This may be on the wrong board, but...

[Sean without an H]

As I've sat at home, until recently jobless, and enjoyed summer, I read back over all the music suggestions on this board. I realized two things: A) I've been on here nearly two years , and B) most of the music I'm into now I found here. So I wanted to throw out a big thank you to the board for...

A) Over the Rhine - The love's rekindled and I don't think it'll ever die out... wow.
B) Patty Griffin - Another musician who I can't imagine living without anymore
C) Wilco - I was a really late bloomer on this but I love their stuff... especially Summerteeth
D) Ellery - Another great Ohio band... it's the pianos and lady singers, I'm done for!
E) Rosie Thomas - You were spot on re: this album, Greg... her latest is amazing.
F) Hem - Another grower, but I really like that (female-fronted, again!) sound
G) Josh Ritter - An all-around great songwriter.

I live on music (or at least make a nice hobby out of it... just ask my wife, ha!) and my life would be a lot less enriched without this great music in my life. So, thanks everyone! ;D ;D ;D

So... what has everyone been listening to lately? Personally, I'm still digging on the new Derek Webb, a new release by Jeremy Casella (amazing "pop-folk-electronica-orchestra" record called Recovery... self-described as "folk music you can dance to"... I can't recommend it enough!), and I'm looking forward to the new Caedmon's and Over the Rhine records.


If you're around, I'd love to hear from everyone!

Sean

[Greg adkins]

Hey Sean,

Hopefully some other people will start getting in on this... feels like it's just me and you, but let me give you some other records you might enjoy. (And I agree on Casella's "Recovery". It's great. He's probably not going to ever be one of my favorite writers... his songs don't connect with me like a lot of others, but for an indie record, this is one of the best production jobs I've ever heard. Amazingly innovative and creative.)

Okay, check these out. These aren't all new... I haven't been able to afford much new music lately, but these are some from the ipod catalog that you guys might enjoy.

1. The Innocence Mission - We Walked in Song - Another instant classic from the Innocence Mission. You can download "Early in the Morning" from their website and if you like that, you'll love the whole album. I could listen to Karin sing all day long, and her take on the world is so refreshing... I wish she was my next door neighbor.

2. David Mead - Indiana - Sean, you especially, I think would LOVE this album. Go find the songs "Indiana" and "Nashville" and see if I'm not right.

3. The Jayhawks - Rainy Day Music - if you like Wilco's "Sky Blue Sky", this album will probably work for you too. Check out "Stumbling Through the Dark" to get a feel for the sound of the record. it was produced by Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams) and has a really warm, analogue feel with lots of really great harmonies and hook filled melodies. This is an awesome summer record.

4. Jonatha Brooke - Plumb - This is maybe a 10 year old record, but one I never get tired of listening to. Jonatha is just awesome... one of probably the 10 best female singer-songwriters ever in my book. If you like unusual chordings and amazing harmonies, she will be right up your alley. Check out the track "West Point" and you'll buy the whole album, guaranteed. This might be in my top 10 all time albums.

5. Casey Chambers - Carnival - This is Casey's newest record. She's an alt-country artist who is from Australia... she's actually huge down there, but she's not as well known here. This is a really great album.. her voice is kind of a love it or hate it sound... I personally LOVE it. Download the track "Color of a Carnival" and check it out... the chorus on that song will be in your head for a week!

6. Mary Chapin Carpenter - The Calling - If the last you heard of Mary Chapin Carpenter was something on country radio 10 years ago, you are absolutely missing out on one of the best female singer-songwriters going. Her new stuff is incredible... my favorite songs on this record are "On and on it goes" and "On with the song" which she wrote for the Dixie Chicks and it is just a killer, killer song.

Okay... that's just going through the M's on my ipod... check some of those out and report back!

- Greg

[Sean without an H]

Hey Greg,

I totally understand not having much music money (though Jenn & I have a few less responsibilities, p/t grad school work isn't the best paying O:) ) ... right now, I'm living on an iTunes gift card and a "gift" eMusic account. Are you still on eMusic? Some days I find a lot of music I want, other times it's slim pickins'... heard anything good up there recently?

I'll probably check out Innocence Mission and David Mead CD (like the sound clips) from eMusic... let's see if there's something I can contribute back to you that you don't already listen to

How about Mark Mathis? I bought "Public Radio" on clearance from Grassroots (v. 1.0 or 2.0, not the MusiChristian clone) and I fell in love with it. Folksy southern rock with a gravelly (?) baritone ... doesn't get much better than that. I know PR is on eMusic... he's also released an amazing worship record (aptly titled Warship) and a folk record that feels like the Reconstruction south called "We Both Was Young". Catch his myspace for songs, or download "Doxology" (from Warship) or "Love in the Afterlife" / "I Am The Deep Blue Sea" (from We Both Was Young). I think his stuff may resonate with you.

Along the lines of good, honest worship records, I can't recommend John Mark McMillan enough. He was one of three artists who got their start on Worship Circle Records and has since released an independent record. Fresh and Out of the Box go a long way to describing his style... I don't think I've ever heard anyone who writes quite like him. His second record, "The Song Inside the Sound of Breaking Down" is a magnificent maturation of his writing and musical talent... it plays like a rock record. "London Town" will give you an idea of his sound, but my favorites are "Ashes and Flames" and "Closer". A great album front to back... the last worship-oriented album I felt that way about was Ross King's "To Make God Famous Vol. 2"... a rare feat in the genre (if you can call it that). He's also on eMusic.

If he's not your style, I would definitely check out his wife, Sarah McMillan's new release. It's also vertically oriented songs with more of an Americana/folk sound (totally loses the rock). I don't think she's on eMusic, but listen to some clips from her myspace to get an idea of her sound. Honestly, I haven't digested this record too much (one of those iTunes buys recently) but I really love what I've heard. I figured if John co-wrote some and produced it, it probably was good.

All right, this is getting long-winded fast. I hope some of these suggestions may spur you to find some new good music. Honestly, I've been a little swamped recently... I go through stages of buying/collecting music (esp. w/ bday money, ha ) and then a long spell between new stuff... however, this stuff has risen to the top and I'll probably pick up some more eMusic stuff.

Gosh, PS ... have you heard the new Hem EP? It's pretty good stuff, esp. "The Part Where You Let Go". Do you have "No Word From Tom"? (another potential eMusic download ... wish I could grab Rabbit Songs from there... le sigh)

PPS apparently Napster is streaming low-qual records for free, no limit (a la Rhapsody, but no account required)... so far, it's been a pretty good place to find and listen to new CDs before I consider buying them. Okay, time to kill this monster.

[jamie]

I just heard a couple of songs by Roddy Woomble on Pandora and loved them. Apparently he's a part of a Scottish band called Idlewild.

He just released a solo CD called "My Secret Is My Silence" that will be coming out in the US in early July. I think I'll pick it up, if only so that I can say I listen to a guy named "Roddy Woomble."

[jamie]

I also got Leigh Nash's solo CD from the library. The first half of the album caught me right away, I like it a lot. The second half kind of wanders and loses my attention, but overall I like it. (She's the Sixpence lead singer, so it might be more mainstream pop than a lot of the people on this board like.)

[jamie]

And with those two posts, I just bumped up to getting three weeks paid vacation! (After having been away from the board for what seemed like an extended vacation...)