I'm Craig. I'm married to Laura. I live in Nashville and make music for a living. I play guitar, write songs, and produce records.

What’s on My iPod? April Edition

I wrote my first What’s on my iPod post just for fun and to share good music. However, as I’ve contemplated the second installment, I’ve realized it can also be an interesting way to document seasons in my life.

In March, I was listening to a lot of music while traveling and needed it to entertain me on the road. My choices were a bit lighter and eased hours in a van.

I’ve been home more this month, and it has been a very difficult month personally. I feel like my music choices have reflected that. From hymns of comfort to pop goodness for distraction, I give you What’s on my iPod, April Edition.

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What’s On My iPod?

I’ve been traveling a lot over the last month which is a blessing. I love getting to travel with friends and lead worship. 

It also means that I have spent a lot of time in a van. This time would not have been nearly as enjoyable without my iPod. This inspired what I hope will become a semi regular series here on my blog:

What’s on my iPod?

So without further ado, here’s some of the music that has gotten me through the last few weeks.

  • Brandon Flowers - Flamingo
  • All Sons and Daughters - Season One
  • Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
  • David Crowder* Band - Give Us Rest or (A Requiem Mass in C [The Happiest of All Keys])
  • Thad Cockrell - To Be Loved


These are some of my favorite records right now. What are some of yours? Let me know in the comments. 

My Favorite Albums of 2011 I am generally not a fan of New Years. In my opinion, it is a lot of hype for something that is often a let down. One thing that I do look forward to around the holiday is publishing my annual favorite albums list (Check out last year’s post here). So I present to you (in order of release) my favorite albums of 2011 Augustana - AugustanaThough this album was released before any of the others on this list, it is my most recent discovery. In November, while on the road with my friend Brett Rutledge late at night, everyone in the van was putting on their favorite albums to keep us awake. Brett put on this album, and I was hooked after the first minute. This album is such a great pop rock album. The melodies are incredibly catchy. The production is great. Every time I listen to it, I can’t help but say “man, that’s a great album!” This is pop music at its best. Standout Song - Shot in the Dark Leagues - Leagues EPLet me introduce you to my new favorite band. I was excited about Leagues before I ever heard a single song. They are a super group of 4 incredibly talented musicians, including one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Thad Cockrell. His solo album “To Be Loved” is one of my favorite albums of all time. Leagues Drummer, Jeremy Lutito, has played on many albums that I love as well. Cockrell’s sense of melody and incredible voice combined with one of the best rhythm sections in music make for an amazing EP. It’s pop with some rock and old R&B as well. This EP was released to help raise funds to finish a full length album. These 3 songs definitely have left me wanting more from Leagues. Standout Song - Magic All Sons and Daughters - Brokenness Aside EPI have already done a Music Monday Post on this EP, so I won’t speak too much more about it. However, I will say that I love this album as much today as I did in July. I can’t wait for the follow up to this album which will be released on January 17th! Standout Song - Brokenness Aside NEEDTOBREATHE - The ReckoningNEEDTOBREATHE’s album, “The Outsiders” was on my top albums list in 2009. It remained in frequent rotation in my car from then until September of 2011 when “The Reckoning” was released. I was worried as to whether or not they would be able to create another album that I loved as much as “The Outsiders,” but “The Reckoning” put those fears to rest. Needtobreathe has a very distinct sound that begins with Bear Rinehart’s powerful vocals. These are accompanied by a great combination of folk, country, and rock colors. I genuinely don’t know what else to say about this album. It’s amazing. This is my most difficult album to pick 1 standout track for, but if I have to:Standout Song - White Fences Katie Herzig - The Waking SleepAnother album which has already been featured in Music Monday. In that post, I said lookout for this album on my best of 2011 list. I was correct. This album has continued to be a musical inspiration to me over the last few months. Standout Song - Lost and Found  My Favorite Albums of 2011 I am generally not a fan of New Years. In my opinion, it is a lot of hype for something that is often a let down. One thing that I do look forward to around the holiday is publishing my annual favorite albums list (Check out last year’s post here). So I present to you (in order of release) my favorite albums of 2011 Augustana - AugustanaThough this album was released before any of the others on this list, it is my most recent discovery. In November, while on the road with my friend Brett Rutledge late at night, everyone in the van was putting on their favorite albums to keep us awake. Brett put on this album, and I was hooked after the first minute. This album is such a great pop rock album. The melodies are incredibly catchy. The production is great. Every time I listen to it, I can’t help but say “man, that’s a great album!” This is pop music at its best. Standout Song - Shot in the Dark Leagues - Leagues EPLet me introduce you to my new favorite band. I was excited about Leagues before I ever heard a single song. They are a super group of 4 incredibly talented musicians, including one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Thad Cockrell. His solo album “To Be Loved” is one of my favorite albums of all time. Leagues Drummer, Jeremy Lutito, has played on many albums that I love as well. Cockrell’s sense of melody and incredible voice combined with one of the best rhythm sections in music make for an amazing EP. It’s pop with some rock and old R&B as well. This EP was released to help raise funds to finish a full length album. These 3 songs definitely have left me wanting more from Leagues. Standout Song - Magic All Sons and Daughters - Brokenness Aside EPI have already done a Music Monday Post on this EP, so I won’t speak too much more about it. However, I will say that I love this album as much today as I did in July. I can’t wait for the follow up to this album which will be released on January 17th! Standout Song - Brokenness Aside NEEDTOBREATHE - The ReckoningNEEDTOBREATHE’s album, “The Outsiders” was on my top albums list in 2009. It remained in frequent rotation in my car from then until September of 2011 when “The Reckoning” was released. I was worried as to whether or not they would be able to create another album that I loved as much as “The Outsiders,” but “The Reckoning” put those fears to rest. Needtobreathe has a very distinct sound that begins with Bear Rinehart’s powerful vocals. These are accompanied by a great combination of folk, country, and rock colors. I genuinely don’t know what else to say about this album. It’s amazing. This is my most difficult album to pick 1 standout track for, but if I have to:Standout Song - White Fences Katie Herzig - The Waking SleepAnother album which has already been featured in Music Monday. In that post, I said lookout for this album on my best of 2011 list. I was correct. This album has continued to be a musical inspiration to me over the last few months. Standout Song - Lost and Found  My Favorite Albums of 2011 I am generally not a fan of New Years. In my opinion, it is a lot of hype for something that is often a let down. One thing that I do look forward to around the holiday is publishing my annual favorite albums list (Check out last year’s post here). So I present to you (in order of release) my favorite albums of 2011 Augustana - AugustanaThough this album was released before any of the others on this list, it is my most recent discovery. In November, while on the road with my friend Brett Rutledge late at night, everyone in the van was putting on their favorite albums to keep us awake. Brett put on this album, and I was hooked after the first minute. This album is such a great pop rock album. The melodies are incredibly catchy. The production is great. Every time I listen to it, I can’t help but say “man, that’s a great album!” This is pop music at its best. Standout Song - Shot in the Dark Leagues - Leagues EPLet me introduce you to my new favorite band. I was excited about Leagues before I ever heard a single song. They are a super group of 4 incredibly talented musicians, including one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Thad Cockrell. His solo album “To Be Loved” is one of my favorite albums of all time. Leagues Drummer, Jeremy Lutito, has played on many albums that I love as well. Cockrell’s sense of melody and incredible voice combined with one of the best rhythm sections in music make for an amazing EP. It’s pop with some rock and old R&B as well. This EP was released to help raise funds to finish a full length album. These 3 songs definitely have left me wanting more from Leagues. Standout Song - Magic All Sons and Daughters - Brokenness Aside EPI have already done a Music Monday Post on this EP, so I won’t speak too much more about it. However, I will say that I love this album as much today as I did in July. I can’t wait for the follow up to this album which will be released on January 17th! Standout Song - Brokenness Aside NEEDTOBREATHE - The ReckoningNEEDTOBREATHE’s album, “The Outsiders” was on my top albums list in 2009. It remained in frequent rotation in my car from then until September of 2011 when “The Reckoning” was released. I was worried as to whether or not they would be able to create another album that I loved as much as “The Outsiders,” but “The Reckoning” put those fears to rest. Needtobreathe has a very distinct sound that begins with Bear Rinehart’s powerful vocals. These are accompanied by a great combination of folk, country, and rock colors. I genuinely don’t know what else to say about this album. It’s amazing. This is my most difficult album to pick 1 standout track for, but if I have to:Standout Song - White Fences Katie Herzig - The Waking SleepAnother album which has already been featured in Music Monday. In that post, I said lookout for this album on my best of 2011 list. I was correct. This album has continued to be a musical inspiration to me over the last few months. Standout Song - Lost and Found  My Favorite Albums of 2011 I am generally not a fan of New Years. In my opinion, it is a lot of hype for something that is often a let down. One thing that I do look forward to around the holiday is publishing my annual favorite albums list (Check out last year’s post here). So I present to you (in order of release) my favorite albums of 2011 Augustana - AugustanaThough this album was released before any of the others on this list, it is my most recent discovery. In November, while on the road with my friend Brett Rutledge late at night, everyone in the van was putting on their favorite albums to keep us awake. Brett put on this album, and I was hooked after the first minute. This album is such a great pop rock album. The melodies are incredibly catchy. The production is great. Every time I listen to it, I can’t help but say “man, that’s a great album!” This is pop music at its best. Standout Song - Shot in the Dark Leagues - Leagues EPLet me introduce you to my new favorite band. I was excited about Leagues before I ever heard a single song. They are a super group of 4 incredibly talented musicians, including one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Thad Cockrell. His solo album “To Be Loved” is one of my favorite albums of all time. Leagues Drummer, Jeremy Lutito, has played on many albums that I love as well. Cockrell’s sense of melody and incredible voice combined with one of the best rhythm sections in music make for an amazing EP. It’s pop with some rock and old R&B as well. This EP was released to help raise funds to finish a full length album. These 3 songs definitely have left me wanting more from Leagues. Standout Song - Magic All Sons and Daughters - Brokenness Aside EPI have already done a Music Monday Post on this EP, so I won’t speak too much more about it. However, I will say that I love this album as much today as I did in July. I can’t wait for the follow up to this album which will be released on January 17th! Standout Song - Brokenness Aside NEEDTOBREATHE - The ReckoningNEEDTOBREATHE’s album, “The Outsiders” was on my top albums list in 2009. It remained in frequent rotation in my car from then until September of 2011 when “The Reckoning” was released. I was worried as to whether or not they would be able to create another album that I loved as much as “The Outsiders,” but “The Reckoning” put those fears to rest. Needtobreathe has a very distinct sound that begins with Bear Rinehart’s powerful vocals. These are accompanied by a great combination of folk, country, and rock colors. I genuinely don’t know what else to say about this album. It’s amazing. This is my most difficult album to pick 1 standout track for, but if I have to:Standout Song - White Fences Katie Herzig - The Waking SleepAnother album which has already been featured in Music Monday. In that post, I said lookout for this album on my best of 2011 list. I was correct. This album has continued to be a musical inspiration to me over the last few months. Standout Song - Lost and Found  My Favorite Albums of 2011 I am generally not a fan of New Years. In my opinion, it is a lot of hype for something that is often a let down. One thing that I do look forward to around the holiday is publishing my annual favorite albums list (Check out last year’s post here). So I present to you (in order of release) my favorite albums of 2011 Augustana - AugustanaThough this album was released before any of the others on this list, it is my most recent discovery. In November, while on the road with my friend Brett Rutledge late at night, everyone in the van was putting on their favorite albums to keep us awake. Brett put on this album, and I was hooked after the first minute. This album is such a great pop rock album. The melodies are incredibly catchy. The production is great. Every time I listen to it, I can’t help but say “man, that’s a great album!” This is pop music at its best. Standout Song - Shot in the Dark Leagues - Leagues EPLet me introduce you to my new favorite band. I was excited about Leagues before I ever heard a single song. They are a super group of 4 incredibly talented musicians, including one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Thad Cockrell. His solo album “To Be Loved” is one of my favorite albums of all time. Leagues Drummer, Jeremy Lutito, has played on many albums that I love as well. Cockrell’s sense of melody and incredible voice combined with one of the best rhythm sections in music make for an amazing EP. It’s pop with some rock and old R&B as well. This EP was released to help raise funds to finish a full length album. These 3 songs definitely have left me wanting more from Leagues. Standout Song - Magic All Sons and Daughters - Brokenness Aside EPI have already done a Music Monday Post on this EP, so I won’t speak too much more about it. However, I will say that I love this album as much today as I did in July. I can’t wait for the follow up to this album which will be released on January 17th! Standout Song - Brokenness Aside NEEDTOBREATHE - The ReckoningNEEDTOBREATHE’s album, “The Outsiders” was on my top albums list in 2009. It remained in frequent rotation in my car from then until September of 2011 when “The Reckoning” was released. I was worried as to whether or not they would be able to create another album that I loved as much as “The Outsiders,” but “The Reckoning” put those fears to rest. Needtobreathe has a very distinct sound that begins with Bear Rinehart’s powerful vocals. These are accompanied by a great combination of folk, country, and rock colors. I genuinely don’t know what else to say about this album. It’s amazing. This is my most difficult album to pick 1 standout track for, but if I have to:Standout Song - White Fences Katie Herzig - The Waking SleepAnother album which has already been featured in Music Monday. In that post, I said lookout for this album on my best of 2011 list. I was correct. This album has continued to be a musical inspiration to me over the last few months. Standout Song - Lost and Found 

    My Favorite Albums of 2011

    I am generally not a fan of New Years. In my opinion, it is a lot of hype for something that is often a let down. One thing that I do look forward to around the holiday is publishing my annual favorite albums list (Check out last year’s post here).

    So I present to you (in order of release) my favorite albums of 2011

    Augustana - Augustana
    Though this album was released before any of the others on this list, it is my most recent discovery. In November, while on the road with my friend Brett Rutledge late at night, everyone in the van was putting on their favorite albums to keep us awake. Brett put on this album, and I was hooked after the first minute.

    This album is such a great pop rock album. The melodies are incredibly catchy. The production is great. Every time I listen to it, I can’t help but say “man, that’s a great album!” This is pop music at its best.

    Standout Song - Shot in the Dark

    Leagues - Leagues EP
    Let me introduce you to my new favorite band. I was excited about Leagues before I ever heard a single song. They are a super group of 4 incredibly talented musicians, including one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Thad Cockrell. His solo album “To Be Loved” is one of my favorite albums of all time. Leagues Drummer, Jeremy Lutito, has played on many albums that I love as well.

    Cockrell’s sense of melody and incredible voice combined with one of the best rhythm sections in music make for an amazing EP. It’s pop with some rock and old R&B as well. This EP was released to help raise funds to finish a full length album. These 3 songs definitely have left me wanting more from Leagues.

    Standout Song - Magic

    All Sons and Daughters - Brokenness Aside EP
    I have already done a Music Monday Post on this EP, so I won’t speak too much more about it. However, I will say that I love this album as much today as I did in July. I can’t wait for the follow up to this album which will be released on January 17th!

    Standout Song - Brokenness Aside

    NEEDTOBREATHE - The Reckoning
    NEEDTOBREATHE’s album, “The Outsiders” was on my top albums list in 2009. It remained in frequent rotation in my car from then until September of 2011 when “The Reckoning” was released. I was worried as to whether or not they would be able to create another album that I loved as much as “The Outsiders,” but “The Reckoning” put those fears to rest.

    Needtobreathe has a very distinct sound that begins with Bear Rinehart’s powerful vocals. These are accompanied by a great combination of folk, country, and rock colors. I genuinely don’t know what else to say about this album. It’s amazing.

    This is my most difficult album to pick 1 standout track for, but if I have to:
    Standout Song - White Fences

    Katie Herzig - The Waking Sleep
    Another album which has already been featured in Music Monday. In that post, I said lookout for this album on my best of 2011 list. I was correct. This album has continued to be a musical inspiration to me over the last few months.

    Standout Song - Lost and Found 

    Music Monday 07: Katie Herzig - The Waking Sleep

    It has been a long long time since I’ve done a Music Monday post. In all honesty, I haven’t purchased a ton of music in the past couple months (except the new NEEDTOBREATHE record). However, last weekend I was out on the road and decided to pick up something new to listen to on my 8 hour van rides.

    Katie Herzig is a Nashville artist who is part of the Ten out of Tenn crowd. I’ve heard a few of her songs over the last few years, but didn’t really look into her too much. As the new TOT tour was gearing up, and Katie was set to release The Waking Sleep, I downloaded a couple songs off of it from various Noisetrade samplers. I also listened all the way through it on Spotify after its release, but it was always on in the background while I was doing other things.

    When it was time to buy new music for my trip last weekend, I decided on The Waking Sleep, and I am so happy I did! This album is amazing. Herzig is a fantastic writer and musician. Her songs are incredibly catchy and lyrically well written.

    The thing that makes this album for me though is Cason Cooley’s production. Katie is a singer/songwriter, a genre consumed by simple tracks with acoustic guitar. Herzig and Cooley have managed to blend the organic elements of the singer/songwriter genre with the electronic elements of modern pop music in an amazing way. As someone who lives in both of those worlds separately a lot of the time, finding a record that puts them together as well as this one does is such a treat.

    The video above is the album’s first track, Free My Mind. It has a current pop flair to it with the melody and sampled drums, while not getting too clubby.

    The Waking Sleep’s standout tracks to me are Free My Mind, Make A Noise, and Lost and Found. However, all the songs are great. Expect to see this album again on my best albums of 2011 list I’ll put up here in December.

    Music Monday 06: All Sons and Daughters - Brokenness Aside EP

    Kids at camp often asked me if I knew specific songs popular on Christian radio. They are shocked to find out that though I play guitar for a worship leader, I do not like much of what is labeled “Christian Music.” I find the majority of it un-original and boring. That is why I am pleased to share a Christian album that I think is incredible.

    Many times I purchase music because I am familiar with the producer or studio musicians more than the artist. This was the case with All Sons and Daughters. The Brokenness Aside EP was produced by Paul Mabury who has worked with Hillsong and is part of the band One Sonic Society.  I am a big fan of his work and was excited to hear this EP.

    All Sons and Daughters are David Leonard and Leslie Jordan. The album is beautiful, and one I would listen to no matter the lyrical content. Leonard and Jordan’s voices blend beautifully and their sense of melody is fantastic. That combined with Mabury’s production are enough to sell me. Yet there are also fantastic and original lyrics declaring the glory and grace of God.

    You can click the link above to download the album on iTunes.

    Music Monday 05: Derek Webb and Sandra McCracken - TN EP

    It’s no secret that I have a giant musical crush on this real life couple. Individually, Webb and McCracken are two of my favorite artists, and Webb’s production style is one that I look up to immensely. He is fantastic about mixing together colors in ways that would seem strange, but create an amazing result.

    Their first EP together, 2008’s “Ampersand EP” is still one of my favorite albums 3 years after its release. When they first tweeted that they were working on a follow up, I could not have been more excited. Ampersand was the beginning of the development of Webb’s production style, and it has grown significantly since then. I could not wait to hear it on new songs written by both him and McCracken.

    I’ve had my hands on the “TN EP” for 2 weeks now, and I have not stopped listening to it. It has surpassed my very high expectations. I was about to list standout tracks, but really the only song that I’m not in love with is a cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence.” This however, stems more from me not being a big fan of the original more than not liking their arrangement. I wasn’t raised on Simon and Garfunkel and am just not familiar with much of their music, so the cover doesn’t touch something I already know and love. It’s just not as accessible to me. The rest of the songs however, are fantastic.

    If I had to choose a song to recommend first, it would be “We Will Never Have Tonight Again.” It is a beautiful song and one of my favorite vocal performances from Sandra. Also, you can hear the opening track “From You To Me” in the attached music video.

    You can purchase the album at tn-ep.com as well as iTunes and Amazon. Do yourself a favor and buy it now.

    Music Monday 04: LEAGUES - Magic

    LEAGUES is a new band featuring 2 of my favorite musicians, Thad Cockrell (whose album I reviewed in the first Music Monday) and Jeremy Lutito. Their debut EP comes out next Tuesday, but they posted one of the songs up on their facebook today. Go give it a listen, it’s fantastic!

    Also, we had our first night of Crossroads 2011 tonight. It was amazing. I’ll try to get a full post up about it tomorrow.

    Music Monday 03: DJ Earworm - Party on the Floor Mashup

    I always look forward to DJ Earworm’s mashups. He posts one every December which is the year in review, and one every summer with the best of summer pop.

    Today he posted this year’s summer mashup. I still cannot believe he pulls this off. It’s amazing. Enjoy it for your Music Monday.

    Pearl And The Beard - Sweetness

    Sweetness

    Pearl And The Beard

    Killing The Darlings

    [Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

    Whenever I drive home from a long rehearsal or studio session, I always have difficulty finding music to listen to. I don’t want any music that I could would analyze, or would be in a similar style to something I would try to create.

    Tonight, this is what I came up with.  It’s happy, it’s incredible music, but not a style I would generally be involved with.  If you aren’t familiar with Pearl and the Beard, you need to be.

    Music Monday 02 (Memorial Day Edition): Parachute - The Way It Was This is my second review of a Parachute Album.  I reviewed their debut album Losing Sleep on my old blog 2 years ago (link).  Since I first purchased Losing Sleep, it has been one of my favorite albums, and one I still listen to frequently.  The feel good pop melodies of that record are what call me back time and again. Needless to say, I was incredibly excited for Parachute’s sophomore release “The Way it Was.”  I’ve had my hands on it for a couple weeks now, so I decided it was time for a review. “The Way it Was” was initially disappointing, but has definitely grown on me over the past 2 weeks.  The first letdown of the album is that it is only 9 songs (plus a live version of one of the 9).  I feel like if you are going to release a full length album 2 years after the prior release, it should be at least 10 if not 12 songs. My other disappointment was that the band’s sound does not seem to have matured any. I am not someone who wants a band to find a new sound for every album, however I do like to see growth.  Several of the songs from “The Way it Was” sound very similar to songs on “Losing Sleep.”  I would have loved some evolution just to make the songs less monotonous after hearing the first album so much. Like I said though, the album has grown on me. I think I would be an even bigger fan if I hadn’t loved “Losing Sleep” so much. Lovers of pop music will enjoy this record because Parachute are excellent song writers, and know how to create a catchy hook. Also, Will’s voice is great and fits the songs perfectly.  I highly recommend the songs “Kiss Me Slowly,” which was co-written with Lady Antebellum, their first single “Something to Believe In,” and “You and Me.” As we head into summer, if you are looking for good pop music to listen to, this album will satisfy those cravings.  Go check it out (iTunes).

    Music Monday 02 (Memorial Day Edition): Parachute - The Way It Was

    This is my second review of a Parachute Album.  I reviewed their debut album Losing Sleep on my old blog 2 years ago (link).  Since I first purchased Losing Sleep, it has been one of my favorite albums, and one I still listen to frequently.  The feel good pop melodies of that record are what call me back time and again.

    Needless to say, I was incredibly excited for Parachute’s sophomore release “The Way it Was.”  I’ve had my hands on it for a couple weeks now, so I decided it was time for a review.

    “The Way it Was” was initially disappointing, but has definitely grown on me over the past 2 weeks.  The first letdown of the album is that it is only 9 songs (plus a live version of one of the 9).  I feel like if you are going to release a full length album 2 years after the prior release, it should be at least 10 if not 12 songs.

    My other disappointment was that the band’s sound does not seem to have matured any. I am not someone who wants a band to find a new sound for every album, however I do like to see growth.  Several of the songs from “The Way it Was” sound very similar to songs on “Losing Sleep.”  I would have loved some evolution just to make the songs less monotonous after hearing the first album so much.

    Like I said though, the album has grown on me. I think I would be an even bigger fan if I hadn’t loved “Losing Sleep” so much. Lovers of pop music will enjoy this record because Parachute are excellent song writers, and know how to create a catchy hook. Also, Will’s voice is great and fits the songs perfectly.  I highly recommend the songs “Kiss Me Slowly,” which was co-written with Lady Antebellum, their first single “Something to Believe In,” and “You and Me.”

    As we head into summer, if you are looking for good pop music to listen to, this album will satisfy those cravings.  Go check it out (iTunes).