Music Shuffle Monday 08.23.10

1. "Say the Words" (remix) by dcTalk
This one starts out with the intro that kicks off the Jesus Freak album, however this song - which is a remix of the song with the same title that can be found on their early album Free at Last - was one of the "new" tracks found their 2000 greatest hits CD, Intermission. This song has a bit of dance/pop feel to it with a signature rap thrown in as well. This was also the last dcTalk album to feature any new material, as the group released some of their previously unreleased tracks from their early years before taking a break and each member doing their own solo thing - tobyMac becoming a huge success on his own, with Michael Tait being well known as well and eventually becoming the front man for Australian/New Zealand Christian band Newsboys. During my preteen and early teen years these guys were huge at my church and school, as they've been called "the most popular overtly Christian act of all time" which is believable, as their album Jesus Freak broke records in the Christian market and many awards, including a Grammy. Unfortunately I never got to see them live, despite how badly I wanted to catch their Jesus Freak tour back in the day, but rumor is that they're trying to arrange an upcoming reunion tour in the next year or so.

2. "IMN" by Mudvayne

From their album Lost and Found (the first one without the masks and facepaint), this song is typical Mudvayne, with a heavy sound and growling vocals with some melodics. I remember listening to this whole album on my iPod during my Painting I class back in college. Overall, I'd give the album a B, as there were some tracks I really liked where there were others that were just "meh."

3. "Stolen" by Dashboard Confessionals

These guys were big near the end of my high school years, as their song "Screaming Infidelities" was all over the radio. I wasn't too into them really - a tad too emo for my liking - but I remember when this song came out in college and was played regularly on VH1 (which I often fell asleep to, as they played music videos from 3am on) and I liked it as a pop-rock ballad.

4. "Dr. Feelgood" by Motley Crue

Ah, the Crue... one of my favorite former 80s hairbands. Their songs always have amusing lyrics with a driving guitar rhythm and well, it's just fun 80s hairband metal, lol... looking back, I would have loved to have been an older teen or a 20-something in the late 80s, just because of how fun rock and metal seemed back then! Music-wise, there's not really anything that came out of the 80s that I didn't like!

5. "Let the Monster Rise" from Repo! The Genetic Opera

One of my favorite "darker" musicals... this track is near the end of the rock opera, after evil Rotti Largo gets in Shilo's head and pits her against her father in a means of revenge (Rotti's former lover Marni left Rotti for Nathan and the 2 were married however Marni died mysteriously while pregnant with Shilo). This song is between Shilo (Alexa Vega) and Nathan (Anthony Stewart Head). People either love Repo! or hate it. If you like musicals and/or rock operas, especially dark ones, be sure to check out this one out (not to be confused with the horrible non-musical rip-off Repo Men)!