore).

I want to begin a blog about new Christian Music.

[yawn... again!] BORING!....   I'm not really going to be talking about artist like Chris Tomlin and Michael W. Smith, not that these guys are bad... but well, people are already talking about them. I'm looking for artists that I have NEVER heard of... Like the Vespers... Abandon Kansas, Emery,   Up and coming, or Indie sensations, doesn't matter. This is what I want to bring you. The huddled masses looking for more from your music.

Some of these acts are NOT classified as "Christian" artists, but in the grand scheme of things, all that classification really means is, what "bin" the record goes into at the record store. (And yes, Thank GOD Record stores are COMING BACK!)   But these are bands and artists that are openly Christian, and like playing good music. So for that, I applaud them.

So, why do we care? Well, For me, it's this.

I like good music.
I like to listen to good music with my kids.
I hate when I hear a song and start to get embarrassed that I am listening to this song with my 17 year old daughter or my 14 year old daughter.
And much worse, I HATE when my 9 year old daughter then starts to sing the lyrics herself!

So, without further ado... I bring you New Christian Music... DW. Style.

We Are not in Kansas Anymore

So in new music news this week the talk of the town has been about Kansas.

No not, “Carry on Wayward Son” Kansas… but Abandon Kansas

The new album Alligator dropped this past week. Alligator is a raw and very personal look at everyday life. If you are looking for “Jesus Loves Me” Christian music, this album may not be the right fit. But if you are looking for honest, pure, introspective songs about life, and life as a Christian, and everything in life is not ALWAYS rainbows and unicorns, then this record is most definitely for you.

I instantly fell in love with the band when I bought the pre-release tracks and heard "Mirror" & “I Hope God Don’t Mind if We Talk Awhile”, from the first beat, I was hooked. So, when I woke up the other morning and my phone informed me that the rest of the album had downloaded I was like a kid on Christmas morning, and like said child, I was NOT disappointed.

From the opening lyrics of the song Mirror, “Wake up, Fall Asleep. Same thing on repeat, just a muted echo that’s neverending.” to the songs, Anniversary and What You Meant… which are beyond words…. This is a must listen to record. In fact you can do that HERE!

So, my recommendation is:

It is Available on iTunes, Amazon or direct from BC Music.

Follow them on Facebook Abandon Kansas or Twitter [AK] @AbandonKansas

[Next Week - ????? Your guess is as good as mine! comment and let me know ]

Thanks for Reading!

D. W.

#AK #abandonkansas #BCMusic