34 Albums to Live By (10-6)

10. U2 - Zooropa

With the exception of the songs Babyface and Daddy's Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car this album has somehow been my companion in every era of my life. Stay (Faraway So Close) and Dirty Day are great songs, but are bested still by The First Time and The Wanderer. Both these songs have unforgettable lines of pilgrimage put to ominously genuine tunes. Lines like: "Stopped outside a church-house / Where the citizens like to sit / They say they want the Kingdom / But they don't want God in it / Yeah I went with nothing / Nothing but the thought of you / I went wandering."

9. Brian Doerksen & Vineyard - Hungry

I admit I have a love-hate relationship with worship music. Probably Brian Doerksen and Stuart Townend are the song-writers in this genre I respect the most, and Vineyard music was pretty instrumental in my early years of Christian adulthood. Delirious had a double album that made some waves in my life at one point too. But this is the only worship CD I ever listen to anymore. Your Name is Holy is my favourite. It and Hungry remind me of a memorable Youth Conference at college as well. But it is songs like Humble King that, instead of being b-side drivel, likely give the album its staying power.

8. Joel Plaskett - In Need of Medical Attention

This album was written largely from a hospital bed. It closes with the songs Goodbye World and Goodbye, Doctor, and begins with the lines: "I'm sorry father, I didn't want to be the one, to tell you about the news of your son, he was a failure, second to none, and that's not all." Can it get more grippingly authentic and pared down to the soul than this? I think the highlight of the album for me is the song Powerful Lights, where he sings his wish "to hear somebody's voice, other than my own" and two other voices close out the song echoing "other than my own" back and forth. Remarkable.

7. Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head

This is epic. This album accompanied us through those first months of parenthood, and is a fantastic piece of work besides. Surely you've heard it.

6. Consider the Ravens

My brother has done some really good stuff with Dave McGregor in The Young Wire Wicks (including an EP that only leaves one begging for more) as well as more of his own stuff since his first few concerts with Nathan Davies as Consider the Ravens. See the links in my sidebar if you want to track that stuff down. But he threw together a CD a few years back which combined one of their shows with some other songs of his own and I just have always sat in amazement of it. The songs really have seeped into me. Ghost at the Window is an eerie epic that gives me the same feeling as a great Dylan song. Alone Together, Lost in Translation, and the live version of I Can't Stand are all gorgeous songs. I can't get over Frankenstein either, from the first lines to the last: "Come to life you wretched no-man / The breath, the ghost of God . . . . Don't come to me for joy / Because I'm lost in the race to be a better man." I suppose it is typical to put your brother in a list like this. But I'd be lying if I didn't put his music high on my list of musical influences.

34 Albums to Live By (20-11)

20. Ryan Adams - Love is Hell

At the end of the day I'm not sure I agree with the title, but I get it. The 16 songs on this album are, every single one of them, just awesome. Shadowlands is deeply moving, and at a certain period of life really found me where I was at and kept me going. Wonderwall makes something new of something old in a brilliant way. And Please Do Not Let Me Go, My Blue Manhattan and Hotel Chelsea Nights are perhaps the most relaxing songs imaginable. I come back to them often.

19. The 77's - Sticks and Stones

Michael Roe and the 77s modelled genuine faith to me, and guided me in many ways through my coming of age. I really ought to write them and thank them. From the heart-wrenching Bottom Line to the saddest song I've ever heard, Don't This Way, Roe knew just how to get real about the struggle. And yet with songs like Nowhere Else and The Days to Come he was speaking out of a very real hope. By the time the song God Sends Quails gets to the repeated refrain "You've can't go back" and resolves, almost relents, into the soft but growing response "You can go on" I'm past suspecting mere sentimentalism and am open to belief. You should read the lyrics to that one. Michael Roe reminds me of Johnny Cash, except no one knows about him. His song 'Til Jesu Comes is on a solo album, but bears mention in such a list nonetheless.

18. Damien Jurado - Waters Ave S.

This is a pretty raw early Jurado album that sunk itself into my psyche my third year of college when I was really finding my legs (shakily) as a human being and potential leader of some sort. Notables are Treasures of Gold and Sarah and such slivers of life as Yuma, Arizona and Wedding Cake. These songs are like the soundtrack to some of the hardest months of one of the greatest years of my life.

17. Sixpence None the Richer - This Beautiful Mess

Classic. This band made a bit of a name for itself but in my opinion never bested this its sophomore release. Circle of Error, The Garden, Disconnect, and Drifting--all these songs are irreplaceable aspects of my life. There was a heartfelt searching and honesty about this album that was a breath of fresh air to my experience of Christianity and in many ways, along with the 77s, another mentor in my burgeoning faith. I think it was with these bands that I first began to appreciate the value of true lament.

16. The Tragically Hip - Up to Here

There were a couple years there where The Hip had their finger on the pulse of teenage life in Canada, or at least in Lower Mainland, British Columbia. It was like their songs coursed through our veins. Fully Completely is probably the album most of my peers would identify with most typically from that era, but it their first album, Up to Here, that I called my own. New Orleans Is Sinking made them famous, but its the b-sides of this cassette that had me hitting rewind and starting over on those many road trips and nights working meaningless jobs in high school. Great stuff.

15. The Joel Plaskett Emergency - Down at the Khyber

I wish I'd known about Joel Plaskett years ago. How anyone can be a Canadian and not know about (and thus love) this musical treasure is a tragedy. Down at the Khyber is a masterpiece of rock and roll, I kid you not. True Patriot Love is the new national anthem, Light of the Moon is an epic up there with the best of them, and Unconditional Love just shows that Joel is not a lyrical or musical pretender but an absolutely talented vocalist and guitar player and a purely enjoyable and thoughtful singer/songwriter. This album would be up there on a list of albums I'd want on a desert island. Musically marooned in Scotland its been like a lifeline to home.

14. Ryan Adams - Gold

Although Love is Hell may stand better as an entirety, this has three of my favourite Ryan Adams songs of all time and thus carries the day. La Cienega Just Smiled, Wildflowers, and Rescue Blues--these are glorious songs.

13. U2 - Boy

I don't know how it is but I am pretty sure this album was recorded in Narnia. Not the Disney Narnia, but the one in your head when you first read the books as a child. I think my conviction in this regard has to do with the fact that I first bought this album around the time when I decided to read the books again as an adult. There is also the song Shadows and Tall Trees and the overall magical quality to the album which doesn't hurt either. Some of the best U2 songs of all time are on their first album: Out of Control, Stories for Boys, and An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart.

12. Matthew A. Wilkinson - Sinners

This is not an attempt at flattering or plugging one of this blogs most faithful readers. Sinners is a fantastic album. Here is a link where you can go listen to it. You will be really glad if you do. I don't often force people to sit an listen to an entire album with me at once but I did so in this case with a good friend at seminary and he was hooked. When the last five years are said and done there are few albums which would evoke as many memories for me as this one. The songs (especially the first five) fit back to back so well and create an ethos so flawlessly that the whole has the feel of a thoroughly accessible concept album.

11. Radiohead - OK Computer

This is probably the best rock album of all time. Let Down is probably the best song of all time. It has overlapping guitar parts with different time signatures, of all things! Sounds amazing. Mention here should likely be made of Kid A and Hail to the Thief, two other Radiohead albums I can't get enough of, but which somehow aren't listed here.

And with that the ground is broken for my top 10, perhaps even more scattered than this 10, which will come along in a week or so. . . .

iTunes Top 40

Like I said a couple posts ago, March is "Music Month" at this side of sunday. So I figured this morning I'd get around to something I've wanted to do for a while.

Ever since I got my ipod two and a half years ago I've kept an eye on the play count stats telling me the songs I listen to most.

I like lists. I used to love Labour Day weekend in Vancouver because Rock 101 CFMI would play the top 500 rock songs of all time. Satisfaction was always number one. I also used to listen to top 40 countdowns a lot, whether it was on pop radio or "Christian" radio, and now I realize it was more because I liked the countdown than because I liked the songs. Nowadays I enjoy listening to CBC Radio 3's top 30 Canadian indie songs countdown podcast, even though I skip half the songs there too.

So I enjoy checking up on my personal top 40 (Considering my last post, maybe I should call this "nerd" month at this side of sunday). The trouble (and if you have itunes I'm sure you can relate to my trouble) is that because it is two years and counting since I got itunes any new albums or songs I get don't ever really have a chance to catch up to the others. So the numbers are slanted toward longevity and never actually reflect the true top 40.


Thus and therefore: I am resetting the play count.

But before I do that I figure it is pretty important to store the stats somewhere for posterity.

So, without further ado, I present to you my iTunes top 40 for 2006-2009. The top 5 albums are pictured, and some of the songs have links to places you can hear them (ignore the music videos). FYI the Jeff Coutts and Matthew Wilkinson songs are actually available for free download, so be sure to check that out.


1. Wonderwall - Ryan Adams (Love Is Hell)
2. Please Do Not Let Me Go - Ryan Adams (Love...)
3. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens (Come On Feel The Illinoise!)
4. Staralfur - Sigur Ros (Agaetis Byrjun, Hvarf Heim)
5. Alone Together - Jeff Coutts (Consider the Ravens)
6. Sinners - Matthew A. Wilkinson (Sinners)
7. The Shadowlands - Ryan Adams (Love...)

8. What Were The Chances - Damien Jurado (And Now That I'm In Your Shadow)
9. I Can't Stand - Jeff Coutts (...Ravens)
10. Start a War - The National (Boxer)
11. Giver - Patrick Watson (Close To Paradise)
12. Drifters - Patrick Watson (...Paradise)
13. The Rescue Blues - Ryan Adams (Gold)
14. Avalanche - Ryan Adams (Love...)
15. Denton, TX - Damien Jurado (...Shadow)
16. La Cienega Just Smiled - Ryan Adams (Gold)
17. Barely Moving - Jeff Coutts (Your Imagined Fire)
18. Love For Granted - Phoenix (Alphabetical)
19. Goodbye, World - Joel Plaskett (In Need of Medical Attention)
20. Come On! Feel The Illinoise! - Sufjan Stevens (...Illinoise!)
21. Fix You - Coldplay (X&Y)

22. The Great Escape - Patrick Watson (...Paradise)
23. Hoquiam - Damien Jurado (...Shadow)
24. A Ghost At the Window - Jeff Coutts (...Ravens)
25. How Few There Are of Your Eyes So Strong - Jeff Coutts (Your Imagined Fire)
26. Consolation Prizes - Phoenix (It's Never Been Like That)
27. Death and All His Friends - Coldplay (Viva la Vida)
28. Hotel Chelsea Nights - Ryan Adams (Love...)
29. Lovers In Japan (Acoustic Version) - Coldplay (Viva...)
30. Hotel Hospital - Damien Jurado (...Shadow)
31. Nina and Albert - Joel Plaskett (La De Da)
32. Dreams of Yasujiro Ozu (I'm no longer mocking the past) - Matthew A. Wilkinson (Sleepy Heads)
33. 42 - Coldplay (Viva...)
34. Shannon Rhodes - Damien Jurado (...Shadow)
35. Fake Empire - The National (Boxer)
36. Wild Flowers - Ryan Adams (Gold)
37. Lying On a Beach - Joel Plaskett (La De Da)
38. Life In Technicolor - Coldplay (Viva...)
39. Bridge over Troubled Water - Johnny Cash (American IV: The Man Comes Around)
40. Corrugated Tin Facade - Buck 65 (Secret House Against the World)

Being the list-guy that I am, if I had such powers or inclinations I'd start a meme where people posted their own itunes top 40.

But I'm not going to go around tagging people. Nonetheless, if you have itunes or some other counting device for your mp3 player, let me exhort you to post your playcount stats. Oh, wouldn't that be fun!

March is About the Music

Though their last album may have been their worst, their previous album may have been their best. So who is to say what to expect from "No Line on the Horizon", coming out March 3rd?

Regardless, by my count this is U2's 11th full-length album, and in my books every release is an event of its own.

I know you can hear some of the tracks being pre-released, but I will relish sitting down and hearing this thing from start to finish for the first time as an album in its entirety. So I'll wait.

Apparently U2 is the musical guest on Letterman the entire week of March 2nd-6th, too, so that will be worth checking out.

Joel Plaskett is a Canadian treasure. Whether it is with his band The Emergency or on his own, his albums are awesome. On March 24th his new three-disc solo album comes out and on May 14th he will be in my neck of the woods. Dates definitely worth circling on the calendar.

On March 27th my wife and I will join some friends to see another good Canadian group, the Great Lake Swimmers, in concert. They have a new album coming out as well, which I'll probably hear for the first time live.

Clearly, March is about the Music. Which is nice because I feel like its been a while. So, in anticipation of these events, how 'bout another round of favourites? I'll put my answers in the comments. Answer whatever you want.

What is your favourite U2 song of all time?
How would you rank the U2 albums?
What is your favourite Joel Plaskett song and album?

Ashtray Rock

This isn't my usual sort of post here, more just a personal note and a recommendation for a fine Canadian musician. My wife and I had a great time seeing Joel Plaskett live the other night. This is one talented guy. Both times I've seen him the opening band has been really good, and you almost feel like you've already got the price of admission, and then Plaskett comes on and blows you away. You can say he is a step above the rest, and you aren't saying anything negative about the openers, he just is.

What I found uncanny about him this time around was how he's playing amazing guitar, singing with that powerful voice, moving around and connecting with his band and everyone, and then on top of that he is making up additional lyrics and saying stuff to the crowd (even in the split second between verse and chorus) that is funny and often even rhymes. He is constantly being creative, even with old material. Yet he's not wrecking the song either. It sounds as good if not better than on the album. What a joy to watch.

His last album is called Ashtray Rock and we hadn't bought it yet but of course came away with it and the Tshirt too. (It is fitting since we had to take a smoking room at the hotel and so, though we don't smoke, we felt like we might as well of, so the title sort of fit the weekend for us). Its actually a concept album about high school, and the Ashtray was a hang out for him back in the day. In case you were curious.

Most of the stuff I've been listening to lately has been pretty melancholy, so it is nice to have a fun rock album to listen to with the windows down again.

Anyway, I sure love live music when I get a chance to see some I like. I was particularly glad to hear a song from his mind-blowing first album, In Need of Medical Attention: "The News of Your Son". I am very thankful to those who turned me on to this musician. A bright Canadian talent, that's for sure.

For those who care, here is what we recall of the set list:

Soundtrack for the Night
Snowed In/Cruisin
Million Dollars
Its Cathing On
The News of Your Son
Absentminded Melody
Penny for Your Thoughts
Lonely Love
Happen Now
Love This Town
True Patriot Love
Face of the Earth
Nothing More to Say
Nowhere With You
Work Out Fine
Maybe We Should Just Go Home
--encore--
Drunk Teenagers
Extraordinary
Fashionable People

I think that's all the songs, although the middle parts are probably out of order. I wanted to remember the set list, but it all went so fast. Too fast. See ya next time Joel.

A Song for Bloggers

Among other things, 2006 may go down as the year of the blogger. At least for me. This whole internet thing took new shape with the prevalence of the weblog. It makes for a decent portal where one can meet with others and get some thoughts out there. Even if no one reads your stuff, there is something about making it available that gives a (false?) sense of importance to it all. Frankly, I've enjoyed the blog as a place to try some writing and to open the odd conversation. Its a good place to keep informal contact with friends and acquaintances far and wide. While the inbox fills up with emails begging a thoughtful response, the blog is a place to say hello and make a thoughtless quip and basically keep in touch.

It is all fairly artificial though. I mean, there is no replacement for people in the flesh and dialogue that includes voice inflections, facial gestures and tone. Somehow emoticons don't cut the mustard. Of course, some relationships are separated by distance and so technology is all you have for most of the year. But long distance relationships aren't enough.

I have to admit that in a time of transition and moving around this year I have probably sought an unhealthy amount of solace in internet comradery. That's fine. I don't plan on shutting this stuff out of my life altogether. But I confess I have had a couple stints where I've been almost addicted. One could have worse addictions I suppose. At least this one thinly masquerades as an addiction to old friends!

Nonetheless, I find some humorous truth in the lyrics by Joel Plaskett to a song called Lyin' On A Beach. I think it came out in 2005, but I'm going to go ahead and call it 2006's song of the year. Here's an exerpt:

Somebody introduce me
To a member of the club
I think that they confused me
With some other rub-a-dub-a-dub

I should be working on my manners
But I’m working on my website
All you star-spangled scanners
Trying to photocopy moonlight

Staring at the computer screen
Feeling so alone and obscene
Getting restlessGetting randy
Getting mean

Somebody check my pulse
Slap me in the face
Show me what I’m made of
Get me out of this place

It’s like a weird technological dream
Watching buddies turn into machines
We never get our hands dirty
But paradise is never this clean

Lying on a beach in the sun
Don’t want to get burned to a crisp
You want something to remember me by
You can save it on a floppy disk

So longFarewell
You can kiss my @#& goodbye
If I don’t jump ship right now
I’ll never figure out how to fly

Funny song. Anyway, happy blogging everyone, and thanks for reading! Keep in touch in 2007!