New Music

I just finished producing an EP for a new friend of mine. Samantha Leslie has just released her first record and I was privileged enough to be a part of it. I produced, mixed and mastered the project. I also lent my hand to most of the instrumentation. If you get a chance, check out her music and leave a comment or two!

Maroon 5 | It Won't Be Soon Before Long

The new Maroon 5 record, It Won't Be Soon Before Long finally hit the digital and literal shelves last week. It's been five years since the quintet released their multi-platinum national debut, Songs About Jane, so I sat in great anticipation last Tuesday morning as the new tracks swiftly downloaded into my iTunes library.

Before I go much further, I should let you know that I generally subscribe to the school of thought that an album is, and should be, one complete work of art. The Beatles' Abby Road is a fantastic example of a complete artwork. I wouldn't dare skip any one track from start to finish.

Sadly, this is not the case for It Won't Be Soon Before Long. I was frustrated because the front half of the album features some really strong singles like "If I Never See Your Face Again", "Little of Your Time" and "Wake Up Call" that give us another glimpse of the rock/funk/electric mix we've come to love and expect from Maroon 5. But the back half is plagued with overproduced sappy junk that seem to drone on far too long. Not to mention the fact that there seems to be no line of logic to the track order. One minute your adrenaline is pumping along with the solid groove and melodic hooks of "Can't Stop" when all of a sudden, you hit the overly dramatic ballad, "Goodnight Goodnight", like a brick wall. There just doesn't seem to be an overall cohesiveness to this record. One moment it's fun and fresh, and the next it's merely a stale, reheated version of bad '80s pop.

In the end, It Won't Be Soon Before Long offers some great singles with solid hooks, but I'm not sure Maroon 5 can afford to wait five more years to put out another record. With all the hype and speculation about this project, I'm sure there will be others who will share in my disappointment and letdown.

Top Ten Albums on my iPod

I was going through my iTunes today, and I was curious to see which albums I've listened to the most. I wasn't too surprised:

1. Derek Webb | Mockingbird
2. Jars of Clay | Good Monsters
3. Jars of Clay | Redemption Songs
4. MuteMath | Reset E.P.
5. Jack Johnson | Brushfire Fairytales
6. Marc Broussard | Carencro
7. Elizabeth Foster | San Francisco
8. Justin Rosolino | Wonderlust
9. Death Cab for Cutie | Plans
10. Derek Webb | I See Things Upside Down

Bear in mind this is the list of albums I've listened to the most over the past year. I'm sure while I was growing up, there were albums I listened to more often that would be much too incriminating for this public forum.

Andre Osenga | The Morning

Lately, my iPod has been stuck on Andrew Osenga's newest album, The Morning. Most know Andrew as the former frontman of the Normals or the current electric guitar player for Caedmon's Call. But if that's the only context you have of Andy, then you're missing out

I have to admit, the album didn't grab me immediately. That I will attribute to the fact that sometimes, I'm just stupid. There's a fantastic example of intelligent, meaningful songwriting on the album. The style is an independent mix of pop, rock, alternative and folk that is perfect on a long drive. I say that because the record takes you on a journey through a spectrum of emotion and lyrical content.

And if the music isn't a good enough reason for you to purchase a copy right now, you should do it anyway because he's simply a great guy with a great heart (I spent some time with him last summer when we hired him to play electric guitar on our new record). Oh yeah, and he's a much better blogger than me.

Tyrone Wells | Hold On

This week, I made an impulse purchase on iTunes, which is so out of character for me (insert overly facetious tone). During my daily perusing of new music, I stumbled across Tyrone Wells's latest solo project. I've been a fan of Tyrone for a few years now. There's a bit of a nostalgic tie there for me because back in the mid '90s, Tyrone was the front man for a band called Skypark that frequently performed for our youth group.

Tyrone has since launched what is turning into quite a successful solo career. He's actually out on tour with Sixpence None the Richer's former front woman, Leigh Nash.

His new album, Hold On, is filled with an indie soul-rock that has an infectious way about it. There's a soulful maturity about him that's reminiscent of Marc Broussard. Definitely check him out when you have a chance.

Derek Webb | The Ringing Bell

One of my favorite artists, Derek Webb, is gearing up to release his fourth full-length, original studio record next month. Derek, formerly the guitar player for Caedmon's Call, has made a name for his independent work with the provocative way in which he presents the gospel. His new record entitled, The Ringing Bell, is no different.

Musically, the record offers something different than we're used to hearing from him. He doesn't take as many artistic risks this time around making the overall feel of the production much more commercial. Stylistically, much of the record is very reminiscent of the Beatles. I really appreciate artists that keep their listeners on their toes. Each of Derek's four studio projects have very distinct directions in both song writing and production.

In all, those who liked Derek before will love the new record. Those who didn't like him and took exception to his content will probably find more reason to dislike him. For anyone who is not familiar with his music, I strongly encourage you to check him out and take some time to digest what he's saying. You just might become a fan yourself.