Musical interests

As Ed Rock points out,what a person listens to can provide insight into who a person is. So,draw your own conclusions :- .

The Big Three

Margaret Becker - Falling Forward

I just can't say enough about Maggie B's voice, songwriting, playing... and she does an awesome stage show too. My buddy Doug had never heard of her, but as soon as the show ended, he was first in line to plunk down cash for a CD.

Kansas - Somewhere to Elsewhere

Kansas is one of those bands that cannot (and should not) die. Ten new songs, six original members (plus an extra bassist)... this thing utterly ROCKS. Cannot get enough of it. And neither can you. One cool side note is that the band is donating any profits from the sales of this disc to the WWII Memorial Fund. Now that's cool.

U2 - October

It'd been a while since I'd heard this stuff. I'd somehow allowed myself to forget just how much really good music there is on this disc. Shame on me!

Recent acquisitions

U2 - Boy

Many thanks to my coworker Greg, who somehow managed to buy two copies, and sold me his extra one. Now all I have to get is The Unforgettable Fire and I'll have all the "classic" U2 I need.

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

I bought this back last August to have in the car when I drove to Tennessee to work on my father in law's chalet. Played it once while he was in the car, and now he's hooked on Pink Floyd! Sue says I've corrupted her father. I think he's just got excellent taste in music.

AfroCelt Sound System - Volume 1: Sound Magic and Volume 2: Release

What a cool concept - bagpipes with tribal drums, and occasional Gaelic lyrics. This stuff is very cool. Get it. Listen. Enjoy.

Other Favorites, in no particular order

Iona - The Book of Kells

I picked this up after Beyond These Shores, and I've become even more attached to it. Lovely stuff. It'd be worth a trip across the pond to see them in concert.

DC Talk - Jesus Freak

What would people say?

Keaggy, King and Dente - Invention

Three first-rate guitarists, one jammin' show. 'nuff said.

Kerry Livgren & the Corps de Pneuma - When Things Get Electric

Another musical and lyrical tour de force from Kerry Livgren. Quite a bit harder-edged than what has gone before.

Iona - Beyond These Shores

I have a genetic predisposition toward anything even remotely Celtic. Owing to equal parts essential inborn reticence and conservative Southern Baptist upbringing, I don't dance. But when I hear Today off of this disc, I do. Awesome rhythms on the instrumentals as well.

Yes - 90125

Recently picked up to replace a long-lost album. It's been over 10 years since I've listened to this, but I could still sing every word to every song. This means something, tho I'm afraid to figure out just what.

AD - Time Line

This formerly held top billing among my three favorite albums, and Welcome to The War is my single favorite song. If I could write songs, I'd write the songs Kerry Livgren has written.

Lone Justice - Shelter

I saw Lone Justice in 1984, opening for U2 at the Capital Center in Largo, MD. As is typical of arena shows, U2's sound guys savaged LJ's sound, and I kind of wrote them off. Then I actually *heard* some of their stuff (my brother's a big fan) and was utterly wowed, both by the lyrics and by Maria McKee's delivery. Beacon (from which came the quote above) and Dixie Storms both bring tears to my eyes.

Kansas - Vynyl Confessions

I've worn out at least one tape copy of this album. This is the stuff that Steve Walsh quit the band rather than sing.

Michael Card - The Word: Recapturing The Imagination

No one does a better job at simply presenting the Word of God to music, and nothing he's done hits me harder than this collection of powerful Old Testament passages.

Ludwig von Beethoven - Symphony # 6 "Pastoral"

This is the pivotal point in modern music, the transition from Classical to Romantic, and (IMHO) stands head and shoulders above anything that came from Beethoven either before or after. Just stay away from the butchery that Eugene Ormandy committed on this wonderful music on the Fantasia soundtrack. Find anyone else's rendition, please!

Ludwig von Beethoven - Symphony # 9 "Choral"

Awesome piece of music. I'll always have a soft spot for this work, since my beloved wife came up the aisle to the 4th movement.

Larry Carlton - On Solid Ground

His all-instrumental cover of Layla blows away Clapton's own Unplugged acoustic version, as well as the original Derek and the Dominos rendition.

Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture, Telarc DDD CD

This is the Ultimate Speaker Stress Test. The orchestra sound is gorgeous, and the cannons have real impact - just watch out that the "impact" doesn't scatter woofer bits all over the carpeting :-)..

U2 - War

The real battle is begun/To claim the victory Jesus won 'nuff said. Well, not quite enough. For me, War improves upon all subsequent works of U2.

Daniel Amos - Alarma

Just stretching to live my life somewhere out beyond My Room.

Daniel Amos - Vox Humana

The 80s have come and gone, and I still don't have my rocket pack.

Margaret Becker - Immigrant's Daughter

She has a beautiful voice, and that title tune just reaches out and grabs you!

Joe English - Held Accountable

I've been hooked on this disc since I had it on vynyl 14 years ago. Just remember, the best is yet to come!

4.4.1 - Mourning Into Dancing

Does anyone remember these guys? Pretty cool stuff, but I guess they were One Hit Wonders, as I've not seen anything else by them.