I have a $15 Itunes Gift Card...
The 2009 Edition!
I have a $15 Itunes Gift Card...
As some of you may recall, I sought your wise council last December after receiving an Itunes gift card, and I am in the same predicament now. I would like to use this gift card to sample new bands/songs (rather than simply getting an entire album), and I need you to recommend them.
So, recommend away! (Song/band nominations are preferred to band nominations alone).
I particularly like alternative rock (I think?), and soundtrack/exceptional classical music, though, really, I'm open to all genres (secular or Christian, and with the exception of rap and screamo and the like).
For reference, here are the songs I decided on last year (favorites at the time are highlighted... and the highlighting is still pretty accurate now):
So, recommend away! (Song/band nominations are preferred to band nominations alone).
I particularly like alternative rock (I think?), and soundtrack/exceptional classical music, though, really, I'm open to all genres (secular or Christian, and with the exception of rap and screamo and the like).
For reference, here are the songs I decided on last year (favorites at the time are highlighted... and the highlighting is still pretty accurate now):
Celtic Woman-You Raise Me Up
violins and singing; I think they sound beautiful.
violins and singing; I think they sound beautiful.
Till the end of the line.
- Termite
- Bard of Silly Annoyance
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Well, Leeland just came out with a new CD, but I didn't really care for it. (granted, I only listened to it once) If you haven't, I would look up both Skillet and RED. RED especially uses a lot of "classical" instruments yet still grinds them into rock, so it's really cool. Abandon (the Christian group) is also very cool; kind of like Leeland in sound(while being unique), as is Tenth Avenue North. You know what? I'll make a list.
Skillet: Awake and Alive, Collide, Alien Youth, Hero, Rebirthing, Savior, Whispers in the Dark
RED: Mystery of You, Take it All Away, Pieces, Fight Inside, Shadows, Already Over, Lost
Seventh Day Slumber - Breaking Away, Always, Undone, On My Way Home, Surrender
Abandon: Hero, Hold On, Providence, Gold, Atmosphere, If I Could Write a Song
Tenth Avenue North: Hold My Heart, Love is Here, By Your Side, Hallelujah,
Sanctus Real: I'm Not Alright, Face of Love, Whatever You're Doing(Something Heavenly), Lay Down My Guns, Turn on the Lights,
Switchfoot: Meant to Live, This is Your Life, Dare You to Move, On Fire
Hawk Nelson (think Children 18:3 in ridiculousness but still epicness ): Let's Dance, Friend Like That, Alive, The One Thing I Have Left
Family Force 5: Face Down(they only scream once, really long, and a couple words at a beginning of one song, but it's still really cool. )
Robert Pierre: Jesus
Stellar Kart: Jesus Loves You
Flyleaf: All Around Me*, Red Sam, Cassie, Sorrow, Tiny Heart, Treasure, Again, Beautiful Bride, Arise, and Chasm. (the last one is really grungey, but it's the story of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus)
Falling Up: Hotel Aquarium, Moonlit, Streams of Woe at Acheron(alright, that song it pretty much pointless. =P But it's cool)
Capital Light: His Favorite Christmas Story, Return
So there you go. I'll leave you with that for now. *If you don't like Flyleaf's, look for David Crowder*Band's remake of it on their CD Church Music.
Skillet: Awake and Alive, Collide, Alien Youth, Hero, Rebirthing, Savior, Whispers in the Dark
RED: Mystery of You, Take it All Away, Pieces, Fight Inside, Shadows, Already Over, Lost
Seventh Day Slumber - Breaking Away, Always, Undone, On My Way Home, Surrender
Abandon: Hero, Hold On, Providence, Gold, Atmosphere, If I Could Write a Song
Tenth Avenue North: Hold My Heart, Love is Here, By Your Side, Hallelujah,
Sanctus Real: I'm Not Alright, Face of Love, Whatever You're Doing(Something Heavenly), Lay Down My Guns, Turn on the Lights,
Switchfoot: Meant to Live, This is Your Life, Dare You to Move, On Fire
Hawk Nelson (think Children 18:3 in ridiculousness but still epicness ): Let's Dance, Friend Like That, Alive, The One Thing I Have Left
Family Force 5: Face Down(they only scream once, really long, and a couple words at a beginning of one song, but it's still really cool. )
Robert Pierre: Jesus
Stellar Kart: Jesus Loves You
Flyleaf: All Around Me*, Red Sam, Cassie, Sorrow, Tiny Heart, Treasure, Again, Beautiful Bride, Arise, and Chasm. (the last one is really grungey, but it's the story of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus)
Falling Up: Hotel Aquarium, Moonlit, Streams of Woe at Acheron(alright, that song it pretty much pointless. =P But it's cool)
Capital Light: His Favorite Christmas Story, Return
So there you go. I'll leave you with that for now. *If you don't like Flyleaf's, look for David Crowder*Band's remake of it on their CD Church Music.
Love you always, SnC
"A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?" -Albert Einstein
Owl City and/or Relient K. can't go wrong.
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- Amethystic
- Random Rebel
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^^^^AMEN!!!!
"Beautiful Bride" from Flyleaf's album Memento Mori is awesome. Also in the rock and roll department, I love "Monster" from Skillet (esp. with the growl in the music video ), "My God" from This Beautiful Republic, "Wake Up the Dead" and "Dance or Die" from Family Force 5, "4 Leaf Clover" by Stryper, "The Way that You Are," by The Classic Crime, and "Feel Good Drag" and "Paperthin Hymn" by Anberlin.
Plus, House of Heroes's CD "The End is Not The End" is amazing, from what I've heard of it! It was heavily inspired by WWII and is very powerful and poetic. "Field of Daggers", "Code Name:Raven", "Valley of the Dying Son", and "Sooner or Later" are my favorites.
Wow, I've been listening to lots of Christian rock lately.
"Beautiful Bride" from Flyleaf's album Memento Mori is awesome. Also in the rock and roll department, I love "Monster" from Skillet (esp. with the growl in the music video ), "My God" from This Beautiful Republic, "Wake Up the Dead" and "Dance or Die" from Family Force 5, "4 Leaf Clover" by Stryper, "The Way that You Are," by The Classic Crime, and "Feel Good Drag" and "Paperthin Hymn" by Anberlin.
Plus, House of Heroes's CD "The End is Not The End" is amazing, from what I've heard of it! It was heavily inspired by WWII and is very powerful and poetic. "Field of Daggers", "Code Name:Raven", "Valley of the Dying Son", and "Sooner or Later" are my favorites.
Wow, I've been listening to lots of Christian rock lately.
Last edited by Amethystic on Sun Dec 13, 2009 3:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Termite
- Bard of Silly Annoyance
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*gasp*
Amy, I can't believe you mentioned all those. I completely forgot! "No Turning Back" which is also by This Beautiful Republic is good. As is "The Unwinding Cable Car" by Anberlin.
Amy, I can't believe you mentioned all those. I completely forgot! "No Turning Back" which is also by This Beautiful Republic is good. As is "The Unwinding Cable Car" by Anberlin.
Love you always, SnC
"A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?" -Albert Einstein
Matt Meher - "On Earth as it is in Heaven" is a really good song that I bought on iTunes a while ago. If you're looking for the fun factor, go with Elvis Presley - "A Little Less Conversation." I'm not a huge Elvis fan (that's the only one of his songs that I own) but I do enjoy it. I have no idea if this is on iTunes, but I really like the song "Love Changes Everything." I have it on an Andrew Lloyd Webber compilation CD that credits the Orlanda Pops Orchestra with playing it, though there might be another version also available.
I hope you enjoy whatever new songs you decide to buy! I was good and didn't demand that you buy Stompin' Tom Connor's classic "The Hockey Song" even though it is fantastic.
I hope you enjoy whatever new songs you decide to buy! I was good and didn't demand that you buy Stompin' Tom Connor's classic "The Hockey Song" even though it is fantastic.
- Liz_Horton
- Animatronic
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I say go 80s. Police, Journey, Kansas and Pink Floyd. Basically any song by the bands mentioned are good. If you want somewhat newer songs...
Country:
Tim McGraw: Live Like You are Dying, Old Friend, Back When, When the Stars Go Blue.
Brad Paisley: Then, Little Moments, Letter to Me, The world, Waiting on a Woman, Mud on the Tires, I'm Still a Guy, When I get to Where I'm Going (With Dolly Parton), Start A Band.
Blake Shelton: Austin, What I Call Home.
Brooks & Dunn: Ain't Nothin' Bout You, Red Dirt Road, Cowgirls don't cry, The Long Goodbye. (All on #1s and Then Some)
Carrie Underwood: Just a Dream, I Told You so, So Small.
Dolly Parton: Coat of Many colors, 9 to 5, Tennessee Homesick Blues (If you like twangy country), Love Like a Butterfly, Joshua, Jolene, Why'd you Come in Here Looking Like that.
Anything thing by Craig Morgan is good. Especially "What I Love About Sundays".
Christian:
FM Static: Something to Believe in, Three Days Later, The Notion, (all from "What are you waiting for?"). Flop Culture, America's Next Freak, Waste of Time, What it Feels Like, Nice Piece of Art. (Critically Ashamed).
Hawk Nelson: Like a Race car, Letters to the President, Lets Dance, The Show (With Mark Stuart from AdioA)
HERO! The Rock Opera.
Random songs I don't feel like categorizing: "Hymn To Freedom" - Oscar Peterson, "Pain In My Heart" - Otis Redding, "Colors" - Amos Lee (With Norah Jones), "Some Devil" - Dave Matthews, "Baba O'Riley" - The Who, "On Saturday Afternoons in 1963" - Rickie Lee Jones, "One" - Three Dog Night, "Aint No Reason" - Brett Dennen
I could easily continue, But I've taken enough of your time. (That would make a cool lyric).
Country:
Tim McGraw: Live Like You are Dying, Old Friend, Back When, When the Stars Go Blue.
Brad Paisley: Then, Little Moments, Letter to Me, The world, Waiting on a Woman, Mud on the Tires, I'm Still a Guy, When I get to Where I'm Going (With Dolly Parton), Start A Band.
Blake Shelton: Austin, What I Call Home.
Brooks & Dunn: Ain't Nothin' Bout You, Red Dirt Road, Cowgirls don't cry, The Long Goodbye. (All on #1s and Then Some)
Carrie Underwood: Just a Dream, I Told You so, So Small.
Dolly Parton: Coat of Many colors, 9 to 5, Tennessee Homesick Blues (If you like twangy country), Love Like a Butterfly, Joshua, Jolene, Why'd you Come in Here Looking Like that.
Anything thing by Craig Morgan is good. Especially "What I Love About Sundays".
Christian:
FM Static: Something to Believe in, Three Days Later, The Notion, (all from "What are you waiting for?"). Flop Culture, America's Next Freak, Waste of Time, What it Feels Like, Nice Piece of Art. (Critically Ashamed).
Hawk Nelson: Like a Race car, Letters to the President, Lets Dance, The Show (With Mark Stuart from AdioA)
HERO! The Rock Opera.
Random songs I don't feel like categorizing: "Hymn To Freedom" - Oscar Peterson, "Pain In My Heart" - Otis Redding, "Colors" - Amos Lee (With Norah Jones), "Some Devil" - Dave Matthews, "Baba O'Riley" - The Who, "On Saturday Afternoons in 1963" - Rickie Lee Jones, "One" - Three Dog Night, "Aint No Reason" - Brett Dennen
I could easily continue, But I've taken enough of your time. (That would make a cool lyric).
I'm not a huge music variety person, but if you're into eclectic-type music at all, I'd suggest Imogen Heap ("The Moment I Said It" is pretty good and the work she did on Narnia), Dido, The Prodigy (One Love/Music For A Jilted Generation), Moby, M.Craft (Dragonfly), Air (La Femme D' Argent), 46Bliss (The Way You Are) to name a few...
Enjoy picking out your songs!
Enjoy picking out your songs!
- The Top Crusader
- Hammer Bro
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Muse, cause they are cool!
- Trixie Belden
- Honourary Narnian
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- Location: In Owl City, on Tenth Avenue North
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Odysseys! They have a pretty wide selection. Unless or course you own them all, in which case ignore this message completely.
I had a $15 itunes gift card once, but I lost it. Usually I get bookstore gift cards, but I won it in a postcard contest at the dentist's office. I never even got to spend it!
I had a $15 itunes gift card once, but I lost it. Usually I get bookstore gift cards, but I won it in a postcard contest at the dentist's office. I never even got to spend it!
I ditto Amethystic's House of Heroes recommendation. If you're looking for Rock, House of Heroes. If you want something lighter, Owl City. Something, in between, Relient K - Forget and Not Slow Down (album). Aaand, if you like Forget and Not Slow Down you might like a couple of songs recorded by Matthew Thiessen and the Earthquakes, The Calendar, The Energy and Poison Ivy.
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more suggestions: Your Hands by JJ Heller, All the Single Ladies by Beyonce, and Beat it by Michael Jackson
Till the end of the line.
- Trent DeWhite
- Former Mayor
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Considering how unhelpful I was last year, I figured I'd give you a hand this time around.
Vocal
"You Are Loved" by Josh Groban (Awake)
"Alla Luce Del Sole" by Josh Groban (Josh Groban)
Rock/Pop
"It's Not Over" by Daughtry
"Feels Like Tonight" by Daughtry
Hip-Hop
"Whatcha Say" by Jason Derulo
Country
"Change" by Carrie Underwood
"What Hurts the Most" by Rascal Flatts
Christian - Worship
"Healer" by Kari Jobe (Kari Jobe)
"How He Loves (Live)" by Jeremy Riddle (EP)
"Light of the World" by Tim Hughes (Happy Day)
"Hosanna" by Christy Nockels (Life Light Up)
"The Wonder of the Cross" by Vicky Beeching (Painting the Invisible)
Christian - Pop/Rock
"By Your Side" by Tenth Avenue North (Over and Underneath)
"The Lost Get Found" by Britt Nicole (The Lost Get Found)
"Hallelujah" by Paramore (Riot!)
"Reign in Us" by Starfield (I Will Go)
"Hosanna" by Starfield (I Will Go)
"I Will Go" by Starfield (I Will Go)
"Remain" by Starfield (I Will Go)
"My Inheritance" by Ronnie Freeman (God Speaking)
"Glory to God Forever" by Fee (Hope Rising)
Christmas
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by David Archuleta (Christmas from the Heart)
"O, Come All Ye Faithful" by Chris Tomlin (Glory in the Highest: Christmas Songs)
"O Holy Night" by Chris Tomlin (Glory in the Highest: Christmas Songs)
"What Child Is This?" by Josh Groban (Noel)
Soundtracks
"O...Saya" by A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire)
"Jai Ho" by A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire)
The soundtrack for The Mentalist is particularly strong, but the score isn't available for purchase on ITunes. Thankfully, you can listen to about 33 minutes worth of the soundtrack on the composer's (Blake Neely) website.
Vocal
"You Are Loved" by Josh Groban (Awake)
"Alla Luce Del Sole" by Josh Groban (Josh Groban)
Rock/Pop
"It's Not Over" by Daughtry
"Feels Like Tonight" by Daughtry
Hip-Hop
"Whatcha Say" by Jason Derulo
Country
"Change" by Carrie Underwood
"What Hurts the Most" by Rascal Flatts
Christian - Worship
"Healer" by Kari Jobe (Kari Jobe)
"How He Loves (Live)" by Jeremy Riddle (EP)
"Light of the World" by Tim Hughes (Happy Day)
"Hosanna" by Christy Nockels (Life Light Up)
"The Wonder of the Cross" by Vicky Beeching (Painting the Invisible)
Christian - Pop/Rock
"By Your Side" by Tenth Avenue North (Over and Underneath)
"The Lost Get Found" by Britt Nicole (The Lost Get Found)
"Hallelujah" by Paramore (Riot!)
"Reign in Us" by Starfield (I Will Go)
"Hosanna" by Starfield (I Will Go)
"I Will Go" by Starfield (I Will Go)
"Remain" by Starfield (I Will Go)
"My Inheritance" by Ronnie Freeman (God Speaking)
"Glory to God Forever" by Fee (Hope Rising)
Christmas
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by David Archuleta (Christmas from the Heart)
"O, Come All Ye Faithful" by Chris Tomlin (Glory in the Highest: Christmas Songs)
"O Holy Night" by Chris Tomlin (Glory in the Highest: Christmas Songs)
"What Child Is This?" by Josh Groban (Noel)
Soundtracks
"O...Saya" by A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire)
"Jai Ho" by A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire)
The soundtrack for The Mentalist is particularly strong, but the score isn't available for purchase on ITunes. Thankfully, you can listen to about 33 minutes worth of the soundtrack on the composer's (Blake Neely) website.
Finally Mr. Organized has come along to save the day! I concur with the Josh Groban recommendations! You could pick any song of his and be blissfully happy. And the Starfield stuff is sure to be good too - I've heard these songs, though I don't own the CD. But I asked for any Starfield CD for Christmas, so maybe I will soon! And Trent is their biggest fan, so I'm sure he's right that those songs are the best choices for you!Trent DeWhite wrote: Vocal
"You Are Loved" by Josh Groban (Awake)
"Alla Luce Del Sole" by Josh Groban (Josh Groban)
Christian - Pop/Rock
"Reign in Us" by Starfield (I Will Go)
"Hosanna" by Starfield (I Will Go)
"I Will Go" by Starfield (I Will Go)
"Remain" by Starfield (I Will Go)
Christmas
"What Child Is This?" by Josh Groban (Noel).
- Amethystic
- Random Rebel
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Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up" and "If You Just Believe" were both excellent. And I agree that "You Are Loved" is very good as well.
- Trixie Belden
- Honourary Narnian
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Anything Josh Groban is great, especially "If You Just Believe". (Yay, Polar Express!)
Five months later, I've finally used my gift card -- better yet, I was given another gift card, so I was able to get more songs. Here are the ones I decided on (the highlighted ones were your suggestions ):
Thanks again for all the suggestions! I spent way too many hours deliberating over which songs to get and listening to dozens of them on YouTube. I decided to only no more than one song per artist/band, and tended to not choose songs from artists or bands I was already very familiar with, and/or whose albums I was already likely to get at some point (such as Relient K, Hawk Nelson, Flyleaf).
Special thanks to those who recommended Owl City, Starfield and House of Heroes! It was hard to choose just one song for those, and their albums are now on my wish list.
Thanks again for all the suggestions! I spent way too many hours deliberating over which songs to get and listening to dozens of them on YouTube. I decided to only no more than one song per artist/band, and tended to not choose songs from artists or bands I was already very familiar with, and/or whose albums I was already likely to get at some point (such as Relient K, Hawk Nelson, Flyleaf).
Special thanks to those who recommended Owl City, Starfield and House of Heroes! It was hard to choose just one song for those, and their albums are now on my wish list.
- Termite
- Bard of Silly Annoyance
- Posts: 6672
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- Contact:
(I admit it, I started crying when I first hear His Favorite Christmas Story. )
Good for you for putting effort into choosing what songs to get... I normally debate for about ten seconds. =P Enjoy your new music.
Good for you for putting effort into choosing what songs to get... I normally debate for about ten seconds. =P Enjoy your new music.
Love you always, SnC
"A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?" -Albert Einstein
Yay! It looks like you have some great new songs to listen to! I recognize a couple that I recommended - good choices. Though I seem to recall suggesting some hockey-related songs, which you seem to have cruelly ignored.