I bought Truant/Rough Sleeper from Burial for like $8, and it's now $2.99. Only two songs, but both are well over 10 minutes long. Burial is making some of the best music around, and I listen to their (his) music regularly. It's gritty, urban, electronic music. I hope many will check this out. Love it. Pitchfork names it "Best New Music."
Two great new resources from Tim Keller via The Good Book Company, both on Galatians. First is Galatians For You (also WTS), a book length expository guide to Galatians. Second is Galatians: Gospel Matters, a seven lesson study guide for individuals and groups.
First in a new series of expository guides to the Bible, Timothy Keller's Galatians For You walks you through the book of Galatians, showing how the gospel message changes the whole of our lives.
Combining a close attention to the detail of the text with Timothy Keller's trademark gift for clear explanation and compelling insights, this resource will both engage your mind and stir your heart.
The good news is you can get the study guide free when buying the book...
LAUNCH OFFER
Get a free Galatians Bible study by Timothy Keller with every copy of Galatians for You. Simply add Galatians for You to your cart and you will be offered a free copy of Galatians: Gospel Matters at checkout. Offer valid until March 31st, 2013.
I've just started using Galatians For You for my new series of sermons through Galatians. I am using a number of commentaries for my series including Schreiner, Stott & others. This is the one book that I could put in the hands of any member of my church and they would find it helpful for personal reading & study, for teaching others, etc. It's not really a commentary, though you can use it that way (I am). But it also defines terms. From the introduction...
Any words that are used rarely or differently in everyday language outside the church are marked in gray when they first appear, and are explained in a glossary toward the back.
I'm looking forward to adding each new expository guide to my library as they are released, and they will be some of the most recommended books in my church because they are accessible to every Christian at every level of maturity in Christ. What a great idea! The Good Book Company needs to be on your publisher-radar if they aren't already. I'm not only using this resource; I'm using other study materials for discipleship in our church. Good stuff on The Good Book.
Tim Keller commented on recently viewing the movie version of Les Miserables with his wife, Kathy. It's short and to the point, and I'm only giving you a snippet...
I could make this review, very, very short: It’s been a long time since Kathy and I left a theater with tears running down our cheeks.
[...]
I for one am glad that millions of viewers will be exposed to the themes of redemption, self-righteousness, and self-sacrifice. Critics uncomfortable with the unabashed sincerity with which those themes are treated have mocked the film as “risible.” The rest of us can weep tears of joy.
In the short "review" there's more good stuff. Go read it.
$5 Albums for January | There are 2,000. Yeah. I'm not going to list them all, not even the great ones because there are SO MANY. You can check the ones on my Best Albums of 2012 list as several are on sale, including my #1 & #3.
And don't forget to check out my 35 Best Albums of 2012 along with a number of honorable mentions.
Here's one of the great rock stars of our time playing a full set of his music live, including songs from my #4 album of 2012. He's better live than on recording, and that's saying something. Here are songs from Jack White's solo album, Blunderbuss, as well as songs from White Stripes, Raconteurs, & Dead Weather. UPDATE: I can't seem to get the full set to embed, so here's the 20 minute preview which is also great. See full video here.
Watch Jack White on PBS. See more from Austin City Limits.
Owen Strachan & Doug Sweeney published five little books on Jonathan Edwards, or I should say Jonathan Edwards On...various topics. Four of the five are $0.99 for Kindle. Here they are. Go pick'em up for less than $10 total! It would be $30 to buy all five in paperback as a pack. Good deal.
I asked on Facebook, Twitter, and to one particular friend through email which books would be most helpful in thinking about/doing ministry to the poor. Here's what I got (with an attempt to put them in order of those most mentioned). I can't comment on most of them because I haven't read them, so don't see this as my recommendation. But you might want to look into these. I am. Also feel free to add more recommendations in the comments.
I have a booklet that includes both Jonathan Edwards' Resolutions as well as his short Advice to Young Converts (see online & Amazon). Most of us think of Resolutions this time of year, but his Advice to Young Converts is a nice, quick read and reminder toward what the aim of our lives as disciples of Jesus should be. Here are a few of my favorite points. He explains his points further in the booklet and has a total of nineteen.
1. I would advise you to keep up as great a strife and earnestness in religion in all aspects of it, as you would do if you knew yourself to be in a state of nature and you were seeking conversion.
2. Don't slack off seeking, striving, and praying for the very same things that we exhort unconverted persons to strive for, and a degree of which you have had in conversion.
3. When you hear sermons, hear them for yourself...
6. Be always greatly humbled by your remaining sin, and never think that you lie low enough for it, but yet don't be at all discouraged or disheartened by it.
7. When you engage in the duty of prayer, come to the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, or attend any other duty of divine worship, come to Christ as Mary Magdalene did.
13. When you counsel and warn others, do it earnestly, affectionately, and thoroughly.
15. Under special difficulties, or when in great need of or great longings after any particular mercies for your self or others, set apart a day of secret fasting and prayer alone.
18. In all your course, walk with God and follow Christ as a little, poor, helpless child, taking hold of Christ's hand, keeping your eye on the mark of the wounds on his hands and side.
19. Pray much for the church of God and especially that he would carry on his glorious work that he has now begun. Be much in prayer for the ministers of Christ.
From last week's Best Albums of 2012 post, here's the same list of albums only listing the ones currently on sale. All are $5 unless I say otherwise. It was a couple days ago I worked on this so I'd appreciate it if you would let me know if any prices have changed.
APOLOGIES: Hot Chip | Cat Power | Crystal Castles | Frank Ocean ($3.99) | Bill Fay | Titus Andronicus
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Fiona Apple: The Idler Wheel... | Shearwater: Animal Joy | Father John Misty: Fear Fun | Todd Snider: Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables | The Avett Brothers: The Carpenter ($3.99) | Dan Deacon: America | Beach House: Bloom | Spiritualized: Sweet Heart, Sweet Light | Passion Pit: Gossamer | Lower Dens: Nootropics ($5.99) | Jon Talabot: Fin ($6.49) | Shovels & Rope: O Be Joyful | Grimes: Visions | Hospitality: Hospitality
35. Dirty Projectors: Swing Lo Magellan
32. Daphni: Jiaolong
29. Purity Ring: Shrines
28. Fort Atlantic: Fort Atlantic ($5.99)
26. Tame Impala: Lonerism
25. Aaron Embry: Tiny Prayers ($6.99)
23. Sera Cahoone: Deer Creek Canyon
22. The XX: Coexist
21. Now, Now: Threads
20. Polica: Give You The Ghost
19. Brandi Carlile: Bear Creek
18. Bhi Bhiman: Bhiman ($6.99)
15. Damien Jurado: Maraqopa
14. Propaganda: Excellent (free)
10. Andy Stott: Luxury Problems ($6.99)
8. Swans: The Seer
7. The Lumineers: The Lumineers ($3.99)
6. Richard Hawley: Standing at the Sky's Edge
5. Lost in the Trees: A Church That Fits Our Needs ($5.99)
3. Anais Mitchell: Young Man In America
2. Alt-J: An Awesome Wave ($5.99)
1. Sharon Van Etten: Tramp
Time for my Best Albums of 2012 list. (Many of these are cheap right now. Many $5. Some even cheaper.) It's my seventh year doing a list like this, and it's a lot of fun for me to think harder about the music I enjoy. I like to make clear that I'm just one audiophile and I can't listen to everything out there. But I hope by offering my list you might discover some new music. Please let me know your favorite album(s) in the comments. Feel free to ask questions, even dispute my picks, but if you want to do so please be gracious.
Some words about this year's list. I've have tons of good albums from this year. There are a number of them that I've listened to and enjoyed and ended up outside my official list. So I'm adding a long list of honorable mentions because there are so many worth checking out. Don't discount them because they are only an honorable! I don't mention anything I don't like.
Also, encourage you to check out Metacritic's list of lists for 2012 music. It's always so helpful in music discovery.
See my Best Albums of2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006
APOLOGIES (I'll get to these someday soon): Hot Chip | Cat Power | Crystal Castles | Frank Ocean | Bill Fay | Titus Andronicus | Dr. John | Patrick Watson
HONORABLE MENTIONS (stuff I really like): Plants & Animals: The End of That | Perfume Genius: Put Your Back N 2 It | Miguel: Kaledoscope Dream | Diiv: Oshin | Clare & The Reasons: KR-51 | Fiona Apple: The Idler Wheel... | Shearwater: Animal Joy | Benjamin Gibbard: Former Lives | The Followers: Wounded Healer | Father John Misty: Fear Fun | Todd Snider: Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables | The Avett Brothers: The Carpenter | Dan Deacon: America | Beach House: Bloom | Spiritualized: Sweet Heart, Sweet Light | Passion Pit: Gossamer | Japandroids: Celebration Rock | Lower Dens: Nootropics | The Walkmen: Heaven | Jon Talabot: Fin | Shovels & Rope: O Be Joyful | Grimes: Visions | Hospitality: Hospitality
SPECIAL MENTION: Tnght: Tnght | Only 5 songs (normal song length), so not officially considered for my list. But it's well worth mentioning. I dig this a lot. Electronic, heavy bass, dark with moments of piercing light. A sonic feast. Thick.
35. Dirty Projectors: Swing Lo Magellan | It doesn't get much more quirky & creative. This is some of the most unexplainable music in the world, and yet it's beloved by many.
34. Lilacs & Champagne: Lilacs & Champagne | It's a merger of, uh, things, and I like what emerged out of it.
33. American Gospel: Tall Tales Vol 1 | I found this back in May and blogged on it. I was intrigued by the name and then gripped by the music, though I hadn't read anything about the album until I stumbled upon it.
32. Daphni: Jiaolong | Head bopping. Bass thumping. Just go with it and have fun!
31. Pallbearer: Sorrow & Extinction | Slow, meticulous, dark metal. Doom. And wonderfully listenable. Well worth checking out even if metal isn't your genre.
30. Grizzly Bear: Shields | Tons of love for GB this year. Rightfully so. This is a great album. Just not as great as I thought it would be. Still shows up on my list as some of the best music around, but it doesn't demand my attention like several others.
29. Purity Ring: Shrines | A slow, grinding, synth heavy, danceable album. Wonderfully creepy.
28. Fort Atlantic: Fort Atlantic | One of the bands I think will appeal to many, yet I'm afraid it's been heard by too few. They tried to get your attention. It's very simple music for the most part. Folksy and mellow.
27. Fang Island: Major | This is anthemic rock goodness. We need fun albums that just fill our ears with heart-pounding beats and riffs. It can't be all serious all the time, though dreary and dark are components of some of my favorite music out there. With Major Fang Island tells us to crank it up and don't be afraid to fist-bump everyone you see.
26. Tame Impala: Lonerism | Getting tons of praise, and I really like it a lot. It's not anywhere near the best of the year for me, but it's full of wonder from beginning to end. I think I've said before, it sounds like something a young, end-stage-Beatles John Lennon would create, both vocally and musically, would he be alive today.
25. Aaron Embry: Tiny Prayers | Rustic. Folksy. Americana. Harmonica. This kind of music is too rare. Simple and satisfying, yet often surprising with little twists and turns. Try "When All Is Gone."
24. Vespers: The Fourth Wall | Few albums this year have been as enjoyable for the whole family. Listen, and you will be "Better Now." These guys can play and these girls can sing (and play). Decidedly Christian. Musically and vocally on par with the art of our day.
23. Sera Cahoone: Deer Creek Canyon | An alt-country style songstress, channeling the indie rock emotions of my #1 choice but in her own voice and style. An artist who is making great art.
22. The XX: Coexist | Understated. Quietly trippy. Understated. Mellow. Understated. Hushed. Understated. The sound of, uh, silence. Get it? Good.
21. Now, Now: Threads | Gloriously shoegazy. Probably the best trippy album of the year for me, though there are a few some might consider trippy ahead of this one. Very enjoyable.
20. Polica: Give You The Ghost | You can't escape the electronic thread that permeates this music and the vocals. Yet, it's compelling and rewarding. If you think auto-tune is only for hack artists who can't sing, Polica put the hand on the other shoe. It works and it's been a good listen for months now.
19. Brandi Carlile: Bear Creek | The most overlooked artist of our time. She's one of the great voices in music today. She's a great songwriter. Add the twins and Brandi's almost in a class of her own. This is music that should be everywhere and is gratifying both in the first listen and twentieth. (I dare you to not love this: "That Wasn't Me")
18. Bhi Bhiman: Bhiman | Haven't heard anything like Bhiman's voice. Few singers voices seem as necessary to the music, as the key instrument. "Guttersnipe" is so welcoming and wonderful, and yet it's sad.
17. J.D. McPherson: Signs & Signifiers | Throwback sound. Throwback style. Throwback fun. I challenge you to enjoy another song as much as "North Side Gal." Tap your foot already! Go ahead. Fill that empty pack of Lucky Strikes with gum and wrap it up in your white tshirt sleeve and grab a gal and head for the dance floor.
16. Mumford & Sons: Babel | Some are haters. Some are snobs. Some hear the same formula as before. I hear you. I felt the same when it came out. After joining the M&S bandwagon a few months before most Americans knew they existed, I prejudged this album as retread tired (get it?). But I kept listening, mostly because my wife couldn't stop listening. What I hear are songs that sound great blasting in our house and singing along. I've listened too many times to not have this in my list somewhere. One of the best songs and videos of the year: "Lover of the Light." M&S lack the genius of the albums before it, and some of the albums after it on this list, but what they do they do better than anyone doing it.
15. Damien Jurado: Maraqopa | From brilliant songwriting to his musical toolbox, this guy makes great music. Never has an album of Jurado's taken me on such an art-driven adventure. It feels aged and wise. One of the great male songwriters on this year's list.
14. Propaganda: Excellent | It's free, so you have no excuse. To support the artist buy it or give to Humble Beast. No song has provoked me as much as "Precious Puritans." But I'm probably not surprising anyone. But the whole album is a joy to listen to and enjoy, to be provoked by.
13. Wickerbird: The Crow Mother | This is far from a perfect recording (quality of recording). It's a little poppy and scratchy. But this lo-fi album is a treasure with its rich, dreamy acoustic songs. Indie lullabies. And it deserves recognition and reward. Beautiful.
12. The Menzingers: On The Impossible Past | A bit Green Day. A bit Titus Andronicus. A bit Flogging Molly. A bit The Hold Steady. A rocking, punky, anthemic, crank it up album. Yelling was never so compelling. And don't let the idea of "yelling" scare you away. Try it. I think you'll like it.
11. Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! | Four songs. Two at around 6:30 long and two at about 20 minutes long. Oh dear. Oh my. It rocks. It growls. It swells. It made a hard push at the end for my top 10 and made it.
10. Andy Stott: Luxury Problems | Versatile. I can crank it up. I can slow down and be entranced by the layers and layers of sound. I can study to it. Often I can groove to it. An excellent, creative wonder that rewards the listener. And it may even just haunt you.
9. Woods: Bend Beyond | Elliott Smith-ish, which is to say it's really good. Inviting. Subtle. Melodic. A great mix of songwriting and creative instrumentation. Whenever I've started this album I've been thankful I did and I'm always sorry to turn it out. Can't say that about many albums, including some amazing ones.
8. Swans: The Seer | Well reviewed, and a wowzer of an album. It's the musical equivalent to grinding an axe and, to trying endlessly to pull deep roots from dry ground while feeling the dirt collect in the sweaty crevases on your skin, to scribbling illegibly with a knife sharpened carpenters pencil onto knotty wood. Stop reading already and get this album!
7. The Lumineers: The Lumineers | Rollicking. Romp. Voice-centered. High highs, mellow lows, endearing middles. Everybody seems to love "Ho Hey," and why don't you? You should. It will win you over. But my heart belongs to "Slow It Down."
6. Richard Hawley: Standing at the Sky's Edge | I'm on a Harley cutting through thick fog in slow motion. I'm waking up in a log cabin and think I hear something ominous outside in the dark. I'm pulling apart a knife wound to see how deep it goes. Smooth vocals & heavy sounds. Moody.
5. Lost in the Trees: A Church That Fits Our Needs | Their 2010 album was #19 for me. Written in light of the suicide of his mother, frontman Ari Picker has put together a masterpiece. It's both ear-tingling good as well as thoughtful. It's moody. It's sometimes angelic and sweeping and swooping. Tragic. Hopeful. Considering the subject and substance, this is a gorgeous and rewarding album.
4. Jack White: Blunderbuss | This is the album that I think he cannot match. I don't think anything he will do won't seem like a disappointment. I REALLY hope I'm wrong, and I might be. But to have his body of work and then produce this masterpiece rock album? Wow. Crank it.
3. Anais Mitchell: Young Man In America | A favorite since its release in February, this album holds up as one of the best albums of the year. I even considered it for #1 just in the last week, and feel bad it isn't there. Wonderfully frontierish. It's American americana flavored with America. It's folksy, earthy music. True to its name. Anais' sweetheart of a voice is gorgeous. But she is also motherly, wise, above the story. And it's storytelling richness.
2. Alt-J: An Awesome Wave | Winner of the Mercury Prize (best British album), and deservedly so. Quirky, but not unapproachable. Almost surprisingly approachable. An audible spectacle. Creativity run amok and then harnessed (mostly). This was the biggest #1 contender, but just couldn't out Etten. This was difficult to put second.
1. Sharon Van Etten: Tramp | A brutal but beautiful album. Honest woundedness. Owning mistakes. A diary set to indie rock, harmonic moans of realness. Sonic emotional tension. Soaring sadness. Songwriting excellence. This album isn't easy. But it's great, great, great. If it sounds so sad, why listen? Because it's true.
Great deal! Get all three volumes of C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy for $1.99 each on Kindle. I just bought all three!
Paul David Tripp in Dangerous Calling (Kindle version), which may be the best book of 2012 (certainly the most important book of 2012 for me and my wife), writes in chapter 9, "There are times when fear causes all of us to do things we should not do or keeps us from doing what we have been called to do. So it is vital to ask, What in the world should we do about fear? Let me suggest four things." I'll give you the list, but go read the book for Tripp's explanation of each...
Portlandia pretty consistently makes me laugh. This is a great new clip with a Jack White cameo...
I listened to Mark Dever's 9 Marks interview with Mack Stiles (& others) on Contact Evangelism last night. I was provoked to good thoughts on evangelism as well as some questions about my approach. I just realized I'm still holding a bit of inner dialogue on some of the things they said, so I thought it would be good to share. Books that were mentioned in/influenced the conversation included...
Mack Stiles | Speaking of Jesus & Marks of the Messenger (just got this one)
Mark Dever | The Gospel & Personal Evangelism
J.I. Packer | Evangelism & The Sovereignty of God
Mark Driscoll interviews John Piper on stereotypes, risks, & Jesus. This is the first question and the first part of Piper's response. Love this...
MARK DRISCOLL: WHAT WOULD JOHN PIPER TODAY TELL A YOUNG JOHN PIPER WHO IS GETTING READY TO ENTER INTO MINISTRY?
John Piper: I would quote to him V. Raymond Edman: “Don’t question in the dark what God showed you in the light.” Darkness comes. In the middle of it, the future looks blank. The temptation to quit is huge. Don’t. You are in good company. You are in the pit with King David. He waited. “I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction” (Ps. 40:1–2). God will do that for you. You will argue with yourself that there is no way forward. But with God, nothing is impossible. He has more ropes and ladders and tunnels out of pits than you can conceive. Wait. Pray without ceasing. Hope.
Morning Joe yesterday had Tim Keller on to talk about Every Good Endeavor. He's so good at bringing clarity to issues quickly.
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
From Paul David Tripp's excellent book, Dangerous Calling (or Kindle)...
For many people in ministry, waiting becomes a chronicle of ever-weakening faith because meditating on the circumstances will leave you in awe of the circumstances. They will appear to grow larger, you will feel smaller, and your vision of God will be clouded. But if you meditate on the Lord, you will be in greater awe of his presence, power, faithfulness, and grace. The situation will seem smaller, and you will live with greater confidence even though nothing has changed.
Pick up a copy of Dangerous Calling for 48% off at WTS.
This is a delightful recording of Andrew Bird & St. Vincent (Annie Clark) singing Bird's song, "Lusitania." You can find the song on Bird's newest album, Break It Yourself. It starts in a bedroom & ends on a stage. Gorgeous.
Tim Chester points to this excellent quote from Tim Keller in Every Good Endeavor. I wanted to share it with you. You should also read Chester's blog. Regularly gives you gems like this...
Here then is how the Spirit makes us wise. On the night before he died, Jesus told his disciples that he would send the Holy spirit and ‘when he, the Spirit of truth, come … he will glorify me …’ (John 16:13-14). The Spirit does not make us wise in some magical kind of way, giving us little nudges and insider tips to help us always choose the best stock to invest in. Rather, he makes Jesus Christ a living, bright reality, transforming our character, giving us new inner poise, clarity, humility, boldness, contentment, and courage. All of this leads to increasing wisdom as the years go by, and to better and better professional and personal decisions.
Go get Every Good Endeavor.
