The best number

And now, on with the countdown...

No. 5: Tree63 - The Answer To The Question

I've been listening to this CD non-stop for two weeks and I didn't want to stop! Turns out I like it a lot! For that matter, I think I'm liking most much that comes out of South Africa and Australia...it's unique, fresh, and able to take on mainstream music without sacrificing its message. (And Tree63 is from South Africa!)

Tree63 is the most delectible three-piece band I've ever heard. They can do power. They can do simple. They can mix it up in the same song. Oh yeah, and they layer in some other instruments on a few songs, too...

The guys rip out some incredible rock tunes in "King," "You Only," "The Answer To The Question," and "So Glad." They do great on the light songs of "I Stand For You," "Let Your Day Begin" and "Overdue." And of course just an outstanding version of "Blessed Be Your Name."

"The Answer To The Question," is my favorite track on the CD. Frontman/writer John Ellis started writing down all the things he knew Jesus to be and it came out as this song. The song holds one of the most incredible lines I've heard in music. The lyrics are "How can I not cry? Watching as the world dies Without a prayer; They run to their owns gods, roughshod Blind to the living God of earth and heaven; How could they sing Of everything but him?" And shortly after the band cuts out to just Ellis on the guitar playing a few reverbed high notes...ooo, it's entrancing!

Tree63 also has some of the best "Christian" (what I like to call "vertical") lyrics I've ever heard. It's not the cheap bubble gum Christianity you hear in a lot of Christian music.

And I think what keeps me stuck on this CD is that it's incredibly well-done and it's short. Ten songs and I think about 35 minutes. There are even a few songs that are only two and a half minutes long! You don't have enough time to fully digest all the good things you are hearing!

Highly, highly recommend.

Couldn't resist

Remember Danny Almonte? The guy who pitched in the Little League World Series while lying about his age?

Well, these days he's 19 (really!), hoping to get drafted this summer, and now...married. To a 30-year-old! I wonder if he lied about his age to her?!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/draft2006/news/story?id=2450606

Wow

Sorry it's been a while since I've posted anything. Shoot, my last CD listing was about two weeks ago, wasn't it? Well the good news is that I'm still listening to my next CD and still enjoying it. Usually I'm ready to write my review and get to the next CD, but I just keep playing this one over and over in the car. So as you wait on pins and needles know this...it's a good one!

I'll try to get my review done this weekend...today is graduation day for my girlfriend and I DO have to work a few hours Saturday afternoon. And I have a family vacation coming up...ooo, what a crazy few weeks here!

So who thinks the Cubs can turn it around this year?

The Da Vinci Code

I never read the book, and so I know little about the movie, but I thought this guy had a good approach to how we are to deal with movies like this. From what I know, NO, I don't agree with what the book or movie proposes, but I do think I want to see the movie (if I get free tickets!!!) It will help me understand my culture.

Anyway, this guy proposes that The Da Vinci Code will be good for Christianity. What?! He says the only reason this book/movie succeeds is because Christians don't know what they believe, and something like this will force Christians to figure that out. Wow, who would have thought...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,194665,00.html

A legendary get-together

Saturday night Sarah and I went to see Bob Dylan and Merle Haggard together in concert. Yeah, two music legends. Frankly, neither of us knew a thing about Merle except he was a country icon. And I knew a few Bob Dylan songs, but wouldn't call myself a fan. Basically, we were just going to be able to say we did.

OK, first off...you know all those people who say you can't understand Bob Dylan when he sings? They're right. Let me put it this way - during the first or second song, Sarah started laughing and then asked me, "How did he make it this long?" Musically, he's good. But I really think listening to his stuff while reading the lyrics would be a good idea.

Sadly, (speaking as an anti-country music man) both Sarah and I enjoyed Merle Haggard better. His sound was much cleaner, he talked with the crowd a few times, and we could understand most of his lyrics! As a new Johnny Cash fan (thanks to "Walk The Line") I equated the two. Merle has a similar baritone to his voice and both are old-school "outlaw" country, which is OK in my book. As he walked off the stage, he looked even older than his 69 years...I guess the effects of a hard life.

Perhaps as much fun, was people watching here in Jackson, MS. If you can imagine, Bob Dylan and Merle Haggard attracted a lot of "good ol boys." Never meanin' no harm...