caffeine, please.

musical genius

Genius is thrown around too easily.  Some people, though, actually are.  Andrew Bird is a musical genius.  Here.  See for yourself.

Let's play a little game called, "Here's What's on My Jukebox (lately)"

Remember jukeboxes?  When I was young I remember the Pizza Hut jukebox.  It was always cool when dad or mom would give me some spare change and I could punch up up any song I wanted (as long as it was on the box, of course.)  I think my favorite jukebox selection was always "Jump"--nothing like a little VH when you're out with the parents for pizza.

Well who needs a stinkin' jukebox now--we''ve got itunes.  Now I can keep the song that I pay a $1 for.  Or better yet, I can get my songs on eMusic for about $.30 a piece.  Yeah! that's my kind of jukebox.  (And it takes up way less space in my living room.)
 
So let's play a little game called, "Here's What's on My Jukebox (lately)".  Here's how it works:  I tell you what I'm listening to these days and you comment and tell me what you are listening to these days.  In the process, we both get some music recommendations.  Isn't that fun!?  I thought you'd think so.

I'm listening to:

• Johnny Cash (everything)
• Patty Griffin, "Impossible Dream"
• Gugenheim Grotto, "Happy the Man", "Waltzing Alone"
• Jon Foreman, all the season EP's
• Ray LaMontagne, "Trouble", "Gossip in the Grain", "Till the Sun Turns Black"
• Crooked Still, "Shaken by a Low Sound", "Still Crooked"
• Phil Wickham, "Singalong"
• Uncle Earl, "Raise a Ruckus"
• Fleet Foxes,
• The Frames (and Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova), all of their stuff--especially "Fitzcarraldo" and "Dance the Devil"
• Jason Gray, "Accoustic Storytime"
• Doc & Merle Watson
• Emmylou Harris
• John Prokter
• Rich Mullins, everything but especially "the Jesus Record"
• U2
• The Constantines
• Chris Tomlin
• Andrew Bird
• Bon Iver, "For Emma, Forever"
• Anberlin
• Arcade Fire, "Neon Bible"
• Andrew Peterson, "Behold the Lamb"
• the Apprentice (a personal friend of a friend of mine--aren't you happy for me?)

Fire away--I love music recommendations and I've got a $25 itunes card that's burning a hole in my hard drive!

Generational gap

My kids are freaking me out.  I thought I was pretty up-to-date with technology and culture.  Yesterday, through my kids, I realized I will be hopelessly out-of-date pretty soon.  Pretty much, I'm the guy in the "I'm a Mac" commercials representing "PC".

Yesterday, Gil and I were at a wedding and Jackie, our incredible singing friend, was with our kids.  She and Jaley conspired to write a song using Mac's Garage Band program.  Jackie provided vocal help and worked on the lyrics.  Jaley, my 10-year-old, put together the multiple audio tracks on her own to produce the song.  Who taught her the Garage Band program?  My 8 year old son, Tyce. 

Give it a listen...