okie dokie… we’re down to eight gals and we’re going to get rid of two more tonight… i’m going to pick the two that will leave right now, before they perform and they are… (drumroll)… Lacey and Siobhan… alright… now we’ll see how they actually perform… it’s going to be a tight schedule if they plan on getting all eight in one hour… and no chit chat from Ryan… off we go…

EIGHT IS MORE THAN ENOUGH

now playing: Ladies Night – Kool & The Gang

Katie Stevens… leading off with a Kelly Clarkson tune… never really a good move… but these silly contestants always insist on doing this… Katie has a much manlier voice than Kelly… and the arrangement is significantly slower than i remember Breakaway, but it’s been a while… yeah, so, not the strongest vocal and a little on the sleepy side for me… Randy says listen, um… the song was a little too big for you… indeed… didn’t work… Ellen, wearing a shirt cut from the lining of a picnic basket, says it was a younger song, but she didn’t really feel it… no personality… Kara says that she has a voice for radio… not a face for radio… she needs to figure out who she is… Simon says that she seems confused because she has taken the advice, but she still doesn’t know who she is… A for effort though…

Siobhan MAGNUS VER MAGNUSON… is singing a surprise song for her dad, the nine-time world’s strongest man champion, House of the Rising Sun by The Animals… what an odd choice for an odd little girl… are these the same guys who sing that Big Bad Wolf song? I love that song… it’s probably someone else… of course, now i haven’t really paid attention to this performance, but it seemed to be alright… she actually had a good vocal this time around… it was kind of creepy, but it worked… i shouldn’t have picked her… Randy says it was a hot one… Ellen name drops the city of New Orleans and says it was really good… Kara says that she really liked the acapella on the front… (and the party in the back?)… Simon gives her a little bit of a smackdown, telling her that it was kind of weird and lacking a moment…

Lacey “The Token Red-haired Gal” Brown… singing The Story, by Brandi Carlile… okay… i’ve never in my life heard of this song… Lacey is sitting off on the side of the stage and singing as if she’s telling us a secret… she’s got those bedroom eyes… and i suppose that it was a pretty good performance, definitely suited her vocal, but it seems slightly boring and a tad bit squeaky there towards the end… overall though it was perfect for her… Randy says he loves the crack in her voice and it was her best… Ellen agrees… Kara agrees – she’s back on her path… Simon says that he didn’t like the song, but she sang it really well… possibly forgettable though…

Katelyn Epperly… singing Carol King’s I Feel the Earth Move… and she’s moved into the 70s as she’s standing and wiggling in front of a keyboard… this is a bad performance… seriously, bad… i don’t even think that keyboard is plugged in… she’s just posing and the vocal really isn’t that good and she’s out of breath and she really did just lose control… what a shame… that was wretched… Randy says, uh… it wasn’t the right vibe… Ellen references her boff last week calling a piano a guitar and says it wasn’t enough… Kara says it felt like she was just going, going, going through the motions… (sorry early 90’s Smitty moment)… LESS CORNY? she went the wrong way… Simon says that he likes her hair… that’s about it… it was like a request night at a local bar…

now playing: Single Ladies – Beyonce

DiDi Benami… oh, a Fleetwood Mac song… that’s a risk… funny how i can sing the lyrics, but not know what the song is called… she’s playing the guitar… the actual guitar… and she’s bathed in pink overhead lights… and they’ve given her the split camera view of The Carpenters or something else from the 70s… Brianna? is that it?… why are all the songs so slow and sleepy tonight?… she did a really good job, but really, i thought she might have passed out before it was over… Randy says it probably wasn’t her best, but it was better than last week… Ellen says yes in-DIDI… then she quotes Chumbawumba… Kara says it was one of her favorite moments of the year… Simon agrees, noting that it was head and shoulders above the rest of the girls tonight…

Paige Miles… singing – did he say Charlie Chaplin? is it a silent performance? no… Smile… she’s skewing Willard Scott old on this one… very subtle background music… it’s pretty much acappella and she’s really not holding it together very well… wonder if the monitor is off… something is really off… and, yes, it’s her vocal… really bad performance – even worse than Katelyn’s… should’ve gone with a silent production… Randy giggles and says that it didn’t work at all it was like they were at a banquet… Ellen says that it didn’t shine at all and it was uninspiring… Kara says you had to know that sucked, right? (in so many words)… Simon repeats that it was horrible and an awful arrangement… a “peanut” performance… she’s not smiling now…

Crystal BoSAWX… ugh, Tracy Chapman… pulEEEZE… give me one reason to not fast forward this crappy song… so, she’s got an electric guitar with an amp onstage and she’s doing a great job with the vocal… it’s still a miseable song, but she has just performed it better than i’ve ever heard it before… that’s the best of the night… Randy says this is what the show is about, it was hot… Ellen asks for a thesaurus, and sticks with amazing… Kara says that it was a great song choice and it was exciting… “yay”… Simon says that she’s definitely going to make it through… she’s got confidence and it’s hers to lose…

Lilly “Tinkerbell” Scott… Patsy Cline? Crazy perhaps? love that song… let’s see… oh… I Fall to Pieces… good song, too… this is apparently the Marilyn Monroe version of it… oh and is that an electric banjo? no, probably just a toy… are we really supposed to believe that they’re playing these instruments?… focus on the vocal though… that’s pretty dang cool… i’m sold on that… i liked it… she’s a weird looking gal though… Randy says that she’s in the zone… Ellen says she loves her… Kara says it was contemporary… Simon says she’s brave, but it didn’t have the wow factor…

AND NOW IT’S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE…

now playing: Home – Michael Buble

now, this is a tough one to call… if it’s based on the performances, then Katie, Katelyn, and Paige are really in trouble… since personality is involved, Lacey is possibly in the mix as well… and Katie is probably safe in that regard… so, against my preliminary picks and going with Katelyn and Paige… what say you, dear readers?…

peace… love… bdg…

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so it’s Monday again, and we’re just at the halfway point of introducing all five categories for Monday Morning Mashed Potatoes… hopefully you’ve been enjoying these and hopefully, i’ll get through the remaining two this week so that starting next week, these features will be taking a queue from its full name and occurring once a week (on Monday mornings-ish) and pullfrom each of the five categories… anyway, today the focus is music and i’ve got three doozies for you…

now, a quick note before diving in, there have already been a lot of good albums released this year and, i… well, i don’t get quite as many albums as i used to, so i can’t really speak to albums like, say, The Rocket Summer or TobyMac, or Fair… or even albums released this week, like Lifehouse, Meredith Andrews, Danny Gokey, or Pocket Full of Rocks… and, i’m not complaining, per se, but i want you all to know that if you ask me about certain albums, popular ones, i may not have gotten them…

once things get going a little more regularly, i certainly hope that i start getting more consideration… until then, we work with what we’ve got… off we go…

THE FUTURE’S SO BRIGHT…

now playing: The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades – Timbuk 3

certainly one of the most exciting music news of the last few days is the official release date for the new Deepspace5 album, The Future Ain’t What It Used to Be… the crew has signed on with Mega Royal Records and plans to release the album on April 27th… on top of that news is the official release of the amazing video for the lead single, From the Outside… which i’ve been enjoying for a long time unofficially and have now been playing pretty much on repeat for the last few days… it is highly, highly addictive and posted below…

as i’m sure you can tell, this is shaping up to be an unbelievable album… one that i’ll hopefully be able to get ahold of for early coverage… (*wink wink, nod nod*)…

A BOLD NEW WORLD?…

now playing: Rocky Road – NewWorldSon

when last i was in Nashville for the annual shindig known as GMA Music Week (RIP – another story), the talk of the town was none other than NewWorldSon… and, true to form, they put on a brilliant showcase performance – one of the very, very few to actually inspire all of the serious and uppity critics and collegues to move during the show… you see, it’s kind of a tradition, or expectation, that one remains serious and stationary during showcases, which can make things rather awkward for the folks pouring out their hearts and sweat on stage… NWS managed to break down that barrier and wow us all…

then came Salvation Station, their debut CD with Inpop Records that managed to – on some level – capture the essence of the live show with energetic arrangments and soulful vocals that might make listeners clap and move around at least a little bit… the album was well received and proved to be a solid effort worth repeat visits… however, for me, the album lost some of its luster over time and i was more than ready for some new material…

That preparedness was rewarded by the self-titled follow-up album released in February… the experience, though, is certainly a rocky road… it starts out pretty strong with “You Set the Rhythm” and maintains a steady keel until the back half where it begins to fade and fade quickly… while i still enjoy the album as a whole, i find myself skipping through the self-indulgence of “Total Eclipse” and “Jamaican Praise Medley” among others… i will say that “O Lament” is probably the best on the entire album and it’s likely because it translates so well to the recording… many of the other tracks leave me longing for a live performance…

This is, of course, a matter of opinion… the group is still immensely talented and probably still one of the better live shows… this album just didn’t keep me wanting to come back quite like the last one… [NewWorldSon is available at such fine retailers as Amazon, AmazonMP3, and iTunes]

STAR STUDENTS
- now playing: Someting to Say – Starfield

speaking of bands who sound totally different in concert than on CD… Starfield is one of those bands that initially struck me – and this is years ago – as a band with some pretty good potential, but when i saw them live at Creation Festival, i was really blown away by their enthusiasm… mind you, pretty much every “rock” band sounds better, harder, stronger when they’re feeding off of a live crowd and hoping to get everyone moshing along with the rhythm, but Starfield was truly impressive… but their albums always seemed to leave a little something to be desired…

Well, that’s all changed and now they’re a band with loads of potential that has the added danger of being aware of their strengths… The Saving One reveals a band confident in who they are and more than capable of expressing everything they desire… this turn clearly began sometime around when they were working on the previous album (I Will Go, but has culminated with the honesty and well-craftedness of this release…

Certainly, rock fans will eat up the energy of the title track, Declaration of Dependence, and Overwhelm among others, but nothing on the album beats the heart-wrenching lyrics and delivery of Something to Say and Rediscover You… these two songs really bring some serious Psalms / end-of-myself type worship to the mix and they are just phenomenal… i’ve always liked Tim’s vocals, but these tracks in particular really make them pop… and it’s all-in-all a really solid effort, one that definitely proves that they’ve got it together…

[The Saving One is available at such fine retailers as Amazon, AmazonMP3, and iTunes]

WHAT SAY YOU?

okay, that’s what i’ve got to say… have you any experience with or thoughts onthese three choices? I’d love to hear it… that’s what makes life fun… next time on MMMP it’s books… see you then…

peace… love… bdg…

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so, it’s free Friday and it seems like there are just a ton of great stuff to download (legitimately) for free… what’s that? it’s not Friday? well it’s still free so get on it and don’t wait until Friday…

FREE FREE FREE!

now playing: I Am Free – Newsboys

there’s no clear place to start, so i’ll simply start with the album that i knew about first… and that is from one of LA Symphony’s finest, Cook Book, who chimes in with his latest solo effort, a tribute to a decade that clearly was inspiring and hard to forget… check out I Love the 80’s and you’ll be bumping in style, in no time…

next up, sticking with the hip-hop, it’s a cat called Change who’s offering up a Stimulus Plan of his own… it’s a little heavier than Cook Book, but the production is really tight on this little seven-track ditty that is sure to please… a little bit of the boom-bap with a slight hint of gangsta flow… (and, oh, did i mention there are guest drops from ManChild and Sintax.the.Terrific?

Tooth & Nail records doesn’t want to be left out and they’re knocking out a double-decker download for the summer time… just last week they came with a follow-up to last year’s Fuel Sampler featuring a whopping 31 songs from the likes of Jonezetta, Children 18:3, Family Force 5, Hawk Nelson, Underoath and on and on and on… but that is not all… oh, no, that is not all…

also from Tooth & Nail is their 12-song summer sampler… featuring KJ-52, August Burns Red, Thousand Foot Krutch and more… in all, it’ll be about 37 tracks after you factor in the overlap between the two samplers… and it’s all frickity-free…

Next on the list is a new project from one Joy Williams, who has recently rejoined the music community with a solo EP and now with a live album that she’s offering for free as one-half of the duo, The Civil Wars… Live at Eddie’s Attic features 10 songs with a folkish bent to them that show a different side of the poppy Joy Williams from back in the day…

Finally, as if that’s not enough… i’ve got a free audiobook for you slackers who don’t want to read this summer but still want to act the part… (just kidding)… Francis Chan’s book, Crazy | Love is the Free Audiobook download of the month at ChristianAudio.com… just add it to the cart and enter “JUL2009″ into the fancy little coupon code box during the checkout process…

okay, i’m tired, but if you’re somehow still feenin’ for more free stuff, you can always check out that sweet little site called Noise Trade and there’s plenty to discover there… until next time…

peace… love… bdg…

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hopefully you’re all enjoying the cool sounds of Seabird after that sweet deal of the day from Thursday… i’ve been enjoying that album since it released last year… Anyway, i have a few things to chat up today, but this post will be about one thing split into four parts… sit tight for all things House of Heroes…

BACK IN THE DAY

now playing: Back in the Day – Ahmad

Looking back, it might not have seemed that the group No Tagbacks took much of anything seriously. However, when the trio of bassist AJ Babcock, vocalist Tim Skipper and drummer Colin Rigsby rebranded themselves as House of Heroes, they certainly gained some momentum – enough to earn a record deal with TobyMac’s Gotee Records, a solid launching pad for the group that now has a couple albums and is definitely one to watch.

ENTER THE HEROES

now playing: Metaphor in Parentheses – House of Heroes

As House of Heroes, the group released their debut album, What You Want Is Now, via Vanishing Point Records. The album was produced by Plankeye’s Scott Silletta and caught the attention of Toby McKeehan, who signed them to Gotee shortly after the release.

2005 brought another debut of sorts, the self-titled label debut from Gotee – an album that was redone and rebranded as Say No More, released through Gotee’s sister label, Mono Vs Stereo. Common to each of the albums, the soaring vocals of Tim Skipper and the distinct rock sounds that combine raw passion and refined artistry.

THE END (BUT NOT THE END)

now playing: Sooner or Later – House of Heroes

Which brings us to last year and the release of The End Is Not the End, an epic journey offering a unique perspective of war over the backdrop of rock and roll. One of my personal favorites from last year, the album takes the group’s sound to the next level and offers fans something palpable to hang on to, touching on the many emotions related to the subject matter and exploring the many facet of musicianship the group has to offer.

Whether it’s the classic rock motif presented by tracks like “Voices” and “Lose Control” or the tender side of things displayed by ballads like “By Your Side,” the album gives listeners plenty to enjoy. Perhaps no more so than on the single, “In the Valley of the Dying Sun“, which manages to balance all of these aspects and utilize them together. There’s even a hint of The Beatles in the opening track “If” which brings us to the next topic of conversation…

THE EEPS

now playing: If (acoustic) – House of Heroes

This year, House of Heroes has kept their feet on the throttle as they’ve been dropping EPs to keep us enjoying the music year round. After a special Christmas single – Silent Night – the group released a three song EP called The Acoustic End that provides a fresh take on three of the tunes from their latest album, including the aforementioned “If” with its Beatle-esque song structure.

And later this week, on the heels of the big debuts of Rock Band: The Beatles at the E3 conference last week, House of Heroes offers a 3-song EP covering some influential songs from The Beatles, including “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da“, “Can’t Buy Me Love“, and “It Won’t Be Love.” One nice thing about the EP is that the group clearly realized that the songs have already stood the test of time and, rather than giving them a complete overhaul, just added a few minor touches of their own personality into the mix, reminding us all of the power of the songs that redefined rock and roll and changed America.

THE REAL END (FOR NOW)

So that’s House of Heroes in a Bucket (of Bullets). Most of their albums are available on iTunes by searching for House of Heroes. House of Heroes Meets the Beatles is available on Tuesday, but can be pre-ordered now.

peace… love… bdg…

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Deal of the day for today? Seabird’s full album for less than two bucks at Amazon MP3… i’ll be back later…

peace… love… bdg…

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it seems that this blog is slowly taking over the site and that books are taking over the blog… i promise that i’m working towards a solution to that, but it may take some time… to start things off, though, here’s a new blog feature that i think i’m going to call… well, i’m not sure yet actually, but it’s basically a Walk TRu for a single song… anyway, let’s see how it works…

COMING ALIVE

now playing: Bring Me to Life – Thousand Foot Krutch

So, you can actually get this song for free if you click that link and fill out some information… anyway, off we go…

it’s starting pretty quietly, but with the obvious anticipation of becoming a full-fledged rock song… and here we go with the guitars… this verse reminds me a lot “Faith, Love and Happiness” from Phenomenon… or maybe a different TFK song, but something from that era… not the words per se, but the structure of the song for sure… the chorus and hook are pretty straightforward, giving the track a breathy feel, less intense at least… um… okay… now there’s this bridge “shut it… if you’re talking to me”… yeah, that sounds like a direct rip off of Linkin Park’s “Lying from You“… and after that, it’s unwinding and getting ready to move on…

it’s a pretty fun song, much like most of TFK’s catalogue… if the rest of the album is like this, we may have another Phenomenon on our hands…

peace… love… bdg…

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Every now and then, good deals make themselves known and one such occassion has transpired today and i’m sharing it with you all…

If you haven’t yet picked up the latest project from one Matthew West, then now is your chance… for a mere two bucks, you can snag the Amazon MP3 version of the entire album… i’m told that this is for today only, so i wouldn’t delay if i were you… check out the clips here and click on through to own this fine piece of goodness… (note: you have to click the album title in the little widget here… if you click on the “buy mp3″ button, you’ll have to click the album title on that page to get the $1.99 deal)…

peace… love… bdg…

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