Stevens on 'Friend Rock'

I am a proponent of what Sufjan Stevens has coined (or technically adopted) "Friend Rock." What exactly is Friend Rock? Read Suf's amusing essay here.

Spinning This Week:

My Brightest Diamond : Tear It Down
Evanescence : The Open Door
Sufjan Stevens : The Avalanche
Amy Winehouse : Back to Black
Kevin Max : The Imposter
MxPx : On the Cover
Iona : Open Sky
Paul Wright : Sunrise to Sunset
Patty Griffin : Children Running Through
Sufjan Stevens : Seven Swans
Griffin House : Homecoming

My Two Cents: Back to Black

: VINTAGE VIXEN :

Two words: SHA ZAM! Troubled 23-year-old Brit Amy Winehouse can SANG. Think Aretha Franklin meets Lauryn Hill. She wrote and co-wrote all of the cuts on this, her second album. Her alcoholic, lovesick ways mix with smoldering 50s and 60s doo-wop for a soulful Motown smash.

My Two Cents: Ruined for Ordinary

: POP-N-SOUL :

Forget what you know of Nate Sallie. His freshman, punk-flavored, pop single "All About You" seems like a juvenile rant compared to the soulful, pop-rock sophomore project, Ruined for Ordinary. With musical comparisons to Gavin DeGraw and Maroon 5, and an earnest spiritual surge, Sallie has grown up in all respects.

Mat, Meet Ellen

Tune in tomorrow, Mar. 21, to see Mat Kearney play The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The taping will include a full-band performance of "Nothing Left to Lose."

Hot Picks: Out Today

Nate Sallie : Ruined for Ordinary

Dream Girl

After seeing Dreamgirls yesterday, I have decided to add Jennifer Hudson (Effie White) to my list of favorite vocalists. (See my 3.8.07 Vocally Speaking post.) This girl can SANG!

Spinning This Week:

Iona : Beyond These Shores
tobyMac : Portable Sounds
Over the Rhine : Snow Angels
Rosie Thomas : Only with Laughter Can You Win
Lauryn Hill : The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
MxPx : Ten Years and Running
Nate Sallie : Ruined for Ordinary
Paul Wright : Sunrise to Sunset
Evanescence : The Open Door
Amy Winehouse : Back to Black
My Brightest Diamond : Tear It Down
Johnny Cash : The Legend of Johnny Cash

Something to Toot About

This just in: Linford and Karin of Over the Rhine will be in Nashville next week to finish OTR's next full-length, due out in August. Per Linford, the working title is The Trumpet Child.

My Two Cents: Homecoming

Griffin House's Homecoming was a bit of a letdown. The quality of production and performance is lacking, compared to that of Lost & Found. Perhaps that's because the Homecoming project had less money behind it. Still, it's hard to go wrong with House, especially live. On Homecoming, his Johnny Cash ("Never Again"), U2 ("Czech Republic") and Bob Dylan ("Mirage") influences are loud and clear. Other notable tracks include "Burning Up the Night" and "The Guy That Says Goodbye to You Is Out of His Mind." I look forward to the day that label execs put their money where their mouths are and enable House to make another homerun record.

Spinning This Week:

Leeland : Sound of Melodies
Iona : Beyond These Shores
Iona : Journey into the Morn
Group 1 Crew : Self-titled
Griffin House : Homecoming
Phil Wickham : Self-titled
tobyMac : Portable Sounds
Iona : Open Sky
Over the Rhine : Drunkard's Prayer
Patty Griffin : Children Running Through

Vocally Speaking

I felt like bragging on my favorite large-lunged vocalists (in alphabetical order):

Adie (ONLY when she fronted The Benjamin Gate)
Tiffany Arbuckle Lee (Plumb)
Karin Bergquist (of Over the Rhine)
Pol Buckingham (formerly of Polarboy)
Michael Christopher (apparently MIA)
Jason Eskridge
Patty Griffin
Jennifer Hudson
Lauryn Hill
Jennifer Knapp
Phillip LaRue (formerly of LaRue)
Kevin Max (formerly of dc talk)
Brian McSweeney (formerly of both Seven Day Jesus and Matthew)
Charity Von
Fleming McWilliams (of Fleming & John)
Nissi Walls-Allen (formerly of Anointed)
Tyrone Wells (formerly of Skypark)
Phil Wickham
Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond)

NOTE: By "vocalists," I do not simply mean "singers" or "frontmen/women." I mean folks who can SANG.

Spinning This Week:

My Brightest Diamond : Bring Me the Workhorse
Skillet : Comatose
Plumb : Chaotic Resolve
tobyMac : Portable Sounds
Sufjan Stevens : Illinois
Shawn McDonald : Ripen
Kirk Franklin : Hero
Leigh Nash : Blue on Blue
Mat Kearney : Nothing Left to Lose
Switchfoot : Oh! Gravity.
Paul Wright : Sunrise to Sunset

My Latest Freelance Assignment

You can read my feature on Cool Hand Luke in the March/April issue of HM Magazine. HM can be found at most Barnes & Noble and Family Christian Stores locations. Some Borders stores have also been known to carry the mag.

Most Def

In sharp contrast to my 1.20.07 Old Enough to Know post, I have been addicted to tobyMac's Portable Sounds, M.O.C.'s Jersey Chica and Group 1 Crew's self-titled record this week. Perhaps all that heavy, deeply intelligent, beautiful music finally took its toll on me. I was due for some def jams!