A poem for while you're away...

I'm not a big poetry fan but Steve Stockman's poems have always soothed, challenged, enhanced my soul, my thinking..
This poem has helped at this difficult time it acknowledge the grief in the humaness of our struggle with faith when it doesn't make sense.... But it's the only hope we have.

this is where we are...

Listening to...

Black Star Rider - All Hell Breaks Loose

Sugar & the Hi Low

Various Snow Patrol & Van Morrison

Reading...

Choosing To See - Mary Beth Chapman

There Are No Strong People - Jeff Lucas

Most  people reading this, I guess, know our story, just about 4 months ago our beautiful 20 year old daughter Amy went to be with Jesus. To some that maybe a bold statement, but to be honest, I 100% believe it, I believe she made that choice, I believe that's what she was created for to worship at the feet of Jesus and I believe I'll join her one day. It's the amazing hope we have this separation is just temporal....

This journey, this road our family has been chosen to travel is certainly difficult most definitely not of our choosing but it's where we are...  and it's from that perspective I write.


I've always been someone who's had an interest in blogging I've post a few on here... Mostly about music (I'm a fan) while on holiday recently I thought I like to share a bit of my story about what going on with me on this journey....


There are 2 things I'd like to write about first...probably 2 separate blogs...

One is about brokenness (when I'm broken)  and one is about the support of friends (a break in the clouds)

Hopefully get them up soon....

Pax

Favourite Music of 2012 (Part 2)

So here we go with some more of my favourite music of 2012

Jake Bugg - Self Titled
Jake Bugg to me just appeared outta nowhere, I think I came across him cause I'd read Northern Ireland's own Iain Archer was writing & producing him. This is an 18 year old with an old heart these are songs from another time but still very much for today. Songs about home about youth about attitude about wanting something better. Great stuff

The Lumineers - Self Titled
Now we're talking, great great tunes, you'll probably have eard these guys as Ho Hey is all over the tv. Beautiful songs that make me smile, these are simple songs that are all about the song. Do yourself a favour get a little lumineers in your life.

Mumford & Sons - Babel

Ok at the minute M & S is probably one of the most talked about bands out there, but in this the follow up to Sigh No More we see a development of what IS a great band with a great sound who now play massive rooms this is the sound to fill those rooms. If you search below the surface you'll find a lot of food for thought in the lyrics while your toe is tapping to the tunes.

l

Favourite Music of 2012

Most people that know me know I'm a big music fan, I love discovering new music and rediscovering gems from the past.

In no particular order here is some of my favourite cds of the past year.

Matthew Mayfield - A Banquet of Ghosts
Discovered this on www.noisetrade.com a great wee site with some amazing music....and it free. Something about this guys voice & the way it carries and is carried by the melody that grab my attention. Great tunes particularly love the track 'Take What I Can Get' & the bluesy 'Track You Down', 

Charlie Peacock - No Mans Land
Let's face it Mr Peacock is a musical genius. And this new album brings together all that great about him. Whether its a bit of soul, a bit of country a bit of folk. It's all here & it's all at home here. The combination of his soulful voice and the beautifully produced tunes is bliss. Highlights are the opening Death Trap, the folky soulfulness of Mystic as well as Kite in a Tree

Matthew Perryman Jones - Land Of The Living
Another discovery I made on Noisetrade a few years back, absolutely love what this guy does. Land Of The Living sees him take a step in a more musically intense direction though all the more stunning for it. It's surely an injustice he's not up there with the best of them. Lyrically this cd is full of what a man on the radio used to call depth charges, that slowly sink into your soul & explode with truth,

Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball
Everybody loves a bit of Bruce. this is up there as one of my favourite of the past year this is the Boss at his best with a patriotic heart he addresses what he sees wrong and the hopelessness of his homeland. Great tunes with almost an overall Irish feel to it.

Chris Taylor -Frame the Light

There's something about Chris Taylor that resonates with me, there's something in his  music & his words that draw me in. I feel that through his songs I can see myself,I see my struggle, I see my search, I see my failings, I see my hope. I love this album, to these ears probably Chris's best album to date. musically Frame The Light takes me on a sonic journey. And on this journey we pass rock n Roll, some blues even a little electronica but all in the frame work of what I believe Chris does best & that's a man his voice, his hollow wooden instrument & his honest and open heart

More to follow....

a portal to the yet unknown!!

Sometimes people just come up with great ideas, wish I could. Anyway, theres this website called Noisetrade (www.noisetrade.com). The basic idea it would seem is to provide a vehicle for bands, artist etc to make their music available for free to anybody, everybody. Not exactly sure how I first came across it, but I did & let me tell you it has changed (for the better) my whole musical landscape.

The new music I've been introduced over the past year is some of the best I've ever come across.
Well theres Trent Dabbs and Matthew Perryman Jones, Josh Garrells Amy Stroup and so many more.
my next few blogs are gonna be reviews of some of this great music. if you haven't already I suggest you mossy on over & check it out.

This portal to the yet unknown could open up a whole new musical landscape

Gary Lightbody smiles a lot

He really does!!!



Recently, well probably about a year now, I've become quite an avid user of Twitter @markmews (sometimes you need your stalking in 140 characters or less).
So the other night I was all cosied up for a wee Saturday night in, you know that craic, (you do don't you?) and I just randomly fired up twitter on the aul HTC.
@snowpatrolband had tweeted they were gonna be sound checking at the City Hall in Belfast at 9pm so c'mon down.
I ,just as habit has it, read it out to those present (namely Jean, Amy and Ben.) Next thing I know I'm (as in we're) standing outside the City Hall in Belfast happed up to the 9s against the elements.
Also along the way we picked up some randomer (namely Andrew Reid, my bro).

So anyway we wait, next thing ya know the SP lad are out sound checking to what some have said was close to 5000 peeps.

Absolutely loved it.

Something about the music, the setting, the feel, that has recently drawn me to the Snow Patrol sound.

and if i was the public confessing type I may just divulge that after almost 30 years of U2 a the top I may now have a new favourite band

that's probably bout all i got to say.....

oh!!! Gary Lightbody smiles ALOT!!!!

here's some pics...the aforementioned randomer bro took....

Snow Patrol and Dark Horses

Just got listening to the new singles from ....

Snow Patrol 'Called Out In The Dark'

and Switchfoot 'Dark Horses'

Snow Patrol is on first listen something a bit different from them, got a few beats going on there, on the other hand Switchfoot seems to be business as usual which is also a good thing.

Looking forward to album from both these bands both out this year :D