Pompton Lakes (THE band!)

Okay guys, I'm so very excited to be writing about those guys! It's been quite some time since my last "musical" post. But I guarantee you this band will make your day a lot better once you have a listen to their stuff, talk about the real deal! 

Their style/genre as self-proclaimed is "Safe Rock", and I guess it's fitting. The laid back feel to their music is very relaxing yet very uplifting. And their lead vocalist, Jeff Martin, has a flexible, mellow, beautiful voice.Their songs are more of an experience than just "songs". They average at 4 minutes long, yet you'll feel so absorbed into the music that they'll feel longer. 

Put your headphones on. Lie on your bed in the dark. Listen to Pompton Lakes. 

They released their début album "Rest" in October last year, it's a mix of songs that meld very well together. They are a band of Christian members, so their lyrics are mostly faith-based. They don't preach and aren't saying the same old same old. They're innovative in their sound, so I'm pretty sure whether you're an occasional listener or an experienced musician, you'll hear something you'll like :)

So, here are some examples of why they're a great band:



1- Music video for the opening track "Home":
A great song, with a nicely made music video of a hipster-ish feel, enjoy!

Lyrics:

Lately I've tried to find home

In places where I know it can't be found

I looked at You 'cause where else can I go?

Apart from You I'm truly on my own

I lost this one, but still have victory

Your arms are open, You set me free

You gave me breath, now I need faith

I pray that You would help me keep my path straight

I looked at You 'cause where else can I go?

Apart from You I'm truly on my own

I lost this one, but still have victory

Your arms are open, You set me free

Running back home, running back home, to You

I've been in the dark but now I see light, peeking through

I lost this one, but still have victory

Your arms are open, You set me free

(running back home, running back home)

I lost this one, but still have victory

Your arms are open, Your love has set me free

Your arms wide open, Your love has set me free

 2- Rest:
Words cannot describe how much I love this song, nor how beautiful it really is. Click the play button on the widget below to listen.

Rest by pomptonlakes

Lyrics:
Find rest, oh my soul, in Christ alone

When you walk through the waters
I am there, there with you
And when you pass through the rivers
They will not sweep over you

In quietness and trust
You will find love

When you walk through the fire
You will not, not be burned
On days when you feel like you’re on your own
You’re not alone, not alone


In quietness and trust
You will find love

Find Rest, oh my soul
In Christ alone

Side note: if you're hearing sleigh bells in this non-Christmas song, and you think you've lost it. You didn't, I was a bit surprised too. It's done so tastefully that it's just the perfect addition to this song. Kudos for the PL guys for pulling this one off!
3- Pride: 
This one is a favorite of mine, listen below!



Lyrics:
I’ve spent enough time in my Pride
Now I’m trying to get out
Trying to get out
I want to be Your hands and feet
But I’m caught in between
I’m caught in between

I’ve run far enough from You
And I’ve wrestled with the truth
I’ve wrestled with the truth
But when I look up toward the stars
So clearly there You are
So clearly there You are

You make a way
Where I thought there was no way



4- Merciful:
Another beautiful song on this album...

Lyrics:
I come to You today
I know it’s been sometime
Well it seems like I’ve been running for
Most of my young life
As if I get too close
That I might prove You right…

That You’re good
And You are Merciful

And if you need some time
I would understand
Who am I to think You’d come running
Now that I am back
What if I get close
And You don’t prove me right



Special thanks to: Jeff Martin, the lead singer of Pompton Lakes, for providing me with the lyrics to Rest, Pride and Merciful...and for being super humble!
Also to: the folks at Blimey Cow for introducing this amazing band to us, mere mortals.

I hope you enjoyed the great music and please, check out this band, you won't regret it!!

Pompton Lakes:
On Facebook 
On Twitter
Official website
 
"Rest":
On iTunes
On Spotify 

Tenth Avenue North

Time for yet another music themed post. This time it's a better known band, Tenth Avenue North.
The band was referred to me by a new friend who is also a musician, before that I had listened to some of their songs but in a more scattered way. So I got their albums and started listening carefully. I gotta admit, it's lyrics that catch my ear at first. Music is also important but I just can't listen to something when I don't agree with what it's saying, even if it's set to the best musical piece ever known to the human kind. So, I went on to dig deep into the lyrics, because I gotta be honest at first all of the music sounded the same to me (embarrassing I know). The hooks are just the catchiest. And from a band of Christian faith, the lyrics are incredible!
Here I picked one song from each album they released, these are not necessarily my favorites since most of their material is great to me except for some occasional flops on each album. These are just the ones I feel are the right combo of music, lyrics and vocal performance.

1. By Your Side - from Over And Underneath (their debut album):

Lyrics:
Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away..

Why are you looking.. for love
Why are you still searching... as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

chorus-
cause I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you calling
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

Chorus
cause I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you calling
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Here in my side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you calling
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you


(Chorus 2x)

Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go
love, love

cause I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you calling
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you


Here in my side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you calling
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Here in my side
My hands are holding you

2. Healing Begins - from The Light Meets The Dark: 
(this was a tough pick because their sophomore is my favorite release, but this song is amazing and the melody is really addictive. Oh, and the name of the album comes from its lyrics)

Lyrics:
So you thought you had to keep this up
All the work that you do
So we think that you're good
And you can't believe it's not enough
All the walls you built up
Are just glass on the outside

So let 'em fall down
There's freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We're here now

This is where the healing begins oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you're broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

Afraid to let your secrets out
Everything that you hide
Can come crashing through the door now
But too scared to face all your fear
So you hide but you find
That the shame won't disappear

So let it fall down
There's freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We're here now
We're here now oh

This is where the healing begins oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you're broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

Sparks will fly as grace collides
With the dark inside of us
So please don't fight
This coming light
Let this blood come cover us
His blood can cover us

This is where the healing begins oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you're broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

3. Don't Stop The Madness - from The Struggle: 
(chosen primarily for lyrical reasons, I don't savor the ongoing "choir" theme this album has. Still a pretty good song)


Lyrics:
There's a beggar down inside of me
Standing on the corner of the street
And my shame is my only company
Can use some cash, but can't admit my need
For what you've got and what I could receive
I need you love to come and break the silence

Don't stop the madness
Don't stop the chaos
Don't stop the pain surrounding me
Don't be afraid, Lord, to break my heart
Just bring me down to my knees, yeah

All I hear is what they're selling me
That God is love, he isn't suffering
And what you need's a little faith and prosperity
But, oh my God, I know there's more than this
If you promise pain it can't be meaningless
So make me poor if that's the price for freedom

Don't stop the madness
Don't stop the chaos
Don't stop the pain surrounding me
Don't be afraid, Lord, to break my heart
If it brings me down to my knees, yeah

In a marriage lost
And the cry in the dark
Don't stop with your love
And the mother's tear
For the child that starves
Don't stop with your love
When we're breaking down
We're falling apart
Don't stop with your love
And with new eyes to see
This is your mercy
Don't stop with your love

Don't stop the madness
Don't stop the chaos
Don't stop the pain inside of me
Do whatever it takes to give me your heart
And bring me down to my knees, Lord

 That's it for now, I guess I shall return with a holiday themed post right before Christmas. It's really close though :)