Lunar Boulevard

Elvis Costello is one of my biggest musical heroes. I remember buying a copy of My Aim Is True back in high school and becoming mesmerized by the diversity and lyrical wordplay. I can't think of another artist who traversed more musical t er ritory, from punk to pop to Americana to country to even scoring an opera, and been more prolific in collaborating and constantly releasing material. It's a catalogue that is almost unmatched and ripe for exploration . It's hard to pick my 10 favorite songs of his and everyone has their personal preferences. Mine would look like this: 1. You Bowed Down 2. American Without Tears 3. Poisoned Rose 4. Man Out of Time 5. No Hiding Place 6. Accidents Will Happen 7. I Felt the Chill Before the Winter Came 8. Temptation 9. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes 10. Town Cryer As for my 5 favorite albums: 1. All This Useless Beauty 2. Imperial Bedroom 3. King of America 4. This Year's Model 5. Trust If you dig back through this b...

David is one of the most impressive and interesting people in the Bible. He accomplished some great things and also made some glaring mistakes, yet through it all I'm struck by how he was able to repent and rededicated himself to the Lord. The Bible even goes so far as to refer to him as a "friend of God". Think about that for a moment. God doesn't need anyone. The idea that anyone could be His friend is astounding and none too humbling, yet David was such a man. Perhaps even more remarkable is that God calls all those who call on Him a friend. Through Jesus we have direct access to the Father and have a friend in Jesus that will be with us "even unto the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20). In John 15:15 Jesus goes even further: "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." This is extremel...

The first time I heard this album I was underwhelmed, to say the least. Nothing really stuck out to me and it just drifted by without much melody or invention. I didn't hate it but I certainly wasn't too keen on it either. Fast forward a decade and suddenly this is one of my favorite Beck albums, second only to Sea Change for those who are curious. In short: this is his most overlooked masterpiece and one of the finest records of the 90's. For starters, this is nothing like Odelay or any of Beck's more well known records. This is full blown folk, country, blues and alternative done as only Beck can do it. From the opening notes of Cold Brains it's apparent that he's sailing more uncharted waters. Acoustic guitars, gentle harmonies, harmonica, subtle keyboards and rolling piano are par for the course here, taking us miles away from two turntables and a microphone.  Beautiful ballads like Nobody's Fault But My Own, Static and Sing It Again all...

Ever wonder who discovered Neptune and when? Now you can find out! Neptune was discovered on September 23, 1846 by Urbain Le Verrier and Johann Galle. Another fun fact to know and tell (or at least a possible Jeopardy! question).

I really can't say enough great things about The Gaslight Anthem. Ever since I first heard their music I've been enamored with their raw rock n' roll and great storytelling mixed with candid passion. Perhaps no other record this year has had me more excited and been more anticipated than the band's fifth record. Hype has been substantial and the marketing has been top notch. The only question remains: can Get Hurt live up to it? I'm happy to say YES. And then some. Let me offer a word of comfort to those fearing that this record will be too big of a departure: you needn't fear. While Get Hurt does feature some new sounds, new colors and fresh ideas, it's by no means a total curveball. Each Gaslight album has built on the one before it and this picks up right where Handwritten left off. The opener "Stay Vicious" is the band's take on Nirvana and Pearl Jam, a dirty and grungy opener that ranks as one of the band's heaviest tunes. I...

Recently a friend posted a link to an article written by a woman who claimed that she waited until she was married to have sex…and regretted it. I'll start by posting a link to the actual article for those interested, because I do want to be fair and let her voice speak for itself and reading it will help make my points easier to understand. http://www.xojane.com/sex/true-love-waits-pledge She mentions growing up in the church and taking a pledge when she was 10 to save herself for marriage. This isn't uncommon; many churches and denominations do things like this. It isn't a strange or creepy thing, although it can lead to problems when the reason isn't clearly explained, which I suspect was a big issue here. I too grew up knowing that sex before marriage was wrong, yet often the reason and context for that was glossed over or hard to understand. This is one area where the church needs to step up and clearly communicate God's Word.  Here are a few...

It's been a long wait but after four years Austin rockers Spoon have graced us with their new record, They Want My Soul . And is it ever sweet. Everything about this record works beautifully, combining Spoon's traditional sound with subtle nuances and productions flourishes that build on what's come before. The opener Rent I Pay is instantly recognizable, carrying the group's attitude and energy in style. The album's title track is not only fun but once again will feel familiar to fans without coming off as recycled. Let Me Be Mine isn't far behind and reminds us of what this group can do with a solid beat and infectious groove. These throwbacks are stellar but they're only the beginning of where this LP shines. Frontman Britt Daniel hasn't left his witty lyrics and catchy melodies behind. Rainy Taxi, complete with its 70's guitars, is a highlight and instantly became a favorite of mine. Do You and Outlier are both poppy excursions into what ...

It appears NASA is in full swing as they prepare to further explore the Red Planet. Let to launch in 2020, the next rover will be equipped with seven different instruments to conduct experiments, investigation and further exploration. These include: * Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry * Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals * The Mars Oxygen ISRU Experiment  * Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer * Mastcam-Z * SuperCam * Radar Imager for Mars' Subsurface Exploration If that sounds confusing then fear not, for you can find a detailed explanation of these tools at the link below. It's just nice to see NASA still engaged in exploring our universe and the handiwork of God's design. NASA Announces Mars 2020 Rover Payload to Explore the Red Planet as Never Before | NASA