Capital Lights

I cannot recall now how I found this band, but I really, really, like them!!! I'm not always entirely sure what they're talking about, but hey, Owl City and Relient K don't make sense half the time either. The music is incredible though.

This is a band made up of Christians, but isn't a "Christian" band. Their song "Honey, Don't Jump The Gun" is pretty overtly Christian and deals with God being the one to decide how long we're here on earth. 

But my favorite songs are "Rhythm 'n Moves" & "Say Hey", two of the strangest ones that I have no clue what is being sung about. I just like the music. At the beginning of "Say Hey", it sounds like a pop can opening! Super sweet! (If you're not from the Midwest, that would be soda can.)
 
I'm going to put the videos to my favorite songs here, and then put the Spotify playlist that has the other songs I like. Because Spotify won't let you just listen to one album (they must interject other songs), it's a pureNRG/Capital Lights playlist. 

Okay, Happy Listening!

 

About A Mile's Sophomore Album

I can not get enough of AAM's sophomore album "Trust You All The Way". Every single song is wonderfully written and performed.   

"TAKING BACK" is all about how the Devil and sin have taken so much from us, but in Christ, we can take it all back. We can take back the truth about ourselves and our past when confronted with lies. We can take back relationships. We can take back what sin has messed up because Christ can redeem it.

Favorite lyrics: 

I'm taking back what the Enemy,

has torn from my life

You can knock me down, I'm gonna get back up,

every single time

I'm taking back 

"TRADED" is one of my favorites. It's all about redemption, what Jesus did for us on the cross. The emphasis focuses all on what He did and contrasts our junk with His grace. Such a great reminder.

Favorite lyrics:

I traded a life of sin, for a life with Him,

I came alive when we switched places,

I traded my brokenness, for holiness,

He took my cross and gave me grace when,

We traded 

 "CALLING YOUR NAME" deals with doubt. When it seems so hard to have faith, AAM wants to you to know that God is still right there. He is standing by your side calling your name.

Favorite lyrics:

Called you out of darkness

Called you into light

Called you by your name

'Cause you are mine

"TRUST YOU ALL THE WAY" is another one of my favorites, although this whole album is just so fantastic! I love the catchy music. The message is easy to say and to sing, but putting it into practice is a day-by-day (sometimes minute-by-minute) struggle.

Favorite lyrics: 

I know what to do

I know what to pray

But sometimes it takes

every ounce of my faith to say

I trust in you, trust in you

when it's hard to say

I trust in you, trust in you

Trust you all the way

I have seen the proof

you always come through

Your promises are true 

"REACH" is also a favorite :) The imagery they start with - sinking like Peter in a raging sea - is something I think a lot of people can get their minds around and even relate to.  It's the image of hitting rock bottom and having nowhere to go but up. And Who is up? Jesus. 

Favorite lyrics: 

I was sinking like Peter in a raging sea

Head under water in way too deep

That's when I heard a voice inside me say

"Look up, help is on the way"

"BORN TO LIVE" asks the question, "What is our purpose? What do our lives mean and why are we here?" My favorite lyrics do a pretty good job of explaining what AAM's answer is. I just finished reading Ecclesiastes and this song I feel like reflects the theme of that book well: live life in the moment because that's all the really has any meaning. It's not the secular YOLO, but the idea is that our achievements don't really mean anything. In the song, they say "make every moment a memory to last".  Enjoy your life. Don't be stupid, but live fully alive. It's hard to explain, but hopefully you understand.

Favorite lyrics:

I'm so sick of wasting time

Living life like I'm half alive

I'm done believing these evil lies

That tell me hopes and dreams have died

I can feel it in the air tonight

Way up above these city lights

 There's a higher calling on all our lives

Let's live to love and not just survive

 "OUTRUN" continues what seems to be a major theme on this album - God is always with us no matter what. That theme is explored in "Calling Your Name" & "Reach" and now again here in "Outrun". I love how intimate this song is. AAM wrote it like God is a friend writing you a note! God is saying, "Hey! We used to be close and I miss you!" I can relate to that feeling. 

Favorite lyrics:

I remember better days

You could hear me saying "I love you"

Before the world got in the way

and stopped my voice from cutting through

 Let's hang out tonight

You're so busy

We can go outside

Stars spinning

I am by your side

"HALLELUJAH" has more themes of redemption. I think we can say that the two major themes are redemption and God's presence always being with us. Anyway, this song is a bit slower and more contemplative than "Traded" but it explores a similar thought - that we were once trapped in our sins, but we have now been redeemed. Hallelujah!

Favorite lyrics:

And I fall down on my knees

and I lift my hands up to ya'

Your grace washes over me

I know I have been made new

And I fall down on my knees

and I lift my hands up to ya'

Every fiber of my being

Singin' hallelujah

"UNDENIABLE" is one of the more rock songs on the album. Another favorite :) In Romans it says, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that man is without excuse." (Romans 1:20) I'm not sure if this song is based off that verse, but it could be!

*The chameleon analogy is songwriting genius! Love it!*

Favorite lyrics: 

No one can tell me it's not real

'Cause I have the proof a heart can heal

I've been changed from the inside out

and nothing in the world's gonna stop me now

The truth has been revealed

Love unchangable

Not some kind of chameleon

I won't blend with my surroundings

Won't hide this hope that found me

Undeniable

"ALL I NEED" talks about searching. A nice ballad to end the album, this song discuss the fact many of us have known - nothing satisfies the emptiness except God.

Favorite lyrics:

I searched the world to see if I

could find some kind of cure for

The loneliness that lived inside

This heart of mine

But everything seemed to leave me

more empty than before

Now I know the reason why

Thanks for sticking it out! I know this was a long post, but I love this album and wanted to share with you what the songs mean to me. I hope the songs touch you as they have me and draw you closer to God. Happy Listening!

Tenth Avenue North's new album "Followers"

I am so excited for TAN's new album Followers! It seems like they have "found" themselves again. I'm glad I can enjoy their music again :)

The whole album is wonderful, but my favorites are "Overflow", "I Have This Hope", & "Control". "One Thing" is also fantastic, but I'm not going to discuss it here.

Overflow brings to mind the imagery from Psalm 23, "my cup overflows". It's a very upbeat, positive song that reminds you to focus on and be grateful for all your gifts and blessings. Our cups, or hands as in the song, overflow with good things if we have eyes to see.

I follow TAN on Spotify and they recently did an exclusive live-stream for Spotify followers. During the mini-concert, they explained the inspiration for this song. The Bible verse Isaiah 43:2 was part of the inspiration. As I said, this is one of my favorite songs on the album and Isaiah 43: 1-2 is my confirmation verse. That was a very neat correlation. 

The verse for Control (also told during the Spotify event) is Acts 17:25. This was another cool correlation as Acts 17:24-25 was one of my quotes when I did Bible quizzing. It was very neat that two of my favorite songs were based on verses that mean something personally to me. 

I highly recommend the album Followers. If you like TAN, especially their first two albums, I truly think you'll enjoy their latest release. Happy Listening!  

In case you want to listen to the whole thing....

 

A Different Kind of Music

I like a broad range of music. Most of what gets posted here is from what I hear on the radio, meaning you get very little rap, rock, stuff of that nature. I made a playlist called "Rock/Hip-Hop/Rap/Alternative". I'm always adding to certain playlists, so follow me for new music. My "Current" playlist and "Songs from DW" are always being added to. 

Happy Listening!

Spencer Kane playlist

Spencer Kane is the new Anthem Lights guy but he was an artist before. I decided to look him up on Spotify and see what his solo stuff was like. I was blow away! 

When I found out about Shane Harper, I wanted to like his music. My problem was that basically all his songs were about relationships. I'm not against that, but I don't like listening to an artist who only sings about love, especially when they're not married. 

Spencer is not like Shane in that regard. He has fun songs, love songs, and songs about God. That last one is why I like his music so much. I like that he is a Christian artist who can make secular songs and Christian songs and make them both really well. 

It's the same with Anthem Lights. I like their fun songs and even some of their covers, but my favorites will always be originals and specifically, originals with a Christian message. 

Here is my Spencer Kane Spotify playlist. Happy Listening!

 

Best of Relient K

Relient K is one of my favorite bands. I made a Spotify playlist of the best of RK (obviously my opinion). For some reason, That's My Jam is not on Spotify and they don't have the non-acoustic version of Fallen Man anymore. Also, the good Christmas songs aren't on there either. But enough talk. Happy Listening!

 

Caleb & Kelsey

Anthem Lights is one of my favorite bands. Several of their singers have their own projects. I'm pretty sure all these songs are covers of pop songs, but I love the way Caleb (of AL) and his wife Kelsey (formerly of One Girl Nation) sing them. They bring something to these songs that other people can't. I think it might be partly because they are married, so singing love songs actually means something for them. Here is my Spotify playlist of my favorites.

Happy Listening!