Reformissionary

Music Monday 5.12.08

Molly and I saw The Avett Brothers on Saturday night.  What an amazing show!  High energy.  We were bouncing and dancing and screaming and singing.  I was fortunate to have a voice on Sunday morning.  And though we were in Milwaukee for the concert we were still in bed by 12:30am, which is a typical time for me to get to sleep before preaching. 

If you don't know The Avett Brothers, shame on you.  Seriously.  I've worked hard to introduce them to you on this blog.  For all you who are slow to catch on, here...

By the way, the opening act was Jessica Lea Mayfield (MySpace).  Outstanding.  Blew us away.  (That was her in an above Avett video.) Her only recording is her White Lies EP that seems impossible to find apart from going to the concert or ordering from her website.  It's not on iTunes.  I picked it up at the concert.  Her stuff is alt/country, her recordings are very acoustic, her concert added a deep level of power and mystery.  Holy cow.  Also check out David Mayfield's stuff, Jessica's brother, who was her bassist and a fun stage presence.

This is the best video I could find of Jessica.  It's cluttered at the beginning with crap, but get through it and you will be rewarded.  By the way, this is the song from the second Avett video above.  They covered her song.

WARNING: Some unbaptistlike content to come.  Some of you won't like this.

Jessica sings a song called "Bible Days" which was outstanding in concert.  Here is a stripped down version and a pretty good recording.  I love when the world helps me know how they think.  Listening is such a great tool.

Music Monday 5.5.08

Gavin DeGraw's new album comes out tomorrow, I think.  I thought Chariot was really fun pop music with a fairly unique sound.  Watch the first video from In Love With a Girl.

Portishead's "Machine Gun" = very wow.  I know some of you won't like it, but that's your problem.  I'm looking forward to picking up their first new album since 1997, Third.  You can hear more at Last.fm.

There are several clips of Portishead's new stuff, but none are great quality video.  So to introduce you to Portishead's trip-hoppy goodness, here's "Roads" from a live 2006 show...

"Go Cubs Go!" is the song played at Wrigley Field after a win.  My kids and I sing along.  Here's a fan video...

Music Monday 4.28.08

In music news, Dr. Dog has a new album coming out in July.  I really like We All Belong, so I'm looking forward to Fate.  Hear some unreleased stuff at their MySpace.  Tegan and Sara have an iTunes live EP releasing tomorrow.  I'll be downloading it.

Matthew Smith, of Indelible Grace fame, loves him some Ryan Adams.  Here's the amazing "The Sun Also Sets"...

"Oh My God, Whatever, Etc"...

Of all the wonderful 80's music memories, how can I not mention this one...

When I was a kid "Hollywood" came to my hometown of Pontiac, Illinois and filmed a movie called Grandview, USA.  The director was Randall Kleiser (a film school friend of George Lucas and director of Grease) and it starred people like Jamie Lee Curtis, Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell and John Cusack.  I know what you are saying.  "Wow!  That must be an awesome movie!"  Nope.  But I did find some clips online and thought you might like the music video dream sequence. 

Music Monday 4.21.08

I like Neil Diamond.  Yeah, sue me.  My dad listened to Diamond when I was a kid, and you know how that stuff stays with you.  One of my baristas at our local Woodstock Starbucks is known by everyone as Denny Diamond.  He is a Neil Diamond impersonator and his voice is spot-on.  Here he is on the 1999 show "You're Big Break"...

Are you excited because it's springtime?  Me too.  Listen to more Joanna Newsome Ys.  It's great springtime life accompaniment. Here's "Cosmia"...

Or if you need some music to pump through your H3 stereo (or Dodge Stratus) with the windows down go for Justice's Cross.  "DVNO"...

Time for a blast from the past.  I've seen better videos but the song lives on in all our hearts.  Everybody Wang Chung tonight...

You would Wang Chung tonight if you spent "One Night in Bangkok"...

Music-o-Poetry

I've been out-of-pocket for a couple of days, so here's a post with just a little bit of Music Monday, Lots-o-Links, and National Poetry Month.

MUSIC MONDAY

A new video from Hot Chip.  Pretty cool...

One Pure Thought

In case you didn't know, here's the reason wearing red jock straps over your pants is SO popular now...

LOTS-o-LINKS

Driscoll loves the ESV Study Bible. 

John Piper: Preaching as Concept Creation, Not Just Contextualization

Founders gets a facelift.

I love this clip.  If you ever need to work on your business card envy, here's how.  (WARNING: A little colorful language.  This clip is for Mommies and Daddies only.)

NPM '08

Love this stuff from Borders Open Door Poetry.

Check out The Poetry Center of Chicago.

Music Monday 4.7.08

Bon Iver live, "Skinny Love" (HT: Oceans Never Listen)...

I'm enjoying Jim White's Transnormal Skiperoo lately.  Check out his MySpace and see if his brand of americana/alt-country doesn't suit you.  I wish I could find his wonderful song, "Plywood Superman" (lyrics), somewhere online.  It's heartbreaking.

I can't embed this video on the blog, but go check out Elbow's new one.  I like the song and the simple video.

Paste tells us that you can now read the NY Times blog, Measure for Measure, with Andrew Bird, Rosanne Cash, Suzanne Vega and other music artists as they discuss their creative process.  Nice idea.

Remember...80's love songs?  Some of my favorites...

Skid Row: "I Remember You"...

Bad English: "When I See You Smile" (This one made me tear up.  True story.  If you knew my wife you would know why.)...

Tesla: "Love Song"...

Chicago: "Will You Still Love Me"...

REO Speedwagon: "I Can't Fight This Feeling"...

Music Monday 3.31.08

Music News...

The Juno Soundtrack, that I raved about here and that hit #1 on the Billboard charts, has spawned a B-sides soundtrack with 15 more tracks.  Cool.

Alaska in Winter finally gets a U.S. release (thought it was already!).  Love their first album, and their U.S. release includes more than what's on the album I have, so I will be picking it up.

The Black Angels album, Passover, was really good.  It was my #9 album of 2006.  Their follow-up, Directions to See a Ghost, is coming in May.  "You on the Run" is their first available song, and it's good.  Check it out.

Music I'm Checking Out...

The Nadas were recently featured as bumper music on my favorite film podcast (also the only podcast where I NEVER miss an episode), Filmspotting.  For those of you who find my musical tastes not quite in line with yours, give The Nadas a try (MySpace).  I like 'em. 

The Nadas played the final show at a music venue in Iowa that was considered important, and some dudes made a tribute video to the bar featuring The Nadas' great song "Goodnight Girl."  Beware Southern Baptists, there are people consuming Jagermeister and other alcoholic beverages.  Hide your virgin eyes...

Music Monday 3.24.08

I'm off for a few days, so this will be a less involved Music Monday post.  Let me start by saying that Joe Thorn has been complaining a lot about my Music Monday posts.  While I always appreciate his point of view, I just can't help but to think that his suggestion of "more Milli Vanilli, please!" is not the best route.  Anyway, you be the judge: Should I, as Joe suggests, post things like this?...

Stereogum provides a couple of nice Bon Iver live videos.  ABC News has a couple of nice videos: an interview with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver Part 1 and Part 2.  I'm still playing Bon Iver far more than anything else.  It's playing on my iPod, my home stereo, my iTunes.  Speaking of the iPod, don't miss Bon Iver in concert from All Songs Considered.

DeVotchKa's new one is getting great reviews, as is M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel's She and Him, Vol 1.

A year ago this week I was encouraging you to watch stuff like this.  Ahh, still good...

Music Monday 3.17.08

Modest Mouse has a new video out for "Fly Trapped in a Jar."  It's just weird...

My current favorite CD right now is Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago.  The always helpful Stereogum has an interview with Justin Vernon, who is Bon Iver.  Nice.  I finally found For Emma at Kiss the Sky in Batavia, IL, my favorite, almost local indie music store.  Well actually I didn't find it.  After I couldn't find it I asked the owner if they heard of it.  They said they had a copy, but we couldn't find it under the "B's."  It was under the "I's" listed under "Bob Iver."  Satan tried to keep this beautiful music from me, but he was defeated!  You need this CD.  Trust me.  Or at least trust the many great reviews it's getting.

The New Pornographers have a live album out that I don't own yet.  One of the songs is a cover of ELO's "Don't Bring Me Down."  They have performed it live on French TV.  When you get there click on "videos" and then click the correct video on the right.  Well worth your time.  These guys rock and this song is very well done.

Pitchfork reports that Blitzen Trapper, a band I have mentioned a couple of times before, has a new iTunes exclusive live EP out.  I got it. 

The Twilight Sad: "And She Would Darken the Memory"...

New Spoon: "You Got Yr Cherry Bomb"...

Music Monday 3.10.08

It's Music Monday and I'm here to take you to Better Music Land.  So put away your Ray Boltz CD's and cut your poodle mullet...

Ahh, this is better.  New Shearwater.  Go download their new song "Rooks."

New Bon Iver video for "The Wolves (Act I and II)."  What a beautiful and haunting song...

I'm listening to American Music Club's The Golden Age lately and really enjoying it.  It's getting good reviews.  From Pitchfork...

AMC's The Golden Age is appropriately obsessed with the hemorrhaging of time; many songs here find Eitzel grasping at the stuff even as it spurts through his fingers. "It's hard to love when you only see the dust," he mopes amid the wistful acoustic arpeggios of "All My Love". Eitzel's view of life as something one snatches from death's clutches, bit by bit, is the motif that drives the album. "Time is a current that only flows from warm hands to warm heart," he asserts on the darkly rushing "Decibels and Little Pills", after observing that "names are only good for grave stones."

Patrick Park has a new video out, "Here We Are".  I hope you can get past the incredible technological breakthroughs in this video and just enjoy the music...

Sigur Ros: Heima

Can't wait for Music Monday because today is the day YouTube is featuring all Sigur Ros on their front page (HT).  At the heart of 24 hours of Sigur Ros is the entire Sigur Ros film Heima available for free.  Awesome.  Here it is...

Why Hillary MUST Lose!

This is a must see.  Remember the 1991 song by Sophie B. Hawkins, "Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover?"  Go refresh yourself if you need to.  I remember the cool beat, and I remember thinking "Are you allowed to say 'damn' on the radio?"  I guess so. 

Do you ever wish people could just leave those memories alone?  Well, Sophie B. Hawkins had to go and jack it all up by putting together this tragic remake for Hillary's campaign, "Damn, I Wish You Were President."  True story.  Honestly, if I were Hillary and this is the kind of things people did to support me, I would cry after every primary too.  Don't miss the chance to buy your "Damn, I Wish You Were President" T-shirt.  Ugh.

Music Monday 3.3.08

I've been listening a lot lately to Daniel Renstrom's (MySpace) Adore and Tremble EP.  He emailed me a couple of weeks ago and asked if I might review it.  I almost said no, because I knew it would be Christian music.  Then I figured I would just tell him that I really don't listen to much Christian music and he wouldn't send it.  So I told him.  He sent it anyway.  What a great surprise this worship EP is!

This 6 song EP includes four original songs by Renstrom and two updated hymns, "Adore and Tremble" by Isaac Watts and "Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder" by John Newton.  All good.  And all lyrics and chords are online for all.  I should also add that the production quality is top notch, not what you always get from early recordings.  I highly recommend this EP for your own devotions or to find some new worship stuff for your church.  I had it playing last Sunday before and after worship.  Get it at iTunes or on CD.

Spoon (well, Britt) in a Black Cab singing the great song, "I Summon You"...

Justice, "DVNO".  Geez, this stuff is cool...

I want me some Bon Iver (MySpace ).  Some of it sounds like a gentler, acoustic TV on the Radio.  I will pick up For Emma, Forever Ago as soon as I can find it.  "Flume"...

"Lump Sum"...

If you are anything like me you occasionally go back and find a song you used to like and find out it's still a great song.  Here's one I searched out recently.  Who doesn't want to be in a band and play a song like this live?

Music Monday 2.25.08

A big congratulations to Glen Hansard and Maketa Irglova for their Oscar for best original song, "Falling Slowly."  Here's their live performance from the Oscars and the award and speeches...

A really great performance by Mark Ronson and friends at the Brit Awards...

The Village Voice offers high praise (in an odd way) that should make you consider checking out the new Drive-By Truckers album, Brighter Than Creation's Dark.

Creation's Dark came out last month, and though past DBT discs have left me enthralled, I initially ignored this one. Took it for granted, disregarded it as more of the same. Dependably great, sure, but there were bigger, more exotic fish to fry. The Truckers had made it look so easy for so long, but [the song] "Bob" forcefully proves that it's not, and it's never been. It keeps you honest, and it scares you straight.

A last word: There Will Be Blood, the soundtrack, is awesome.  Watch the movie, drink the milkshake.

Music Monday 2.18.08

Joe Garner contacted me a few weeks back, having a common friend, and asked if I would like to check out his new EP, Mourning Birds.  A few minutes on Joe's MySpace page and I knew it was worth hearing.  While I won't go into much detail about Joe, Brent gives plenty of info that you should check out.  His music is folksy americana, maybe.  It's measured, thoughtful, gentle even.  It reminds me a lot of Denison Witmer, who I like quite a bit.   I encourage you to check out Joe's music.  It's good.

Here's Joe singing "Bury the Hatchet," which is a delicate dance of a story (a pretty good explanation of most of his music).  Beautiful (especially when the coffeehouse baristas are steaming the milk)...

I've been looking for some Justice, with no success.  Here's a taste...

Great new video from the New Pornographers, on what may be the best song on their Challengers CD...

I'd like to pick up the Ampersand EP from Derek Webb and Sandra McCracken.  Sounds really, really great.  Here's "Watch Your Mouth" sung by Derek...

I picked up Mark Ronson's Version CD.  Read about it at MusicOMH.  My favorite track is with Lily Allen.

Sufjan Steven's video for "Palm Sunday Tornado in Crystal Lake"...

Palm Sunday Tornado Hits Crystal Lake from Asthmatic Kitty on Vimeo.

Thom Yorke singing Radiohead's "Videotape" live...

Music Monday 2.11.08

I've been having a hard time locating some good CD's at my local stores.  But last week I was able to pick up a few new ones and I'm enjoying all of them so far.  Let me point to two of them that have gotten the most play.

Drive-By Truckers: Brighter Than Creation's Dark (MySpace, Metacritic).  Had to pick this up after liking their previous album, A Blessing and a Curse, and seeing such a great buzz about this album.  This is provocative southern rock for folks who can appreciate the drawl and the open discussion of sin.  Eye-opening explanations of the problems (and pleasures) of sin.

Pitchfork...

What at first blush might sound like unhealthy entrenchment turns out to be a brilliant study in duality, as Cooley and Hood-- seemingly in conversation with one another-- weigh the respective pulls of decadence and dependability.

Paste...

The band expands its familiar rock sound with forays into soul..., Southern boogie, and AM-gold country—all in service to tales of hard-drinking fathers, vengeful ghosts, weird Harolds and director John Ford.

(...)

Brighter Than Creation’s Dark belongs to Mike Cooley, who contributes seven of his best, most rousing songs about hard-luck characters—the kind you know and probably avoid—proving the Truckers are at their best singing about people at their worst.

Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend (MySpace, Metacritic).  Quirky, fun, happy pop. 

Paste...

...this cosmopolitan quartet has streamlined ska, post-punk, chamber music and Afropop into a glorious ultramodern groove.

Pitchfork...

Bring any baggage you want to this record, and it still returns nothing but warm, airy, low-gimmick pop, peppy, clever, and yes, unpretentious-- four guys who listened to some Afro-pop records, picked up a few nice ideas, and then set about making one of the most refreshing and replayable indie records in recent years.

Delusions of Adequacy...

There will always be a new band that just comes in and knocks your socks off with a great album. Usually it takes a while before you find it but it almost always happens once a year. I just didn’t think it would be here so soon in 2008 with Vampire Weekend. This is a magnificent debut, filled with endless melodies, memorable hooks and plenty of toe-tapping moments.

#80.3 - VAMPIRE WEEKEND - Walcott / One
by lablogotheque

#80.1 - VAMPIRE WEEKEND - Mansard Roof
by lablogotheque

#80.2 - VAMPIRE WEEKEND - The Kids don't stand a chance
by lablogotheque

I'm not a big fan of Animal Collective.  But I'm always eager to hear them out and give them a chance.  Their Take Away Shows are quite interesting, so I offer them here for you.

#82.1 - ANIMAL COLLECTIVE - Taste
by lablogotheque

#82.2 - ANIMAL COLLECTIVE - Another White Singer
by lablogotheque

Music Monday 2.4.08

Getting the most play on my iPod right now are Burial: Untrue, Joe Garner (more on Joe's music in a week or two), Blitzen Trapper: Wild Mountain Nation, Feist: The Reminder, and the Juno Soundtrack.

New artists on the radar: Utah Carol & Akron/Family (MySpace).

I don't remember mentioning Kevin Cawley's top 30 of 2007 list.  There, I mentioned it.

Vampire Weekend is getting a lot of buzz.  You have to at least give it a taste.  Catchy...

New video from The Mountain Goats...

Music Monday 1.28.08

Arcade Fire continues making curious videos from Neon Bible.  I've pointed to the title track interactive video, "Neon Bible," before.  Now there's "Black Mirror," which is less interactive but still well worth watching.

The Black Cab Sessions is a similar, though less beautiful, version of the Take Away Shows.  The Take Away Shows are artists playing a song in curious locations in Paris.  The Black Cab Sessions are artists playing in a...wait for it...black cab.  Nice.  Start with Okkervil River.  Then go to The National and The New Pornographers. 

Ariel "AJ" Vanderhorst blogged on "The Best iPod Earbuds Ever."   I have been looking for new earbuds that wouldn't cost me a Franklin, and AJ pointed the way.  And I have to say, the V-MODA earbuds are really great for under $30.

Here's a very cool live performance of "The Clock" from Thom Yorke's The Eraser...

Music Monday 1.21.08

If you haven't seen Juno, you should.  Start with the trailer.  Easily one of the best of 2007 for me.  Every actor in every role impressed me, especially Ellen Page who first showed up on my radar in Hard Candy.  My wife loved Juno too.  It's an hysterical and quirky movie that I will own on DVD when the time comes.  The Juno Soundtrack is just as quirky and makes this movie go from great to outstanding.  You know it from the opening credits.  This soundtrack was a must-own for me.  Delightful.

Andrew Bird has a new EP: Soldier on EP.  Seriously, is it even possible this EP won't be great?  Didn't think so.

I've really enjoyed Dr. Dog's latest album, We All Belong.  Here's "Alaska"...

Dr Dog Alaska

Add to My Profile | More Videos

I'm finally taking the plunge into Panda Bear (MySpace).  I haven't enjoyed Animal Collective, so this has taken some time.  But I like it so far.  Here's "Bros"...

"Bros" live...

"Comfy in Nautica"...

Music Monday 1.14.08

On the weekly Filmspotting podcast (which is excellent, by the way) they feature a musical artist during segment transitions.   This past week they featured Biirdie (MySpace).    Here's a video.  You may need to turn it up at one point.  Other videos are here.

Chris pushed me to discover some new "country" music.  I'm now trying out some Gillian Welch.  Wonderful.  Really wonderful.

Music Monday 1.7.08

I offered up a few tracks from Burial last week, and have since found Burial's Untrue CD (great review from Pitchfork, and Metacritic shows it as the best reviewed album of '07).  It's amazing.  I don't quite know how to characterize the music.  Pitchfork writes...

Untrue is a homage to UK garage, or two-step-- a short-lived, oft-mourned fusion of breakbeats and house music that peaked in the late 90s before morphing into offshoots dubstep, grime, and bassline house.

Whatever.  It's just outstanding, deep & thoughtful urban beats...

Top-heavy with sad string passages and mournful vocal loops, Untrue is an album meant to be heard at home, in the car, on headphones-- his songs feel almost like beautiful secrets being whispered to a listener.

It haunting.  It won't suit the tastes of some of my readers, but I don't care because I can't stay silent.  Read interviews with the anonymous (yes, anonymous) artist known as Burial: Hyperdub, Fact Magazine, Blackdown.

In other news, I ignored the buzz on Feist's The Reminder last year, to my detriment.  It's wonderful and beautiful pop music that would have easily maee my "best of" list from 2007.  It's accessible and worth checking out on MySpace.

Here's the flawless "1 2 3 4"...

I also  watched the Scorsese documentary on Dylan, No Direction Home, a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed it.  I'm growing into a real Dylan fan.   

Music Monday 12.31.07

Have you been keeping up with all the top albums of 2007 lists?  Continue to watch Metacritic's collection.

There's a Radiohead New Year's webcast tonight.

I'm eager to find Blitzen Trapper, as I have heard so many good things about them.  Their MySpace stuff is really good.  Here's "Wild Mountain Nation"...

Lucinda Black Bear (MySpace) is another band on my radar.  Here's "You Got it Blue"...

...and the wonderful "Kites"...

I've been introducing myself to Burial (MySpace) the last couple of weeks.  These aren't videos, but still a chance to hear a few songs...