Stereoreel

Winter Thaw Retreat and God’s Band Aid

Seth Dean — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:33:56 +0000

A couple weekends ago we got to play for the District United Methodist Youth Retreat here in Winchester. Of the many fond memories we’ve taken away from that experience, one was getting to run a sort of impromptu worship clinic during their “Break-Out” times. During this event, 5 very eager youths approached us and inquired about using our instruments to learn a worship song. Apparently, none of them had played together before, and a few of them had just met the day before. We gladly obliged and spent an hour teaching them the song “Mighty to Save.” Then calling themselves “God’s Band Aid” they played it that evening before our worship set with the help of Caleb on the piano. It was quite a raucous evening, and we’re all really proud of Emily, Josh, Brian, Matt, and Jacob! They impressed us with their desire to perform, and what they accomplished in such a short amount of time was impressive!

Listen to God’s Band Aid playing Mighty to Save

We would like to reiterate that these kids never played together before, and many of them are just learning their instruments, and all of them were just learning the song. Also, Ethan accidentally left his bass tuned in Drop-D before they played. The first minute of the song involves Ethan running onstage to aid in retuning. If you want to comment, please have fun, but don’t be hurtful or disrespectful. We’re mighty proud of them!

Our other fond memory is of Jed sticking his head into our cabin around midnight, and above the howling wind informing us that one of the girls’ cabins no longer had heat. He then humbly asked us to swap cabins. And we did. The girls never would have survived.

More memories: the color green, the hat game, the way Darth Vader snores, Fenguins (fake penguins), pet snowballs, not having 30″ of snow, White Fang (our new favorite book), pork BBQ and cheesy tots.

Mix Tapes and Music From Stereoreel, Oh My!!!

Ethan Dean — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:47:08 +0000

Hello everyone! Stereoreel is proud to present to you a series of mix tapes (or mix iTunes playlists) from the minds of our beautiful members! This first “tape” is from Me, Ethan, and has a wonderful mix of Post Rock, Industrial, Hip-Hop and good old fashioned 90’s rock! Have a song you think should be added to the next “tape”? Email Stereoreel@gmail.com.

Order yours today! While you order your cassette deck...

Here is the Mix Tape

52 Weeks-15: Pray for Grace

Seth Dean — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:48:16 +0000

A song about struggle. A song about overcoming by God’s gift of grace the lie that we need to be good enough on our own before we can be forgiven.

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law;but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! -Romans 7:18-25a

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. -Ephesians 2:8-9

Download the mp3 here.

Pray for Grace
You know what I say
You know what I’m really like
I’ve been in a bad way
Stayed there way too long

I battle my mind
I battle my secret life
My spirit is abhorred
My flesh is way too strong

Please hear what I say
I know you’re the only right
But I’m stuck in these bad ways
And all I write is wrong

Please shatter my mind
‘Cause I am worldly wise
Please teach me to love
‘Cause I’m just a clanging gong

I’m tired of trying
I can do no good on my own
Teach me of love; teach me of grace
And please save my soul!

Save my soul!

Once guilty as sin
Now free from its deadly price
My serpentine exploits
all start to come undone

I know you as mine
And I am finally yours
Resplendent redemption
I’m free and death is gone!

I’m tired of trying
I can do no good on my own
Teach me of love; teach me of grace
And please save my soul!

Save my soul!

Don’t know how long I’d spent just scratching at the surface of love
Failing at trying to impress the world to get to my goal
Your grace and mercy taught me that you’d take me with all my flaws
You choose to love my worst disgusting when you save my soul!

Save my soul!

Ethan Dean and Seth Dean

This song is part of an exercise we’re calling 52 Weeks. Check in next Friday for yet another song. Listen and let us know what you think, and be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes We need you! If like one of these songs, please comment. Your opinions will help us decide what’s on the next album. Copyright 2009-2010 Stereoreel Music, LLC.

52 Weeks-14: Nothing

Caleb Nei — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 02:16:40 +0000

…any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. -Jesus, quoted in Luke 14:33

A few lines of a Tolkien poem + the words of Jesus + a dark, distorted piano + a 100-year blizzard + Caleb, Seth and Ethan + a heartfelt desire = Nothing. It’s this week’s song.

Download the mp3, Nothing, here.

Nothing
All that’s gold does not glitter
All who wander aren’t lost
And saints before me endeavored
Even though it cost them

Everything, everything
Though it cost them everything they owned

When I find a true treasure
Worth a significant price
I don’t have much to offer you
So I’m willing giving

Everything, everything
I will give You everything I am
Everything, everything
I will give You everything I am

Crowning thorns may be glorious
A splendor worth every pain
Jesus, you’ve been victorious
Trusting You I will gain

Everything, everything
Surely I’ll gain everything I need
Everything, everything
I know that I’ll gain everything I need
Everything, everything
Jesus you are everything I need

There is nothing I shouldn’t give

Caleb Nei and Seth Dean

52 Weeks-13: This Is How It Feels

Caleb Nei — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 14:59:26 +0000

Here we go again! Week thirteen: This Is How It Feels.

Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. -Genesis 2:8-9

Download it here.

And the “making of” video:

The lyrics, for your approval:

A wildly verdant garden
Filled with splendid fruit
I breathed the gentle atmosphere
Oh, to be with you

Brilliantly, your presence
Sends a bolt right through
This quivering, beating heart of mine
Every day is new

This is how it feels to be here right now with you
This is how it feels to be here right now with you

I wouldn’t mind forever
From just this point of view
You and me together
The elation that ensues

This is how it feels to be here right now with you
This is how it feels to be here right now with you
This is how it feels to be here right now with you
This is how it feels to be here right now with you

I fell in just an instant
I ate illegal fruit
All the things, my pleasure
Begin to fade from view

Aaaaaaaaaugh!
Aaaaaaaaaugh!
Aaaaaaaaaugh!
Aaaaaaaaaugh!

Though I felt forsaken
Blinded and confused
Though my faith was shaken
Still, I cried to you

Yeaaaaaaaaaah!
Yeaaaaaaaaaah!
Yeaaaaaaaaaah!
Yeaaaaaaaaaah!

They say today
If I hear today
The intended bond
Can be remade

Caleb Nei and Seth Dean

This song is part of an exercise we’re calling 52 Weeks. Check in next Friday for yet another song. Listen and let us know what you think, and be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes .

52 Weeks-12: Heaven’s Fire

Caleb Nei — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:25:48 +0000

A bit of a bonus this week! Audio and video versions. Twofer! Heaven’s Fire is inspired by a recent reading of the book of Acts. Simply listen to the song or watch the video to hear Seth talk more about what he was thinking when he wrote it.

The mp3 of the song is here.

With Heaven’s fire on the ceiling
And the air as thick as violence loud
There’s amalgamated breathing
In foreign voices that address a crowd.

Drunken foolishness, look how they talk so!
Old men seers and the young men dream?
How a cloud could be a miracle
Things aren’t always as they always seemed

Sound good news
In joyful jubilation
Everything now new
The rooftop revelations
Resounding through hearts’ darkened halls
Greek and Jew: God’s son can save us all
Save us all!

Now Prison doors are shaking fearless
Static bodies move again to life
Useless legs no longer needless
Simple men now unafraid to die

I don’t know what we’re not doing anymore
That our faith is less than great renown.
Are we shamed to name our Savior?
Do we love our power more than God’s?

This song is part of an exercise we’re calling 52 Weeks. Check in next Friday for yet another song. Listen and let us know what you think, and be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes .

We need you! If like one of these songs, please comment on our blog at Stereoreel.com. Your opinions will help us decide what’s on the next album.
Copyright 2009-2010 Stereoreel Music, LLC.

52 Weeks-11: Selah (Your Grace Comes Down)

Caleb Nei — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:50:01 +0000

Today’s celebration: A catchy piano riff marries thoughts on God’s grace. With the right producer and a sufficiently auto-tuned voice we’re pretty sure this could be the next Christian pop radio hit. (Watch out Owl City.)

We’re also pretty sure we have no idea what we’re talking about.

This song marks an important milestone in our 52 weeks. We’re 21.1538% done. Check it out! 1/5 of the way there.

The word “selah” often shows up between sections in the Psalms. Scholars debate whether it means the listener should pause and consider what they’ve just heard, or enjoy a musical interlude. Either way we think it’s appropriate.

Enjoy the song.

This song is part of a Songwriting Exercise we’re calling 52 Weeks. Check in next Friday for yet another song. Listen and let us know what you think, and be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes .
We need you! If like one of these songs, please comment on our blog at Stereoreel.com. Your opinions will help us decide what’s on the next album. Even if you just want to make a suggestion, or accuse us of cryptomnesia we’d love to hear from you. (Don’t necessarily expect songwriting credit or royalties though. Sorry.)
All songs copyright 2009-2010 Stereoreel Music, LLC.

52 Weeks-10: Starlight, Alright (Done Right)

Caleb Nei — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:57:10 +0000

Our good friend Lisa pointed out that last week’s recording sounded like detritus. She was, of course, correct and now we’ve tried to remedy that pitiable situation. (Don’t ask what the song means. We don’t know. We’re hoping a proper lyric will show up sometime. Meanwhile, enjoy the catchy jangle of the Hummingbird.) Peace out.

Starlight, Alright (Done Right)

52 Weeks-9: Starlight, Alright

Caleb Nei — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 00:37:46 +0000

This week’s song idea is coming all the way from Indiana. You don’t have to listen very hard to notice that my Indiana recording equipment is a bit more rudimentary than our Virginia gear. Sorry about that. We’ll be back at the headquarters soon. The idea is cool enough though. (If you’re into writing lyrics, please write some that make sense.)

Starlight, Alright

[UPDATE: Check out next week's post for a proper version of this song. Click here.]

Be Present

Caleb Nei — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 01:09:53 +0000

As it turns out the internet is full. Or should be. Too bad there’s not an internet lid or “F” like there is with our gas tanks (or a gag reflex that kicks in when get gluttonous).

Certainly our brains are full. Not that we don’t care about each other, but we DON’T CARE THAT YOUR GRANOLA GOT SOGGY! (We’d love to, we’ve even tried. We just can’t.)

We’re just as guilty as the rest. (And I quote from a past Stereoreel blog.) ” “HAROLD! YOU SENT THE WRONG SALAD UP HERE AGAIN! GET ME A SOUTHWEST SALAD WITH GRILLED CHICKEN!!”

See?

We offer this video as a challenge to you and ourselves. Let’s find some time this week to stop the craziness, forget about whether your friend posted a new video of their pet ferret, or if someone you don’t even know got an afternoon nap, and point our hearts toward the Maker.

May we suggest a reading of Psalm 27? Read it. Consider it. Chill out.

This call to worship came from a collection called Come and Worship. Read more here.