Earlier this week, I started putting together my Lego collection. It quickly grew into a far bigger project than I had anticipated, and pretty much took over my room:
You see my point. I promise, my room is normally far neater than that. Once I get everything reassembled, I'm planning on having a truly epic Lego adventure, then taking everything apart and putting it in bags, so I don't need to sort through everything again.
No big project would be as fun without good music, and I've been loving Falling Up's Exit Lights album, especially the "Fearless" and "Exhibition" remixes, which are both amazing.
2010 is almost over... crazy thought. It seems like just yesterday I was celebrating the end of 2009 with my cousins, and now it's almost time to do it again. It's been a interesting year for me, for sure, with lots of ups, and as many downs, but through it all I've grow closer to God, and stronger physically, mentally, and spiritually. Amazing memories were made, and of course, I listened to hours upon hours of music. Here's a not-so-quick list of my favorites from 2010:
Weezer - "Represent"
This was my pump-up song for most of last year. It's not exactly the deepest song ever, but that doesn't keep it from flat-out rocking. Favorite line: "I've got skills to pay the bills and punish each of your mistakes." ;)
Mat Kearney - "Closer to Love", "The Middle", "Crashing Down", "Undeniable", "Nothing Left to Lose", "Fire & Rain", "Wait", "All I Have", "City of Black and White", "Lifeline", "Breathe In Breathe Out" ...and the list goes on and on.
Actually, I've yet to hear a song by Mat that I didn't love. He's my favorite artist lyrically, and just as amazing musically. Mat's a real, down-to-earth human guy, and it shows. Whatever song I'm listening to of his is my new favorite. There's very, very few artists that I would collect every CD and song from, but Mat is definitely one of them. He just needs a few more CDs out for me to collect...
The All-American Rejects - "Move Along"
I'm not really a big AAR fan, but I like the song, and the music video is pretty cool too.
Anberlin - The entire Cities album.
Have you heard Cities? If so, you know what I'm talking about. If not, go listen to it. My favorite song is "Dismantle. Repair".
Andrew Peterson - "Dancing in the Minefields"
I love the line "But He's promised to never leave us, and His promises are true, so in the face of all this chaos, maybe I can dance with you."
Coldplay - Shesh, seriously? I love everything Coldplay ever done.
B.o.B - "Magic (feat. Rivers Cuomo)", "Airplanes (feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore)"
I know, "Airplanes" is so overplayed, but it's still a great song. And "Magic" is just plain fun. :)
Search the City - "Clocks and Time Pieces"
I first heard this song a couple of years ago, but I didn't buy until this year. There's no particular reason I like it, it's just a good piece of music I guess.
Before Their Eyes - "Sing to Me"
Ironically, this is the only BTE's song I've really gotten into, but I played this a ton this last year.
Black Eyed Peas - "I Gotta Feeling"
Um, do I really need to say any more about this one?
Brad Kane, from the Aladdin sountrack - "One Jump Ahead"
This is another one of my pump-up songs, a bit unlikely I know, but it's fun and talks about jumping off buildings and staying one step ahead of the competition, kind of like parkour. And I love parkour.
Chasen - "Eyes of a Rescue"
I don't really know what it is I like about this song, but I do, and I played it a ton in 2010.
Chris Young - "The Man I Want to Be"
This song is about as legit as it gets.
Switchfoot - "Lonely Nation", "We Are One Tonight", "Politicians"
If you haven't caught on yet, I'm a big fan of epic, anthematic songs, and these three definitely qualify. Aside from "This Is Home", they're also my three favorite Switchfoot songs. "Singing with my tongues, screaming with our lungs: "I want more than my lonely nation, I want more than my lonely nation", desperate we are young, separate we are one, I want more than my desperation, I want more than my lonely nation!"
Corbin Bleu, Zac Efron, & the High School Musical 3 Cast - "The Boys Are Back"
Haha, this has been one of my guilty pleasure songs ever since I first heard it on Radio Disney... yeah. I'm sure I had a good reason to be listening to Radio Disney at the time. Anyways.
Bon Jovi - "Livin' On a Prayer", "It's My Life", "Superman Tonight", "We Weren't Born to Follow", "What Do You Got?", "This Is Love This Is Life"
It's awfully hard to beat Bon Jovi when it comes to epic, memorable choruses. They're a classic, plain and simple, but unlike most classics, their new stuff is good too.
Secret & Whisper - "Warrior (Southern Arrowwood)"
This is actually the only S&W song I ever listen too, it's pretty bombastic and epic. And yes, I just used the word bombastic.
House of Heroes - "Relentless", "Love is for the Middle Class", "God Save the Foolish Kings"
Ah, Suburba. One of the better albums I purchased this past year, and the three songs listed about are my favorites from it. I love the music, I love the lyrics, and I love how it's set in America, a few decades ago. It makes the songs seems like classics.
Lifehouse - "Halfway Gone", "All In", "Spin", "First Time", "Hanging By a Moment", plus several more.
Lifehouse was probably my favorite band last year. I love their rock/pop style, and I love their lyrics, and I was able to get quite a few of their songs. "Halfway Gone" even has the distinct honor of being the most played song in my iTunes library, "All In" is 4th, and "Hanging By a Moment" and "First Time" are 8th and 9th, respectively. "Spin" is 13th.
Manafest - "No Plan B", "Skills", "The Chase"
Manafest is one legit guy, and it shows in his music. I particularly love his rap/rock songs, like the three I picked. It would be totally sweet to catch one of his shows sometime.
Sons of Sylvia - "Love Left to Lose"
I'm not quite sure if these brothers are country (since they toured with Carrie Underwood) or pop (since that's where I discovered them, my local hits station), but they're seriously good. Of course, considering that they're related Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic, making good music is probably in their DNA.
Michael Buble - "Haven't Met You Yet"
Seriously? I can't hear this song without smiling.
Nelly - "Just a Dream"
I've never been a big fan of break-up songs, but "Just a Dream" is a good song, plain and simple.
Five for Fighting - "100 Years" and "Slice"
I like both of these songs for completely different reasons, but they're both awesome. "100 Years" is a beautiful song about life, love, and all that nonsense. It makes you think about things, like family, the future, time... it's really good. Then there's "Slice", which is a genuinely American song, and everytime I hear it, it takes me back to a period before I was born, back "when Chevy's and levies played on the radio". Maybe it's weird to be nostalgic about a time I never experienced, but I love the song and feeling anyway. In fact, I've played it three times just writing this. "Are we more than just a slice of American pie?"
Kevin Rudolf - "Let It Rock", "I Made It (Cash Money Heroes)"
There's really not a whole lot to say about these pop songs, except that I like them a lot. And I'm definitely going to try and get "I Made It" in my graduation video next spring.
Lee Brice - "Love Like Crazy"
Please refer to what I said about Chris Young's "The Man I Want to Be".
I got into Angels & Airwaves last summer (or around then) when I heard their free album LOVE. It took awhile for it to grow on me, but once it did there's been AvA on my iPod ever since. I think my favorite songs by them would have to be "Hallucinations" and "Young London" though, they're sweet songs to listen to while driving. Preferably fast.
The Fray - "Over My Head (Cable Car)"
This has been one of my favorites songs for a couple of years now, and I still like it. Mainly because I still feel like I'm in over my head most of the time...
Sidewalk Prophets - "Just Might Change Your Life", "The Words I Would Say"
"It's three in morning, and I'm still awake, so I picked up a pen and a page, and I started writing, just what I'd say if we were face to face. I'd tell you, just what you mean to me, and tell you these simple truths..."
John Waller - "While I'm Waiting"
In some ways, it feels like all I've done this last year is wait, and this song was really encouraging.
Daughtry - Daughtry (Deluxe Version), plus "Supernatural", "Life After You", and "Open Up Your Eyes"
So I really like Daughtry's music. Chris sings like a man, enough said.
Eminem - "Not Afraid (Clean Version)"
Obviously, Eminem is one of those artists that good homeschoolers would never ever listen to. I don't care. There's something about "Not Afraid" that rings true, something deeper than just a white rapper trying to win the rap game. It's a good song, just make sure you listen to the clean version... oh, and "Love the Way You Lie" is good too.
Skillet - "Monster"
Remember this one Gunnar? ;)
Nickelback - "Gotta Be Somebody", "If Today Was Your Last Day", "Never Gonna Be Alone"
It's weird how Nickelback can be so lyrically trashy most of the time and yet still make songs this good. I know these three are all older ones, but I still listened to them a lot this past year.
Owl City - I have nearly every song Owl City has ever released, and I like them all.
...Adam Young is awesome.
Ozzy Osbourne - "Let Me Hear You Scream"
Ozzy is creepy. This song is awesome. "Are you ready for the last fight? Get ready with the warcry! Let me hear you scream like you want it! Let me hear you yell like you mean it! If you're going to to go down: go loud! go strong! go proud! go on! go hard! or go home!" The guitar work is sick too. So very yes.
The Rocket Summer - "I Need a Break, But I'd Rather Have a Breakthrough"
Story of my life? Yes.
Toby Keith - "God Love Her", "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry Americans)"
"God Love Her" is a fantastic summer roadtrip song, and I wish more Americans talked the way Toby does in "Courtesy...".
Runner Runner - "So Obvious"
This song makes me want to get in a car and drive like I'm in an action movie.
P!nk - "Raise Your Glass"
Don't judge. I like this song because it's 1) a pop song that's actually rocks 2) an anthem, which are my favorite kind of song, and 3) just plain fun to rock to. Why so serious? Seriously.
OneRepublic - "All the Right Moves", "Secrets", "Good Life", "Stop and Stare", "Marchin On", "Apologize"
So stickin' talented. I got into OneRepublic for the first time this last year, starting with "All the Right Moves", then moving on to "Secrets", then "Stop and Stare", then "Good Life" and "Marchin On", and finally "Apologize". I love how they've got a sound of their own, and you can always recognize them, but every song is completely different from the next. Lyrically, they're top notch, and I've been able to relate to a lot of their songs too, at different times. "Marchin On" is one of my theme songs right now.
Flo Rida - "Club Can't Handle Me (feat. David Guetta)"
"You know I know how, to make 'em stop and stare as I zone out, the club can't even handle me right now... Haha, can't nothing holding me right now, I see you D. Guetta, let's get 'em!"
Foxy Shazam - "Unstoppable"
I first heard this song when it was used in a commercial for the show Tower Prep, and I liked it enough that I bought it on iTunes. Imagine if Queen came back, and then imagine that this reincarnate Queen made a song called "Unstoppable". This is would it would sound like.
Tenth Avenue North - Pretty much everything the band's ever done.
Tenth Avenue North is one of the most real, honest Christian bands out there. They've encouraged me so much, and a couple of time they've brought me to tears.
30 Seconds to Mars - "Kings & Queens", "Closer to the Edge", "This Is War", "Vox Populi"
Have you ever discovered something you thought was so amazing, so special, that you wanted to keep it a secret, because you're afraid that if you tell someone they won't understand the magic of the moment? That's how I felt when I first heard 30 Seconds to Mars. It was their incredible video for "Kings & Queens", while I was at the library. I had my earbuds in, the volume up, and it was magic. I completely zoned out while watching the video. After that I watched it again, and then I watched "Closer to the Edge", and I was hooked. I love their sound - it's emotional, powerful, and if I can say this without sounding cliche, epic. 30 Seconds to Mars is also currently topping my list of "Bands to See Live Before I Die".
Snow Patrol - "Chasing Cars"
I love how ethereal this song sounds, like you're just lying the grass and slipping off into a dream world. Good stuff.
Disturbed - "Indestructible", "Warrior"
Oh my. Haha. These two songs, well, they exactly like their titles sound. They're pretty cheesy (for example: "take a last look around while you're alive, I'm an indestructible master of war!"), but they're great to work out to.
Ryan Star - "Breathe"
On occasion, iTunes gives away some very good music, and this is one of those songs. I love the emotion and sincerity in his voice, and the lyrics aren't bad either.
Taio Cruz - "Dynamite", "Break Your Heart (feat. Ludacris)"
Is there anyone in the world who hasn't heard "Dynamite"? Good music to dance to.
Love and Theft - "Runaway"
Someday, I'd love to just get in my car and drive, and drive, and have adventures all across the country. And also maybe listen to this song.
So that's my ridiculously long (and amazingly still mostly incompletely) list of my favorites songs from 2010.
I guess when I said I was going to start posting on here I thought I would. I guess I was wrong. Ever since I started vlogging on Facebook (which is way faster then typing out all the stuff I want to say), and on Facebook I can control exactly who can see my video posts and who can't (not many folks can, incidentally, maybe when I get better I'll open it up, but for now it's a pretty small group of folks.)
Anyway. That (not to mention lots of other parts of this thing called life) is the reason I haven't been posting like I said I would. Send me an email if you'd like your money back. Ha! :)
Here's some of the exciting things that happened this week:
I saw The Fray's "Over My Head (Cable Car)" video AND Mat Kearney's "Nothing Left to Lose" on Gospel Music Channel's Joyful Noise Cafe show. I really, really like those videos.
To Write Love on Her Arms Day was on the 13th, and I wrote "LOVE" in big letters down both of my arms.
My top 3 Last.fm artists were The Fold at number 3, with one listen, The Almost at number 2, with one listen, and Josh Wilson at #1 with two whole listens! Go me! (I didn't do much on Last.fm last week.)
I joined two cool websites, bit.ly and Google Wave. They're both very, very cool. :)
I went for a walk in the starlight out on our trails, by myself. Not long after, a wolf was sighted just miles from our house.
My favorite tweet of the last week:
"See? Radio Disney isn't all that bad. Really, what's not to like about a station that plays The Fray & The Wiggles? Don't answer that. ;)"10:34 PM Nov 10thfrom web
I went to the dentist, and not only did I hear Mat Kearney's song "Closer to Love" while I was in the waiting room, I also got my teeth cleaned, and found out that I didn't have any cavities. I also made a dentist pun while they were working on me, and neither the dentist nor his assistant got it. :\
Later, after the dentist appointment, I was in a thrift story, and bought a killer leather jacket. It rocks.
My favorite artists of the week (since Last.fm didn't do a good job of showing off my taste) are Mat Kearney and The Fray. Ah-mazing, both. "Over My Head (Cable Car)" and "Closer to Love" are my top two songs.
I'm also thinking about getting Mat Kearney's Nothing Left to Lose with the Amazon gift certificates I've been getting from Swagbucks.
The best 5 words of advice I received all week was from the Bible: "Don't be afraid, just believe". It's so simple, and yet, it's really the best thing. Speaking of that, God's really been teaching me a lot lately, and growing me, and even though I still have a long, long way to go, somehow I know I'll get to the top of this mountain somehow. He'll see me through.
Wow, my life is more exciting then I thought! :) I really don't know if I'll do a post like this next week or not, I'll have wait and see. Till then, I suppose...
