Back in December of 2011, I finally discovered iTunes on my Mac. This service has really helped me to reconnect with my love of music. One of the things that I really like about music is that so often a given song has a strong association with a time or with a moment in my life. So, I thought that I would share my latest five downloads and a bit about my history with each song.
- Almost Hear You Sigh - Rolling Stones (1989) - A ballad off their Steel Wheels album that sounds in many ways like a prototypical Stones song. This song came out when I was in graduate school and its painful, soulful longing has always affected me and pulled me in.
- M.I.N.E (End this Way) - Five Finger Death Punch (2013) - I have been searching for some new music lately and heard a song by "5FDP" on the radio. Now heavy metal music is normally not my thing, in fact I consider it mostly senseless noise. Yet, there is something different with this song. There is an undercurrent of passion, pain, desperation, and, well, artistry, that has gotten its hooks into me on this one. I really like it.
- Wrong Side of Heaven - Five Finger Death Punch (2013) - After my first foray into 5FDP, I poked about their catalog and I resonated with this song as well. From their first of two releases in 2013. I'm on the wrong side of heaven, and the righteous side of hell.
- In the Light - DC Talk (1995) - My pastor recommended this song to me (after he had already given me a list of notable duds) from one of his favorite bands (Christian or otherwise) of all time. One listen and I was hooked. This song is delightful in its lyrics, its complexity, its musicianship. A true gem. I am the king of excuses
I've got one for every selfish thing I do.
- Consume Me - DC Talk (1998) - If In the Light scores a 10, this song is definitely several notches down. Not bad, but definitely overproduced with too many layers of pointless synthesizer noise that drowns out any note of underlying artistry. It will be good for a few listens.
