A place for people who will meet on that far distant shore one day.

"One More Day" by Rev Z and the D-Town Spirit Band

"One More Day" by Rev Z and the D-Town Spirit Band

Rating on a 1- 10 scale: 8.5
Prime Cuts: "I'm Just a Pilgrim", "When Your Blessings Don't Flow"
Bottom Line: All the songs are fine; the tight-organic songs work the best.

1. "Ain't goin' Back (Blues Intro)" - Nice way to kick off a CD. Nice restraint in cutting loose on the axe, yet keeping the musical theme intact throughout. - 7

2. "Let Us Praise His Name" - Tasteful riffing accompanies Psalm-like lyric. The strength of the song may have been enhanced by adding a bridge. - 7

3. "When Your Blessings Don't Flow" - Song benefits by strong melody, great vocal, and great bridge. Stays intact well with no meandering. - 9.5

4. "Hold On (For One More Day)" - The chorus reminds me of 50s/ Elvis. The harmonica touches add to the down-in-the-trenches-with-you encouragement of the message. - 9

5. "One More Day" - Similar to previous song, some Elvis influence in the chorus. Nice strumming syncopation, with some fine picking accompaniment. - 8.5

6. "He Walked on Water" - Bass and electric guitar with very little rhythm guitar give it a nice flavor. Would be nice to hear a shortened version without drums (with all respect to drums, Steve. ;-) ) May go on a tad too long for a song with a repetetive (though very good) bass line. - 8

7. "Four Thousand Cries" - Great social commentary to a persistent rhythm that echoes the pace we move at while sometimes forgetting "all of the innocent" that have died or are dying. - 9

8. "I'm Just a Pilgrim (In This World)" - The organic-ness of the guitar-vocal arrangement drives home the lyric's perspective of a Christian's place in the world, view of the world, and dependence on their Creator. - 9.5

9. "Choose Heaven or Hell" - Great song with a great message about the serious consequences of the ultimate bad decision, with some nice keyboard and wailing-axe touches. At the same time, I opt for the less-cluttered 1st take acoustic bonus version. - 8

10. "Is Anybody Out There? (Detroit)" - Pink Floyd eat your heart out. Some of the words in the verses were hard to make out, or I would rank it higher. - 8

11. "Bonus: Choose Heaven or Hell (outtake)" - I'll score this one a point higher than the "intake" version. - 9

12. "Invitation For Salvation" - Very nicely done. A sincere invitation to God's covenant family through Jesus Christ will always score a 10 with me. - 10

Jim

Posted by: LDVoyager at 19:33 | link | comments

The Transfiguration

Matthew 17: 1 - 9
1	And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart.
2	And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light.
3	And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Eli'jah, talking with him.
4	And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli'jah."
5	He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."
6	When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with awe.
7	But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no fear."
8	And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9	And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of man is raised from the dead."

Posted by: LDVoyager at 16:25 | link | comments (1)

Cruise Control (Band) - Wikipedia style

Cruise Control is a band formed in the 1980s that has primarily featured Jim Muglia on guitar and Steve DiMarco on drums. Peter Misketch has played guitar for the band as well, and Neil DiMarco has been the primary vocalist. Since 2010, Pastor Ed Zilka has taken the vocal duties for the songs that feature vocals, though Muglia was actually the lead singer on a cover of The Beach Boys' "Help Me Rhonda"..

The band played until the early 1990s and then reunited in 2010.

Posted by: LDVoyager at 01:25 | link | comments

Review of Cruise Control "New Day Dawn" CD

That was the thing to "Get Ready..." for.

Here is my breakdown to my drummer friend Steve, regarding the CD we made on Friday, July 15. Send me an inbox with your snail mail if you want me to send you a free copy.

Was a fantastic session on Friday, as far as I'm concerned. Here is my review of the project with 1-10 ratings, feel free to comment and share your thoughts.

1) "New Day Dawn" - Nice take. Liked the ending on the first take better; but other than that, no complaints. Works for me. 8

2) "Cruise Control Boogie" - Good take, but upon repeated listens it seems that the guitar part should have been thicker. It could have used more bass and distortion. 8

3) "Dangerous Mission" - Perfect take, just perhaps the guitar could have been a tad louder. Still for the cinematic feel we were going for, louder drums was totally appropriate, so this one actually worked out really good. Great snare drum work, and the mid-song pause of the marching beat was perfect. 9

4) "Freedom's Anthem" - As good as a take as we would get with it for the time frame. The reverb effect enhanced the festive spirit of the song, and was a great call on Ed's part. 8

5) "Dangerous Mission Part 2" - Thought the straight count drumming to the main theme was perfect; and the track turned out really well. 8

6) "CC Shuffle" - Fantastic. It was a huge rush driving home down the highway playing it. The thicker and non-distorted feel was exactly what I was looking for with that song.
I think Ed's tuning down of the guitar half a step served this song in particular very well, giving it the more bassy tone it needed. 9

7) "Lilacs in the Spring" - Turned out great for a last-minute throw-in. Another take or two, and boy, we REALLY would have nailed it. Seems it could have been slightly more compacted in a couple spots, but all-in-all, a great take. Can almost hear the tropical birds whistling in it. (Hey, how about that if the track ever gets tweaked in the future?) 7.5

8) "Growing" - Turned out perfect. The song I like to play first when putting the CD on, just before I shuffle it. Great ideas for the percussion and it turned out awesome.  9.5

9) "Proud Mary" - Great take and vocal. Love the mega-spirited vocal in the last "Proud Mary keep on burnin'". 9.5

10) "Help Me Rhonda" - Would have nailed the verse vocals (which I freely admit were lame) on a second try; but other than that, we did pretty good on it. Even the ending which I lament at the end of the track, was at least keeping time. Awesome inputs from Ed and his Dylan Millin' Chillin' friend that saved the song from the monotony of my vocals. (Hey, at least I was a decent MC for the intro to "Freedom's Anthem".)    6

Bottom line is a CD of 10 songs with some pretty vintage stuff for the small window of time that we had to work with.

Jim

Posted by: LDVoyager at 18:07 | link | comments

Get Ready...

...

Posted by: LDVoyager at 02:07 | link | comments

The Cars - "Move Like This" CD

OK, so here we have The Cars first album in 24 years, a wish come true for the faithful followers they gathered in 1979 through the mid-eighties. The original lineup is intact sans vocalist-bassist Benjamin Orr (deceased 2000), who had sung a good handful of The Cars' famous hits. True to their old format, it is a collection of ten three-to-five minute Ocasek-penned compositions, which for this old Cars fan, adds to the nostalgia.
 
Overall, the ten songs are tight and cohesive, focusing on how to "get through these changing times" in a generic sense that can be applied to socio-political issues, personal relationships, or self. That said, it is by no means an over-serious endeavor, which one can argue that some of Ocasek's solo material suffers from. Between Ocasek's gripping rhythms, keyboardist Greg Hawkes' mystical musical passages, the satisfying harmonies, the quality of the songs, and the cohesiveness of the band as a whole, the listener is kept fully engaged throughout the project.
 
While the project is tight and cohesive, each song stands on its own in terms of its strengths.
 
“Blue Tip” kicks off the CD, a lyric that somewhat-abstractly deals with one’s desire to fit in with the crowd. Musically, it’s quintessential Cars; only they could come up with something like that and pull it off the way they do.
 
The song "Too Late" has as good of a chorus as any Cars song, the chorus accented with the signature Cars harmony. Without Benjamin Orr, you realize that there is a great strength in the harmonies of just the remaining members, and one can see where the combined vocals of Easton, Robinson, and Hawkes was always an integral part of their sound.
 
"Keep on Knockin" hearkens back to "You're All I've Got Tonight" and contains a non-flashy but very tasteful guitar-synth solo, that briefly repeats part of itself at the end. It's tempting to wish that guitar-wizz Elliot Easton had more room to cut loose on some of the tracks; but those of us familiar with past Cars projects are aware that The Cars have always been about each member of the group doing their best for the overall good of the song rather than one member trying to overshadow the other members.
 
“Soon” is a standard Cars ballad, that works very well.
 
"Sad Song" is a tasteful first single for the rush hour drive home. "It's just a sad song that pulls you along", accented with some tasteful keyboard colorings from Greg Hawkes. Whether it makes waves on the charts or not, it will rank among their respectable singles. "Free" also hearkens back to their signature sound and verbiage with pseudo-words like "permacast".
 
"Drag on Forever" is a mid-tempo rocker. Lyrics like "I lit my brain with rainbow crystallite", "your waxy face is melting on your lap", "coconut windows" and "you look so wasted" and "you said 'I had to try it’” make it sound like another drug reference song like "Hello Again" and "Heartbeat City". In terms of tempo, theme, and musical feel it hearkens back to Candy-O’s song “You Can’t Hold On Too Long”.
 
"Take Another Look" is another addition to the Cars catalog of melodic and powerful ballads, lyrically in the spirit of "Drive" and "I'm Not the One". "Too Late" and "Soon" are two other ballads that work well.
 
"It's Only", and "Hits Me" close out the CD, with the signature cars sound of clicking rhythms and colorful synth-accentuations to slam dunk all the hooks.
 
Bottom line is that “Move Like This” is a focused and mature effort, that certainly ranks near the top of The Cars’ catalog.

Posted by: LDVoyager at 18:22 | link | comments

comin' up

Review of the latest Cars album "Move Like This" is coming here shortly after it comes out around May 10. Been hoping for this one for years, and the snippets on their facebook page of it sound fantastic.

Baby # 9 c-section coming on May 23. Prayers for safe delivery for mom and baby would be appreciated.

Practicing new songs for a Cruise Control recording session this summer. Hope to post some recordings sometime.

Hope anyone who stumbles across this is doing well.

Jim

Posted by: LDVoyager at 04:38 | link | comments

What I Think of the Possible 2012 Candidates

Here is an interview with myself of what I think of the possible 2012 presidential candidates.

Q: Jim, what do you think of President Barrack Obama?

A: I think we need to get rid of Obama's health care reform, use torte reform instead, and stand for a strong military, equality for the unborn, and lowered taxes.

Q: Jim, what do you think of Sen. Tim Pawlenty?

A: I think we need to get rid of Obama's health care reform, use torte reform instead, and stand for a strong military, equality for the unborn, and lowered taxes.

Q: Jim, what do you think of Sarah Palin?

A: I think we need to get rid of Obama's health care reform, use torte reform instead, and stand for a strong military, equality for the unborn, and lowered taxes.

Q: Jim, what do you think of Chris Christie?

A: I think we need to get rid of Obama's health care reform, use torte reform instead, and stand for a strong military, equality for the unborn, and lowered taxes.

Q: Jim, what do you think of Mitt Romney?

A: I think we need to get rid of Obama's health care reform, use torte reform instead, and stand for a strong military, equality for the unborn, and lowered taxes.

Posted by: LDVoyager at 17:42 | link | comments (1)

Desert Hope

Greetings,

Hope all is well for all readers.

Well, I'm immersing myself in writing material for a second Cruise Control musical endeavor called "Desert Hope". For me, “material” means chord progressions on the guitar.
 
Our first project is still a work in progress called "The Connecting Roads", which contains 14 chord progressions I came up with over a course of 25 years. As far as TCR, the songs are there, it’s just the recording time has never been there to complete it. That project is a bunch of songs that are all over the map; and that's really the point of that project. A bunch of songs varying in style, and from different timeframes, but somehow there is a common thread, thus the fitting title "The Connecting Roads".
 
“Desert Hope” is shaping up as a microcosm of our lives. We’re stuck here on this cosmic ball floating through space, never really quite feeling at home, and hoping that somewhere beyond this all, there really is a place where we will always be, and always feel, at home. Here are all the songs I have for it so far, and how they are all fitting together. For each song, the music fits the description.
 
1) “Cruise Control Anthem” – We’re on a roll, cruising through life, making the grade; life is good.
2) “Rocky Road” – OK, the ride is starting to get a little bit rocky, and not always as pleasant.
3) “Into the Desert” (formerly called “Desert Hope”, which will now just be the name of the project.) – Now the rocky road has broken down our car, and we have been thrusted into what feels like a desert wasteland. A somewhat weary chord progression with a couple bursts of energy which reflect the inner flicker we have in the dull and dry periods of life.
4) “Lullaby” – Here in the desert and dryness of our life, we come to appreciate the treasure of the most ordinary things, like a child’s love and innocence.
5) “Treasure’s Heart” – Along the same lines as “Lullaby”, in the dryness and dullness, we find something really deep and true that becomes our strength. Without having been in the desert so long we never would have found it or started looking for it.
6) “Dangerous Mission Part 1” – With our newfound appreciation of the simple things and the transcendent treasures we have found in our hearts, we are now ready to embark on endeavors that are above and beyond our immediate pleasures.
7) “Dangerous Mission Part 2” – Along the same lines as DM Pt. 1, we continue putting ourselves on the line to meet the needs of others, and find a thrill and joy in it, even though we are making ourselves vulnerable.
8) “A Spiral of Fields” – Our missions were successful and fulfilling but threw us into a whirlwind of wild rides and adventures that we are still reeling from, being spun around in the air, facing the ground but seeing the beauty as we are whipped around to and fro by the winds.
9) “Open Highway” – As the whirlwind is finally tapering off a little bit, the rocky road has smoothed out and the road has expanded, and the big open blue sky is before us as we soberly and humbly walk on with the richness of several life lessons towards the sunset in a more contented spirit, and with a cautious optimism.
10) “Home” – Finally out of the inner desert forever, and truly home.
 
So that is how the project is taking shape; I am looking forward to how some of the full-blown versions will sound. Even though the songs are just instrumentals, the concept is very much there, and it is a very personal project, almost feels like giving birth or something. All the songs reflect the sentiments described. I keep practicing the songs in that order, fine-tuning them here and there, they’re not all perfectly complete yet, but they are getting there. I was thinking there should be at least 14 songs on it like the previous project, but maybe these 10 will do. Guess the desert would consist of all of the heartbreaks and letdowns, and inevitable health issues that keep us grounded on this place called Earth, until we’re called home to the next place.

Jim

Posted by: LDVoyager at 04:17 | link | comments

"Lou Gramm Band" CD

Alright, so there is this commercially successful band called Foreigner that sells a ton of records and gets a ton of airplay, its heyday being in the late 70s through the mid-80s, before they became a caricature of themselves by beating the soft pop-rock schtick to a pulp, much to lead singer Lou Gramm's frustration and eventual permanent departure.

Along for the ride in the heyday, was me, an elementary shcool kid. Blown away with hits like "Double Vision", "Blue Morning, Blue Day", and "Long Long Way From Home" from their first couple albums, I, in the sixth grade, eagerly awaited their 3rd album "Head Games", and was a member of their fan club. Two, three years later I didn't have much interest in them. When they came out with Foreigner 4 I only liked it from a distance, until it sunk into me that "Jukebox Hero" was, wow, actually, a pretty awesome tune. Though their previous album "Head Games" had some strong tracks, it was also kind of hard to take them seriously after that, since, for all its merits, it was somewhat shamelessly commercial. So it took a while for it to hit me that "4"  was a somewhat worthwhile album to purchase, and it was OK for my old favorite band Foreigner to be my favorite band again for a while. Their follow-up album "Agent Provacateur" was weird, but fairly respectable, so I stayed with them through the ride for that one too, as well as Gramm's first solo album "Ready or Not".

So now in the one corner, we have Mick Jones with a retooled Foreigner, featuring a new singer who sounds much like Gramm, and a new album "Can't Slow Down" that is true to the 80s power-pop sound.

In the other corner, we have Lou Gramm, with the self-titled "Lou Gramm Band" CD, which includes a couple of his brothers, and an album that is true to the sound he wanted Foreigner to have in the later 80s, namely a more rock sound that was light on the syrup.

Which brings us to the subject of this post, "The Lou Gramm Band" CD.


There's nothing flashy or slick about this CD and lyrically its somewhat elementary; but for some reason it feels like home, and I really enjoy the whole thing. Musically, its pretty basic,  8 mid-tempo rockers and a couple ballads with vocals, guitars, bass, and drums with some keyboard accenting here and there. Some of the songs have other band member(s) singing, but its not to the negation of Lou's vocals, he chimes in at just the right parts in the ones he is not singing. Just 10 songs, so its a fairly quick non-imposing listen, perhaps one of its charms.

A brief song-by-song breakdown:

Made to Be Broken - Cool rockin' kickoff song, that reflects a man who has made himself malleable to the will of his Maker.
Redeemer - Continues in the cool rockin' pattern. Very simple but convincing guitar riff being the basis of the song.
Willing to Forgive - Another mid-tempo rocker, this one of gratitude for God's willingness and desire to forgive us.
That's the Way God Planned It - Nice cover of an inspirational Billy Preston song.
Baptized By Fire - Back to the run of great mid-tempo rock songs.
(I Wanna) Testify - Another cool rocker.
So Great - Rock worship song.
Single Vision - Rock. Go ahead and laugh at the song title from a man famous for a song called "Double Vision".
Rattle Yer Bones - Another good rocker, probably the most up-tempo one of the bunch. Great riff and chorus, my personal favorite on the project.
You Saved Me - Nice inspirational song of gratitude to close the CD.

Its rock, but somewhat low-key and laid back, but the humble riffs and hooks work pretty well, and the vocals are very convincing. Perhaps it mainly works because it is the fruit of a man who is at home with himself, his faith, his musical style, and his band.

Jim

Posted by: LDVoyager at 00:44 | link | comments