Random Start: Bad by Michael Jackson

Yeah, it's not in regular rotation, but dude was an icon and changed pop music in the 80s.  My collection doesn't have a ton of MJ, but I've got the hits and there were some wickedly good songs in there.

Random Start: When The Deal Goes Down by Bob Dylan

This is a song I got into my collection by downloading a best of record from Bob Dylan.  He's not in regular rotation, but something I respect and it rounds out my collection.  I always keep more than I should thinking I'll find something I'll like.  This is a nice song - one of the "I'll stand by you forever" songs that I'm really pretty fond of.  The video features Scarlett Johansson as the writer's love interest.  They did a very good job of making it look like it's from the 50s.

Random Start: Lost Boy by Mychildren Mybride

This would be the polar opposite to yesterday's Random Start.  This band is pretty similar to The Devil Wears Prada, but I can tolerate this one a bit more.  It's from the new metal genre of over-processed everything - so the drums and guitars sound a bit too perfect.  Thinking I may delete this from the catalog.  It's one of those things I thought I'd try out but just wasn't for me.

Random Start: Why Me by Kris Kristofferson

Once again, proving this thing is random - got some Kris Kristofferson mixed in with the rest of the stuff I listen to.  This video has him explaining the story behind the song, then the song starts 3:22 in.

Random Start: Said The King To The River by La Dispute

Nice transition from Thrice on Friday to La Dispute on Saturday.  I had never heard of this band until they opened for Thrice on their Fall 2011 tour.  I downloaded their records to "study" and my very first impression was "What's up with this guy's voice?"  But once I got past it or decided to like it I noticed the quality playing and energy in the songs.  I wrote about them in my top bands of 2011...it's like hardcore with a different kind of heaviness.  This is one of their best songs and as you can see in the video - their fans know it word for word, which is saying a lot because these are some wordy songs.  And my last thought on them is this - La Dispute has girl trouble.


Oh yeah - their spring tour is coming to Nashville on April 17th with Balance & Composure, All Get Out, and Sainthood Reps, and all FOUR bands have been in heavy rotation for me for awhile, so I'm excited to see this show.

Random Start: The Earth Will Shake by Thrice

This is one of my favorite songs off Thrice's Vheissu and I'm stoked it got into Random Start today.  It obviously wasn't written with this in mind, but I'm reading the 3rd book in the Hunger Games series and this song resonates with the storyline - oppressed and restricted people yearning for freedom.  Thrice has been a humanitarian band and they just received a "Thank You" from some of the kids they've helped through their support of Invisible Children.  Check it out at here.

Random Start: The Rain by Deliverance

This is still one of my favorite bands from the late 80s/early 90s Christian metal scene.  They went from being a purely speed metal band to a more progressive, Bowie-influenced prog metal band and I kept up with them until their last record or two where they seemed to lose their way.  This is from the early 90s when they were in the wheelhouse of their progressive era.