Learn more about an era of music and the connections behind the songs. Interwoven with personal anecdotes, commentary and artist history. A unique way to tap into music nostalgia and discovery.
Fun In The Country Music Therapy
The new Brothers Osborne song “All Night” reminded me that I haven’t posted a new music therapy playlist in a while. This one has been in progress for a while. If you’re in a happy country music mood this playlist should keep the party going all night.
Radical Remake Music Therapy
Just what is sounds like, remakes that turn the song upside down.
My Personal Chart, June 1, 2010
See my June 1, 2010 chart here
The companion Spotify playlist has all the songs discussed in the blog that are available. Individual playlists for each blog entry are available on My YouTube Channel.
YouTube playlist with the songs from Part 2
Part 2, Manic Musings, the Queen is Everywhere, Trick Shots and Kickstarting Video Gimmicks
Manic Bloom/Tonight Is When I Say Goodbye (2)
This was the second song by the Nashville indie band to make my chart. They first appeared on a personal chart I processed for Beyond Radio that I called JDM. I can not remember what chart that was. I have lost a lot of data files, personal chart files of my own and Beyond Radio and Top Hits Online data files as well. Many were on an external hard drive that was damaged by a fall, and data could not be recovered. Other files were lost from computer crashes or on damaged floppy disks. I wish I had been more vigilant in saving things.
What I know about the debut of Manic Bloom is that it showed up on JDM’s chart the week of Nov. 15. 2009. The song was “Running From The Scene” and it reached the Beyond Radio Rock top 100 in December but not sure how long it was on or where it peaked. On my chart it peaked at #2 in early 2010 and was my #11 of the year. It is a mid-tempo rock song with prominent piano and a very polished sound for an indie band. I was hooked by the melody, singer David Joel Stevenson’s voice and the radio friendly grandiosity (somewhere between Muse and Queen).
“Tonight Is When I Say Goodbye” was their next appearance on my chart and again reached #2. I was falling in love with their sound (what they describe as epic, melodic rock) and all 5 songs from the 2008 self-titled debut EP reached my top 10. “Betrayer” and “What Scares You Most” (23) both hitting #10 and “Everything I Saved You From” spending 4 weeks at #1, which helped it land at #3 for the year. A great guitar hook and Stevenson’s soaring pipes solidified that. He is also and actor and an author. In August 2010 they released a second EP, “In Loving Memory”, and the first song from that to chart was a bit more of a love ballad (“just one more touch, just one more word, where would I be if I never had you here with me”). “A Thousand Angels” again hit #1 and was #4 for the 2010-2011 cycle.
Seeing a pattern here? They were my #2 artist of 2010, behind Shinedown. Most of the songs from “In Loving Memory” charted for me. A total of 5 hitting #1. The ‘what should have been a sports anthem’ and most straightforward rock song of theirs, “Never Back Down” was #1 for 3 weeks. Its lyric and the insistent guitar intro would be a perfect fit for a team. In fact, the band did garner some attention on the YouTube channel Dude Perfect, the second most subscribed to sports channel on YT. The channel has been around since 2009 and it is filled with trick shot videos and comedy musings.
Read the rest here
YouTube playlist with the songs from Part 1
My Personal Chart Blog, June 1, 2010
Part 1, Spiritual Questions to Ponder, an Unstoppable Album, a Potent Memory, a Hot 100 Analysis and the Soap Connection
Better Than Ezra/Just One Day (1)
“What would do, what would you say, if everyone you loved came back for just one day?”. That line helped to solidify the #1 position on my chart this week in 2010. There was quite a lot of emotion circling my chart at this time. I can not pinpoint what the reason was, I think maybe things sometimes go in cycles. It had been 9 years since my Mom had passed and I am certain this song triggered my sense of loss.
The Baton Rouge band, Better Than Ezra had their heyday in the mid to late 90’s with the songs “Good” and “Desperately Wanting” among others. Since 2001, when they were dropped by Elektra, the band had been releasing albums on independent labels, 4 between 2001-2014. They have graced my chart 24 times with 4 songs off the 2009 album “Paper Empires”. Besides the thought provoking ‘Day’, the first single “Absolutely Still” made my top 20 and the strummy yet funky “Black Light” made it up to #2. Unfortunately, they did not see any radio success with this album.
“Absolutely Still” was co-written by lead singer Kevin Griffin and singer-songwriter Val Emmich who had released it previously in 2007. Emmich is connected to the Broadway musical ‘Dear Evan Hansen” as he wrote a YA novel based on it. Griffin produced and co-wrote the song “Be There” for singer-songwriter Howie Day of Bangor, Maine. That song was a top 25 Adult Pop song in 2009 and made my top 40 of that year. His song “So Stung” (76), the lead song on his album, was co-written by Jay Clifford of the North Carolina band Jump, Little Children who had an Adult Alternative hit in 1999 with the gorgeous lament “Cathedrals”, a song that spent 2 weeks at #1 on my chart. It was really their only national success, but they have become a mainstay of the Charleston, South Carolina music scene. Clifford just released a video of the song on April 21, he alone with guitar, singing in an empty Charleston Music Hall, this to help raise money for artists during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Better Than Ezra’s producer Warren Huart was involved with some of the other artists on my chart this week including Howie Day and the next 2 artists. Vedera, a Kansas City, Missouri band whose song “Satisfy” (80) ponders the question “is there anything left in this world that will satisfy me?” Lead singer Kristen May went on to replace the lead singer of Christian rock band Flyleaf. Lacey Strum, in 2012. South Carolina’s Trevor Hall dabbles in a mix of rootsy folk and reggae. His moment in time on my chart was 2010-11 with 3 songs making impact. “Volume” (6) ending up as my #9 song of the year. This along with “Brand New Day” and “Unity” all possess a positive spiritual energy.