Calgary Flames: Off-Season Plan

Ok, so this blog is going to be a little off-rack from what I'm normally blogging about. Most of you know I'm a big Hockey fan and an even bigger Calgary Flames fan. But, I spent a lot of time, thought, and typing into this manifesto of off-season moves, so I'm going to blog it here as well. Here's the moves I thikn Flames GM Darryl Sutter coudl and may make during teh off-season...

My Off-Season Suggestions and Opinion

1) Coaching - My first engagement in the Flames’ off-season moves would be to make a coaching change. But, unlike most of the outcry from Flames fans and media, I would not fire Mike Keenan as head coach. I know most fans are calling for Keenan’s head I believe that (other than the constant line-juggling and “strong encouragement” to have Kipper play all the games), the worst thing to do would bring in another head coach. Instead, I would see through to the end of Jim Playfair and Rich Preston’s assistant coaching contracts and break ties. Preston’s special teams were an obvious flop down the stretch and Preston’s defensive systems were never entirely seized by the players. I would bring up Lowry and Otto from the Hitmen to assist under Keenen and bring the success they’ve had from the Hitmen onto the Flames’ bench.

2) RFAs – with the unexpected injury flu that hit the Flames this year, we were finally able to see some of the club’s farm players in action; and for the most part, we weren’t disappointed and got to see some great rising talent in the rganization. Here're a list of the RFA players this summer and my opinion on each:
- Dustin Boyd: SIGN. If the fans' voices aren't loud enough, Boyd's play as a 4th line checking center spoke for itself. A hidden gem in teh organization, Boyd really stepped up his play this year and is starting to use his speed, size, and beautiful curly locks to create chances for the team. I believe he's make a great 3rd-line Center and a possible 2nd-Line center after a few more eyars of experience.
- Curtis McElhinney: LET WALK. Playing under Kipprusoff, McElhinney will not get the required experience to develope him into a better goalie. While he had some very bright spots this year (like his games vs. the Red Wings and Hurricanes), but Curtis needs at least 15-20 games to get him where he needs to be; he won't find that on the Flames' bench.
- Adam Pardy: SIGN. Pardy had a trial-by-fire this year, and came only with 1st-deghree burns. His defensive play vastly impoved by the end of the season and showed signs of a Regehr-type d-man with a few more years of experience. He proved himself as a Flames regular and I him to get 5/6 defenseman minutes again next year.
- Kris Chucko: SIGN. We didn’t get to see much of Chucko this year, but it was encouraging and left us wanting more. Chucko could become a diamond-in-the-rough depth guy, yet also holds enough promise to be part of a good trade package for another player.
- Kyle Greentree: SIGN. Like Chucko, we didn’t see much of Greentree, but he played steady minutes and also left us wanting more. I can’t see Sutter ditching Greentree after acquiring him from Philly last season.
- Adam Cracknell: LET WALK
- Aki Seitsonen: LET WALK

3) Flames UFAs - in the salary cap world, UFAs have become the most valued (and more often, overvalued) commodities in the NHL. The media have made Trade Day and Free Agent Day national holidays for the NHL. UFA-Day really gets rumors mongers and salivating fans the chance to ask "who's going where?" and makes for great commentary. Here's my comments/opinions on the Flames' UFAs this summer:
- Mike Cammalleri: the question is not "does Sutter want Cam back on teh team?", but "can Suter afford to have Cam back on the team?" The unfortunate answer is NO. Mike is coming intohis prime and will get top-dollar offers from teams needing to bolster their offence. With big money tied up in the Flames' core players, Sutter won't be able to match offers from other teams unles he ditches some major cap rom from other non-core players like Langkow, Vandermeer, and Sarich. Cammalleri WALKS.
- Todd Bertuzzi: from what I've been, the jury is out on re-signing Big Bert. He had moments of glory and moments of dissapointment, especially his defensive play. I take the stance that many fans do; if Bert will sign a contract similar to what he did last season ($1.5-$2.5/season), Sutter will keep Bert around. Bert RE-SIGNS.
- Adrian Aucoin: much to fans chagrin, Sutter brought an older, slower Aucoin into the organization with a big $4mil/yr salary. Despite Aucoin's big shot at the point, Aucoin never quite put up the PP points he should have; mostly because of Dion's PP presence. I've heard some request we bring Aucoin back if he would agree to take a big pay-cut. I would disagree as I think we need to get younger & faster in the defence department and his $4mil could go toward filling other roster spots. LET WALK.
- Andre Roy: From what I've heard, Roy is a great guy to have in the dressingroom and his size/presence as an aggressive fighter and 4th-line energy guy is needed. RE-SIGN.
- Jamie Lundmark: while Bourque was out with an ankle injury, Lundmark had some key games and key plays on his time on the 2nd line. From what looked like a career destined to dwell in the minors, Lundmark showed that he can belong in the big leagues. If he's willing to re-sign with a small salary increase, he shoudl stay. RE-SIGN.
- Jordan Leopold: I, along with most people, thought that Leopold (as the 2nd half of a big trade day for Calgary) thought Leopold's presence would puch the Flames over the top as Cup contenders. As the games rolled on, Leoold didn't quite fit in to the system that the Flames had carried over the season and Leopold didn't have any immediate chemsitry with Dion or any other d-pairing for that matter. Unless there's a substantial paycut in Leopold's salary, I wouldn't have him back and use the salary room to sign other players that fit the mold. LET WALK

4) UFAs - there arne't many players this year on my radar. Sure, there're a few superstar players that stick out from the pack, but because of the Flames' tight salrary cap (and with an expected decrease in next years' cap), there isn't much room for many big names to fill the spot. withe the imminent departures of Cammalleri, Aucoin, and Leopold, I believe the Flames are in need of 3 important spots to be filled: a Top-6 winger, a top-4 D-man, and a veteran/experienced backup goaltender. Here're my trop 3 UFA choices for each posistion:

Defence -
i) Jay Bouwmeester: ok, he's everyone's first choice for a defenceman and possibly everyone's first choice UFA. I can't imagine what a Phaneuf/Bouwmeester pairing would look like, but I can imagine it'd be amazing. If J-Bou can take a "home-province-discount" at about $5.5-$6 mil/year contract long-term, I think Sutter can pull it off from the cap he'd be saving by not re-signing Cammalleri, Aucoin, and Leopold. J-Bou signs for a back-loaded 6 year/35mil contract
ii) Cam Barker: the problem here is that Barker is an RFA, not UFA. So because of Barker's strong presence in the playoffs and a great regular season, I imagine the Blackhawks can and would match any offer put up by opposing teams. However, I would be willing to offer a hefty raise over his $0.975 contract with a new 6-year @ $3.3/year contract
iii) Mike Komisarek: whle I do believe the Flames need a bit more offensive depth on the blue-line, Komisarek bring size, strength, and big minutes to a Top-4 position: 3-years @ $3.15/year

Forwards:
i) Steve Sullivan: although Sullivan’s carreer has been marred by injury, it seems that this season’s surgeries may have cured his ailing back problems. He’s a smaller guy, but has a great scoring touch that may replace that of Cammalleri’s. Plus, he’s a left-wing which fits well between Jokinen and Iginla. 2 years @ $3/yr
ii) Brian Gionta: Gionta probably doesn’t fit Sutter’s “bigger, stronger, faster” forwards, but does have a scoring touch and is fast because of his small stature. He may not fit on the top line, but if Bourque can make the move as the 1st line’s LW, Gionta could play a 2nd line RW very well. 2 years @ $3/yr
iii) Jussi Jokinen: has had up and downs, and this season has been both. From being put on a waivers to helping Carolina have a great end-of-the-season and playoff run, Jokinen may have proved himself worthy of Top 6 minutes. Though not related to Olli, the Finnish countrymen could find chemistry since Jussi can be a playmaker to Iginla and Olli’s scoring touches. Although, Jussi does have a nose for the net which may be more suitable on 2nd-line duty with Langkow and Bertuzzi. 2 yrs @ $1.85

Backup Goal-tenders:
i) Manny Legace: although Manny had a rough year with St Louis (both on and off the ice), I believe he can still play great games and give Kipprusoff a sigh of relief. Kipper needs more games off and needs to play less so as to not burn out come playoff time. Plus, Legace has great veteran experience and that can prove to bode well for quiet-Kip. 1 year @ $1 mil
ii) Ty Conklin: there was a point during the season with Detroit (and possibly last season with the Penguins) where Conklin could have taken the #1 position as goalie. But, Conklin struggled near the end of the year and Osgood prevailed. Yet, Conklin and put up great games and steal a show. 1 year at $1 mil
iii) Craig Anderson: Anderson put up great numbers for the Panthers this year and may even get a shot as a #1 goalie with a team struggling to find a great puck-stopper. If Anderson doesn’t get a #1 job, I’d put my trust in him to help Kipper put up the W’s. 2 years @ $1.6/yr

Honourable Mentions:
Kurtis Foster: even though the Flames drafted him and then traded him away, if Foster can overcome his devastating leg injury, he could bode well to help bolster the Flames’ blueline and put up big minutes.
Ryan Clowe: Clowe dominated the Flames in the ’08 playoff series with the Sharks, but as an RFA might be untouchable. He’s a tough, gritty energey guy who can put up numbers, sohe may be worth looking at.
David Booth: although an RFA, Booth proved to put up really good numbers with the Panthers this year and would work very well on a Flames 2nd (or 1st) line as a scorer.
Chris Neil: if Sutter is looking for a 3rd line energy guy who can bring toughness and fists to his game, Chris Neil is your guys and could replace Andre Roy if on re-signed (yet has a bigger paycheque)

5) Trades - my impression is that Sutter has had his trade fill for the year making a big splash at the deadline with acquiring Jokinen and Leopold at the expense of a 1st Rounder, Lombardi, and Prust so I don't imagine he'll make any draft or July 1st trades. However, in order to make the cap work, and in order to get some picks back, I believe there may be some players considered to be moved in lieu of the younger guys who've proved their spots in the roster:
i) Jim Vandermeer: I don't know what Sutter was thiking signing Vandermeer to a multi-year contract worth 2.3 per, but in order to salvage some picks and some cap room, I suggest trading Vandy for a 3rd or 4th rounder.
ii) Wayne Primeau: I enjoyed watching Primeau in in 07/08, but i'mafraid that Boyd may have played Primeau out of his spot. Wayne will either retire because of injuries or get trade for low picks
iii) Daymond Langkow: although I woudl like to see Langkow get traded, I don't think it'll happen this year. In my opinion, I'd like to se Langkow get traded to free up cap space and let rising start Mikael Backlund get some strong minutes as the 2nd line Center, but Backlund may get another year with the Kelowna Rockets before he's ready to take over for Langkow. If Sutter looks to gain a 1st Rd Pick, Langkow may be part of a package to deal for a 1st Rd pick.

LINEUP:
- here's my projected roster for the 09/10 Flames and the overall cap outlook:

Sullivan (3)– Jokinen (5.25)– Iginla (7)
Bourque (1.35)– Langkow (4.5) – Bertuzzi (2)
Glencross (1.2) – Conroy (1.05)– Moss (1.3)
Nystrom (.687)– Boyd (0.985) - Lundmark (.750)

Phaneuf (6.5)– Bouwmeester (5.875)
Regehr (4.02) – Giordano (.891)
Sarich (3.6)– Pardy (0.750)

Kipprusoff (5.83)
Legace (1.0)

Cap Hit: 57.5

LOVE

Other than music, I'm not much of an art-buff. I enjoy reading, I like poetry, and can observe paintings. There are few physical pieces that move me as much as music does. But, there are a few exceptions, and I want to talk about one of them. There's a popular piece of art on the street corner of 55th St and 6th Ave in New York City. I'm sure you've seen it before. LOVE. That's it. The letters L and O (which is slanted) over the letters V and E. The face of the letters are red and the silhouette is blue. It's nothing fancy, colorful, or significant. Ring any bells? Here's a pic:






Pretty simple right? For something so obvious and artistically relevant, it carries the weight of a city on its shoulders. Though just a four-letter word, LOVE packs a strong meaning, and is simple to say, do, and experience. Right?
"What have I learned about love? It's a dangerous commodity, froth will peril". That's a quote from the artist, Robert Indiana, who originally created the concept for the cover of a Christmas Card for the Museum of Modern Art in 1964. It then became a popular (and now collectable) postage stamp 9 years later. In 1966, Indiana made a steel sculpture of it and was displayed in the Museum of Modern Art for many years before being moved out onto the corner of 55th and 6. As you can see from the picture, it stands alone as an obvious reminder to the millions of New Yorkers and tourists who walk by it each year to simply love.

Has it worked? Probably not. We live in a world that seems to do the complete opposite as fine wine; it gets worse with age. Sitting in the Christian box for a moment, I hear about love all the time. With all the sermons, books, music, and special speakers I hear over the course of a year, you'd think that I'd be learning to love better, love more, and love differently. I'm not the one to judge whether that's true or not, but at least I have some sort of self-awareness of it. Sitting in the secular box for a moment, I see more war, killing, lust, and immoral opportunity every time I turn on the TV. When I sit in my lunch room at work every day, CBC news is on (it's the only channel we get) and all I see if how many have been killed in this Eastern country, what political party is slamming the other, and what Pres Obama is doing to save the universe today. (side note: Obama, by the way, had his own version of the LOVE statue created by Indiana to raise money for his campaign which replaced the word "LOVE" with "HOPE").

We're bombarded with pleas to love more. Love each other, love our neighbor, and love our enemies. Love others despite race, religion, sex, political affiliation, and moral belief. Why is it so hard for us to do? Can something as small as buying a hamburger for an ungrateful homeless man be considered love? Can doing the dishes for our spouse be considered love? Can offering hugs to complete strangers be love? Yes, it can. But what else is LOVE and why does Indiana himself call love a "dangerous commodity"? And where do find our example of what love is?

God is Love. And Jesus ended up being the "dangerous commodity" that Indiana spoke about. Jesus' death became the "peril" of what love brings. He was the ultimate sacrifice of love. Maybe you don't believe in God or Jesus. That's fine. But, even the simple concept of God's love is something amazing. I can't imagine giving up my son, Noah, to die for any one human being, let alone all of human race. Regardless, the most fruitful example of love is found in Jesus. His care, love, compassion, and encouragement for the poor, needy, helpless, and disenfranchised is beyond any other religious, literary, fictional, or physical example we've even been confronted with. Bono has a great quote in an interview he did with Bill Hybels where he says, "You either have to believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God or believe that he was a complete nutcase. Jesus was either Charles Manson... an absolute nutcase or, in my opinion, who He said He was."

To push these comments a little further, world-renown preacher/speaker/spiritual advisor, Tony Campolo made an appearance on "The Hour" one night and said about Bono, "Here is a guy who is a rock singer who has done more to articulate what Christianity is really about than most of we preachers. In fact, he says to be Christian is to commit to the poor and to the oppressed." Later on in that same interview, Campolo talks a bit about love and how it's portrayed in society (using Luke 25 as his basis): "I (God) am not up in the sky somewhere. I'm waiting to be loved in people who hurt. As you relate to people who are hurt, you relate to me. There is no Christianity that does not tie (Christians) up with the poor and oppressed of the world".

Jesus shows this example of love many times in the scriptures. "The least of these..." so-to-speak. But not only Jesus' example of love through who He is, but God's example of love my simply sending His son down from Heaven into a world that needed love more desperately than ever. Jesus was God's 55th & 6th sculpture. He was the purest form of love to give us, yet "God so loved" that he "gave". We were the poor and disenfranchised until God sent a love to real and pure we didn't have to be reminded; just shown what real love meant, what real love felt like.

Still, though, why do we need a simple structure of steel to remind us to love? A simple word and simple piece of art is all we have left as a physical reminder of God's gift to us. The world is denouncing Christ, taking Him out of our schools, and find every way to find truth without Jesus. I don't believe that's possible. I realize I've asked a lot of questions in this blog without answers, but I leave it up to you to truly seek what true love is; find it so powerfully that you don't need anyone or anything to remind you of it. Having Christ is the ultimate expression of love and by giving, expressing, displaying, and showing love we can make this world better. Of course, that doesn't mean we need to stop making art about it; we just need to make sure that it points to the most fantastic, unreal, and purest example of it. Jesus. LOVE.

"Music is my first love. To wake up early in the morning with a melody in my head is a great gift."
- Bono

Strat for Sale.

For those of you who play guitar, specifically electric guitar, do you have use a backup guitar? Along with my coveted PRS Swamp Ash Special (I covet it in a non-sinful way), I have a 1987 MIJ Fender Strat that I use as a backup. Actually, if I'm being totally honest, I hardly ever use it. I like the feel, tone, and play of my PRS so much that I can't not use it. It's an alright guitar and the 5th strat I've owned. I love teh sound of a strat and I don't think there's many guitar that are better and more versatile. However, I've had the unfortunate experience of never owning a strat I LOVE.

My friend Tim has a really nice Lonestar Strat that he got as a wedding gift years ago and I loved to play that thing. It had that undeniable strat-jangle and sounded like a strat in any amp it was in. Mine dosen't necessarily have that sound & feel to it and it's kind of depressing; I love strats so much but certainly can't afford to purchase one that's "the one" for me. My PRS does have strat capabilities by pulling of the tone knob and splitting the humbuckers (and engaging the Seymour Duncan Hot Rail single coil in between), but it just doesn't sound the same. Although it has a Strat feel, it has the Les Paul sound that is also awesome.

Anywho... I've been trying to sell my strat lately. It doesn't get used very often and I'm sure someone can give it a good home. I'll attach a picture and a link to some other pictures so if you (or anyone you know) is looking for a great electric guitar, let me know and we'll work out a deal. It does have some fretwear, but has been serviced and cleaned (before/after pics are in link) and gives it a "relic'd" look. It's a great guitar and needs a good home. I'm thjnking of selling it (along with a Fulltone Ultimate Octave and Voodoo Labs Microvibe) and buying some pedals I've had my eye on; I'm always looking to perfect the tone on my pedalboard.

Drop me a comment or email if you (or anyone else) is interested:
jcambers at gmail dot com




More pics here:
http://s115.photobucket.com/albums/n291/JamCam0702/1987%20Fender%20MIJ%20Strat/

My Favorite Albums of All Time

I don't think I'm too far off stating that the music industry has become a little bit stale over the past few years. The formula to making a 'successful' album is easily found on most pop records these days and this formulae has really dried up a lot of the truly great song-writers, musicians, and bands. Catchy lyrics, 4-chord progressions, a great melody, and anything not written by the actual performer are probably all goods starting points to writing a hit song. American Idol has re-popularized listener-friendly friendly pop music and the media's glorification of material possessions, sex, and women have even made the most terrible songs into hits because of content their lyrical content alone. And, the means of attaining music these days have become another problem; downloading an album over the net (whether free or not) have taken over CD sales and is causing a massive decrease in album manufacturing. So, to find truly original and undeniably great music you've really gotta search for it. The popularity of "indie" music, "brit-pop", and "the underground sound" have taken over, but most of these albums cannot be attained over the internet.

So, lately, I've been finding myself going back into my catalog of music and reintroducing myself to some of the most impactful albums on my life (both musically, instrumentally, and even spiritually). I'd be comfortable in saying that most musicians can recite some of their favorite albums of all time. I can only assume that some musicians can even remember the time/place they first heard 'that song' or 'that album'. Certainly, for some of these albums listed below, I can remember just those times & places. Whether it was a great solo, a great guitar tone, a catchy lyric, a melody or a moving chorus, the following albums have had everlasting impact on my musical development over the years. Yes, I'm sure there'll be others over to comes, but I believe it's also important to pay homage to those albums that have brought music to where it is today. So, here're my favorite and most inspirational albums of all time. These albums are in no particular order since they're all from different genres, eras, styles, and content. Feel free to comment with your Fave Albums in the comment section: I'd be interested to hear own opinions & styles. Enjoy:

• "Ten" by Pearl Jam (1991)
  
  - while I could have easily put Nirvana's "Nevermind" in place of this record, I chose "Ten" because of it's coolness factor as a guitar player. Stone Gossard and Mike McCready have some amazing guitar tones, riffs, and solo parts. While Nirvana started the grunge movement, this album opened the flood-gates wide. With Eddie Vedder's charismatic vocals, a tight rock element, subtle use of guitar effects, and a purely raw sound, Pearl Jam's "Ten" is one of the most successful and profound debut albums of all time. when I first learned my pentatonic guitar scale, I practiced it over the solo section in "Alive" for hours and hours (no lie). I learned licks from that 2-minute solo section and applied them to my own style that started me on my "lead guitar" journey.
  Must listen: "Alive", "Black", "Even Flow"
  
  
  
• "Any Given Thursday" by John Mayer (2003)
  
  I debated whether to include this album or not for two reasons: it’s a live album and it’s not my favorite John Mayer album. But, when I was living in Calgary I probably watched this DVD two or three times a week. Mayer was probably one of the first singer/song-writers I really got into. At a time when I was only listening to loud, heavy music I heard an acoustic version of “Neon” and was blown away. I checked him out and eventually got this live album & DVD. It really took me out of my shell and immersed me into a different kind of music. Even my guitar playing changed since, at that point, every solo I could play was shred. I stole a lot of licks, progressions, and structure from John’s playing and was introduced to a very important part of lead-guitar playing. “feel” and “emotion” (listen to “Lenny/Man on the Side” and “Covered in Rain”). You don’t get much feel when you’re shedding through a Metallica song, but John’s definitely got some SRV & Slow-Hand touch here. I even had a new-found respect for song-writing and acoustic playing (see “Neon” and “Message in a Bottle”).
  Must listen: "Covered in Rain", "Lenny/Man on the Side", "Love Song for No One"
  
  
• "The Alchemy Index: Volumes I, II, III, IV"" by Thrice (2007/2008)
  
  - this one is another difficult album to include because it's a 4-CD, 2-Volume concept manifesto. But, the way it’s made, produced, and conceptualized makes it one of my favorite volumes of music. “Concept albums” have always been sketchy with me, but this one really worked for me. It really showed the breadth and depth of Thrice’s musicality. Each volume is an interpretation of an element of the alchemist’s index; Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. Fire is a raw, loud, heavy. Water has lots of flow and groove to it, with some digital aspects. Air is rock, but melodic and vibrant. Earth is very down-to-earth, honest, and mostly acoustic. This manifesto covers many genres, styles, and tones of music and I invite any music lover to immerse themselves in this collection. It’s absolutely amazing.
  Must listen: "The Arsonist" (Fire), "Digital Sea" (Water), "Daedalus" (Air), "Come All You Weary" (Earth)
  
  
• "OK Computer" by Radiohead (1997)
  
  - As I stated at the beginning of this blog, music has become stale and formulaic. Every now and then, though, an album comes out that totally redefines that era’s music and reinterprets what music is to the artist. Radiohead’s OK Computer did just that in 1997. Although I enjoyed many songs from that record back then (I remember learning the tab of Paranoid Android from Guitar World way back then), it wasn’t until a few years ago that I was re-introduced to this album. It had as much impact on me 2 or 3 years ago as it did to the music industry back in 1997. Odd chord progressions, off-time beats, cryptic sounds, Thom Yorke’s muttering, eclectic guitar sounds, and electronic ambiance makes this album a staple for the music-lovers collection.
  Must listen: "Paranoid Android", "Airbag", "Exit Music (for a Film)"
  
  
• "A Collision" by David Crowder Band (2005)
  
  - as I mentioned in a previous post, the David Crowder Band is probably my favorite “Christian” band; furthermore, he may be one of my 3 favorite worship song-writers and the band has an immense amount of musical talent and creativity. Before this record, I wasn’t crazy over them. But, my friend Sunny persisted and I really dug this album. The use of rhythmic guitar textures, loops, and yet simple 4-chord progression worship songs really got me hooked. The simplicity of song-writing and worship meets the intricacies of rhythms, sounds, and digital syncopation. I was curious as to how DCB would relate this to a live situation and I was even more blow away when I saw them in November of 2007 in New York City. Their live sound was pristine and was almost identical to their studio records.
  Must listen: "Here is Our King", "Come and Listen", "Do Not Move"
  
  
• "Achtung Baby!" by U2 (1991)
  
  - U2 make great albums. Everyone knows that. But to pick a favorite from their illustrious 30+ year career and 12-album collection is quite the task. I pick Achtung Baby because it, like OK Computer, set a new bar for music at its particular moment in time. Achtung Baby mixed U2's unique rock sound with a dance sound and yet still stuck to their formulaic guns to make pop hits that garnered many #1 hits (One, Mysterious Ways, Even Better than the Real Thing). The Edge experimented with unheard of guitar sounds and made them work which really caught my ear. The envelope-filtered "Mysterious Ways" riff, 12/8 syncopated tremolo of "Acrobat", whammy-driven opener of "Even Better then the Real Thing", and industrial-thick distortion of "The Fly" make Auctung Baby the bar for guitar soundscapes and industry-changing albums.
  Must listen: "Mysterious Ways", "The Fly", "Until the End of the World"
  
  
• "Long Line of Leavers" by Caedmon's Call (2000)
  
  - the first time I heard this album, I was driving to Toronto to go see a John Mayer concert with friends, Sunny & Marc. Between the three of us, our 17-hour drive consisted of many different albums. Marc happened to pop this one in and although it wasn't my favorite "styles" of music at the time, I had never heard such an emphasis on great melody and relevant, honest lyrics before. I bought this album shortly after and really dove into it. Lyrical depth and unforgettable melody made this my favorite folk-rock/sing-songwriter albums off all time. This also lead me to be a big fan of controversial Christina song-writer, Derek Webb (check out his album, "The Ringing Bell". Fantastic).
  Must liten: "Dance", "Love Along", "Prepare Ye the Way"
  
  
• "mutemath (self-titled)" by MuteMath (2006)
  
  - as millennium rolled on, pop-music was becoming more and more a carbon copy of itself and was hard to find original and musically enriched artists... that is unless you were looking under the covers (or "the underground" as the kids call it). Using MySpace as a stepping stone, MuteMath came from out of nowhere and blessed everyone with a new and fresh sound. Mixing rock, psychedelic, neo-pop, and dance, MuteMath was the new sound everyone was waiting to hear. After their 5-song EP garnered some attention and their extravagant & energetic live performances garnered even more attention. When their self-titled album came out (produced by famous produce, Tedd T), MuteMath used MySpace as their only means of marketing and became an overnight (and underground) success. There hasn't been a keyboard/piano as a lead-instrument since Toto, and lead singer Paul Meany plays it to a tee. The ultra-talented band could make unbelievable music using spoons, a chair, dental floss, and a toilet. Using loops, pads, mega-tight drum & bass grooves, guitar-created soundscapes, a delayed-out Rhodes, and powerful vocals (all melodically, vocally, and lyrically) this album takes the listener on a cinematic journey over a musical one.
  Must listen: "Chaos", "Break the Same", "Noticed"
  
  
• "Re-Load" by Metallica (1997)
  
  - when 1996's "Load" came out, Metallica got into a bunch of heat from their fans for "selling out" because the album wasn't as "metal" as 1990's hugely successful "Black Album". Oh, and because they cut their long hair. But, Load had a few gems and the purest of fans embraced the new sound. Originally, the album was supposed to be a 2-CD collection, but the label pressed them into releasing it as one album and re-releasing the "rest" of the songs as a B-Sides item. Evidently, "Load" didn't fair so well so on the charts or with most fans, so they decided to try releasing the B-Sides as "ReLoad". I'm not one to say whether it was more or less successful than Load, but to me, it is one of my favorite guitar albums. Some of the riffs, though simple, are memorable and I spent hours with the tab book learning every song in and out.
  "The Memory Remain", "Fixxer", "Prince Charming"



• "Jesus Freak" by dc Talk(1997)
  
  - I'm pretty sure this was the first CD I ever bought. Sure, the song 'Jesus Freak' was the Christian song of its day, but this album has a few gems that were hidden in the shadows of the hugely successful title song; "Mind's Eye", "So Help Me God", and "Like It, Love It, Need It" were all great rocks songs with some very powerful riffage. Then, there are some "softer" tunes like "What if I Stumble?" and "In the Light" that really caught the listener's ear and, more importantly, heart. Strong lyrics, vocals, and plethora of styles really makes this an inspirational album, both spiritually and musically.
  Must listen: "Mind's Eye", "So Help Me God", "What Have We Become"
  
  
• "In Loving Memory" by Big Wreck (1997)
  
  - Ian Thornley is one of the most underrated guitar players ever. His riffs are awesome, his chops undeniable, and tones are my favorite of any guitar player. Oh, and he's the front man and does it all while singing fantastic & complicated melodies. His band were mega-tight and ultra-talented as well, but Ian obviously stole the show. This was especially evident after Big Wreck (unfortunately) broke up in 2002. Ian, however, went on to create his own solo rock-band, Thornley, in 2004 (I also recommend the album "Come Again" by Thonrley). Ian Thornley has a way of making his guitar sing louder than his piercing tenor & falsetto voice. He has some of the most amazing guitar tones and is a master at making guitar effects work )see #1 hit "The Oaf", "That Song", and "Blown Wide Open"). There's also some great slide-guitar tidbits on songs like "Look What I found" and the solo on "Under the Lighthouse"). You can probably find this CD for $3 on your local pawn-shop shelf. I recommend you start looking.
  Must listen: "The Oaf (My Luck is Wasted)", "Under the Lighthouse", "Blown Wide Open"
  
  
• "Scenery & Fish" by I Mother Earth (1996)
  
  - I neglected to put this album in since it's closely related to the Big Wreck album (after all, Canadian Rock of the mid-90's sounded too similar). But, then I played this album again and noticed a lot of sounds & grooves that weren't found in the Big Wreck, Our Lady Peace, and Finger 11 sounds of its day. Rather, Scenery & Fish is very rhythmically driven with Stuart Copeland-like drums, Tower of Power-percussion, lightning fast bass grooves, and Jagori's high-gain Hendrix riffs. For a a trio of musicians, they really beef up the sound and have a rock sound unlike any other band with their mix of R&B, Funk, and ethnic styles of music; all with a pop-sensitive attitude of melody and rock.
  Must listen: "Pisser", "Used to Be Alright", "One More Astronaut"
  

Other honorable mentions:

• "Albertine" by Brooke Fraser"
  
• "Not to Us" by Chris Tomlin
  
• "Morning View" by Incubus
  
• "Twenty Something" by Jamie Cullum
  
• "With Arrows, with Poise" by the Myriad
  
• "About a Burning Fire" by Blindside
  
• "Eat, Sleep, Repeat" by Copeland
  
• "Black Holes & Revelations" by Muse
  
• "Access:d" by Delirious
  
• "Falling into Infinity" by Dream Theater
  

Art vs. Ministry: Part 7

I'm not sure if this is Art or Ministry, or the best collaboration of both... but whatever it is, it's what I want...



David Crowder Band is probably my favorite "Christian" band. Evidently enough, Crowder is probably one of my favorite worship leaders/writers as well. He and the band have this way of melding instrumentation, worship, rock, ambient sounds, and noise to make masterpieces of music. The song above is an awesome live depiction of just what it is that they do so well.

Wanna know something else? Catherine and I were at this exact concert. It was at New York's City's Hammerstien Ballroom and was amazing. The Myriad opened and they blew the show away for me; they were the opening act.