Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Soul Frequency Playlist - March 14
1. Jimi Hendrix - Valleys Of Neptune (4:04)
2. Jimi Hendrix - Sunshine Of Your Love (6:47)
3. Jimi Hendrix - Bleeding Heart (6:23)
4. Utopia - Hammer In My Heart (4:11)
5. Neal Morse - Walking On The Wind (9:33)
6. Muse - Undisclosed Desires (3:56)
7. Muse - Uprising (5:02)
8. Muse - Resistance (5:46)
9. Fleming and John - A Place Called Love (Intro) (0:53)
10. Fleming and John - A Place Called Love (2:58)
11. Gentle Giant - Proclamation (6:47)
12. Paul McCartney & Wings - Jet (4:08)
13. Paul McCartney & Wings - Bluebird (3:24)
14. Jimi Hendrix - Lullaby For The Summer (3:48)
15. Jimi Hendrix - Fire (3:12)
16. Jimi Hendrix - Trash Man - [Bonus Track] (7:25)
17. John Davis - Have Mercy (4:00)
18. Demon Hunter - Collapsing (ft. Bjorn "Speed" Strid) (3:38)
19. Demon Hunter - Driving Nails (4:06)
20. Demon Hunter - Blood In The Tears (4:49)
21. Muse - Exogenesis: Symphony Part 1 (Overture) (4:18)
22. Muse - Exogenesis: Symphony Part 2 (Cross-Pollination) (3:56)
23. Muse - Exogenesis: Symphony Part 3 (Redemption) (4:37)
24. Wilco - Bull Black Nova (5:39)
Sunday, January 03, 2010
2009 Top Albums According to Me
Here’s my list. No particular order.
David Crowder*Band – Church Music – Crowder’s music is always interesting, envelope-pushing and enthralling. DC*B added a touch of ‘80s keyboard jam to make one of the year’s most engaging releases. I love the epic “God Almighty, None Compares.”
Neal More – So Many Roads: Live in
Transatlantic – The Whirlwind Special Edition – Prog supergroup Transatlantic made a righteous return in 2009 after a way-too-long silence. The preferred edition is the Special Edition box ‘cause you must have the covers (Beatles!
Dream Theater – Black Clouds and Silver Linings – 3 Disc Special Edition – Portnoy and company know how to please the fans…a great new CD, a bonus disc with great covers (Queen! Zebra! King Crimson!), and a third disc with instrumental versions of the new album.
Wilco – Wilco (the album) – Late entry! Thanks to John Shenberger I have now discovered Wilco. In late 2009! Great stuff!
Switchfoot – Hello Hurricane – A return to form for Switchfoot. Some great songs, especially the rocker “Mess of Me.”
Mike Farris – SHOUT! Live – A wonderful belt of Gospel from one of the best voices in music today.
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers – The Live Anthology – Amazing 4 disc live set for a CHEAP price! Picked up mine for $22.99 with another 25% off at The Great Escape Records & Comix in
Glass Hammer – Three Cheers for the Brokenhearted – A huge surprise…Glass Hammer is always a favorite prog band for me. But who knew they had an amazing psychedelic/pop masterpiece in them? You must check out “Come On, Come On, Come On,” “A Bitter Wind,” and the classy cover of the Zombies “A Rose for Emily.”
Muse – The Resistance – I love Muse. This CD finally helped the band break big in the
Levon Helm – Electric Dirt – I love The Band, and it is so cool that Levon Helm is able to sing and perform again. This CD is a lot of fun and hearkens back to some of the classic stuff from The Band.
Cheap Trick – Sgt. Pepper Live/The Latest (TIE) – Trick returns with their best album in YEARS with The Latest. And the fanboy in me LOVED their version of Sgt. Peppers. A highlight of 2009 was watching Cheap Trick do Sgt. Peppers live @ The Hilton in
Rufus Huff – Self Titled – Take Free, Cream, Mountain, and healthy dose of thunderous southern fried blues rock and add a whoppin’ amount of fun and you’ll get Rufus Huff. Great stuff from my buddy Greg Martin, Dean Smith, Jarrod
Reissues/Box Sets
The Beatles – Stereo Box Set – Yes I know that the buzz was for the mono set. But for my $$$ the real thing is the stereo set. Simply a must purchase for any music fan.
Big Star – Keep and Eye on the Sky – Classic power pop from Big Star in abundance…featuring a bevy of alternate cuts, live stuff, demos and more. Some truly great music on this set.
King Crimson – In the Court of the Crimson King – The 5.1 surround remix is jaw-dropping. Remarkable stuff.
Where the Action Is: Nuggets
There you go. What was your favorite music in 2009?
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Soul Frequency Radio - 12/27 Playlist - Bigelf & Yes Symphonic
Bigelf - Gravest Show On Earth (12:03)
Bigelf - Money, It's Pure Evil (7:10)
The Zombies - Care Of Cell 44 (3:56)
Iona - Trilogy (8:36)
Journey - Kohoutek (6:41)
Yes - Long Distance Runaround (5:43)
Yes - In the Presence Of (12:01)
Da - Return Of The Beat Menace - Da (2:59)
Yes - Starship Trooper (12:30)
The Beatles - I'll Be Back (2:26)
Bigelf - The Evils Of Rock & Roll (12:04)
Bigelf - The Game (9:45)
Yes - I've Seen All Good People (7:30)
Yes - Roundabout (6:04)
Stryper - Soldiers Under Command (5:04)
Stryper - Battle Hymn of the Republic (2:37)
Wyrick - Supernatural (3:26)
Stars on 45 – Beatles Medley (15:48)
Monday, December 21, 2009
Old Skool List - Top Pop Rock Songs of All Time (According to Me)
I promised this a while back. They are in no particular order. Note these are some of MY favorites songs, secular and sacred all mixed together. Kinda like our lives. Most (if not all!) of these songs actually charted somewhere. You kids should listen to these songs. Really.
The Zombies – Time of the Season – Perhaps the most perfect pop song EVER. Killer organ. Soaring harmonies. Magnetic hooks.
The Monkees – Pleasant Valley Sunday – So many Monkees songs to choose from! This is my fave though – an indictment of our shallow suburban life with an unforgettable guitar riff. My buddy Neal Morse says that is has a cool, prog-like chord change. And he would know.
Seal – Kiss from a Rose – Seal doesn’t like printed lyrics in his albums so I mostly have no idea what this song is supposed to mean. I like the la la section.
Audio Adrenaline – Ocean Floor – My favorite Biblical truth set to music. I like the guitar riff @ the bridge. AA grows up.
Supertramp – The Logical Song – Listen for the Mattel Football game sound FX. Great "I need to find my place in this world 'cause I'm kinda' lost" song.
The Beach Boys – God Only Knows – Man, this one kills me.
The Beatles – Abbey Road Side 2 – OK, I am cheating here. I can’t really pick one Beatles song. So I pick the entire album side. Hey, it’s my list. Sue me.
Keith Green – Until That Final Day – One of the few songs that can reduce me to a crying, blubbering mess. Really lays me out.
Electric Light Orchestra – Can’t Get it Out of My Head – One word: haunting. My favorite band ever so it was way hard to pick just one song.
Steely Dan – Deacon Blues - A song that tells a story-sorta' sad and depressing. But I like it. Deacon Blues is one of my nicknames, BTW.
The Imperials – Be Still My Soul - Good, mellow yummyness
Neal Morse – Cradle to Grave - OK, it did not chart. But if there were justice it WOULD have. I was in the studio while the drum track was cut by Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater)
Aretha Franklin – (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural - Woman - Don't get any ideas chump, I'm secure in my manhood. But this song is oh so cool, makes you feel like dancing around the room.
Neil Diamond – Solitary Man - One of the first 45 singles I owned. Back when Neil Diamond was cool.
George Harrison – What is Life - "Wall of Sound" single by the silent Beatle. Good stuff.
Badfinger – Day After Day - I have loved this song for years.
Phil Keaggy – Everywhere I Look - Perfect tribute to the Beatles. And more importantly, God.
Sweet – Ballroom Blitz - This manic bit of rock is still intensely cool after almost 30 years. Someday, when I have a band I am going to cover this song. And scare everyone while jumping around.
Steve Winwood – Back in the High Life - Classic. Great bridge. Features James Taylor on background vox.
The Byrds – Eight Miles High - Inspired guitar intro.
The Police – Message in a Bottle - The perfect driving song.
Spock’s Beard - June - Another "should have charted." The perfect singalong song.
Daniel Amos – Alarma!- A deceptively simple song with a wicked guitar lick. New wave wonderment.
Mercy Me – Word of God Speak - Another "reduce Barry to tears" song
I Think I Love You - The Partridge Family - I dare you to listen to this song and not sing along.
The Association – Never My Love - Whoa, sorta' cheezy, incredible harmony love song wonderment. Don't miss it.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer - From the Beginning - I *must* learn to play this on my acoustic guitar befor I die.
Billy Joel – Scenes from an Italian Restaurant - Billy Joel was way-cool before he married supermodels and started writing classical music and driving his car into people's houses.
Grass Roots – Midnight Confession - OK, I *think* this is about a guy who is in love with a married person (hence morally I would kinda' have a problem with this song). However, I prefer to think that it is written to a girl about to get married to the wrong person. Rationalization? Perhaps. This song rox though. Has ba bas that I like to sing.
Jet – Radio Song - Kids, get this. Jet rips off my fave bands. But I like 'em.
Smokie Robinson & the Miracles – The Tears of Clown - Whoa, when Smokey sings I hear violins (that is another song, BTW). This song is incredible. I always wanted to cover this and make it rock way hard.
Ray Charles – Hit the Road Jack - This song makes me laugh.
Journey – Anytime/Feelin’ That Way - Two songs in one. Journey has become sort of a forgotten band equated with hefty cheese. But the boys could sing, and rock, and write anthemic love songs that make you think about your favorite girl.
Michael Roe – The Boat Ashore - Mike Roe makes me mad, 'cause he can rock AND write perfect pop songs. This is one of the best. Haunting.
Skypark – Wait for Me - Little known band that shoulda/coulda been huge. Produced by Ed Stasium, who produced classics from the Ramones.
Jars of Clay – Crazy Times - My favorite single from my favorite JOC album. They need to stop trying to be Johnny Cash and do another classic pop-rock album. Yup.
Paul McCartney – Maybe I’m Amazed - Whoa. Killer piano. Way-classic guitar lick. Sing it to your favorite gal.
Switchfoot – New Way to Be Human - Still my fave Switchfoot album. I love this video.
Cheap Trick – I Want You to Want Me - Again, near perfect. Didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you crying/didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you crying/feeling all alone without a friend you know you feel like dying/Oh didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you crying...
Rock n Roll Worship Circus – Untitled - Dadgummit, now RRWC has gone and renamed the band to "The Listening" and they don't do worship anymore. Bummer. But this one (from their swan song as RRWC) is incredible. Fender Rhodes piano, & a simple lyric about a lost & found guy. I can play air drums to this, BTW.
The Call – I Still Believe - Great song! The original is the best IMHO, but the covers by Russ Taff and James Clay are pretty cool. Wicked, big thumping bass line that starts the song.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Cartoons

The second is a loose interpretation of Marvel's classic Avengers #4. I did this one during a lunch hour, it was a bit sketchier than I would have liked.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
I Have a Pet Dragonfly
I have a pet dragonfly.
This summer I had a cool experience. After work I drive home in anticipation of planting a large kiss on my bride's lips. I pop out of the car looking forward to the wonderful greeting that will happen soon.
Then he(?) pops out. I think he is a he. Maybe he is a she. Or an it?
Somewhere near the variety of bushes in the landscaping near the front porch the dragonfly buzzes towards me, sometimes looping around my head. Sometimes he comes dangerously close. Sometimes he freaks me out.
This happens many times during the course of the summer. It happens so much that I begin to think that I *may* have a pet. I start to think of naming him.
This weekend I realized that my pet dragonfly is gone. I'm not sure the lifespan of a dragonfly and I don't want to really think about it. I prefer to think he hung out with me a while and just flew off into the sunset.
Fly on pet dragonfly!
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Soul Frequency Radio - America - July 5, 2009
1. House of Heroes - Intro (0:32)
2. House of Heroes - If (3:15)
3. House of Heroes - Dangerous (3:45)
4. House of Heroes - In the Valley of the Dying Sun (4:33)
5. Al Green - Let's Stay Together (3:19)
6. Badfinger - Day After Day (3:11)
7. Badfinger - Carry On Til Tomorrow (4:49)
8. Stryper - Peace of Mind (3:59)
9. Nice - America (2nd Amendment) - Original (6:15)
10. Five Iron Frenzy - Beautiful America (3:43)
11. Yes - America (10:33)
12. Genesis - The Cinema Show (10:41)
13. The Syn - Time And A Word (4:59)
14. House of Heroes - Baby's a Red (3:38)
15. House of Heroes - Voices (4:32)
16. House of Heroes - Field of Daggers (5:27)
17. House Of Heroes - Can't Buy Me Love (2:17)
18. The Beatles - Can't Buy Me Love (2:14)
19. Electric Light Orchestra - Calling America (5:15)
20. Alice Cooper - Lost In America (7:27)
21. The Call - Become America (3:19)
22. Jellyfish - Queen Of The USA (8:47)
23. Glenn Miller - American Patrol (5:16)
24. Rich Mullins - Here In America (6:44)
Soul Frequency Radio is brought to you by the Great Escape Records & Comix, your pop culture emporium. Located in Bowling Green, KY.
Tune in!
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Ireland, Day 1
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Saturday, February 07, 2009
New CD Review - Red
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Viva Las Vegas iPod Style
- Viva Las Vegas - Elvis - One of the obvious picks
- The Turn of a Friendly Card (Pt. 1) - The Alan Parsons Project
- The Winner (High Card) - Randy Stonehill - early classic from Stonehill produced by recently departed Larry Norman. About a guy who thinks he has it all but really does not. From the classic Welcome to Paradise album that you should own.
- Tumbling Dice - Rolling Stones - From the classic Exile on Main Street album
- Vegas - Mike Farris - "Give me a ride to Vegas..." Former lead singer of the Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies. What a great band name. His Salvation in Lights CD is a must buy. This is from his Goodnight Sun LP.
- I'm Shooting High - Nat King Cole - "Got my eyes on the stars in the sky" from the Ultra Lounge Vegas Baby! CD
- Viva Las Vegas - ZZ Top - 12" extended remix. Over eight minutes!
- The Letter - The Box Tops - Not about Vegas per say, but a must listen on the trip home to see my bride. After a few days a glitzy, kitschy, walk-a-hundred-miles Vegas overload I'm ready to see my Lil' Schweetie and get back to normalcy: "gimme a ticket for an aeroplane/ain't got time to take a fast traing/lonely days are gone/Imma going home/my baby she wrote me a letter"
Saturday, December 27, 2008
President Bush Loves to Read
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
XMastime is Here!
Hope you are enjoying the season. So far I am mellowing out nicely.
Your pal,
Barry
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
We Have Lost Our Collective Minds
They I heard that the city of Chicago has privatized their parking meters in a deal that will net the city a crazy amount of money to help their budget. Billions of dollars. Parking meters will immediately cost 4 times more-rising from $0.25 to $1 immediately. The catch? The city fathers had to sign a 75(!) year contract with the company that leased the meters. 75 years for a contract is INSANE.
We have lost our collective minds.
Have you noticed in this economic tsunami that NO ONE mentions sacrifice? We don't want to give up a thing in our cushy, cozy, comfortable way of life. And we certainly don't want our leaders to request this of us (God forbid, it's not the American way). We are spending ourselves into blissful oblivion. On a national and personal level, we love our stuff, and we going to pump our fists in the air, beat our breasts, and make sure that we get our "fair share." There will be no sacrifice required by our government to get the economy rolling again so we can feed the vast consumer machine.
Actually, there are some good signs. There are people out there preaching common sense (Dave Ramsey, etc.) about personal finance and living in your means and the amazing concept that you should not buy anything unless you have the $$$ for it. As a nation we are actually consuming less gas and spending less. And if we are honest many of us could afford to skip the extra Big Mac and shed a few pounds. It seems maybe some folks have figured out how to cut back and sacrifice a little after all. Despite the message sent out by members of the government: "we are going to take care of you, just let us spend more."
Your pal,
Barry
Sunday, December 07, 2008
The Accidental Playlist, Part 2
Alice Cooper - It's Me
The Beatles - Ohh! My Arms
Resurrection Band - Sacrifice of Love
Styx - I'm Okay
Roger Joseph Manning Jr. - Sandman
Matt Redman - Blessed Be Your Name
Relient K - The Thief
Warren DeMartini (Covering Jeff Beck) - New Ways Train Train
Henry Cow - Slap Happy
Tourniquet - Sola Christus
Cheap Trick - Voices
Journey - Send Her My Love
David Bowie - John, I'm Only Dancing
The Beatles - Baby You're a Rich Man
Sweet Comfort Band - Habit of Hate
Galactic Cowboys - Circles in the Fields
Chris Tomlin - Let God Arise
The Remains - Don't Look Back
Passion - You Are My King
John Davis - I Need Someone
Yuletide Zeppelin
Friday, November 28, 2008
A Trip to a Mexican Bathroom or Signs Pt. 2
After finishing said bathroom stall activities (and taking a picture of this cool sign with my cell phone) my eyes wandered to the light fixture. Lo and behold above the lights I focused on the extremely inventive storage area for the super-large rolls of toilet paper. And now, I share this with you. Perhaps this will give you ideas that will help to decorate your home in a similar spiffy fashion:




