Back to School Sounds

Only four days after arriving in Michigan, I had to turn around and leave and head back to Marietta for classes on Wednesday.  I didn't know what to start off with listening to so I figured Shane and Shane could never go wrong.  A double dose of them and then a double shot of Dispatch and I was well into my 7-hour trek back to Southeast Ohio.  Here's how it went:

1.  Shane and Shane - Clean

A rather short CD.  I think it only had 10 tracks and they went by very quickly.  One of the duos earlier CD's.  It still had great songs, but not as strong as Pages.  I knew the second to last song on 

one of the CD's was a great one and when I didn't hear it on "Clean" I ha

d to put in Psalms.

2.  Shane and Shane - Psalms

This album is stronger than "Clean" although it came out a couple years earlier.  It has more depth in the lineup and features songs like "The Answer" and that second to last song, "You Said."  I have to turn it way up when I hear the beginning guitar chords.

3.  Dispatch - Somerville

Dispatch is easily my favorite band outside of the Christian music realm.  I planned on listening to both live CD's from All Points Bulletin, so I started with the weaker of the two, although weaker doesn't mean it wasn't still awesome.  With highlights such as "Here We Go" and "B

ang Bang," it was all a marvelous precursor to the second of the two CD's. 

4.  Dispatch - Hatch Shell

The highlight of the trip.  This album is flooded with amazing music.  The great thing about their live CD's is that most songs include a 3 or 4 minute interlude in which they just jam.  It makes the songs much more enjoyable.  Take for instance "Carry You" when Pauly-T and Phil Keaggy go to town on the piano and guitar.  And then come all the favorites, like "The General," "Elias," "Out Loud," and "Two Coins."  But even the lesser known songs are just as dynamic.  GO DISPATCH!!!

5.  Third Day - Chronology Volume 1

I don't know too many of the Third Day songs - maybe almost half of them.  If I don't know them at least th

ey were fairly familiar.  Third Day has amazing lyrics.  It's hard to drive with my eyes open when I hear "Thief," and "Love Song."

6.  David Crowder Band - A Collision

A very dynamic album from a very dynamic band.  I love how they can go from the praise and worship style of "Here is Our King" to the banjo-sound of "I Saw the Light."  Plus the CD never seems to end, so it easily got me back to Marietta.

Back to classes we go.