Music
After a fun family day on Labor Day, I'm ready to talk a little music. Charles Osgood thinks we may not have heard of Wilco...
The Beatles are remastered (4 years in the works) and ready to buy tomorrow. Check out The Beatles store at Amazon. I love this classic performance of "I Want to Hold Your Hand"...
New Bonnie "Prince" Billy video. This dude is weird, but it's still well worth watching...
Last day for some good $5 album downloads at Amazon. Get them tonight or the deals will be gone!
Come O Spirit, the first album of Bifrost Arts, is taking pre-orders. Been looking forward to this for a while now.
The New Bluegrass: Five Acts to Watch
Eli "Paperboy" Reed & The True Loves have a cool, throwback sound. You need to check them out. Their album, Roll With You, is only $5 right now. Here's a great performance on Jools...
Matt & Kim (album - Grand) are an acquired taste. I liked their recent, live performance on Kimmel...
Some good stuff for you today.
New, out tomorrow, is Blitzen Trapper's new EP Black River Killer. It sounds outstanding from the first track, "Black River Killer" (also on the Furr album, video), and the samples of the other songs. Six songs only available on CDR at BT's live shows until now. Buy it tomorrow on Amazon.
Coldplay's Viva La Vida - Prospekt's March Edition is only $2.99 for an Amazon download. Go get it.
I've posted plenty of Manchester Orchestra here before, including this song, "Shake It Out." At about the 2:35 mark starts one of the coolest 2 1/2 minutes of music that I've ever heard with some heavy, religious thoughts...
I felt the Lord begin
to peel off all my skin
and i felt the weight within
reveal a bigger mess
that you can't fix
Just love it. TURN IT UP!
Anyone else wish they stumbled upon The Avett Brothers and an impromptu live song? Thought so...
If you are interested in songwriting this is a must-watch, vintage video looking into the world of an amazing songwriter...
Boom. The Avett Brothers. Can't wait until next Monday to share, and I haven't even watched it yet! Trust me, it's the Avett's so it's great.
You need good & cheap music, so try Joe Henry: Blood From Stars for only $3.99.
I've really been enjoying Regina Spektor's new album, Far. Her previous album, Begin to Hope, was my introduction to her music and my #8 album of 2006. She can be playful and profound in the same breath, and has a beautiful voice. "Laughing With" is simple yet thought-provoking. Follow the lyrics. Here's a snippit...
No one laughs at God
When the cops knock on their door
And they say we got some bad news, sir
No one’s laughing at God
When there’s a famine or fire or flood
But God can be funny
At a cocktail party when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
Or when the crazies say He hates us
And they get so red in the head you think they’re ‘bout to choke
God can be funny,
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious
Ha ha
Other Lives has been haunting me for several weeks now. I keep coming back to their self-titled album (also check their EP). The sweeping, epic feel haunts me. Listen to "It Was the Night"...
Here's some good, cheap music thanks to Amazon...
Great Lake Swimmers with "New Light" (download album for $8.99, CD)...
Passion Pit on Fallon with "The Reeling." Love this band's album, Manners (download for $7.99, CD)...
And the Arctic Monkeys with their new song "Crying Lightning"...
I've been asked to review Austin City Life Church's new EP, One (download, listen at MySpace)
This is the first time I've heard any music from Jonathan Dodson's Austin City Life Church. I know Jonathan as an Acts 29 planter and blogger (Creation Project & Church Planting Novice). I was offered this new EP for review and was happy to help out a friend. I'm always weary of helping out friends because it's hard to be critical (if need be). Add to that, as most of my regular readers know, I'm not a fan of most Christian music, and I'm not usually very excited about new worship music. I'm happy to say I can heartily recommend this EP.
I'm always afraid early EP's by churches will be low quality. This is an outstanding, quality recording with great voices. I'm already thinking about how quickly we can get them into our worship times at Doxa. A great opener, "In Your Name," got me hooked with this chorus, encouraging us to respond to our time of worship with missional action...
And oh that this city would know your love!
And oh that this city would feel your touch!
And oh ...that this city would live with Hope---!
Give us hands to touch
Give us hearts of love!
And then the song builds and soars with these words...
"Community Song" is a community both crying out for healing and felling compelled into mission...
we’re a community of the broken, your love is changing us, your love is here
the love of Christ can heal the broken, bring us together and wipe away our tears
we’re a community of the forgiven, the past is gone and today is here
the love of Christ can offer forgiveness, heal our hearts and redeem our wasted years
hallelujah God is with us
hallelujah grace is here
we’re a community who wants to love you, love our neighbors, let your love shine
the love of Christ can change this city if it can change a broken heart like mine
Another original songs is "Fullness of God"...
We were once far away
From the reality of grace
We were sinners estranged from our Father
But in love you came
To take away our shame
To present us as clean sons and daughters
In you all the fullness of God
Was pleased to dwell forever
Through you we are reconciled
By the blood of your cross
So we sing to the name above all
The name of Jesus
The name by which we are saved
So we sing to the King above all
King Jesus
You are worthy of all praise
So we sing to you, Jesus
The EP is rounded out with three historic/updated songs, "What Wondrous Love Is This," "Lord Have Mercy," and "How Great Thou Art." All are very appealing arrangements with already great lyrics.
I'm very impressed with One. This is good stuff folks. I'd say I've already listened to it at least 20 times, and I just don't normally get into worship music like this. Go download it right now.
I'll have a review soon of Austin City Life Church's One EP. You should check it out at MySpace. You can also check out the new The Dodos album, Time to Die, for free.
You could do worse than spend $8.99 of your hard-earned cash on We Were Promised Jetpacks new album, These Four Walls. I'm enjoying it very much.
New video from Passion Pit (download only $7.99, CD), "To Kingdom Come"...
One of our favorite concert venues is The Pabst Theater in Milwaukee. Here's a video of Grizzly Bear playing "All We Ask" (download album, CD) in the balcony. It's kinda like a Take Away Show, only with a lot of "Pabst" in it.
You need some good, cheap music...
Explosions in the Sky: How Strange, Innocence - $1.99
Coldplay: Parachutes - $5
The Beach Boys: Summer Love Songs - $5, 20 great tracks
Manchester Orchestra with "My Friend Marcus" (album Mean Everything to Nothing)...
Manchester Orchestra "My Friend Marcus" (Altpress.com Exclusive) from Alternative Press on Vimeo.
Curator: Writing About Music is Like Dancing About Architecture
Blitzen Tapper's video for "Black River Killer" (album Furr) is a little creepy, but pretty cool...
I'm still trying to figure out whether or not I want to buy the new Dirty Projectors album, Bitte Orca. It's getting very good reviews and I like some of the samples I've heard. Nice to get a full track to try out, "Stillness is the Move"...
For a while now I've been spreading the word about Sojourn Church in Louisville, Kentucky. It's one of those all-too-rare churches that understands both deep theological truth and creativity. Their influence is spreading around the web through Travel Blog, Sojourn Music (blog), The Open Sourcebook, and more.
I have almost all of Sojourn's CDs: Songs for the Advent, Before the Throne, These Things I Remember. They get regular play in my house, especially on Sunday mornings. We also use them pre/post worship at Doxa. They are unique in my collection because the music is so often unexpected. It's a different level of creativity. If I listen to Hillsong I'm basically listening to the same stuff as a number of other worship bands out there. They aren't bad. I like some of them. But they don't surprise me. I don't consider them all that interesting. Sojourn music always surprises me. It's always interesting. And it's a great example of how to be both theologically deep & artistic.
Sojourn's brand new CD is Over the Grave: The Hymns of Isaac Watts, Vol 1. The first track, "Warrior," continues to blow me away. It's a most unusual worship song and wonderfully creative. Listen to it at Sojourn MySpace.
Honor and majesty divine
Around his sacred temple shine
Grace and might so long foretold
In crowns of glory, not of gold
Your hand shall find out every foe
And as a fiery furnace glows
With raging heat and living coals
They will feel your wrath upon their souls
Oh the warrior will conquer all
The world will fall before His feet
Molly and I had the privilege to be led in worship at the Baptist21 discussion at Sojourn last week. They played one of my favorite new songs, "Only Your Blood." Powerful.
Lord create my heart anew (Father come and make us wise)
Only you are pure and true (Lead us away from our demise)
Lord you are the remedy (For only your blood can set us free)
No bleeding bird, no bleeding beast
No hyssop branch no priest
No running brook no flood no sea
Can wash away this stain from me.
For only your blood is enough to cover my sin
For only your blood is enough to cover me.
One more song I'd like to highlight is "Refuge." This sounds a bit more simple, more like other worship songs you've heard. But that also might make it a helpful bridge to their more complex stuff.
I know my days are in Your hands though I draw near to dust
You are the God in whom I trust, You are my refuge.
So lift up your voice and sing aloud, and praise Him all you saints,
How wondrous is His grace, He is our refuge.
I also appreciate how Sojourn makes it easy for us by providing chord sheets for each song. Here's the track list...
1. Warrior (inspired by “Psalm 21” by Isaac Watts) view the chord sheet
2. Living Faith (adapted from “Hymn 140” by Isaac Watts) view the chord sheet
3. How Long? (Psalm 13) (inspired by “Psalm 13”) view the chord sheet
4. Only Your Blood Is Enough (adapted from “Psalm 51, pt 2”) view the chord sheet
5. Reveal Your Love (inspired by “Psalm 90, pt. 2”) view the chord sheet
6. Over Death (adapted from “Hymn 17”) view the chord sheet
7. Alas And Did My Savior Bleed (adapted from “Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed”) view the chord sheet
8. May Your Power Rest On Me (inspired by “Hymn 15”) view the chord sheet
9. Refuge (adapted from “Psalm 31, pt. 1”) view the chord sheet
10. We Are Changed (adapted from “Hymn 95”) view the chord sheet
11. Savior King (adapted from “Hymn 10”) view the chord sheet
I wholeheartedly recommend you pick up Sojourn's Over The Grave. For now you can buy it at Sojourn's site. In the weeks ahead it should be available for download on Amazon, iTunes, etc.
The King of Pop is gone. Say what you want after a life with many problems, the dude could bring it back in the day. Feet barely touched the ground.
You need to watch the brand new Avett Brothers' Tiny Desk Concert. Wonderful. This may be the greatest band in the world. Really. Also, new Paste article on them: Rockin' Steady Wins the Race. Resurgence and Matt Johnson has Thoughts on Music for the Media-Gorged in five parts now. Joe Pug is offering a free EP. Nice. I'm going to review Sojourn's new CD, Over The Grave, either later today or early this week. Look for that.
Last chance for some great $5 albums at Amazon. Available for one more day, Reformissionary Recommends these great albums...
One of my favorite new songs is from We Were Promised Jetpacks (great name). Here's "Quiet Little Voices"...
A family trip to Six Flags, decided on at the last minute, derailedmy Music Monday post. But I haven't forgotten you. A few nuggets.
First, major props to @tpgraham who twittered me last week to tell me about The Low Anthem's new album, Oh My God Charlie Darwin (download, CD). A real find. Metacritic has them at 80 which is really good. Here's "Charlie Darwin" (lyrics)...
I've really been enjoying the new, self-titled album from Other Lives (download only $5, CD). "Paper Cities" should be a good first taste for you...
Lastly, some live Beirut, "Nantes," (off of The Flying Club Cup) to make your day better...
Jonathan Dodson: Marriage Resources
Rain City Hymnal CD is out at Re:Sound, and on Noise Trade.
Matt Chandler on the role of men
Resurgence (Bob Thune): Is preaching killing your church plant?
Art21 is on Hulu. Episode 1: Art in the 21st Century on "Place."
Go watch the Great Lake Swimmers Tiny Desk Concert.
Paste lists it's 6 gateway jazz albums for rock elitists.
Love this new track from We Were Promised Jetpacks: "Irritable Majesty."
Silversun Pickups rock out with "Panic Switch"...
Doves were on Jimmy Fallon. Great performance and song. Sorry, I can't figure out how to resize it to fit better, but it's worth it...
Fan video of Grizzly Bear with Leslie Feist. Fun. If you haven't picked up their excellent album, Veckatimest (download, CD), you are missing out.
John Piper: The Pastor as Scholar
Resurgence: Re:Train (Resurgence Training Center) launches & Re:Sound (Resurgence Music) launching soon. Re:Bound (Resurgence Basketball Association, also known as The RBA) and Re:Lative (Resurgence Genealogy Project) still in the works.
John Frame: Questions to Ask a Film
Daniel Block: Gideon's Fleece
Jonathan Dodson: Confessions of a Failing Disciple
SBTS Towers: 3 Questions with Tim Keller
Art of Manliness: The Art of Summer Grilling
Dude, it's June. You need some music. Amazon has some new $5 album deals. Here are some of the best...
Stream or download the Dark Was the Night concert. If you don't have the album, Dark Was the Night (download, CD), you need it. It's really good.
Manchester Orchestra's album, Mean Everything to Nothing (download, CD), has been burning up my iPod. Still blowing me away, especially as they continue to put out videos for all the tracks. Here's the just released "I Can Feel a Hot One"...
And I'll leave you with the consistently wonderful Grizzly Bear with new high quality videos up. Here's "Cheerleader." More videos at Stereogum.
On my iPod: Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything to Nothing (download for $7.99, CD) is playing most of the time. Maybe the album of the year. Watch some Smoking Section videos at Rolling Stone. Lots of religious, church background in the music.
Go listen to the stream of the entire Dark Night of the Soul album (official website). This is a Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse album that may never actually get a release. At least at this point it's tied up with legal problems. I hope they figure it out because the album is spectacular. What makes it even more interesting is the involvement of David Lynch, who supplies a book of visuals. Here's a weird video intro...sorta...
Watch this great live performance of The Decemberists with "The Wanting Comes in Waves." Are you sure this is The Decemberists rocking out? Very cool...
And one for Memorial Day. If you haven't seen the Cactus Cuties sing the National Anthem, you are missing something very special...
Over the past years I've learned to respect and enjoy very different kinds of music. Right now I'm learning to love the blues. The main reason the blues are making an impact on me are some downloads available from Amazon called The Best of the Blues. At 75 tracks per volume and with these amazing prices I hope you will find some happiness in the blues...
We caught a great concert last night in DeKalb with Sam Lowry, Frontier Ruckus, and headlining William Elliot Whitmore. Sam Lowry was not my style. William Elliot Whitmore was really great. But Frontier Ruckus was the real star of the evening for me.
I had never heard of Frontier Ruckus (MySpace, Wikipedia) before, and I didn't make any effort to know the bands who were playing before Whitmore. But the minute they took the stage, even before they started their first song, I was excited. It was because I saw a trumpet, a musical saw and a banjo. Add to that an acoustic guitar, bass, and drums and you get a rockin' out performance from a young, talented band. After viewing some online videos it appears they were without Anna Burch last night on harmony vocals.
As I'm writing this I'm listening to their album, The Orion Songbook (download, CD). Sometimes hearing a good live band before hearing their CD leads to a letdown. But I'm really enjoying this one.
So I want to introduce you to Frontier Ruckus. Enjoy a few videos...
Paste Magazine is struggling financially as many magazines are. I think this one is worth saving. Click the picture to donate and receive 70+ songs including many live and rare recordings. A nice bonus. It wouldn't hurt to subscribe to Paste if you haven't already.
