Turntables & Vinyl #4 – The 80’s Are Back!

I have been going to records stores way too often as I continue my obsession on buying vinyl.  On the flip side of that, I also don’t feel like I have gone enough.  Confusing I know. I actually enjoy just browsing through the store and seeing what is there.  It is rare I go into the store and I don’t buy anything, but lately I am picking up 5 or 6 at a time and I am loving it.

Most everything I am picking up is of course from the 70’s or 80’s since vinyl died out in the 90’s.  The new releases that are out now are too expensive to make it a habit so I focus on the used record.  There are no shortages of those, but what I want is seldom available on my visits.  It is hit or miss.

Lately, it has been more hit than miss.  And it has mostly been 80’s records so I guess the 80’s are back.  Yes, I am buying records for albums I had already purchased back in the 80’s whether on cassette or CD, but I don’t have any of those anymore so I actually only have the one physical copy of the album.  The other copy is now digital and you can’t really hold that in your hand.

So, what I have been picking up on my adventures you might ask that is from the 80’s?  Well, you probably aren’t asking but I am going to tell you anyway.

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My Sunday Song – “Feel Invincible” by Skillet

For My Sunday Song #17, I needed something powerful and heavy.  I needed something to remind my that I am can accomplish anything.  I know I wasn’t focusing on Christian artist for this set of 10 songs, but I kept coming back to the song “Feel Invincible” by the band Skillet.  The song is off their latest release ‘Unleashed’.  Plus, it is my blog and I can change the rules at anytime.

The song is great for motivating me to accomplish whatever I am working on at the time.  It reminds me that because of Jesus dying for us, I can overcome any obsticle that I face with Him by my side.  I hope you get that from this song as well.

In an article on iHeart.com written by Nicole Mastrogiannis, Skillet explains the meaning behind the song:

“‘Feel invincible’ is a song that’s about finding that one thing in your life that helps you wake up tomorrow morning, even though this whole world is going crazy. Every week or every few days, there’s another terrible tragedy or attack. There’s so many terrible things happening, and it’s easy to lose faith. It’s easy to just kind of give in to that fear. And ‘Feel Invincible’ is about finding that one thing. What is it that helps you believe in yourself? One thing that helps you believe and hope for the world. And it’s kind of an escape. That can be lots of things. That’s the beauty of music, is that it can mean one thing to someone, and you know it could be about a wife or a husband or a girlfriend or whatever. It could be about a friend, it could be about God, it could be spiritual. In my life, that one thing that gives me hope is my relationship with God. But, that’s the beautiful thing about writing poetry, is that it can mean lots of different things to different people.”

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Friday New Releases – November 25th

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  It is Black Friday and everyone will rush out shopping so you might as well pick up some new music.  There is not a whole lot out which makes sense as it is the day after a major Holiday.  The good thing is it will give me a chance to catch up on some prior releases.  The only two I will give a listen to this week are highlighted in Blue.

  • cover170x170-10  The Weeknd – Starboy – (The Weeknd XO):  His last release actually grew on me and I found it quite interesting.  Hopefully he can take it to the next level with this one and become a bonafide star.  I like his voice and think he has major potential.

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Giving “Thanks” – Playlist – Happy Thanksgiving

It is Thanksgiving time here in the States and I definitely have a lot to be thankful for.  In celebration of this wonderful Holiday, here are a collection of songs about giving thanks or at least things we should be thankful for.  Happy Thanksgiving to you all and thank you for taking the time to stop by and check out the blog.  It is much appreciated.

“Thank You For Loving Me” by Bon Jovi off the album ‘Crush’.  If you have that special someone, make sure to tell them Thank You for being a part of your life and for loving you for you.  If you don’t have that special someone, I love you!!  So you are welcome!!

“Give Thanks And Praise” by Bob Marley off the album ‘Confrontation’.  Actually not a bad way to start everyday by giving thanks for waking up and giving praise to our maker.

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Glenn Hughes – ‘Resonate’ – Album Review

At the age of 65, most people think of retirement.  Thank God Glenn Hughes is not most people.  At 65, this man is busier and better than ever.  Since 2010, Glenn Hughes has been one of the hardest working singers in the business.  He has put out 3 albums with Black Country Communion, 1 album with California Breed, 1 album with Voodoo Hill, extensive touring, he even had time to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with Deep Purple…oh yeah and heart surgery in 2013.

After 8 long years since his last solo album, Glenn Hughes now brings us his heaviest rock album ever with ‘Resonate’ on Frontiers Record SRL.

There are 2 things that make this album incredible.

1. His voice.  The “Voice of Rock” does not disappoint.  His voice sounds just as great now as when he was younger.  Not many people can still sing with such quality (cough, cough Meatloaf) and he sounds better than most of the young artists out there right now.

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My Sunday Song – “Bill Murray” by Matt Nathanson

My Sunday Song #16 is completely different than any other song I have posted on this series.  It is one of the strangest and at the same time one of the coolest and best songs I have heard lately.  The song is “Bill Murray” by one of my favorite artists, Matt Nathanson.  It is off his latest album ‘Show Me Your Fangs’ and worth buying if you don’t already have it.

The official video came out this week and is strange and glorious just like the song.  I am going to let Matt explain the song from what he wrote for the posting of the song on Youtube.

Celebrity is such a huge part of our culture. So much so that whenever I’m interviewed I’m asked, without fail, “if you could hang out with one celebrity who would it be?” well, the list is short. it’s really a list of one: Bill Murray. In a Kardashian world, Bill Murray is the anti-Kardashian. he lives his public life in this amazingly unselfconscious, passionate way. makes creative decisions – from what i can tell – based purely on what he WANTS to do and he refuses to play the game of celebrity the way it’s played by everyone else and that is super inspiring. so i wrote this song about Bill and me hanging out for 100 days, Thelma and Louise-ing our way across the world. In the song, Bill rains down sage advice on me about the world and relationships and love, like I imagine he does with his actual, real-life friends.

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Friday New Releases – November 18th

Wow!! Some huge releases today!  I can’t wait to get into some of these. I hope there is something for you as well.  Sixx:A.M., Metallica, Bruno and Miranda are doing it for me today.  Here is to some great listening pleasure.  My favorites are highlighted in Blue.

  • cover170x170-45  Sixx:A.M. – Prayers for the Blessed Vol. 2 – (Eleven Seven Music):  Volume 1 was released earlier this year and was OUTSTANDING!!!  I have extreme high hopes for this one as well and since they have never diappointed, I expect to be blown away…AGAIN!!  Could they end up with 2 albums in my Top 10 albums of the year…wait and see.

  • 51iCjOdvPoL._AC_US200_  Metallica – Hardwired…To Self-Destruct – (Blackened Recordings):  Metallica is back heavier and louder than ever.  I was a little disappointed in their last release so I am hoping they return with some of their old magic.    If the song, “Hardwired” is any indication, we might just see some more greatness.

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The Top 5 Disney Songs – I Never Want to Hear Again!!

After spending 3 straight days at Disney last week, I can say it is definitely a magical place. At the same time, it is the scariest of places.  With the Magic Bands, Disney can track your every move in the park.  They know where you are and what you are doing at all times.

img_0971There were two instances where we got freaked out.  The first was at the It’s a Small World Ride.  When we were coming into the last section that has the Goodbye signs in different languages, there was a Monitor that flashed Goodbye and named each member of my family.  How did they know we were on the ride and in that spot at that exact moment? We did not use our magic bands when we entered the ride.

The second instant happened at the Be Our Guest Restaurant.  We did have reservations, we had placed our lunch order online, and we did check in, however, they told us to pick any seat available in the restaurant.  We went and got our drinks and silverware and found a table.  Nobody came to our table to see who we were or get a name.  A few minutes later, a very nice lady came up to the table with all our food.  Again, how??  Obviously the magic bands are how.  They are tracking you always with whatever chip is inside the magic bands.

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Bon Jovi – ‘This House Is Not For Sale’ – Album Review

The song “God Bless This Mess” sums up the album. The album is a complete mess. The album has some good songs, but overall lacks heart and the great songwriting from years past. I really wanted to like this album and hoped they could make one last great album. That did not happen.

What is wrong with the album?  Where do I begin.

1. The album is so formulaic and a repeat of their last few albums. There is definitely nothing new.

2. The backing vocals are lacking. Richie Sambora’s vocals alongside Jon’s voice are sorely missed.

3.  There are no great power ballads and a lot of the songs lack any real emotion. At times it feels like they are phoning it in.  It is very disappointing.

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Leon Russell R.I.P. – Another legend lost

The death of musicians seems to come in spurts.  We lost Leonard Cohen this week and now we have lost Leon Russell.  Such a great songwriter (he is even in the Rock & Roll Songwriting Hall of Fame) and a musician.  With songs like “A Song For You”, “Lady Blue”, “Delta Lady” and “It’s A Hard Rain’s a Gonna Fall”, he was great at his craft.

Claude Russell Bridges was born in Oklahoma back in 1942 and died last night at the young age of 74.  He has worked with so many big names including Elton John (the did an album together called ‘The Union’), the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys and even Bob Dylan.  He has left us with an extensive catalogue to enjoy until the end of time.  My In Memoriam playlist is going to get a little longer.

Picture By Carl Lender (originally posted to Flickr as Leon Russell) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons