The Civil Wars album is on the record player. You are doing the dishes and I am sitting at the computer singing along. You walk over to me and I take your hand. I look up at you lovingly while singing the words to Poison & Wine. You’re smiling down at me and touching my cheek. It’s completely gag worthy to anyone on the outside, but in that moment, it was love.

P.S. Thank you for painting the fireplace today. It’s the suckiest thing ever and you did a great job.

It’s no secret around here that my favorite band is downhere. It’s also no secret that I harbor a major crush on singer Marc Martel. What is it about a man who can sing falsetto that makes us weak in the knees? Of course he’s cute and talented, but it’s really the band’s music that I love. I follow them on facebook and twitter and I read their blogs and I do everything I possibly can to support this band. I always go see them in concert when they come to town. This is one of maybe three bands that my sister and I each pay to download their music on itunes. Instead of one of us buying it and burning the other a copy. We love to support the band! Rockstars need money! They can’t live on bologna sandwiches.

So when Queen drummer Roger Taylor announced they were searching for people to audition for Queen Extravaganza, my guy Marc submitted a video audition. People have been telling him for years that he sounds, and even looks a bit like Freddie Mercury. Even my husband and I told him that when we saw him in concert. (the same night those pics above were taken)

And then something amazing happened. The video went viral. And right now it has almost 3.5 million views. About 20 of them are mine. Here it is in case you haven’t seen it already.

It’s unfortunate that it took something like this to bring Marc and downhere into the spotlight. These guys have been busting their butts for ten years now making incredible music, but constantly struggling to pay the bills. There just doesn’t seem to be the same market for Christian music that there is for mainstream. You will probably never see a Christian artist bust out and sell millions of albums and have sold out concerts right out the gate. (like Lady Gaga) And while I wish this wasn’t true, there are some advantages to it. At least for the fans. How many people can say they get to meet and talk to and be photographed with their favorite musician each time they see them? Probably not very many. Except for those hipsters who only want to listen to bands that don’t exist to anyone else. And almost every time I’ve blogged about the band, one or more of the band members has come here and left comments. Which totally makes me geek out and squee like a tween.

I sincerely hope that Marc wins this competition. The public voting begins on November 14th. Marc is even going to be on Ellen this coming Monday the 3rd. Please set your dvrs, you won’t want to miss it. My biggest hope is that all of these people who are quickly becoming fans of Marc will also become fans of downhere. They will buy their music, they will see them in concert. And they will do their best to make sure that these rockstars don’t ever have to eat bologna sandwiches ever again!

Here, enjoy some of their music. They also have a brand new album out called On The Altar of Love. You should, you know, buy it.

If you’re not using Grooveshark to check out music, you’re really missing out. Here’s some more of what I’ve been listening to lately.

I hate to be one of those bloggers who apologizes for not blogging more. I think feeling pressured to blog takes the fun out of it. And I suppose when I have more to say I will say it.

For now, let’s just tune out.

I’ve recently discovered checking out cds from the library. Or shall I say I’ve recently been doing it. I’ve known it could be done, it just never really occurred to me to actually do it. I’m pretty pleased with the free tunes I’ve been able to get my hands on. So I decided to compile a little sampler post here for you of the music I’ve been listening to lately. Some of it from the library, some from itunes. All of it pretty good if you ask me.

Hold Me Together – Royal Tailor

Barton Hollow – The Civil Wars

Just A Kiss – Lady Antebellum

Let Me Down Easy – Billy Currington

Slumber – Need To Breathe

Let Me Rediscover You – downhere

As you can see I seem to have crept over to the country music side a bit. I blame this on the fact that I watched The Voice and developed a tiny crush on Blake Shelton. Which led me to want to flip over to the country music stations and give a listen. Turns out it’s not as bad as I had imagined it to be in my head. So now my radio hops back and forth between Christian radio and Country. It still doesn’t ever hop over to Top 40 Pop/Rock. You guys can keep your Kanye West, Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga. It’s not for me.

Which reminds me of this song by Royal Tailor which is kind of funny.

So what are you listening to these days?

It’s not that often that I go to live shows or concerts. I have to really really want to see a band badly in order for me to see them live. There are several reasons behind this. I don’t like large crowds. If it’s general admission I’m kind of screwed because the short people always get screwed at general admission standing only concerts. I don’t like searching for a parking spot. I don’t like it when the music is too loud and hurts my precious ears. I have found that my favorite way to listen to music is with a good set of over the ear headphones. Or in my car where I can sing along. Also, sometimes bands just aren’t good live. And it’s always such a disappointment when you love them on cd, but live they blow.

Tonight though? I’m not worried about that at all. Sure, it’s going to be standing room general admission which means my sister and I will get forced to the back of the venue where we can kind of sort of see. But the music should totally make up for it. Because we’re going to see Need To Breathe. This is a Christian rock band that has been trickling it’s way onto the mainstream music scene. I’ve even heard them play their stuff on tv promos and an episode of Cougar Town. And I read that Taylor Swift has chosen them to be her opening act when her next tour starts. (speaking of someone who doesn’t sound great live…)

If you haven’t heard their stuff yet you should really check them out. Here’s a few of my favorites.

Something Beautiful

Let Us Love

Washed By The Water

More Time: From the P.S. I Love You Soundtrack

Stones Under Rushing Water

Shine On

I could seriously link to like 10 more videos here. But maybe instead you should just go to Grooveshark and listen to all of their stuff for free. (I don’t know what I would do without Grooveshark. It’s way better than Pandora in my book.)

The opening act tonight is The Daylights. I’ve never heard of them before, but I just sampled a couple of their songs on their website and they seem pretty good.

Happy Friday!

you’re going to need tissues for this one

It’s new music that sounds like old music. And it’s just so hard not to love it.

J.D. McPherson, former front man of The Starkweather Boys, has a new album out and it’s incredible. It was recorded at HiStyle Records which uses ribbon tubes and tube mixers and other things I don’t really understand. Except to know that’s why it has that old music sound to it.

His album, Signs and Signifiers, is available on itunes for purchase.

I’m thinking of printing this off and framing it to hang in my bedroom.
Lyrics from the downhere song My Last Amen.

Some music that I have had on repeat lately.

My Last Amen – downhere

*

Canadian Heart – Hark The Herons

*

Down – Jason Walker

( I guess this one has been featured on One Tree Hill and Vampire Diaries )

*

Dismantle.Repair

*

Already Home – Thousand Foot Krutch

The trouble with truth is it never lies and the trouble with wrong that it’s never right.

Two years ago when I first heard this song it held a very different meaning for me. I couldn’t listen to it without crying. It was right around the time of my sister’s divorce and needless to say, her pain was also my pain. No one enjoys watching the person they love most in the world hurt like that.

As time went on it got easier for me to listen to the song without sobbing. Eventually it became just another song on my ipod. However, recent events have occurred which make listening to it hard again. It’s funny how a song can do that to you. It doesn’t surprise me though. Between my general sappiness and my intense love for music, I weep at least once a day over something I hear. Sometimes I get annoyed at how easily I cry. Most of the time, though, I just remind myself that it means I still have a heart. And that I’ve not become completely jaded by this world we live in.

It’s cold again
And I do not know what to do
I need a friend
But all I really want is you

Where have you been
I haven’t seen you for so long
I guess you’re gone
You’re really gone

So long ago
You told me you’d never leave
What do you know
That things have changed so suddenly
And here I am
I am moving on without you
Without you

And now the years have passed us by
And I still do not know why
Before you tried
You chose to quit
So where are you tonight
You could make everything right
But instead you’re missing it
You’re missing it

You’re missing it
All the things that I have done
You’re missing it
Everything I have become
So wave goodbye
Cause you can never get it back
No you can’t
You really can’t

Cause now the years have passed us by
And I still do not know why
Before you tried
You chose to quit

So where are you tonight
You could make everything right
But instead you’re missing it
You’re missing it

There’ll be a day
Where you wish you could go back
When your mistakes
Will catch up with where you’re at
Before you know
All your chances will be gone
They will be gone

Cause now the years have passed us by
And I still do not know why
Before you tried you chose to quit
So where are you tonight
You could make everything right
But instead you’re missing it

And now the years have passed us by
And I still do not know why
Before you tried
You chose to quit
So where are you tonight
You could make it all alright
But instead you’re missing it
You’re missing it