Hello. Welcome back. Long time no hear or see.
If you recall, in the last posting of The Crossing…that would be the one for August and September, I asked you all to come up with a list of your favorite bands from the past 13 years, dating back to the year 2000. Well, I don’t know what happened but the turn-out for this request was, shall we say, less than stellar. In fact, only one person actually posted a list at all…that would be the one known as JRjr who is a major music fan and someone I have ‘known’ from the interwebs ;-) for about the past 13, maybe 14 years. About, when I finally arrived on the internet scene and found out what I had been missing or maybe, what I hadn’t been getting enough of. Everyone can use a little more internet in their lives, am I right? Of course! (Dripping sarcasm) Things started to change around then, that is for sure. I think, probably a lot of people started getting on the internet in a big way right about then. Anyhow, it’s really neither here nor there. The main thing is, there was a new decade and thus, a new era, a good point to set down a marker and see how things have changed since.
Good and not so good before 2000…good and not so good after 2000. We’re interested in the good stuff. So, that was the whole point, to share what we’ve come up with.
For those familiar and not so familiar with these bands, here’s what JRjr had to say:
Favorite artists from the past 13 years? Alright, I can play along with that. Let's see if anybody else is still lurking. :-)
This list is basically all what I call "Cornerstone bands" - bands on the fringes of Christian music that I've seen at Cornerstone over the years. There's also a lot of mainstream stuff that I've gotten into from XM radio, but probably not as deeply as the stuff below (Metric, Walk the Moon, A Silent Film...).
#1 for me is Anberlin. I jumped on their bandwagon with their second album, Never Take Friendship Personal, and they haven't let me down yet, 6 albums into their career. They can do face-melting rock, they can do nice ballads, and they're KILLER live. I absolutely love this band.
Eisley. I can listen to their second album, Combinations, over and over. There are hints of everything from Fleetwood Mac to Queen on that album, and the vocals and harmonies are beautiful. They know how to rock, but they're equally adept at tender lullabye-type songs. They're also pretty great live, although their most recent (fourth) album was a bit of a misstep IMHO.
Deas Vail. A band that kind of "grew up" over the course of a few years at Cornerstone, and then dropped out of view a year or so back. I hope they're just taking a break.
House of Heroes. A band that I like, but is still somehow underrated by me. I have two of their albums, and they're great melodic rock. Every time I listen to them, I wonder why I don't listen to them more.
Mae. Songs for every hopeless romantic. The Everglow was their best, but they have great songs scattered throughout their discography. They broke up a couple of years back, and it still kind of makes me sad to think about it. They were just a really good, really NICE band.
Mute Math. OK, the first EP and their self-titled were frickin' awesome, and the two albums since have been good but not AS good. Plus, they're not touring as relentlessly as they used to, so I don't get to see them constantly (and their live shows are amazing), but they earned a solid place on this list in the first couple of years that I listened to them.
Paper Route. Picking up where Mute Math left off. Their sound is kind of indescribable - electronic but soulful? Pop songs with meaning? Another band that's pretty amazing live, with two albums packed with great tunes under their belts.
Paramore. There's a strong girl-power/teenybopper base there, for sure, but they've done some really killer rock songs over the last 2 or 3 albums (and non-album tracks), too.
Relient K. I was definitely late to the party for Relient K, but they've got a ton of really good albums, with a nice mix of pop and rock, humorous and serious stuff.
Honorable mentions to bands like Seabird, Nitengale, Jonezetta, Capital Lights, the Urban Sophisticates, the Lonely Hearts, Family Force 5, Copeland...
Thank you, JRjr!
I can attest to some of these bands, namely: Metric, Anberlin, Eisley, MuteMath and Paramore. All quality bands here. Not surprising. I know JRjr knows what he’s talking about. Definitely makes me want to check out the others on the list here.
Two other readers chimed in. One named Tim came up with Maximo Park, an English band from Newcastle. Their debut album A Certain Trigger came out in May of 2005. Another named Dave came up with Flogging Molly, whose debut album Swagger came out in March of 2000. Flogging Molly has the distinction of having a front man (Dave King) who also fronted a noted heavy rock band from the 80’s named Fastway.
Coldplay…like them, loathe them, admire them from afar, definitely one of the biggest bands of the past 13 years get in under the wire here too. They formed in January of 1998, but their debut album Parachutes came out in July of 2000. So, we’ll take that. They do have some great, memorable melodies…one of their strong suits.
Anyhow, it’s a start. Please, chime in and make a list and send it here or post where I can see it and I’ll get you on the next posting of The Crossing in the New Year. We’ll continue this discussion into the New Year…
Write me here:
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or
‘Like’ The Crossing Facebook page and post your list there.
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Hope you share who you have found!!
‘Til then…
Recently released and not mentioned in last edition:
* Justin Currie - Lower Reaches (Import; front man of Del Amitri.)
* Caspar Babypants - Baby Beatles (Chris Ballew of Presidents of the U.S.A.)
* Grayson Capps - Willie Sugarcapps (featuring Will Kimbrough.)
* Holy Ghost - Dynamics
* Johnny Flynn - Country Mile
* Thompson Square - Just Feels Good
* The Darcys - Warring
* Willy Mason - Carry On
* Gooding - Buffalo
* Nicki Bluhm - S/T
* Body/Head - Coming Apart (Kim Gordan project.)
* The Julie Ruin - Run Fast
* The Deep Dark Woods – Jubilee EP
* Thelma Plum - Rosie EP
* Chvrhces - Bones of What You Believe
* Hanni El Khatib - Head in the Dirt
* California Wives – Art History
* Loudboy - Ultra MK (Brian Viglione of Dresden Dolls.)
* Redlight King - Irons in the Fire
* Maximo Park - National Health
* James Bay - Dark of the Morning
* Johnny Kaplan - Sparkle & Shine
* Drew Holcomb - Good Light
* Tantric - 37 Channels
* The Neverclaim - S/T
* Lucy Schwartz – Timekeeper
* Bill Callahan – Dream River
* Chelsea Light Moving - S/T
* Make Do and Mend - Everything You Ever Loved
* Heart - A Lovemongers Christmas
+ Green Day - Quatro (Documentary.)
+ Marcus Hummon - Lost Boy Home (Documentary.)
+ Electric Man (Import: featuring Fish.)
+ Tucker & Dale vs. Evil
10/1
* Rush - 'Vapor Trails' (Remix!) and 'Atlantic Years' box set
* Fates Warning - Darkness in a Different Light
* Dr. Dog - B-Room
* HAIM - Days are Gone
* Blitzen Trapper - VII
* Howe Gelb - The Coincidentalist
* Joan Jett - Unvarnished
* Blind Boys of Alabama - I'll find a Way (Produced by Justin Vernon.)
* Tired Pony - The Ghost of the Mountain (Gary Lightbody and Peter Buck.)
* Dave Stewart - Lucky Numbers
* The Wood Brothers - Muse (Produced by Buddy Miller.)
* Woodkid - The Golden Age
* The Paper Kites – States
* Kimmie Rhodes – Covers
* Dustin Kensrue – Water & the Blood
* Moby - Innocents
* Melt Banana - Fetch
* New Model Army - Between Dog and Wolf
* Van Morrison - Moondance (Deluxe.)
+ The Croods
+ This is the End
+ The Frozen Ground
+ Little Mermaid (Blu-ray.)
10/8
* The Badlees - Epiphones and Empty Rooms (2 CD's.)
* Cage the Elephant - Melophobia
* The Fratellis - We Need Medicine
* Kodaline - In a Perfect World
* Sleigh Bells – Bitter Rivals
* Amos Lee - Mountains of Sorrow, Rivers of Song
* St. Lucia - When the Night
* Lissie - Back to Forever
* Lindi Ortega – Tin Star
* Kim Taylor – Love’s a Dog
* Tony Dekker - Prayer
* Anders Osborne - Peace
* Albert Hammond, Jr. - 'AHJ' EP
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - The Speed of Things
* Steve Nieve - ToGetHer (Many guests.)
* Papa - Tender Madness
* Of Montreal - Lousy with Sylvianbriar
* Panic at the Disco - To Weird to Live
* Vertical Horizon - Echoes from the Underground (Neil Peart guests.)
* Mayday Parade - Monsters in the Closet
* Stone Temple Pilots – High Rise EP
* Alter Bridge - Fortress
* Korn - Paradigm Shift
* Slash - Nothing Left to Fear
* The Scorpions - Crazy World (Deluxe.)
* William Shatner – Ponder the Mystery
+ Ain’t In It for My Health: a Film about Levon Helm
+ Home Run
+ Much Ado about Nothing
+ The Purge
+ Stuck in Love
+ After Earth
+ Hangover Part III
10/15
* Paul McCartney – New
* Toad the Wet Sprocket – New Constellation
* Pearl Jam - Lightning Bolt
* The Avett Brothers - Magpie and the Dandelion
* Will Hoge - Never Give In
* The Head and the Heart - Let's Be Still
* Emily Jane White - Blood/Line
* Cults – Static
* We Are Scientists - Business Casual EP
* Bear's Den - Agape
* Greenrose Faire - My Home Is Where My Heart Is
* American Babies – Knives and Teeth
* Arthur Channel – S/T
* Lucius - Wildewoman
* Megan Bonnell - Hunt & Chase
* Lucy Wainwright Roche - There's a Last Time For Everything
* Morcheeba - Head up High
* Paul Simon - Over the Bridge of Time: A Retrospective
* Eric Clapton - Unplugged (Deluxe.)
* Zebra - 'S/T' and 'No Tellin' Lies' (Deluxe reissues.)
* Y&T - Earthquake (4 CD box set.)
* Mary J. Blige - A Mary Christmas
+ Marillion - Brave Live 2013
+ Flying Colors - Live in Europe (Neal Morse, Steve Morse and Mike Portnoy.)
+ Testament - Dark Roots of Thrash (DVD/2 CD's.)
+ Pacific Rim
+ The Heat
+ Plush
+ Man of Tai Chi
+ Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain
10/22
* Brett Dennen - Smoke and Mirrors
* Best Coast - Fade Away EP
* James Blunt - Moon Landing
* Linda Thompson - Won't Be Long Now
* Brandy Clark - 12 Stories
* Motorhead - Aftershock
* Metal Church - Generation Nothing
* King Crimson - The Road to Red box set
* Ted Nugent – Ultralive Ballisticrock
* Def Leppard - Viva Hysteri! Live in Las Vegas (DVD/2 CD's.)
* Tears for Fears - The Hurting (Deluxe.)
* Katy Perry – Prism (So you’ll know who you keep hearing on the radio.)
+ The Way Way Back
+ Before Midnight
+ Internship
+ As Cool As I Am
+ Only God Forgives
+ The Conjuring
10/29
* Arcade Fire - Reflektor (2 CD's.)
* Blue Rodeo - In Our Nature
* Ed Kowalczyk - The Flood and the Mercy
* Lily & Madeleine - S/T
* Maria Taylor – Something about Knowing
* White Denim – Corsicana Lemonade
* Minor Alps - Get There (Juliana Hatfield project.)
* Perma – Two of a Crime
* The Sounds - Weekend
* The Gathering - Afterwords
* Leslie West - Still Climbing
* The Flower Kings - Desolation Rose
* Kill Devil Hill - Revolution Rise
* Ayreon - The Theory of Everything
* Hellogoodbye - Everything is Debatable
* Linkin Park - Recharged
* Buckcherry - Best of
* Seether - Best of: 2002-2013 (2 CD's.)
* Death Cab for Cutie – Transatlanticism (Deluxe.)
* Edison's Children - The Final Breath before November
* Los Lobos - Disconnected: Live in NYC
* Humble Pie - Live at the Filmore 1971
* James Taylor - Essential
* Steve Hackett - Genesis Revisited: Live at Hammersmith
* Jethro Tull - Benefit (Deluxe.)
* Nick Lowe - Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection
* Deck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas
+ Monsters University
+ Byzantium
+ R.I.P.D.
11/5
* Stryper - No More Hell to Pay
* Cut Copy - Free Your Mind
* Chris Grant – It’s Not about War
* Avril Lavigne - S/T
* Scott Stapp - Proof of Life
* Luscious Jackson – Magic Hour
* Place Vendome – Thunder in the Distance (Michael Kiske project.)
* Bright Eyes - A Christmas Album (Reissue.)
* 'Punk Goes Christmas'
+ Released: Human Rights Concerts 1986-1998 (Big Box Set.)
+ Jimi Hendrix - Here My Train A-Comin (CD/DVD.) and Miami Pop Festival 1968 (CD.)
+ Dream Theater - Live at Luna Park
+ The Hobbit (Extended version adds 13 minutes.)
+ Under the Dome
+ White House Down
+ Passion
+ Parkland
11/12
* Bill Mallonee - Dolorosa
* Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs - Under the Covers, Vol.3 (tackling the 80's.)
* Childish Gambino - Because the Internet
* Less Than Jake - See the Light
* The Beatles - 'On Air: Live at the BBC, Vol. 2' and 'Complete Box Set'
* Cowboy Junkies - The Kennedy Suite
* Counting Crows - Echoes of the Outlaw Roadshow: Live
* Erasure – Snow Globe
+ The Rolling Stones – Sweet Summer Sun: Hyde Park Live
+ Man of Steel
+ Turbo
+ Grown Ups 2
+ Girl Most Likely
+ Frances Ha
+ Blackfish
+ The Attack
11/19
* Amanda Palmer & Neil Gaiman - An Evening with...
* A Perfect Circle - Three Sixty
* Beady Eye - BE
* Jake Bugg - Shangri La
* Polar Bear Club - Death Chorus
* The Bottle Rockets - 'S/T' and 'Brooklyn Side' (Reissues.)
* Jim Lauderdale - Black Roses
* Daughtry - Baptized
* VNV Nation - Transnational
* Awolnation - Megalithic Symphony (Deluxe.)
* Paul Carrack - Rain or Shine
* David Lee Roth - Greatest Hits (CD/DVD.)
* Nickleback - Best of
* Yo La Tengo - Fade (Deluxe.)
* Fleetwood Mac - Boston 1970 (Box set.)
* King Crimson - 'USA' (40th anniversary.) and 'Red' (Deluxe.)
* Chastain - Surrender to No One
* Sepultura - Mediator
* Deep Purple - Live at Stuttgart 1983
* Saxon - Unplugged and Strung Up
* George Thorogood - Live at Montreux 2013
* Frank Sinatra - Duets (Box Set.)
* Mark Orton - 'Nebraska' soundtrack
* 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' soundtrack
+ Rush - Clockwork Angels: Live
+ REO Speedwagon - Live at Moondance Jam 2010
+ Eric Clapton - Crossroads Guitar Festival 2013
+ Queen - Live Concerts Box Set
+ Planes
+ We're the Millers
+ The World's End
+ Crystal Fairy
+ The To-Do List
+ Violet & Daisy
+ Hannah Arendt
+ Paranoia
+ 2 Guns
11/26
* Bruce Springsteen - High Hopes (Single.)
* Billy Bragg & Wilco - Mermaid Avenue, Vol.3
* Billie Joe Armstrong & Norah Jones - Foreverly (Everly Bros. Tribute.)
* Tennis – Small Sound EP
* Dido - Greatest Hits
* Keane - Best of
* Moya Brennan - An Irish Christmas
* Bad Religion - Christmas Songs
* Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - It Feels Like Christmas Time
* Five Iron Frenzy - Engine of a Million Plots
* Nofx - Stoke Extinguisher
* Shearwater - Fellow Travelers
* Clutch - Earth Rocker: Live
* Beachwood Sparks - Desert Skies
* Dead Meadow - Warble Womb
* Gary Barlow - Since I Saw You Last
* Soundgarden - Screaming Life/Fopp (Reissue.)
*Tower of Power - Hipper Than Hip: Live 1974
* The Animals - The Mickie Most Years & More (Box set.)
* Tom Stoppard - 'Darkside: A Play' (Pink Floyd related.)
+ Black Sabbath - Live...Gathered in Their Masses 2013
+ Big Star - Nothing Can Hurt Me
+ Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
+ Red 2
+ Getaway
+ Jobs
12/3
* Glen Hansard - Drive All Night
* Boston - Life, Love & Hope
* Stevie Nicks - In Your Dreams (w/Dave Stewart.)
* Fuel - Puppet Strings
* Royal Hunt – A Life to Die For
* Black Flag – What the…
* Natural Benefit – Love’s Crushing Diamond
* Lou Reed - Playlist: Best of
* The Rutles - Anthology
* Nick Cave - Live from KCRW
+ US Festival 1983 (Highlights)
+ Muse - Live at Rome Olympic Stadium
+ Stone Roses - Made of Stone (Documentary.)
+ Good Ol' Freda (Documentary of Beatles' secretary.)
+ Roy Orbison - The Last Concert (Deluxe.)
+ Wolverine
+ Smurfs 2
+ Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
+ Winnie Mandela
+ Argo (Extended reissue.)
12/10
* Shelby Lynne - Thanks EP
* Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy - Songs from the Real World
* Rosie Lowe – Right Thing
* Neil Young - Live at the Cellar Door 1970
* Eric Clapton - Give Me Strength: '74/'75 Recordings (Box set.)
* Jellyfish - Radio Jellyfish (Compilation.)
* Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat (Deluxe.)
+ The Scorpions - MTV Unplugged: Live in Athens
+ Nightwish - Showtime Storytime
+ Despicable Me 2
+ Adore
+ The Angel's Share
+ Touchy Feely
+ Fast and Furious 6
+ Battle of the Year
+ Mary Poppins (50th anniversary.)
12/17
* Ty Tabor – Nobody Wins when Nobody Plays
* The Eagles - Selected Works 1972-1999 (Reissued Box Set.)
+ Elysium
+ Prisoners
+ Ain't Them Bodies Saints
+ The Lone Ranger
+ Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
+ Kick Ass 2
+ The Family
+ One Direction: This is Us (Makes the kids happy.)
12/24
+ Insidious 2
+ More than Honey
+ Twice Born
12/31
+ Sweetwater
+ Don Jon
+ CBGB (Documentary.)
1/7
* Eliza Gilkyson - The Nocturne Diaries
* Stephen Malkmus - Wig Out at Jagbags
* Misterwives - Reflections EP
+ Closed Circuit
+ Runner Runner
+ Inequality for All (Documentary.)
1/14
* Bruce Springsteen – High Hopes (New album.)
* Switchfoot - Fading West
* Sharon Jones - Give the People What They Want
* Roseanne Cash - The River and the Thread
* Mary Chapin Carpenter - Songs from the Movie
* Broken Bells - After the Disco
* Mark Lanegan - An Anthology 1989-2011
* Lucinda Williams - S/T (Deluxe.)
+ Enough Said
+ The Spectacular Now
+ Fruitvale Station
+ You're Next
+ Short Term 12
+ A Single Shot
+ Riddick
+ Twenty Feet from Stardom (documentary.)
1/21
* Augustines - S/T
* Warpaint - S/T
* Wild Cub - Youth
* Young the Giant - Mind Over Matter
* Elizabeth & the Catapult - Like It Never Happened
* Del Amitri - 3 Deluxe Reissues
* Los Lonely Boys – Revelation
+ The Doors – R-Evolution
+ Blue Jasmine
+ In A World...
+ Instructions Not Included
1/28
* David Crosby - Croz
* Transatlantic – Kaleidoscope
* The Gaslight Anthem – B-Sides
* Uncle Tupelo - No Depression (Deluxe.)
* The Small Faces - Here Comes the Nice (Box set.)
+ Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
2/4
* Paul Rodgers - Royal Sessions: A Tribute to Memphis (Amazon exclusive.)
* Big Head Todd & the Monsters - Black Beehive
+ A Case of You
2/11
* Neil Finn - Dizzy Heights
* Greg Laswell - I Was Going to be an Astronaut
* Plain White T's - American Nights
+ All is Lost
+ Grace Unplugged
+ Diana
2/18
* Will Kimbrough - Sideshow Love
* The Jezebels - The Brink
LYRICS of the MONTH:
“At this moment words fail me
And my vision's unclear
Blind to the truth
Like hands searching out in the darkness
I can't stop the world from turning around
Or the pull of the moon on the tide
But I don't believe that we're in this alone
I believe we're along for the ride
I believe we're along for the ride
Through the gift of surrender
I'm embracing the fight
Breaking the code
There's clarity on the horizon
I can't stop the world from turning around
Or the pull of the moon on the tide
But I don't believe that we're in this alone
I believe we're along for the ride
I believe we're along for the ride
I will not live under a shadow of fear
Never be crippled by chaos and doubt
Fall prey to your madness
I am not shattered
Out of the ashes I rise
Knowing that nothing is stronger than faith
Finding hope in our hopeless lives
I can't stop the world from turning around
Or the pull of the moon on the tide
But I don't believe that we're in this alone
I believe we're along for the ride
I can't stop the world from turning around
Or the pull of the moon on the tide
But I don't believe that we're in this alone
I believe we're along for the ride
I believe we're along for the ride.”
John Petrucci, (Dream Theater), the song “Along for the Ride”, from the album Dream Theater.
Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!!
Have a snowy, yet warm Merry Christmas, if that’s possible!!
And, while I’m at it, have a very Happy New Year!!
Here’s to 2014!!!
Chris
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