JAMS // 10.25.13

J.A.M.S.  (Just Another Music Sample)

Every other Friday, I'll try to post a list of the 5 songs that have been on repeat for me throughout the week.
Some might be brand new, exclusive, or old favorites. Check 'em out and don't forget to leave me a comment of what you've been jamming lately!

"Ghosts"  |  SONS  |  Keep Quieter

Wow. Just, wow. This has been my go-to study song this past week.
This video features a more acoustic and stripped-down version than you'll find on the CD, but it's equally as beautiful. SONS announced earlier this year that they will be on an indefinite hiatus, so we're left to enjoy gems such as these until further notice.


"Mercy Is New In The Morning"  |  The Silver Pages  |  Part 1

Brothers Philip and Paul Zach (formerly of Remedy Drive) have come together to create The Silver Pages, breathing life into hymns both old and original. This particular song has become my go-to favorite hymn, and the rest of the EP is equally as amazing!
For a limited time, you can download their music on Noisetrade for free, or (if you're feeling generous) tip with a free-will donation.


"Captured Me"  |  The Digital Age  |  EVENING:MORNING

The Digital Age is a fairly new band on the scene, but you might recognize some familiar faces. Featuring three former members of DavidCrowder*Band, The Digital Age is putting out some amazing brand new music.
"Captured Me" is easily my favorite song of EVENING:MORNING. The first time I heard them sing "I've never felt more found than when I'm lost in You," I was hooked. They put out this sweet music video (with the help of many fan submissions) earlier this fall.


"Love Alone Is Worth The Fight"  |  Switchfoot  |  Fading West EP

Okay, okay. I know I've been going Switchfoot heavy these past couple of weeks. But YOU GUYS. This song! I can't get over how amazing it is!
"Is it fear you're afraid of? What are you waiting for? Love alone is worth the fight." -- I mean honestly. Those words are really hitting hard lately. Love it!


"I Will"  |  Hands  |  Give Me Rest

Oh, how I miss Hands. And oh, how I love this song. The perfect mix of mellow and heavy. You've gotta check this one out.



And there you have it!
What have you been listening to lately? I'm always open for new music suggestions!
Leave me a comment and make my ears happy.

Spotlight On.. 44th Annual Dove Awards Recap

The 44th Annual GMA Dove Awards, hosted by Kirk Franklin and Amy Grant, took place in Nashville, Tennessee, earlier this week. 42 awards were given out to the artists deemed most deserving in each individual category, ranging from artist of the year to best inspirational film to best Christmas album.

Matt Redman lead all others taking home an impressive 6 awards, while TobyMac and Jason Crabb followed with 4, and Tasha Cobb and producer Wayne Haun scored 3 each. Chris Tomlin, Tamela Mann and Lecrae all received 2 awards.

The majority of the awards and performances took place during the pre-show, hosted by Jamie Grace and Chris August. Videos from the red carpet and pre-show performances can be found in entirety on hearitfirst's LiveStream, as well as exclusive backstage interviews from after the event.

The actual broadcast is set to air Monday night, October 21st at 7:00 p.m. (Central time) on the brand-new UP Channel, formerly the Gospel Music Channel.


For a hilarious (and at times brutally honest) commentary on the evening, take a look at the twitter feed of @DoveJokes. For a more serious and informational look back at the awards ceremony, check out @HearItFirst's tweets.

Following is a breakdown of the nominees and winners in contemporary, rock, pop, and hip hop categories:

*winners will be in bold*

Song of the Year:

• "10,000 Reasons" - Matt Redman
• "All I Can Do" - Mikeschair
• "Break Every Chain" - Tasha Cobbs
• "Forgiveness" - Matthew West
• "From My Rags to His Riches" - Devin McGlamery featuring Dailey & Vincent
• "Greatly Blessed, Highly Favored" - Gaither Vocal Band
• "Hold On" - Canton Junction
• "I'm Learning" - Aaron & Amanda Crabb
• "Live Like That" - Sidewalk Prophets
• "Need You Now" - Plumb
• "Not For A Moment" - Meredith Andrews
• "One Thing Remains" - Kristian Stanfill
• "Redeemed" - Big Daddy Weave
• "Sometime I Wonder" - Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
• "Take Him to the Place" - Aaron & Amanda Crabb
• "Take Me to the King" - Tamela Mann
• "The Proof of Your Love" - for King & Country
• "What the Blood Is For" - Jason Crabb
• "Where I Belong" - Building 429
• "Whom Shall I Fear" - Chris Tomlin
• "Why Can't We" - The Isaacs

Contemporary Christian Performance of the Year:

• "10,000 Reasons" - Matt Redman
• "Need You Now" - Plumb
• "Redeemed" - Big Daddy Weave
• "The Dream" - David Phelps
• "The Proof of Your Love" - for King & Country
• "Where I Belong" - Building 429

Artist of the Year:

• Chris Tomlin
• Francesca Battistelli
• Lecrae
• Tamela Mann
• TobyMac

New Artist of the Year:

• Capital Kings
• Colton Dixon
• for King & Country
• Rhett Walker Band
• Tasha Cobbs

Rap/Hip Hop Song of the Year:

• "Caught Dreaming" - Andy Mineo (feat. for King & Country)
• "Dangerous" - Group1Crew
• "Hope" - Da T.R.U.T.H (feat. Flame & Trip Lee)
• "I'm Good" - Trip Lee (feat. Lecrae)
• "Tell The World" - Lecrae feat. Mali Music

Rock Song of the Year:

• "Perfect Life" - RED
• "Resuscitate Me" - Remedy Drive
• "Sick of It" - Skillet
• "Strike Back" - We As Human
• "Who We Are" - RED

Rock/Contemporary Song of the Year:

• "Afterlife" - Switchfoot
• "Keep Your Eyes Open" - NEEDTOBREATHE
• "Never Gone" - Colton Dixon
• "Reckless" - Jeremy Camp
• "When Mercy Found Me" - Rhett Walker Band

Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year:

• "10,000 Reasons" - Matt Redman
• "All I Can Do" - Mikeschair
• "Need You Now" - Plumb
• "Redeemed" - Big Daddy Weave
• "The Proof of Your Love" - for King & Country

Praise & Worship Song of the Year:

• "10,000 Reasons" - Matt Redman
• "Beautiful Things" - Gungor
• "One Thing Remains" - Kristian Stanfill
• "Redeemed" - Big Daddy Weave
• "Whom Shall I Fear" - Chris Tomlin

Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year:

• Dangerous - KJ-52
• Fighter - Manafest
• Gravity - Lecrae
• Heroes For Sale - Andy Mineo
• The Good Life - Trip Lee

Rock Album of the Year:

• Cold Hard Want - House of Heroes
• New Horizons - Flyleaf
• NOW - Fireflight
• Release The Panic - RED
• The End Is Where We Begin - Thousand Foot Krutch

Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year:

• Burning Lights - Chris Tomlin
• Crave - for King & Country
• Eye On It - TobyMac
• Need You Now - Plumb
• OBB - OBB

Recorded Music Packaging of the Year:

• Christmas - Francesca Battistelli
• Eye On It - TobyMac
• Give Us Rest or (A Requiem Mass in C [The Happiest of All Keys]) - David Crowder*Band
• JOY - Steven Curtis Chapman
• Light for the Lost Boy (Special Edition) - Andrew Peterson
• True Defiance (Deluxe Edition) - Demon Hunter
• The Struggle - Tenth Avenue North

Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year:

• A Messenger - Colton Dixon
• Come to the River - Rhett Walker Band
• Give Us Rest or (A Requiem Mass in C [The Happiest of All Keys]) - David Crowder*Band
• Reckless - Jeremy Camp
• Run - Sanctus Real

Special Event Album of the Year:

• Jesus, Firm Foundation: Hymns of Worship
• Live From New York (Jesus Culture with Martin Smith)
• Passion: Let The Future Begin
• Passion: White Flag
• WOW Gospel 2012

Short Form Video of the Year:

• "Build Your Kingdom Here" - Rend Collective
• "Eye On It" - TobyMac
• "Gold" - Britt Nicole
• "Keep Your Eyes Open" - NEEDTOBREATHE
• "The Proof of Your Love" - for King & Country

Praise & Worship Album of the Year:

• All Sons and Daughters: Live - All Sons and Daughters
• Burning Lights - Chris Tomlin
• Passion: Let The Future Begin
• Passion: White Flag
• Worth It All - Meredith Andrews

A comprehensive list of winners for each category can be found here.

Make sure to tune in Monday night at 7:00 p.m. (Central) to catch the full broadcast, airing on the UP channel.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Were you surprised with any of the winners or nominees? Who would you have chosen instead? 

Leave a comment and let your voice be heard!

JAMS // 10.11.13

J.A.M.S.  (Just Another Music Sample)

Every Friday, I'll try to post a list of the 5 songs that have been on repeat for me throughout the week.
Some might be brand new, exclusive, or old favorites. Check 'em out and don't forget to leave me a comment of what you've been jamming lately!


"Middle Of Your Heart" (Live)  |  for King & Country  |  Crave

Goodness, I'm obsessed with this song. I love the recorded version, but this live version has a certain extra excitement about it that I can't get over. Plus the energy Luke and Joel give off? Purely contagious.


"My Secrets Have Secrets Too"  |  Search The City  |  Flight

It's been way too long since we've had new jams from Search The City. A Fire So Big The Heavens Can See It is still one of my favorite albums of all time, but their new music doesn't disappoint!
This somewhat a capella track is definitely unique and a favorite for sure.


"Hush Yael"  |  Oh, Sleeper  |  Children of Fire

Oh, Sleeper is one of my absolute favorite heavier bands. This song, off their Children of Fire album, has an incredibly heart-wrenching backstory (I encourage you to look up the lyrics) and the emotion they put into it is amazing.


"Savannah"  |  Relient K  |  Forget and Not Slow Down

I single-handedly blame this song for making me want to visit Georgia.
Ridiculously catchy and the opening instrumentation just makes my heart happy.


"Resuscitate Me"  |  Remedy Drive  |  Resuscitate

This song is a Dove Award nominee for Rock Song of the Year and I could not be happier for these gentlemen! I love them like the brothers I never had.
Plus this song just jams. "I might be lost but I'm not a lost cause" might just become your new anthem. Watch the video and get a taste of what a day in the life of Remedy Drive is like.


And there you have it!
What have you been listening to lately? I'm always open for new music suggestions!
Leave me a comment and make my ears happy.

Spotlight On.. Fading West Tour & Documentary Review

Switchfoot is on tour currently to promote the release of their new Fading West EP and corresponding documentary featuring the brand new music. I had the chance to catch this tour when it was in Des Moines, Iowa last Thursday and my mind was absolutely blown.

First of all, the event was held in Hoyt Sherman Theater in downtown Des Moines, and you could not have chosen a more beautiful setting for such an amazing evening.

Photo from Tim Foreman's instagram

The show started off with drummer Chad Butler and guitarist Drew Shirley appearing on stage to introduce the film. Immediately following, the audience was immersed in an hour and twenty minutes of beautiful scenery, brand new music, and a moving story surrounding the lives of the band members as they traveled around the world.

The premise of Fading West is a simple one: part rock documentary, part surf film, and part travelogue.

Directed by Matt Katsolis of Interpret Studios, it was filmed during Switchfoot’s 2012 World Tour and follows the band to locations around the world, including the U.S., South Africa, Bali, Australia and New Zealand.

I was incredibly impressed by the quality of this film. The imagery and design is absolutely beautiful, and it really opens fans up to what life can be like on the road--triumphs, struggles, and all. The emotion was palpable, and I found myself both laughing and crying along as I watched.

The documentary featured interviews with other bands, including Foo Fighters, Bad Religion, Tom DeLonge (of Blink-182), Johnny Reznik (Goo Goo Dolls), and many more. There was also significant amounts of concert footage from their shows all over the world, surreal scenery, amazing footage from their surfing adventures, and exclusive interviews with the band and an inside look at the creative process for them.

"I'm looking for that music, looking for that melody," said lead singer Jon Foreman. "And for us, that is always the journey."

All the songs on Fading West are brand new, original songs from Switchfoot. Three of these songs are featured on the Fading West EP ("Who We Are," "Love Alone Is Worth The Fight" and "BA55"), and the remaining tracks will be on the upcoming full-length album of the same name, set for release on January 14, 2014.

After the documentary, their was a 20-minute intermission, during which the band encouraged audience members to tweet any questions for the band with #askswitchfoot.

© Maria Mickelson Photography

The second half of the evening started with excitement as the band appeared on stage to an amazing acoustic version of "The Sound".  Rhythm guitarist Jerome Fontamillas was notably missing from stage, but later conversations revealed that he had flown home to California to be with his wife for the birth of their newest child. Instead, his cousin Jyro Xhan (formerly of the bands Mortal and Fold Zandura) helped to fill in on keys, rhythm guitar, and even accordion.

This concert was definitely unlike any other Switchfoot concert I've ever been to. It was an extremely intimate setting, the band took turns answering the tweeted questions from the intermission, and many songs were played acoustic.

Here is the complete setlist from the evening:
  -The Sound
  -Love Alone is Worth the Fight
  -Shadow Proves the Sunshine
  -Who We Are
  -Only Hope
  -Dark Horses
  -Meant to Live
  -Dare You to Move
Encore:
  -Hello Hurricane
  -Where I Belong

I think my highlight of the evening came from the encore. After thunderous applause and chants of "one more song!" the band cheerfully returned to stage, surrounding a single mic center stage, and performed a unique acoustic version of "Hello Hurricane". This was absolutely amazing. The evening was closed out with a powerful, emotional performance of "Where I Belong," a fan favorite.

After the concert, VIP audience members had the opportunity to meet the band. I took advantage of this and had a picture taken with the members.

This was truly an unforgettable experience, and if you have ever considered yourself a Switchfoot fan, I highly recommend catching this tour on any of the remaining stops. You won't regret it!


You can find more information on Switchfoot and their complete list of tour dates by visiting their website.

JAMS // 09.27.13

J.A.M.S.  (Just Another Music Sample)

Every Friday, I'll try to post a list of the 5 songs that have been on repeat for me throughout the week.
Some might be brand new, exclusive, or old favorites. Check em out and don't forget to leave me a comment of what you've been jamming lately!

• "Dry Bones" (Live at RELEVANT Studios)  |  Gungor

Oh, this song. The original version of this song is already amazing, but this live acoustic version (featuring Kevin Olusola, cellist and beatboxer for a capella group Pentatonix) is PHENOMENAL.
Give it a listen--your ears will thank me.

• "White Fences"  |  NEEDTOBREATHE  |  Cercas Blancas EP

NEEDTOBREATHE always puts me in a good mood. Definitely worthy of singing along.

• "You Waste Time Like A Grandfather Clock"  |  The Myriad  |  With Arrows, With Poise

An old song but a good one, from a relatively unknown band.

• "Come Thou Fount"  |  Kings Kaleidoscope  |  Asaph's Arrows

This song has been dominating my worship playlists lately. The unique and unexpected rhythm is what gets me. Powerful song and a powerful performance!

• "Oh Captain, My Captain"  |  Levi The Poet  |  Werewolves

So this may not be what you were expecting from a Christian music blog, but this is Levi The Poet. His spoken word is amazing and this is one of my favorites.
If you ever get the opportunity to see him perform live, DO IT.


So there you have it! Week 2 of my JAMS playlist.
What have you been listening to lately? Do you have any recommendations for next week's playlist? Let me know in the comments!

Spotlight On.. Family Force 5 minus Soul Glow?

Family Force 5, one of the most popular (and rowdy) bands in the Christian music circuit at the moment, announced this morning that they are undertaking a huge lineup change.

Solomon Olds, known to fans as Soul Glow Activator, has announced that he will be stepping down from his role as frontman of the band to spend more time with his family at home.

As a release from the band (via facebook) states:

"Solomon will remain within arms reach, as he takes time to be at home with his wife and son, while also pursuing his creative ambitions of co-writing and remixing.  In addition, he will continue to be a part of FF5’s songwriting team, as we are daily creating new material that could potentially blow up your stereo speakers."

To accomodate this change, the band has declared that drummer Jacob Olds (aka Crouton) will move to fill the frontman position in the band.  Teddy Boldt, former member of bands such as Wavorly and Capital Kings, will fill in on the drums.

The remaining members of the band Nathan Currin (aka Nadaddy), Derek Mount (aka Chap Stique), and Joshua Olds (aka Fatty) will continue to move forward with new music, stating that a new album is already in the works, expected for release in early 2014.

The official announcement from the band looks promising:


What are your opinions on this change?
Discuss your thoughts in the comments below.

JAMS // 09.20.13

J.A.M.S.  (Just Another Music Sample)

Every Friday, I'll try to post a list of the 5 songs that have been on repeat for me throughout the week.
Some might be brand new, exclusive, or old favorites. Check em out and don't forget to leave me a comment of what you've been jamming lately!

• "Who We Are"  |  Switchfoot  |  Fading West EP
Switchfoot just released this EP in anticipation of their Fading West Tour (stopping in Des Moines next Thursday, keep your eyes peeled for a review!).
Whether you haven't heard of Switchfoot since their "Meant To Live" days or you consider yourself a devoted fan, you've gotta give this new stuff a listen. I'm a fan.
-Download-

• "Relentless"  |  Hillsong United  |  Zion - Deluxe Edition
This song makes me want to dance. I'm just saying.
-Download-

• "Tithemi"  |  Sleeping Giant  |  Kingdom Days In An Evil Age


I have been jamming this since seeing these guys at Sonshine Festival this summer.
Heavy worship? Yes please!
-Download-

• "Baby Boy"  |  For King & Country  |  Baby Boy (Single)
This may or may not be a Christmas song. I may or may not care.
(Spoiler alert: It is. I don't.)
The chorus is so infectious. I find myself singing this in the car, in the shower, humming it on my way to class, all the time. Besides, September is practically Christmas, right?
-Download- 

• "Where Life Will Never Die"  |  Tenth Avenue North  |  The Struggle
  The Struggle has been out for several months now, but I recently rediscovered this song thanks to shuffling through my iPod. That intro gets me every time! 

So there you have it!
Give them a listen, buy them if you love it, leave me a comment, share with your friends!