Rejuvenate Your Tired Old Jukebox

Own a Jukebox? You win...

I've been listening to some new (to me) music lately and thought I would share it with you.

I don't feel that I'm some music expert or that my tastes are better than yours but this list of bands may be a little eclectic and isn't for everyone. Here is a list of albums that have been tickling my fancy...Which is kind of sore now...

Redeemer by Norma Jean.
My great friend Josh let me borrow this album and it's a fine piece of audio enjoyment. I have heard some of their other/older stuff from my friend Aaron, but I don't think I was given enough time to really understand them as a band. The album is pretty heavy with tons of screaming vocals-which is nothing new to my music collection-but their compositions are really interesting. These guys can play their instruments and have no problem putting every emotion into one song. If you want your face melted off, take a listen.
Listen to: A Grand Scene For a Color Film, Blueprints for Future Homes

Carnavas by Silversun Pickups
I found this band while listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Hi My Name Is Mark, which is hosted by Mark Hoppus-formerly of Blink 182. On the podcast Mark will play songs from bands that he's friends with and then bands that he has discovered. Usually I don't really like the bands that he plays. Since he's gotten into producing bands, he'll play bands that he is helping record and we just don't seem to agree. On the last podcast he played a band called Silversun Pickups. I loved the song right away. Silversun Pickups blend the atmospheric elements of Radiohead and loud guitars of early Smashing Pumpkins. Take a listen if you can.
Listen to: Three Seed, Well Thought Out Twinkles

End of The Heartache by Killswitch Engage
We'll now travel back to the land of loud. I had heard so much about this band but didn't really feel like a band called "Killswitch Engage" would fit into my CD collection...Even I can be narrow-minded. These guys have always been regarded as amazing musicians and I tend to enjoy bands that can play as well as write. I don't remember when I first heard and liked them but when I found out their guitarist produced one of my favorite new CD's, I thought I would give them a try. Their guitarist, Adam Dutkiewicz, produced the album Define the Great Line by Underoath. The album sounded amazing so I thought maybe his own music might be as amazing...I was right.
The End of the Heartache is full of tight guitar playing, amazing rhythms, spot-on vocals along with great lyrics.
The more I write this "review" of the album, the more I realize why I hate album reviews.
Listen, I really like the album, and I think you should at least give it a try...
Listen to: The End of the Heartache, When Darkness Falls

Here Come the Noise Makers by Bruce Hornsby
This guy has been around for a long time-not only in the music scene but within my musical history. Here Come the Noise Makers is a collection of live tracks that were performed over a two year period. There are many of his "hits" and a couple songs that he hadn't played in some time. I can honestly say that you will never hear Bruce play one of his songs the same way twice in concert. He has sped up some of his classics and added new life to some of his lesser known songs. It is a joy to hear him play with his band; communicating through their instruments. It's worth your time.
Listen to: The Road Not Taken, The Valley Road, Sunflower Cat/It Takes A Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry

Follow the links, hopefully some of the songs I mentioned are on the artist's myspace page. Let me know what you think.

Crafting my first Cornhusk flute,
Shawn