One of the aims of this blog is to explore the Gospel’s implications for and impact on all of life. Redemption is not just for the soul but the mind and the creative aspects of life. I regularly try to set aside some time and space each Friday to encourage the exploration of creativity. I try to do this by linking to the photography of Joe Kennedy, Will Turner, Timmy Brister, Steve McCoy, Joe Thorn, along with the Friday Flickr Group in which they participate. In addition to that I have a regular rotation of poetry, visual art and music. The poets, artists and musicians in question may or may not be Christian. The main criteria is that they pursue their craft with excellence and in some way have encouraged me to think biblically about creativity. You may or may not initially see the connection. If not, please ask. Otherwise, enjoy.

Things are a bit different today. You may have noticed, but the content of this Friday post shifts quite a bit but nearly always features featured music. That’s all we’re going to focus on today. I had planned on doing a “normal” post featuring poetry and some art as well but then I came across this new band, Psalters and saw that Colossians Three Sixteen favorite Doug Burr had posted some new content, so that’s our focus today: music, only good music.

Today’s first featured music comes from Psalters (an outfit I was recently introduced to in the comments-section of this very blog, thanks Billy!). The band is apparently part of a PA Christian collective known as The Simple Way which offers community outreach, and from what I can tell, communal living.

Describing the music of Psalters is difficult. Picture a hippie drum circle with some Jewish (almost a Klezmer influence) and Asian influences, some samples, some Tom Waits and the blues, some chanting and lots Scripture, all the while looking a bit like Peter Pan’s “lost boys” and you begin to get an idea of what this band does. I can’t help but think of a Rusted Root comparison, which for me, is a good thing but for you may not be. I have yet to see them live, but I hear the show is fantastic, which I can imagine. My wife thinks they sometimes sound a bit angry and at least one friend doesn’t care for their sound, but I dig them quite a bit. On their website, the band describes their mission as:

“we are the cry of the exodus.
there is no home for us here.
we are a nomadic tribe of psalters,
walking in the footsteps of ancients past
to the far corners of the present,
united as one voice against the
oppression within and without.
one more echo in the eternal song of our
First Love, our Hope, our Pillar of Fire.”

As part of their “Manifesto,” (don’t you wish more bands had manifestos?), they state: “As followers of El Elyon , the Suffering Servant, we seek not to make music for music’s sake, but for God’s sake; through His Grace, for His Glory.” While obviously influenced by Jewish roots and OT imagery, the band also clearly points to Christ as the fulfillment of that imagery. The band claims to to model the approach of the Psalters, or the OT Temple musicians, except with Christian content.

The draw heavily on the imagery of leprosy, which might make some feel uncomfortable, but which is surely Scriptural. When afflicted with leprosy, it is not just that body parts fall off, it is that they lose their feeling, their senses and then, but to repeated injury, along with the decay itself, is when they fall off. The band preaches a message that much of the American church too, has “lost its senses,” a message which many certainly need to hear.

In addition to making several tracks available for free download on their website the band has two entire albums available for free download from the Potter Street Records website (registration is required).

• Visit the official Psalters website
• Visit the band’s Myspace page
• Download “Turn Me ‘Round (Slave Song)”
• Download “The Lord’s Prayer”
• Download “El Elyon” (live)
• Download “We Are All Lepers Here” from the US vs US album
• Download “Banner” from the US vs US album
• Download “Home For Refugees” from the US vs US album
• Download “Hosana” from the Divine Liturgy album
• Download their 2004 album US vs US for free (registration required)
• Download their 2006 album The Divine Liturgy of the Wretched Exiles for free (registration required)
• Watch some live clips of the band from 05/25/08
• Watch a live version of “The Lord’s Prayer”

Next, as I mentioned, Doug Burr has posted some new content over on his website that I wanted to pass along. My wife and I first came across Burr’s music when he opened for Bill Mallonee (formerly of the Vigilantes of Love). We were quite impressed to say the least. I immediately bought his independent release Sickle and the Sheaves. Since then, Burr has released his label-debut, a collaborative effort from Velvet Blue and Spune, called On Promenade. It is one of my top three favorite albums of the year so far. If you don’t love this album, I’m guess it’s because you haven’t heard it yet. Burr writes subtle yet powerful songs dripping with heartache and upheld by faith.

Spune has the track “In the Garden” available for free. I believe this is only available for a limited time, so grab it now, you won’t be disappointed. In the late summer, Burr appeared on HDnet’s True Music with Katie Daryl and he has made the video of that episode available on his website. It’s a short show, but he appears last, after Deerhunter and Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, both of which are interesting, but you’ll have to scroll towards the end if you’re just interested in Burr. And last, he has posted a live performance of “Whippoorwill” live at Monk’s. Enjoy.

• Visit Doug Burr’s official website
• Read my review of On Promenade
• Read my interview with Doug Burr
• Download the track “In The Garden” from On Promenade
• Watch the True Music with Katie Daryl episode featuring Doug Burr
• Watch the live performance of “Whippoorwill”
• Watch the video for “Slow Southern Home”