Tag Archive: Music


I’m All For That

Filed Under: Just My Opinion, Music by benwardmusic — Leave a comment
July 28, 2009

So the schedule is all messed up this week!  It makes for more fun, though…normally you get a “YouTube Sessions” on Monday, “Just My Opinion” piece on Wednesday, and a review / recommendation on Friday.  But I just finished the YT Session last night so it will be up tomorrow night.  Oh the joys of fitting it all in!

Check out this quote from a Cameron Crowe interview with Joni Mitchell from Rolling Stone in 1978:

Had Smith (Elektra/Asylum Chairman of the Board Joe Smith), in the course of running the company, ever discussed commercial direction with Mitchell?

“You don’t tell Joni Mitchell what to do,” he said.

Oh my, how have times changed.  The music business used to be filled with people who wanted to serve the ideals and even whims of artists.  Now artists grovel at the feet of anyone who will give them the time-of-day.  Don’t get me wrong, there were always businessmen who took advantage of musicians, but today, people who make deals are king.

Can’t we bring the artist back?  I don’t devalue the work and talents of dealmakers and businesspeople.  I think marketers are vital.  But it should all be in service to the music.  And where does the music come from?  The artist.  Let’s give them some room and some honor and see if we don’t get better music.

I’m all for that.  How about you?

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The Big Reveal

Filed Under: Music, YouTube Sessions by benwardmusic — Leave a comment
July 19, 2009

youtube sessions

A big shout out to my friend Arthur for inspiration on this new country (again!) song.  We worked this very intense job back in March and we would try to make it bearable by talking through anything and everything.  He was telling me about this new girl that he really liked but she didn’t quite know it yet.  Now, we won’t talk about how it turned out…but, the inspiration he provided produced this tune.  Enjoy!!

Download the MP3 here.  Play:

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You can come undone

Filed Under: Music, YouTube Sessions by benwardmusic — Leave a comment
July 13, 2009

youtube sessions

This is the sixth week of the YouTube Sessions!  I’ve got another country song for you.  This one has quite an interesting inspiration…I was watching an interview with Jessica Simpson last week on TV.  It struck me how she had been through so much — some self-inflicted, some not, but yet, for those few minutes in that studio she could just talk about music and leave all that stuff outside.

This got me thinking about how a person can do that for someone else.  How “In Here” the outside world can just disappear for awhile. 

Obviously, this song is just inspired by Ms. Simpson, not directed toward her :) .

Download the MP3 here.

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Live, Live, Live

Filed Under: Music, Recommendations by benwardmusic — 2 Comments
July 10, 2009

A couple months ago I posted a status on Twitter/Facebook stating that I loved live albums and asking people for their favorites.  I got a great response.  Lots of classics.  So I decided to follow that up with a list of my favorites in no particular order…

James Taylor – Live – Great musicianship and, of course, songs.  No overdubs!

Coldplay – LeftRightLeftRightLeft – The enthusiasm of the crowd is amazing.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – Live in New York City – The energy of this band is unparalleled.

Simon and Garfunkel – The Concert in Central Park (1981) – Great harmonies and great fun.

David Wilcox – East Asheville Hardware – Funny, poignant, real.

Darrell Scott – Live in NC – Mix country, bluegrass, southern rock, jam band, and a voice like no other.

John Mayer – Where the Light Is – Comprehensive.  The acoustic set is my favorite by far.

Darrell Evans – Let the River Flow – Taught me so much about worship.

Hillsong – Shout to the Lord – Classic.  Nothing else to say.

U2 – Rattle and Hum – Not a complete live album but the closest I had in the 8th grade.  I loved the passion on this…I wanted to sing like Bono so bad (Part of me still does:)!

How about you?…

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Unopened

Filed Under: Just My Opinion, Music by benwardmusic — Leave a comment
July 8, 2009

“Another issue is the fact we don’t have many record stores left. The experience we all grew up with of spending the afternoon browsing music in a record store, doesn’t exist anymore. So let’s wake up. Yeah, sales are down. But how many stores do we have? I wouldn’t be surprised if some smart young business person finds a way to open 25 or 30 wildly successful new CD stores. Because there is an audience for them.” – Scott Borchetta, President/CEO Big Machine Records, Think Tank: A Music Row Special Report, August 2007

Record/CD stores drove me crazy.  Because I love music, I always wanted to go to them (when they existed) and check out the selection.  But, it never failed, I left disappointed.  Maybe it was cooler before when vinyl was the thing – at least you could see real cover art.  But, looking through a bunch of CD cases to see what was new?  You could listen to a few CDs through greasy headphones that had been on who-knows-who’s head before you and usually never the one you wanted. 

Don’t get me wrong, I liked the idea of the record store, but not much more. 

Even when the stores started to get digital sampling stations where you scanned the barcode and heard the music, it was always a few seconds and, knowing the record company it was the intro or instrumental section, not anything helpful like the chorus (this still drives me crazy on the iTunes store – think about what you want people to hear!!).

The one exception to this was Blockbuster Music’s (remember?) short-lived program to let people listen to any CD in the store.  They opened the package for you and you listened and then they sealed it back up in their own plastic.  This was amazing!  I would go up almost every night and listen to all kinds of albums.  I discovered David Wilcox and listened to his entire catalog.  I bought several of his CDs.   I always went back to the rack, though and bought the unopened copy.  Thus, this was the fatal flaw in Blockbuster’s strategy: people listened and then didn’t buy.

People talk about the “scene” at record stores.  But, as a kid (and even an adult) breaking into that scene can be quite intimidating.  But most of the music stores I knew were chains where the “scene” never existed.

What kills me about Scott Borchetta’s quote above is that it is so off-the-mark.  So many people running record companies are so out of touch.  It has been this way and continues.  When will the new generation of leaders take over the music business with new ideas and exciting visions?  When will they choose to make music rather than computers and software?

So, I’m all for retail music stores and digital music stores.  Just don’t make people walk or surf into a store and leave without the experience of amazing music.  If we do, the music and  the wallets will stay unopened.

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I ran into a wrecking ball

Filed Under: Music, YouTube Sessions by benwardmusic — 8 Comments
July 6, 2009

youtube sessions

New country song this week!  Let me know what you think…

Download the MP3 here.

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Guest Blogger Stephen Simpson!

Filed Under: Music, Recommendations by benwardmusic — Leave a comment
July 3, 2009

This week, for the review, I asked Stephen Simpson if I could reprint the following review.  He is benwardmusic.com’s first guest blogger!

poythress

“WASH AWAY” (Integrity Music, 2009)
Don Poythress
5 Stars out of 5

The long-awaited major label debut from singer/songwriter Don Poythress arrives in the form of a fresh – and refreshing – praise and worship expression entitled “Wash Away”. Don is known and loved among many of our One-to-One readers as the leader of the annual Gatlinburg Conference worship team; but he is also highly respected among some of the most prominent music artists in America.

Over the past decade, Don has quietly built an exceptional collection of songs – classics that have been recorded by artists such as Clint Black, Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Jr., Travis Tritt, Jaci Velasquez, Sir Cliff Richard,and The Martins (the Dove Award-winning song “The Promise”).

With “Wash Away,” Don presents an exceptional blend of his original songs, along with two much-loved hymns. As a lyricist, Don Poythress has few peers … he has an uncanny knack for presenting timeless truth with an unvarnished biblical perspective that is devoid of clichés or pat answers; these songs are deeply personal, yet can touch something unique in the heart of every listener. Strong and memorable melodies are offered in a Modern Country style, played by some of the best musicians in Nashville.

The worship experience begins with the chiming “Expectation,” which is the perfect invitation to go up together into the presence of God. Don’s leadership and the song selection throughout is a study in how to flow in the Spirit, soaring into “I Will Call Upon Your Name” and then, a thrilling vocal collaboration with Paul Baloche on “Brand New Day” – definitely two of the many songs here that your congregation will want to sing. The poetic, gently flowing “Fill Me Up” makes room for the searingly honest and moving heartcry, “Wash Away.”

The modern hymn “Before the Throne of God Above” is the natural response to the deep repentance and cleansing of “Wash Away,” followed by the peace-imparting “I Will Bless the Lord.” On “The Faithful Love of Jesus,” Don is joined by the incomparable bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs on vocals and mandolin… “I pray you’ll know the love of God, the love that never leaves us, the height the depth, the width the breadth, the faithful love of Jesus.” Just hearing this song is an answer to that prayer.

Don again displays his poetic gift with “Lord of All” which leads into a powerful promise-filled proclamation: “A Thousand Generations”. The simple eloquence of the “Doxology” closes out the time of congregational worship. But Don isn’t finished yet: he offers one of those signature Poythress real-life stories – as only Don can tell them – about “Joseph,” the human father of Jesus. It’s a masterful and moving portrait of the man God chose and tested and used to care for His own Son.

TO SUM UP …

A fresh – and deeply refreshing – collection of songs that flows perfectly in the presence of God. Those who love and seek truth will find this authentic expression a welcome respite from market-driven artiface. Those who enjoy Modern Country music will enjoy the excellence of the singing and musicianship offered. Brilliantly produced, but thankfully not over-produced, by Paul Mills, this is one of the warmest and best-sounding music releases of the year.

Don is the worship leader at Abundant Life Church in Mt. Juliet, TN (Pastor Larry Grainger), along with Jim LaVerde (of Barren Cross) and a stellar team of musicians, singers, and tech support.

“Wash Away” is available in music stores and iTunes June 23, and through:
http://integritymusic.com
http://amazon.com

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Music Matters

Filed Under: Just My Opinion, Music by benwardmusic — Leave a comment
July 1, 2009

IPods now have video, games, audio books and podcasts. Will iPods always be about the music?
Who knows? But it’s hard to imagine that music is not the epicenter of the iPod, for a long, long, long, long, long time.  I was very lucky to grow up in a time when music really mattered.  It wasn’t just something in the background; it really mattered to a generation of kids growing up. It really changed the world. I think that music faded in importance for a while, and the iPod has helped to bring music back into people’s lives in a really meaningful way. Music is so deep within all of us, but it’s easy to go for a day or a week or a month or a year without really listening to music. And the iPod has changed that for tens of millions of people, and that makes me really happy, because I think music is good for the soul. – Steve Jobs, Newsweek 2003

Music has taken a backseat in today’s culture.  Some would say it’s been relegated to the trunk rather than the backseat.  The Industry has so contained it and controlled it, that it has become safe, predictable, and gives you a shadow of the emotional impact it used to.  Now I’m not one to keep harkening back to the “glory days” when everything was better, but these are not the days of a musical renaissance.  We need them now more than ever!  Music can do things no other art form can: penetrate a place in people that words can’t do alone.  This is true for all genres and stripes of music:  Rock, Pop, Country, Gospel, etc., etc., etc.

It’s interesting how computers and computer companies get all the buzz in society today.  The quote from Steve Jobs above is so ironic, because he is probably the biggest “rock star” in the world today.  What used to define rock musicians – cutting edge, mystery, impact – now are best seen in a corporate CEO.  That’s weird.  But, as you can see from his quote, he understands what makes culture click and he’s used some of the elements of the power of music to thrust Apple’s products into the cultural consciousness.

The only problem with this (and believe me I’m into Macs:) is that we’re now celebrating the method of delivery instead of what’s being delivered.  That’s like being so excited about the envelope but just ho-hum about the check inside it.  How crazy would that be?  Instead of focusing intently on the quality and power of the artists, songs, musicianship, we’re focused on the type of computer, or iPhone, or iTunes, or streaming.  These things are fun to talk about if you’re interested in computers, but they are not as important as the art being delivered.  That’s the product that can change hearts and change the world.

So, may there be a new renaissance: a renaissance of music, a renaissance of making the important things important again.

 (And it goes not just for music, but, as I wrote last week, the American Church is doing the same things by stressing production and venue over the content of services and the spiritual experiences of people.  How can the setting and the method of delivery be more important than what you’re delivering?)

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Hate to Stop the Music

Filed Under: Just My Opinion, Music by benwardmusic — 3 Comments
June 17, 2009

I know I run the risk of sounding like Madonna (thanks, Norah!) Rihanna with a title like this (I think her’s was “Please Don’t Stop the Music”).  But I’m forging ahead anyway – you can’t copyright a title :) .

A couple weeks ago I was coming into work and, like a lot of New Yorkers, I had my earphones in taking in some tunes.  (At a minimum, most New Yorkers are listening to an iPod and reading a book.  There are many variations on this.)  As I got in the elevator I noticed the woman beside me was taking out her earphones as I was.  There was actually a sense of disappointment in the air; like someone had injected a little reality.  She laughed a little when I remarked at how lame it was to stop the music – especially when it’s good.

I saw a commercial lately that illustrated just this.  The ad shows a young guy with tattoos and earrings rocking out to some headbanger tunes right up until he sits at his desk, removes the earphones, and the image changes to him as conservative businessman in a suit.

Something about music takes us out of reality and into an amazing universe created by the artist.  I believe this is a good thing.

Last summer Olivia and I drove to New York City from Nashville several times (15-16 hours).  The last time we made the trip, we bought the Sara Bareilles album, Little Voice, and played it relentlessly: there and back and while we were driving around the City.  I can’t tell you how crazy it is for one of those songs to come up on shuffle now and be taken back exactly to how I felt on that trip.  If I close my eyes I am in the car driving over the Queensboro bridge in our Honda Fit with the windows rolled down.

How does music do that?  More importantly, how can I make music that affects people like that?

Does music do this for you?

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