Music | Our Rising Sound

June 26 2009

Top 5 Favorite Michael Jackson songs

Tagged Under : Michael Jackson, Top 5, video

In remembrance of Michael Jackson who passed yesterday, I thought I’d do a Top 5 with my favorite MJ songs of all time. I grew up singing and dancing to Michael Jackson, I have a lot of respect for his music ability and a lot of sadness for how he lived his life.

1. Thriller

Where else is there to start. The best music video of all time, an incredible song and it gave me nightmares when I was a kid, but I loved it.

2. Smooth Criminal

Another epic video, will anyone ever be able to do music videos like this guy again? I doubt it. Great song as well, I can always jam to this song.

3. Billie Jean

Man I can remember dancing to this song in my room. This video always tripped me out, I still don’t think I really get it. But talk about epic, sidewalk lighting up, I mean…brilliant. I can’t say enough about his sense of melody, it’s incredible.

4. Dirty Diana

I’ve never been in a concert atmosphere like this and I really wonder if I’ll ever have the opportunity in my life to experience it. And no I’m not going into the Jonas brothers teenage mosh pit.

5. Beat It

This was back in the day when gangs just had break dancing battles to settle turf wars. Simpler times.

Farewell Michael, you inspired me as a kid and I’m not sure this world will ever see or hear anyone quite like you again.

Folks what are your Top 5 MJ tunes?

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What’s the worst thing in your iPod?

Tagged Under : Boyz II Men, Dawn Penn, Dirty Vegas, Duncan Sheik, funny, Haddaway, music, Randy Travis, Top 5

I realized as I was listening to my iTunes on shuffle is that I have some real garbage in there and I don’t know how it got there. My tweet about it got some feedback that I wasn’t the only one with this issue. So I want to know, what tracks in your music collection have you throw up in your mouth a little bit each time it comes on and make you wonder how that sick song crawled into your rotation? The following are the worst 5 songs in my collection and I have no good excuse for why they are in there:

1. Haddaway - What Is Love?

If I were a sketch comedian I might have an excuse. But Night at the Roxbury was cool like what 10 years ago? My only defense is I have this track unchecked. A brief moment of sanity in an otherwise bat crazy decision.

2. Dawn Penn - You Don’t Love Me

Wut the….how the…where the….why is this track within 10 laptops of me? Some one slipped me a rufee and popped this in my iTunes and somehow rigged it so it comes on EVERY TIME I shuffle. There’s only a couple acceptable raggae artists and this isn’t one of them.

3. Dirty Vegas - Days Go By

Ok yeah I get it, it was a big hit for a while. But I never even liked this song. I’m chalking this one up to some friend’s wedding I dj’d and they made a special request. I can’t be held responsible for this.

4. Duncan Sheik - On a High

I must have been on a high when I purchased this one. Yes kids, the evidence comes back this was purchased by me. This proves total human depravity more than any other experiential evidence ever could.

5. Boyz II Men - End of the Road

No this isn’t cool, not even in a reminiscent sense. Confession: I remember playing this in the background as I talked to ladies on the phone when I was in middle school. I was Leon Phelps smooth. Double Halfway confession: I actually did this first in the 5th grade to a much worse song that I will take to the grave. I’ll never tell, my mom reads this blog for heaven’s sake. Mom aren’t you amazed I made it through?

one more as a special bonus…

6. Randy Travis - Open the Eyes of My Heart

If Jesus would have opened the ears of my head up I would have nothing to do with this track. This officially marked Open the Eyes of My Heart covers had run their course. The Randy growl going into the chorus does bring a smile to my face for all the wrong reasons. Lord I apologize, I should have stopped at 5.

Ok so let’s hear it, don’t be embarrassed we all have our musical skeletons in the closet. What’s the worst in your collection?

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The Rep performing “Praiz Him” Live at LCC

Tagged Under : Life Connection Church, live, music, rap, The Rep

therep If you’re like the rest of the Christian hip hop community starved for good music, then you gotta check out The Rep. Dude is crazy talented, crazy in love with Jesus, and speaks crazy truth in every track. He performed live at Life Connection Church (my church) on May 8th of this year and we’re releasing a track, maybe 2, as a teaser. Go check him out on myspace and buy his new album Say No More!

The Rep - Praiz Him (Live) [04:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Must have music: Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Tagged Under : MGMT, music, phoenix, video

This is one of the best records of the year so far and will be right up there at the end. If you are into MGMT then you will dig Phoenix. Easily the best French band I’ve ever heard, though I couldn’t name another one, even still they take the top spot. They just released their record Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix and I highly recommend picking it up. Here’s a video to give you a nice sample.

Lisztomania (The Brat Pack Special)

Anyone know any better French bands? Please chime in.

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New music: Flagship (Brigade) - live videos

Tagged Under : band, Flagship, music, video

I’ve hit the wall with my current music selection, I need a refresh. Enter my friend John Mark McMillan. We were chatting about him coming out to Phoenix again to play some shows(gonna be off the chain BTW) and he mentioned his former bass player’s new band Flagship (formerly Flagship Brigade). Check Flagship out on myspace, they are incredible! I’m just bummed that there newer stuff doesn’t seem to be released yet.

But you can get their older EP “We Are Lions” on Amazon and Snocap downloads on their myspace. Here are some live videos of them performing. Killer stuff and ironically some tunes come across very Killers’ish, as in the band.

holy ghost live

cautious eyes live 2nd show ever

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Wedding music reflections on our anniversary

Tagged Under : Ben Harper, Deseree, Earth Wind and Fire, Kyle Campos, Victoria Williams, wedding

Today marks 8 years of marriage to my beautiful wife Melissa. Much has changed since we married on April 14th, 2001, much has grown, much has been gained and lost. We are now 3 kids deep, we moved from our hometown of Santa Barbara CA to the desert, and I was able to convince Mel to enjoy a lot of foods she vowed she hated when we first met. A couple days ago I talked with my wife and we both agreed that each year we learn something new about each other that causes us to fall deeper in love. I know my wife so much better today than in 2001 and our love truly keeps on growing.

I thought a cool way to tie today’s celebration into ORS would be to take a musical journey through our wedding, the songs we chose and why. So let’s get started.

Wedding party walk in

My brother and best man Aaron & Mels best friend and maid of honor Erika

Ben Harper - The Three of Us (Welcome to the Cruel World)

I love the vibe of this acoustic instrumental. Felt like a perfect fit for the initial wedding party walk in. Just the right length and everything.

Here comes the bride

Deseree - Kissing You (Supernatural)

The greatest moment in our wedding, the coolest thing I’ve seen in any wedding, with all due respect to my friends and family who thought they had cool parts in their wedding, this beat em all. My wife starts her walk down the aisle from this trail (actually called the Campos trail) that winds down the hill from above the grass area the wedding is at. This song is playing as she walks down the path, obstructed by trees and rock, then emerges and walks across the creek and down the aisle.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Death In His Grave - an Easter song more should be doing

Tagged Under : Easter, John Mark McMillan, music, worship

I feel so guilty that I’ve kept John Mark McMillan’s brilliant song, Death In His Grave too close to my chest. I did mention in my review of John Mark’s “The Medicine” album that this song was one of the best on the album and I couldn’t wait to do it on Easter. Well Easter is upon us and as we practiced this for the first time I was just as encouraged, moved, convicted, slammed, by the song as I had hoped. It’s the perfect Easter song and I’m so thankful for John Mark writing it. Here are the words:

Though the earth cried out for blood
satisfied her hunger was
Her billows calmed the raging seas
for the souls of men she craved

Sun and moon from balcony
Turned their head in disbelief
Their precious love would taste the sting
disfigured and disdained

Chorus
On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with the keys
Of Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ laid death in his grave

So three days in darkness slept
The Morning Sun of righteousness
But rose to shame the throws of death
And over turn his rule
Now daughters and the sons of men
Would pay not their dues again
The debt of blood they owed was rent
When the day rolled a new

(to chorus)

Bridge
He has cheated
Hell and seated
Us above the fall
In desperate places
He paid our wages
One time once and for all

The only lyric I will change is “cheated”, I believe I know the intent there but I think “defeated” is a clearer way of presenting it, so we’ll make that change. I’m sorry if this is the first time you’ve heard this song and it’s too late for you to incorporate in your service. I take full responsibility.

By the way if you don’t already you can follow him on twitter @johnmarkmc and John Mark also started a blog at johnmarkmcmillan.blogspot.com

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Album Review: The Rep “Say No More”

Tagged Under : album, Brandon Kagel, hip hop, rap, review, The Rep

therep Fresh out of the Valley of the Sun, comes Brandon Kagel a.k.a. “The Rep” with his sophomore project- Say No More courtesy of Blood Marked Entertainment. This album is a definite banger with beats by Mustafas Beats and guest appearances by lyrical monster Lee Green as well as vocals by Suzie K and L Sol. This masterpiece contains incredible diversity, tracks that will make you bang ya head till ya neck hurts on tracks like Say No Names, as well as melodious heart hitting tearjerkers on Dear baby which is a letter to his son, and Unborn Child which is a rhyme from the inside of the womb of a pregnant woman.

The Rep is definitely a Phoenix Son and his music reflects the essence of the inner city and cries out for the redemption of our blackout generation. “He was age 5 when the movie Goonies came out, and put 5 on a doobie when the Looniz came out..” If you can relate to that, then this album is definitely for you.

I definitely admire and respect the boldness that is brought forth on this album with straight up no BS truth about struggles that our generation faces today. With hard knock punchlines and similes that you don’t catch until 8 bars later. The Rep is a BEAST on this one and it is a must. Go pick this one up, you can thank me later.