Musical musings

Given the boxes have reduced from about fifty down to about four (mostly mine), I thought that I’d take the time to post on my favourite music from last year. Owing to being bought quite close to my wedding, and Christmas, I’ve not been give a proper listen to Damien Rice’s 9, and Snow Patrol’s Eyes Open, though I quite like Chasing Cars.

Honorable mentions to Brooke Fraser’s Albertine (bought while we were in NZ), The Whitlams – Little Cloud, Belle and Sebastian – The Life Pursuit, Eskimo Joe – Black Fingernails, Red Wine.

(5) The Frames – The Cost

The Frames are rapidly becoming one of my favourite bands. The Frames mix quiet and intense music throughout their songs, and The Cost is a haunting album, and its worth taking a chance on. They are the band at the moment that I would most like to see play live. I didn’t go to see them when they were here at the beginning of 2005 and regret it a little. It is sad that The Frames are not more well know.

Favourite tracks: Song for Someone, Falling Slowly.

(4) Sarah Blasko – What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have

Given the success rate of second albums, What the Sea Wants… is rare, it does not only match The Overscore and the Underscore, I think it surpasses it. Sarah’s voice is well suited to the range of emotions in the songs.

Favourite tracks: Planet New Year, Amazing things, The Women by the Well

(3) Thom Yorke- The Eraser

Thom Yorke is one of those singers who’s voice you either love or hate. I am firmly in the love camp. It is his voice that holds the album together. It ties beautifully to the themes of Radiohead's recent work. I don’t think there is a weak track on the record. The record has whet my appetite for the new Radiohead CD (if rumours are to be believed – due this year)

Favourite tracks: The Clock, Harrowdown Hill, Analyse, Cymbal Rush

(2) Jars of Clay – Good Monsters

If you haven’t picked up a Jars of Clay CD since their first self-titled record, Good Monsters is worth giving a go. What has not changed is the earnest, humble, and honest songwriting. What strikes me as I listen is that the album hangs together; the themes of the album is about coming to grips with the human capacity for both incredible evil and incredible good, the love of God amidst the trials of life. With Good Monsters, I think Jars of Clay has made their most solid album both lyrically and musically.

Favourite tracks: All My Tears, Oh My God, Light Gives Heat and Mirrors and Smoke

(1) Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova – The Swell Season

It was tough the separate these two CDs. I recently have grown into a big fan of The Frames, and it was from their website that I knew this CD was being released. I first heard Falling Slowly and Sleeping?, on MySpace and was completely captivated. Each song is beautifully created. The interplay between the instruments and music creates a beautiful effect. Hansard’s voice draws you in and matches the moods of the cello and the piano.

It is an album that I love from the first to last track, and is my album of the year.

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A random shuffle (10) from 2006

Parachutes – Pearl Jam
Running – Evermore
Lies – Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Funny Little Frog – Belle and Sebestian
Rise – The Frames
Mirrors and Smoke – Jars of Clay (featuring Leigh Nash)
Sleeping? – Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Song for Someone – The Frames
Goodbye Alice in Wonderland – Jewel
Leave – Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova

New Day Dawning

Well it doesn’t seem to long ago that I was sitting in Wollongong writing about 2005, and we have now welcomed in 2007.

2006 was a very memorable year. I started settling in to St Barnabas on Broadway. I have enjoyed working on the Network team (ministering to workers). During May last year Barneys burnt down, and since then we have been meeting in the lecture halls of Moore College. It has been a change for us all, but we are slowly adjusting. The church held a conference to look into options for rebuilding. It has been since decided that we are going to redevelop the site. It will be a great opportunity for us.

The highlight of the year is a little bit of a no-brainer. On December 2^nd this year Fiona and I were married. The eight months of our engagement disappeared quickly. We got married at St Matthias Paddington, and spent three weeks honeymooning in New Zealand.

During the first two weeks, we spent three days in Christchurch, before heading to Aoraki (Mount Cook) and Queenstown. A few highlights of the trip were our time in Aoraki (Cloud-piercer in Maori); our visit to Doubtful Sound (The Maori name Patea means Shadowlands (if you look at our pictures you will know why), jetboating on the Dart River, and a meal we had in Wellington (at Kai in the City – who served what Lonely Planet calls Maori Fusion. Loosely translated the meat was cooked traditionally and made into European styled meals.

The last week in NZ we spent catching up with my extended family; in Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland. It has been quite a busy year for our family – three of my cousins also got married, while we were in NZ we were able to attend Sharyn’s wedding.

Since being back in Australia, we spent one night in our home before having Christmas in Canberra, and we celebrated New Years in Wollongong (before returning to the nasty reality called w—k).

Postscript: Since we have been back, we (read Fiona) has spent a lot of time putting up photos that our family and friends took at our wedding. They can be found here.