It's been ages since I last wrote a 'Music I Really Think You Should Listen To' blog entry and I've been listening to all sorts of things since then so I decided to write another entry, this time focusing on Fort Worth, Texas natives, Green River Ordinance (GRO).
Formed in 2003, GRO is comprised of Josh Jenkins on vocals, guitar and piano, brothers Geoff and Jamey Ice on bass and guitar respectively, Joshua Wilkerson on guitar and background vocals and Denton Hunker on drums. Early in their career, they toured with Collective Soul, Third Eye Blind and Matchbox 20. In 2005, they came out with their first record titled The Beauty of Letting Go and two years later produced an EP titled Way Back Home. This year, they released their record Out of My Hands under Virgin Records.
The 10-track record is the group's major-label debut and was produced by Mark Endert (who also worked with Natasha Bedingfield, Maroon 5 and Gavin Degraw) and Paul Ebersold (who has worked with 3 Doors Down, among others). The Dallas Observer described the band's sound as reminiscent of the "alternative acts from the late '90s: Third Eye Blind, Matchbox 20, Goo Goo Dolls". However, they're no rip off of these iconic rock bands. Instead, they're a "go-to pop rock guilty pleasure" for those who crave to relive the 90s rock scene.
GRO sounds, to me, a lot like the All American Rejects during their Swing Swing days. The record starts with "Outside", which is a blasting anthem for those going down the freeway at 90kph. I love it. With lyrics like this, who wouldn't wanna drive into the sunset?
Do not bury your best intentions Said you never would, swore you never would Follow your heart to the place where you missed it If you only could, if you only could They all say that we've been burning out Too young to know what it's all about I say I say we get away Forget this town and get away 2. Come On - Hunter, Ice, Jerkins, Wilkerson (3:50)
"Come On" was described by the Dallas Observer as a song that "might as well be a leak from the next OneRepublic release", as the chorus is very reminiscent of OneRepublic. The verses remind me of Boys Like Girls, though.
Even with your eyes closed do you hear my voice Carrying the weight of all we love and left behind Love's so unpredictable have we been blind I'm only human here after all oh aren't we all
3. Out of My Hands - Hunter, Ice, Jerkins, Wilkerson (3:34)
Dallas Observer: "the title track seems primed for the trailer of the next generation of She's All That-style teenage romantic comedies". I have to admit it's very Dawson's Creek but I like it. It's one of the more melancholy songs on the record and it reminds me a lot of Ryan Star's "Last Train Home".
So many lines we tried to draw Anything there to break the fall Even on the way down even on the way down You were the one who always said Don't let the doubts go to your head Even on the way down, even on the way down
Two sad souls that cant count the cost With love its just an open flame We burn ourselves just to feel the pain
4. On Your Own - Hunter, Ice, Jerkins, Wilkerson (4:21)
This song reminds me a lot of Train. I love it. It sounds like "Out of My Hands" cuz it has the same mellow touch to it but this hurts more than "Out of My Hands". Simple yet poignant. I feel like sitting with a bucket of ice cream and crying my eyes out with this song.
Empty boxes on the stairs Remind you that there's no one there Is it everything you thought it would be You'll see
When you come back I'll be alright On your own again Back to where it all began The phone don't ring And the tears they fall but you carry on and on and on 5. Goodbye L.A. - Hunter, Ice, Jerkins, Wilkerson (3:46)
I flove this song. This was the track that made me listen to GRO in the first place. I love it. It's very Dawson's Creek (I keep saying that, don't I? Lol) but yea. It again reminds me of a cross between Ataris and the All American Rejects. Like I said, driving down to the sunset. :)
I never thought I'd be the one here waiting I never saw the signs California in the rear-view mirror this time Everybody's got their own good reasons And I've yet to see mine Swimming circles 'round the same old story you find
Goodbye L.A. Summertime sun came a little too late Goodbye L.A. Roll the windows down as we drift away
6. Different (Anything At All) - Hunter, Ice, Jerkins, Maida, Wilkerson (3:25)
This song was co-written by Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace and he's become on of my favorite songwriters everrrr so kudos to him for the great job on this track. I lovettttt. Very Ataris. And it's so...positive in a way even if it feels like things are fucked up. Just sayin'. :D It's a very let's-hang-out-in-the-porch-drink-a-beer-and-watch-the-sunset kind of song.
Everything is different everything is taken it's toll Everyone around me crowds in but we all feel alone Everything is so hard the walls are closin in on my soul I wish I could get back to that time when you Jackson road
After all the years that I've seen fade away All the good times gone to waste I'd give anything anything at all To get back to all the roads we never paved All those nights there by the lake I'd give anything And i say (oh oh) anything at all
Just another sunrise crowded by a city losing hope It's time I said goodbye to the phony smiles and the puppet shows Everything we have time in the in voice to let it go I wish I could get back to your breath all the little things let go
7. Learning - Har, Hunter, Ice, Jerkins, Wilkerson (3:34)
Wooow. This is the reason why I love this record. It captures every fricken emotion on the spectrum of emotions. It's very sweet and simple and it reminds me of that 1,2,3 song from the Plain White T's. And hello?? Who wouldn't want this--"I could be the one you run to for the rest of your life"--to be sung to them? Aaahhh!! <333!!!
If I could turn this car around Only drive into the flames All the things that we've burned down Wonder which one will remain Please take your time Just do this for me
Let me be the one you run to For the rest of your life I'd give up everything to show you To show you there's still time I could be the one you run to For the rest of your life I’m still learning how to love you You are the only one that’s worth the fight
8. Last October - Hodges, Hunter, Ice, Jerkins, Wilkerson (3:54)
Another Train-ish song. :) Another Dawson's Creek-ish song. But I like it. :D Oh and I realized this record is so good for like, when you're on the road. If this record was a season, it would be that between summer and fall.
It's the turning of the leaves It's the way you looked at me when you said One and one makes one And I tried just to believe tht some things Will always change Yeah, I watched the yellows fade butnot this
We were standing proud and strong Kigns and queens of all we saw And now the air was turning cold 9. Sleep It Off - Hunter, Ice, Jerkins, Wilkerson (3:29)
I don't know why but this reminds me of Collective Soul and David Cook (shrug).
Morning rise Everything has come too soon The fight last night Left you broke and bruised You watched everything here We'll just let you down Searching for something you haven't found I'm not sure what it all might mean
I think this is my Mr. Sensitive for this record. When I first got Cook's record I used to skip Mr. Sensitive a lot and I think I haven't fully appreciated this song. Lol.
Give me time give me space After all the years here So they says we've lost our way Remember back when we were young It was easier to love Now we are fallin
I don't wanna spend my life runnin' scared of what we've become It's never what they told ya I guess we're gettin older I don't spend my life waiting watchin while we all keep changin I guess we're getting older I guess we're getting older
It's been so long here trying to mend The cracks we've fallin in Still they slip from under our feet And we're fallin fast we're fallin
I LOVE RAINE MAIDA! Arghlajdfhaskdjfh. This is like, the perfect way to end the record. It sounds a lot like the 1,2,3 song from the Plain White T's and I so flove it. I have to say this is one of THE best love songs ever written. Sorry, Dave. This totally surpasses The Truth and every other love song you've ever written (snicker). Umm wedding song pleasekthanks. Holy f*ck this just makes me cry just..gahhh! Seriously.
She is my rock and my rolling thunder, I've been the spell she was under, I, I love that girl, She is my cigarettes and champagne, She's got me strong but I'm not running, I, I love that girl, I, I love that girl
She is the days I can't get over, She is the nights that I call home, Endlessly, For you I'll always wait, caught in the waves of hesitation, Lost in the sea of my own doubt, Endlessly, For you I'll always wait, For you I'll always wait
She is the flames in the fire, she's raging, I've been the spark in the war she's waging, I, I love that girl, She came along and she spoke so sweetly, Changed everything, took my heart completely, I, I love that girl I, I love that girl
She is the days I can't get over, She is the nights that I call home, Endlessly, For you I'll always wait, caught in the waves of hesitation, Lost in the sea of my own doubt, Endlessly, For you I'll always wait
In city bars and empty cars, It's 3am, I wonder where you are, And the crooked smiles, And the worn out miles between us, And I wonder where you are
So beginning today, all of my posts are gonna be protected, meaning only friends and contacts through on Multiply will be able to see them. I've been having some privacy and trust issues so I guess it's time to do some spring cleaning and lock my updates. Add me up if I really know you.
You have to take risks. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen.
Risks are risky! Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. Indecision is worse. If ur heart tell you something, follow it, relax and enjoy!
I came across THIS while I was Stumbling and IT JUST TOTALLY MADE MY DAY. I mean, with all the things going through my mind, I guess...I guess I really needed that. And it's amazing how a little animation can brighten up my day. I love the message of the whole thing cuz it just really makes sense to me right now. :) So thanks, big guy. ;) Now for some quotes I got from this site.
I've Learned- that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.
I've learned- that no matter how much I care, some people just don't care back.
I've learned- that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.
I've learned- that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I've learned- that you should never ruin an apology with an excuse.
I've learned- that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do.
I've learned- that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.
I've learned- that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
I've learned- that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
I've learned- that you can keep going long after you can't.
I've learned- that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.
I've learned- that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.
I've learned- that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I've learned- that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.
I've learned- that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
I've learned- that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you are to learn to forgive yourself.
I've learned- that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I've learned- that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.
I've learned- that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.
I've learned- that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.
I've learned- that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.
I've learned- that it's hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people's feelings, and standing up for what you believe.
I've learned- that people will forget what you said, and people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Ha! You thought I was gonna say David Cook, right? Yea it sounds better with his name on it. Lolz. Kidding! Anyway thanks to Sheenabanana for this amazing find. StumbleUpon is the most amazing thing since Twitter/TweetDeck. So check it out. I know I'm gonna spend hours doing this just cuz I am such a geek but I enjoy it anyway. So thanks again, Sheena. ;)
___
On a different note, I just wanna share this article. It's about how men and women communicate and I have to agree with the points stated in the article. Lol. Guilty as charged. ;)
It's like 2am and I am sitting here contemplating my life on the last day of the month. I knowww It's too weird. And this song is on a loop on the player so. Thanks, Dave, I am now in love with 8stops7.
Ever since I was a child You always said that I Should understand the rules You take some and give less Sit high above the rest... Don't you
As I ask a simple question Cuts me off with his reply He's been practicing for decades Now he thinks I have the time He flows in and out of riddles Looking me straight in the eye But it seems like something's missing From the days when he was more my size
Ten years older and I've Finally found my pride This old man comes Rolling home to die Old feelings make it hard to decide Just what it means to me
Everything exist between Black and white You can twist and distort The most blatant of lies Or just offer up solutions Practiced only in your mind I lost half my life to wisdom So forgive me if I come off Sounding bitter If my words push you away If I seem surprised to see You lying here in front of me Just consider what you're asking And give me a little time I'm still having trouble breathing Cause up to now I've never seen you cry
No son of mine Should I be sleeping No son of mine As if you never understood That I don't need your help Don't have to save me from myself Or take me out to prove that I should live my life like you
As I ask a simple question Cuts me off with his reply He's been practicing for decades And I am listening this time He flows in and out of riddles Stories change without the wine But at least he seems much clearer On how it feels to be my size -8stops7, "Question Everything" (In Moderation, 2000)
Can I just say I love Yahoo Video? There are tons of good finds in there. I guess YouTube's getting old, huh? But yea. I downloaded 8stops7's 'Bend' last night, I still haven't found 'In Moderation' so I will do that tomorrow. Or later. Lol.
So yeah. I miss Amy. She won't be back until next week though sooo. Yea. :( I started writing Aurora again last night and for that I'm gonna be a bit proud. I can't wait to get a chapter done. I have a few good ideas up my sleeve so I hope I can pull that off. It's still raining and I hate that I can't get any laundry done with this weather. Oh there you go. Like the clouds just heard me say that and decided to pour rain even harder on the roof.
Okay so this is totally random--Jerome finds my mom cool. Well, a lot of my friends think my mom's cool. Today, she took on a new level of coolness when she randomly blurted out 'You should seriously back up your David Cook stuff' and I was like what? Did she just tell me to...WTF haha! I knowww. Seriously. And I was like yea I should. And she was like if something happens to your laptop...I was like yea I'm gonna do a Britney and prolly shave my head. Eww.
Anyway it's seriously past 2am now. I have to go to bed. The weather is...beckoning me to do so.
P.S. Chops to Chato for the land forms jokes. I love it. Can't wait to see her this week!!! P.P.S. SunshineGirl (I keep forgetting her name dammet) killed me today with part 3 of the Dave & Talli story. HEARTBREAKING SHIZZ. P.P.P.S. And to Sheena for her random links. Like this. P.P.P.P.S. OH. MY. GOD. SERIOUSLY?! MICHAEL JOHNS IS RELEASING HIS RECORD ON JUNE 23, WITH TRACKS CO-WRITTEN BY DIANE WARREN AND JAMES MORRISON OMG OMG I LOVE JAMES MORRISON! Read. Thanks IdolNews on Twitter!!! Okay that just made my day. I can't wait! :)
You know what boredom does to me. It makes me a geek. So thanks to Google, I looked up a couple of artists I've seriously never heard before, Lesley Rae (did I spell that right?) and Johnny Hates Jazz. I got that from David's recent Twitter interview with the NY Post, check it out here.
Q: What is on your iPod right now? "Lesley Ray, Burn Halo and Johnny Hates Jazz single "Shattered Dreams" which we may do a cover of."
Burn Halo is one of Neal's bands and here's something interesting--I looked up Johnny Hates Jazz on YouTube and this is what came up:
So I was like this is so what my mom loves to listen to back in the 1980's! I totally went wtf! David and the guys already covered Fleetwood Mac's "Little Lies", which has a very pop sound much like "Shattered Dreams" and I could say I remember my mom dancing to Fleetwood Mac back when I was like....3 years old or something. Anyway~! I like "Shattered Dreams"! I really hope the EEB does a cover of that song. I like their version of "Little Lies" too. And I love that David hasn't lost his touch when it comes to recreating songs like that. I love it. Oh and I found another version of "Shattered Dreams" and I think I like this better. I imagine this version with a lot more guitar riffs and it'd be a perfect song for the EEB. :) Oh yea. :)
David is a geek. Where does he get these things anyway?! Lol. I mean seriously. Here's what I found for Lesley Rae. She isn't so popular but yea her sound is very...80s. Suddenly I feel like if David and my mom would ever meet, they'd totally understand each other musically. Lol. So yea. Lesley Rae. Check her out here.
I can now say that David is a genius and he listens to weird stuff. Hahaha! Check out more of his choice picks from his Joost playlist. ;) I like the "Ape Dos Mil" video. "Question Everything" sounds sooo familiar. Hmm.
"Pretty Handsome Awkward" by The Used
"Ape Dos Mil" (Video Version) by Glassjaw
"Question Everything" by 8Stops7
So I tried getting 8Stops7 over torrent but there aren't any seeds available! Guh. I hate this. I'll have to check them on MySpace instead. Pfft. Anyway it's late and I have to go stop geeking out now. ;)
To appreciate. To listen. To genuinely care. But I don't mind, really.We have ways. And in those ways we show forgiveness, patience and evenlove. I told her, we have breaking points. We can't just keep doingthis. We can't just keep on understanding. Because sometimes, it's ourturn to be understood. To be listened to. To be cared for. Meet halfway. Do your part. Because we're not saints, we are only human . We can only give so much. Harsh reality.
(I think I posted this before but I don't care I love Andy Skib I love MWK!!!) To Have Heroes (Andy Skib) and Nick Gibson Live at the Fly Trap, Tulsa, Oklahoma on December 27, 2008
I caught your wish I made your night Out by the lake And under the lamplights We screamed at the world You told me you're right You said it was alright You told me I was right
And for you but now We seem just a mess Of all your intentions That you forgot to mention That this was not a rule To be whatever you say Only a guideline To help me change
It's harder to feel Stuck under wheels Grinding emotion To keep you alright It's harder to see Probably because of me And my indecision That matters the most
Day jobs pass and hours, too You ask me "How are you?" You say "I'm sorry" And it never will just seem enough Until I call your bluff At my funeral
Bleeding fingers and muddy toes I've crawled to let you know I hate this And then it comes to me with speed of flash and suddenly I'm desperate
It's harder to feel Stuck under wheels Grinding emotion To keep you alright It's harder to see Probably because of me
It's harder to feel Stuck under wheels Grinding emotion To keep you alright It's harder to see Probably because of me And my indecision That matters the most
It's harder to feel Stuck under wheels Grinding emotion To keep you alright It's harder to see Probably because of me And my indecision That matters the most
It's harder to feel Stuck under wheels Grinding emotion To keep you alright It's harder to see Probably because of me And my indecision That matters the most -MWK, "Stuck Under Wheels" (Luna Despierta, 2008)
I love Kelly Clarkson. I've been listening to her for years and I have to say she is an amazing artist and a fantastic singer and she has come a long way from winning American Idol back in 2002. Aaand yea I'm a geek so I'm posting this. ;)
Catch the episode on May 27. I think we have like a 24-hour delayed telecast here on Star World or 2nd Avenue. Check your local listings for more info.
On "Heartless": How did you decide to rework Kanye West’s “Heartless”?“We got to do whatever we wanted to do, as long as it got cleared. Iwas listening to the Kanye album, because I think it’s great, and thesong came across, and I was just like, “What if I did this song andmade it my own?” And I was just like, “You know what? I’m not gonna askanybody about it, I’m just gonna go for it and be bold and be risky.” Idid it, and I think it got a lot of good reviews. I was really excitedthat I got to do something like that, because I think it showed peoplewhat I could do.” Continue reading here.
"Heartless"
On "No Boundaries": Does he have any plans to change up “No Boundaries” to make it fit his style?“The track is out for sale right now, so there’s not much we can do forit. The track actually sounds really good; I listened to it. But doingthe live performances, I’ve kinda been doing them just acoustically,just on guitar and maybe piano. It fits me a little bit better. Thesong is good. They kind of have some stipulations on what they’resupposed to do with these songs. They have to write the words a certainway. It’s supposed to be this nice feeling. To have your first singlenot be something you were a part of writing, it’s a little bit weird,but I can’t complain.” Continue reading here.
"No Boundaries"
Okay so who thinks "No Boundaries" is the worst finale song ever? Post a comment! ;)
Why can't I still appreciate him as much as I want to? Oh, this is why.
Why he said Adam Lambert deserved the win after he won, “Youknow, I still feel that way. Adam deserved it just as much as I did. Hewas the most consistent person all year, he’s one of the most giftedperformers that I’ve ever met. He’s really just a great guy and we toldeach other that day “You deserve it.” America could not have gotten itwrong.” Continue reading here.
And why is he rockin' the David Cook outfit? Hmm?? Pfft. I'll wait til he comes up with his first major record before I criticize him any further. ;)
Okay so maybe I am biased because I love Kara DioGuardi or because she wrote the song that's why she could sing it better or she has a better voice or WHATEVERRR I just love love love Kara DioGuardi!!! I FREAKING LOVE THIS SONG. Check it out. <3
"Lost" Performed by Faith Hill
"Lost" Performed by Kara DioGuardi, Mitch Allan David Hodges
Is it obvious to you when you walk into a room Your face is all I see And my heart races so fast I never knew a rush to feel like that Every time you're touching me
I never did believe in anything I couldn't hold between my fingers But the way you make me feel It's just so real the way it lingers
I get lost inside your stare Lost when you're not there When everything I have doesn't mean a thing If it's without you If it's a dream, don't wake me up I'll scream if this isn't love If being lost means never knowing how it feels without you I wanna stay lost forever I wanna stay lost forever with you
No, this feeling doesn't end It's with me everywhere I am Hope it never goes away It's like defying gravity Losing all control and being free And I always wanna stay
I never thought that I'd let go Long enough to fall for someone deeply Who had the power to erase my fears And find me so completely
I get lost inside your stare Lost when you're not there When everything I have doesn't mean a thing If it's without you If it's a dream, don't wake me up I'll scream if this isn't love If being lost means never knowing how it feels without you I wanna stay lost
Don't tell me where we're going I don't wanna know I like the mystery, I like the mystery I can't believe we've come this far So far away from where we started off You found me when I wasn't looking You found me
And now I'm lost inside your stare Lost when you're not there And everything I have doesn't mean a thing If it's without you, without you If it's a dream, don't wake me up I'll scream if this isn't love If being lost means never knowing how it feels without you Yeah, if being lost means never knowing How it feels without you Oh, if being lost means that I'm never gonna be without you I wanna stay lost forever I wanna stay lost forever with you -"Lost" Music and lyrics by Kara DioGuardi and Mitch Allan
Aaand I came across this. Kara on Ellen! I love it. And yea. Potty mouth Kara FTW!!! And I know a lot of people hate her but I freaking love her. LOVE LOVE LOVE. She's like...who I wanna be in another life. Lol.
Lol so yea enough geeking out. I got to talk to Ellen today and I just. I just spazzed. I miss her sooo much and I have to appreciate this little window of opportunity to get to talk to her. ♥ Oh and can I send a shoutout to Wilfred and Leni and Meg who are all starting their new jobs tomorrow! I am so proud of you guys, seriously. And I'm genuinely happy for you! I hope you guys have fun and be sure to kick Java ass, okay? ;) Love you guys!
Hmm what else? Oh Amy just had her prom and tomorrow, she is officially graduating~! I am so proud of her! And so excited to see her real soon! :D! Meh.
Oh and Cookie Crumb of the day: ANDY + DUBLIN + DAVID = CUTEST THING EVARRR!
I never did believe in anything I couldn't hold between my fingers But the way you make me feel It's just so real the way it lingers
I wanna stay lost forever I wanna stay lost forever with you...
I did not make this layout, I just copied and pasted the code from here. Because I have seriously lost all my Photoshopping skills. I'm sitting here, staring at my endless folders of David Cook photos, wanting to come up with something amazing, but I can't. Because I'm just staring at the damned photos and not wanting to decide which ones to use. Haha! I suck. But yea you can say it's David's fault. Grr! Anyway, it won't hurt to try so I'll allow myself another hour to play with it. Haha. I seriously need my inspiration so bad. Lolz
EDIT. Okay, okay I give up. BUT! I did fix up my profile a bit. Quite lazy to do anything else but I did make it look like my MySpace profile, which I think is prettier. Lol. I love MySpace. And can I just say that it annoys me that I can't embed objects on the profile section of Multiply. Hullo. That's so last year. Anyways I like the look and feel of my Multiply now. It's so...girly. Hahaha! Yea and I still wish I had David Cook plastered on the banner. Maybe I can have Amy make me a banner. Pfft. I'm so lazy. And uncreative. But I do wanna start writing again. Lalala. I am rambling. But I don't care. Oh and speaking of Amy, it's her prom night tonight! I am so proud of her for finishing high school and I love that she has like six months off...I am so gonna see her real soon! It's gonna be so amazing, I know it. Anyway. I'll stop rambling now and say one last thing: Why do I smell scrambled eggs?
Okay this is too weird. Kimberly Caldwell just tweeted at me. Seriously. I checked out the page and it looks official. It's her Twitter account and she tweeted at me.
On friendship: When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares. -Henri Nouwen
On one's self: Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books written in a foreign language. Do not now look for the answers. They cannot now be given to you because you could not live them. It is a question of experiencing everything. At present you need to live the question. Perhaps you will gradually, without even noticing it, find yourself experiencing the answer, some distant day. -Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet
On life: Indeed, to some extent it has always been necessary and proper for man, in his thinking, to divide things up, if we tried to deal with the whole of reality at once, we would be swamped. However when this mode of thought is applied more broadly to man's notion of himself and the whole world in which he lives, (i.e. in his world-view) then man ceases to regard the resultant divisions as merely useful or convenient and begins to see and experience himself and this world as actually constituted of separately existing fragments. What is needed is a relativistic theory, to give up altogether the notion that the world is constituted of basic objects or building blocks. Rather one has to view the world in terms of universal flux of events and processes. -David Bohm
And so I realized that no matter how transparent I may be, I may still remain misunderstood by others. A part of me says it's not important, that at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is that you stay true to yourself and don't pretend--just be who you are and live to attain who you wanna be.
While it may seem that lately I am no longer interested in the mundane, I just wanna say that I still do appreciate the little things, really. Even if I honestly feel like I've been neglecting them all lately and well, I have my reasons. And you know me--I just don't like explaining myself.
Anyway. Enough of that dramz. It's so. Whatever. I wanna talk about today cuz it's Leni and Wilfred and Meg's last day and I just seriously...realized that I am so gonna miss them. Sure, we're not like super close or anything but I will miss them. They're amazing people and I'm not surprised that they landed gigs ahead of the rest of us. But yea I'm just sincerely happy for them. :)
Sooo what else? Oh there's one thing I'm really thankful about today. I won't delve into the details, I'm just really happy that it happened. I told you I still haven't lost touch! Anyway even if it's far out, I'm still wishing Jadz and Jerome and I could land gigs together. Cuz I am seriously gonna miss those two. I love our dymanics. We're just so fun and funny and yea. I love our group. :) Oh and yea since I'm at the topic of appreciating the little things, let's do this: PJ misses pissing me off. We haven't seen each other in a week or so and he was like omg I miss annoying the hell out of you and I was like fo' sho'!
OH and I have to blog this: WHY IS THERE AN ADAM LAMBERT VERSION OF 'NO BOUNDARIES'?! WTF MAN! IDOL IS SOOO. GRR! It was so obvious from the beginning that they all wanted Adam to win and now that he didn't, they're all so worked up on promoting him wtf he doesn't need it cuz he's already amazing and he's already established his fanbase wtf man. I mean, we never heard an Archie version of TOML. Come on. Oh lol and I have to say this--Kate just called Kris her baby and just today I found out that the name of Kris' wife is Katy. And yea, she looks like a subtler version of Avril Lavigne.
Yep so can I just say I cannot wait for next week?! I am sooo excited. Hush hush. But yea I am excited so. :) Til then, happy weekend, everyone!
Okay so I watched the AI8 finale again and I have to pick my favorite performances. :D!
First up, I have to say that the Top 13 singing Pink's "So What" was just too weird. I mean seriously. Flashback to last year, *digs up videos*, the Top 12 sang..."Get Ready" by The Temptations (and written by Smokey Robinson). Lol. Just cuz I'm cheesy like that.
Then there was David's moving performance of "Permanent". Okay so hats off to him for pulling this off beautifully. It was an amazing vocal performance and can I just say I freaking love his band?! I can't believe I saw them live. Yea! Oh and I have to say this: Proceeds from the purchase of the performance video of "Permanent" goes to charity, specifically Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure and National Brain Tumor Society. More info here.
Next up, the Top 13 performed "I'm Yours" with Jason Mraz. Can I just say I freaking love Jason Mraz?! Seriously, he's one of my favorite artists and I'm kinda sad that he appeared on stage looking like that..He totally aged a lot over the years and he's thinner now and I'm like dude. Are you okay?! Anyway I love the performance. I got goosebumps watching them cuz it reminded me of last year's...Umm...George Michael medley! That was epic. ;)
Kris Allen and Keith Urban performed this duet and I was blown away. I love the song and I love the vocals. Total win!
And I have to say that the Top 13 girls are so cute dancing to Fergie and Black Eyed Peas music.
Allison Iraheta time! Can I just say that I FREAKING WANTED ALLISON TO WIN AMERICAN IDOL SEASON 8. SERIOUSLY. I wanted her to win but she got booted out at Top 4. What the freaking hell. So frustrating. Though I have to agree with MJ on this performance--"They sound like they could have used more time to rehearse, but nice job."
And then there's Danny Gokey! I find it awesome that they really got artists who sound like them and put them in duets. It's so cool. I hate that he sang "Hello" though. That'll forever be a David song for me.
I did not like Adam and KISS. That gave me a migraine. And KISS scares me. I think I might have nightmares tonight. Thank God that was followed by the Top 13's performance with Carlos Santana. That was fun! It's so cute seeing them dance and have fun like that. Kris is a really cute dancer. :)
Get this bling! David Cook presents the Top 2 with NEW CARS! HA! LAST YEAR, THE DAVIDS GOT A BIG BLINGY FORD ESCAPE HYBRID (MSRP Today $29,645.00) AND THIS YEAR THEY GAVE AWAY FORD FUSION HYBRID (MSRP Today $27,270.00). Nonetheless they are all amazing automobiles from Ford. I want one someday. Lol. Oh and I love the last commercial and the song. :)
So yea I guess that's all for tonight's highlights. The other performances really didn't interest me so much. Oh and I have to say this--Kara DioGuardi rocks my socks. I love that she took the mic and sang and finally stood up against airhead Katrina Darell. I mean seriously, new boobs? Is that an accomplishment? Seriously?
Lol and I wanted to throw the remote control at Kris Allen when he went "Adam deserves this" after he won. I think that's the reason why Simon did not believe in him in the first place. He wasn't so adamant about winning the title. I think Simon's definition of a winner is someone who can really embrace that and appreciate it, like David last year, that as a really epic win. Even if David started out as an obnoxious ass, Simon killed his arrogance right there cuz he knew the potential David had. This season, he went on to push Kris to gain more confidence cuz he was so timid and shy and I'm like dude you just freaking won American Idol. But then again, I guess it's all part of his charm. I have to applaud Archie, by the way, who has grown so much through the past year. He doesn't gasp for air anymore when you compliment him and I like that. I like that he's becoming more confident about himself. I love it.
Oh and can I just say that I loveeee getting glimpses of David in the audience at the finale! My mom and I were like, DAVID! MICHAEL JOHNS! ARCHIE! And I was like OMG I SAW NEAL! OMG THERE'S KYLE! AND JOEY AND ANDY! It was crazy!
Okay I guess that's it for tonight. I worked on one hell of a newsletter today for my Cookie Jar and I've been uploading/downloading stuff like crazy. I need to get these backed up! Whew! Anyway yea I'll post whatever when I see them. I found a lot of really amazing new photos of David so I'm happy. :) Happy anniversary, Word Nerds! I seriously still remember this day last year, David was being crowned American Idol and I was at Starbucks in Pearl Drive. When I got back to the office, they were like, Cook won and I was like omg. It was a little after our call conf. Lol. Okay that's enough, I'm geeking out. ;) See y'all!
Yea cuz I was busy working on my Cookie Jar newsletter and David Cook's appearances and everything else. So I woke up late and didn't catch David sing "Permanent" but I did find a video and I'm sooo gonna watch the replay later tonight! Anyway. Y'all know by now that Kris Allen won and well yea I wanted Adam to win but whatever. This season of Idol wasn't as interesting as last year's anyway. But! I can't wait for Kris' record to drop so that'll be around November-ish or something. Oh! And of course, Photoshop in five seconds. "No Boundaries" will hit stores in a bit. Check out the single artwork.
I'll be blogging about the finale most probably tonight, when videos are up over at MJ's. Read the recap here.
Adam Lambert - Personal Choice - “Mad World” by Tears for Fears I love the song and I love the performance. I have to disagree with Simon--Round 1 definitely goes to Adam.
Kris Allen - Personal Choice - “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers I found this quite boring. I wish he sang "Heartless" instead. Or that song he sang during Rock week.
Adam Lambert - Simon Fuller’s Choice - “A Change is Gonna Come” by Patti LaBelle, Sam Cooke Ummm. I don't like Adam screaming. But I want him to win nonetheless.
Kris Allen - Simon Fuller’s Choice - “What’s Goin’ On” by Marvin Gaye I like this song and I like the performance. But I have to agree with Randy--it was quite light for something for the Nokia. Heck, THE WHOLE EVENING WAS LIGHT FOR THE NOKIA. Last year's finale was more...bongga. It's definitely recession for everyone, including American Idol. Whatever happened to Coca-Cola, iTunes and Ford, the three biggie sponsors of the show?
Adam Lambert - Winner’s Song - “No Boundaries” I am amazed at Adam's range. He doesn't need to breathe. But the song does not fit him at all. Sighz.
Kris Allen - Winner’s Song - “No Boundaries” The song fit him, but he found it difficult to sing it cuz his range could only go high. Poor thing. I love him though. And...I'd rather hear Kelly Clarkson or David Cook sing this song. Yep. Even if the world finds it ridiculous.
*nods* Oh and that last part when Carrie Underwood just came out tosing? So weird! Geez Idol, I know you're cost-cutting and all but..thisis a freaking finale! Glam it up a bit! I like the song though.
Tomorrow, we'll find out whether the guy liner emerges triumphant on the show. I really want Adam to win. I think he deserves it. Kris will sit comfortably on second place. Aaand. This is too weird--Our Lady Peace blogged that David Cook will be singing "Permanent", which will be his charity single. All proceeds go to brain tumor research. I have no idea if he can pull this off. It's so obvious from his past few performances that he's still grieving and for him to pull this off will be beyond amazing. He's really brave to be going out and doing this. I mean, I wouldn't want him to make a complete fool of himself but if he thinks he can go through that song without breaking down, then be it. You go, dude.
I'm dragging myself out of bed early tomorrow to catch the finale at 8am. I can't wait to see who will win! Even if this season wasn't as interesting as last year's. Anyways that's it for now, I'm not feeling so good. Must be the PMS or the weather. Grr. Idol finale tomorrow! Let's goooo!
Okay so this is what Randy Jackson meant when he said he liked Kris' version better than The Fray's. Being the music geek that I am, I'm ashamed to say I am not familiar with the original version of the song just cuz I haven't been listening to the radio. Lol. But yea tonight I looked it up on YouTube and found what I was looking for.
Kanye West
The Fray
Kris Allen
Sooo I have to agree with Randy. I definitely like Kris' version better than The Fray's and the original, even. Anyway. I love Kris Allen! Y'all already know that. But yea I don't want him to win American Idol. See? I'm so weird. I could clearly remember this week last year, I was so worked up about Cook winning American Idol. I didn't want him to win, I wanted Archie to win just cuz I liked Cook as the underdog. Anyway, he grabbed the crown anyway and it as all good. I eventually realized that he did deserve the crown and it's like the most amazing story ever told.
Aaanyway. Yea so I don't want Kris Allen to win--here I am all over again! Geez. But yea I don't want him to win. Don't get me wrong--I don't support Adam Lambert, I don't like his screams and I just..don't like him. I just don't. But I think I'm okay with him getting the crown. He'll be the first gay American Idol. Great. Whatever.
So there. I love Kris Allen! And I seriously can't wait to see what he'll come up with on performance night. I love that David Cook and Carrie Underwood and so many other amazing artists are gonna be there. Aaand! Omg kick me for this--I'm starting to like Carrie Underwood. I freaking don't like her. But I'm starting to...This is so weird. Oh and the family's watching American Idol season 4 so...Lol. I saw Carrie sing. It was pretty okay 'cept for the scream-y parts.
Anyway I think that's it for today. There are some other things I'm thinking about but I'll keep that to myself. But I have to say this. I'm just really, really thankful for that little 'thing' that happened today. I'm sooo thankful. And I hope that's a start for better things to come. :)
Happy Wednesdays, guys! YEAAA AI FINALE! Woohoo!!!
And a year ago, I was spazzingo over David Cook on American Idol while dealing with the bitterness brought about the break up. A year later, I'm sitting here on the same laptop, thinking about how much music has influenced my life. I mean, I seriously cannot live without music. Almost every blog entry of mind has a song to go with it. And tonight, it's a song from Lenka's self-titled record. Amy and I fell in love with this song cuz it's so optimistic and it's just...about love. And how much it can change a person's life. :) And yes, this song reminds me of David, I have no idea why. One thing's for sure--it inspires me. A lot. ;)
A second, a minute, and hour, a day goes by I'm hopin' just to be by your side I'm turnin' the handle, it won't open Don't make me wait, cause right now I need your smile
Knock Knock When life had locked me out, I turned to you So open the door Cuz you're all I need right now its true Nothin' works like you
Little louder knockin' Little louder
A warm bath, a good laugh An old song that you know by heart I've tried it but they all leave me cold So now I'm here waiting to see you My remedy for all that's been hurting me
You seem to know the way To turn my frown upside down You always know what to say To make me feel like everything's okay
Little louder knockin' Little louder
Little louder knockin' Nothin' works like you, oh oh Little louder knockin' -Lenka, "Knock Knock" (Lenka, 2008)
Anyway. I saw Vantage Point on cable tonight. Good film. Go see it! I really, really love it. It was intense--I was screaming and cheering and my parents were looking at me like crazy. Lol. Anyway yea I guess that's it. I spent the day downloading gig vids so I hope I could complete my collection soon. I haven't updated my Cookie Jar in a long time so this would be a good addition. So there. Let's call it a night cuz I have a gig tomorrow. Sheesh! There. Happy Monday!
P.S. OMG AMERICAN IDOL 8 SEASON FINALE ON THURSDAY!!! :D~!
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