Sun 23 Dec 2007
Sun 23 Dec 2007
Mark Eldon Whiten is truly an enigma. What is there to say about this gift of God other than that he truly is a gift. He designs at Whiten Design and White Nile. He tries to keep up with the music, but you know, at his age, his hearing isn’t what it used to be. We humor him though. Won’t you humor him with me? Mark is one of the few people on this planet who thinks of music the way I do. He introduced me this year to The Snake The Cross The Crown, but I introduced him to both Jeremy Casella and Doug Burr. He tries to keep up, but again, the years are catching up with him and he doesn’t quite move like he once did. Humor him with me:
Top Music Picks:
Best of the Rest of the Year (In No Particular Order):
Best things to shake up the industry award:
Keeping the Music Alive Award (AKA: “Riding on Your First Release for Over 2 Years):
“Can’t Wait To Hear It All” Picks:
Movies:
Top Pop Culture Pick:
Books:
Sun 23 Dec 2007
Welcome to my year-in-review. I look forward to this time of year. Maybe it’s the music nerd in me, I really don’t know. I look forward to seeing what other people loved during the year and why, and what I missed. I love the idea of Christians pro-actively evaluating popular culture rather than running from it, sanitizing parts of it and then wearing our “bread crumb and a fish” (instead of Abercrombie & Fitch in case you didn’t catch that) and then thinking we’re cool like everyone else. Withdrawal is not the solution, but neither is sanitizing bits and pieces to create our own little subculture, far removed from the rest of the world where we can be sure that we will only receive “Christian” influence, but whee we can also be sure we will influence no one else but ourselves. To that end, let’s review 2007:
Books:
I read quite a bit, but this year, I didn’t read many books that actually came out in 2007 but there were four that I did that I’d like to point out to you. The first, Everyday Theology: How to Read Cultural Texts and Interpret Trends, edited by Kevin Vanhoozer. This book is worth it for the introductory essay by Vanhoozer alone. Vanhoozer helps Christians begin to think about the surrounding culture and how to think about it and interact with it. Implicit here is the notion that withdrawing from culture should not be an option (which, sadly, for many, it is).
The second book was actually released in 2006 but I didn’t read it until 2007 so I’ll include Body Piercing Saved My Life: Inside the Phenomenon of Christian Music by Andrew Beaujon. Beaujon makes no claim to be a Christian. Instead, he is journalist for Spin magazine who decided to look into the multi-million dollar industry that has become “Christian” music. There’s nothing really groundbreaking here, but it is an interesting “outsider’s” look into a world so many Christians take for granted.
The third book is Andrée Seu’s Normal Kingdom Business. This is Seu’s second published collection of essays that originally appeared in World magazine and it is every bit as good as the first. Seu writes with wit, wisdom and spiritual sensitivity that is quite difficult to find these days. Her everyday observations remind us that everyday is truly about “kingdom business” whether we realize it or not.
The fourth book is the Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, edited by G.K. Beale and D.A. Carson. What an invaluable resource!
2007 Musical “Discoveries” and Musical Trends:
I love discovering new music. There’s a certain thrill and excitement that I find upon entering a brave new acoustic world for the first time. Sometimes these “discoveries” are bands that I’ve known about but never really listened to. Other times, they are bands I’ve heard about for the first time.
One artist that I’ve known about for quite some time but only this year, for a variety of reasons, really “got” was Woven Hand. The side-project of David Eugene Edwards while 16 Horsepower is on seemingly indefinite hiatus, Edwards weaves Scripture with praise and warnings of judgment over Gothic folk/alt. country/bluegrass/Celtic rhythms into a pattern you’ll never hear on “Christian” radio. Edwards is quite forthright about his faith and its central role in his music, but is also not interested in being classified as a “Christian”
Another artist in a similar vein (though not necessarily musically) is Daniel Smith, also known as Danielson. In fact, Woven Hand is signed to Smith’s Sounds Familyre label. I have known about the various Danielson incarnations for several years now. But after hearing last year’s Ships and seeing the Family Movie documentary, I was hooked. Mark and I were talking the other day about Danielson being like one of those cutting edge designers who you see on television and the models have some really weird stuff on that most people would never actually wear. But in the front row of that fashion show are the more “accessible” designers who take some of those more cutting edge ideas to the masses. Danielson is sort of like that, but he reminds us that there’s a reason people keep coming back to the original sources.
Along these same lines, I’ve been quite immersed in Bob Dylan’s trio of “Christian” albums, Slow Train Coming (1979), Saved (1980) and Shot of Love (1981). If you’re sensing a trend here, good. I have been fascinated lately by the idea of “Christians” making music that would not be considered by most to be “Christian” music. In fact, I think that the tag “Christian” music is fairly absurd, but that’s a topic for another day.
Music (in reverse order):
When I’ve done this sort of thing the past couple of years, I’ve always resisted numbering my final favorite albums of the year. Instead, I’ve simply put them up in alphabetical order, letting them stand for themselves. I had some reasons for doing that, but this year I’ve departed from those reasons. Here are my favorite albums of the year (in as best an order as I can say at this point):
25. Room to Expand by Hauschka
24. Remedy by David Crowder Band
23. Speaks Volumes by Nico Muhly
22. Kurr by Amiina
21. Children Running Through by Patty Griffin
20. Friend and Foe by Menomena
19. Sky Blue Sky by Wilco
18. Cease to Begin by Band Of Horses
17. All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone by Explosions in the Sky
16. Neon Bible by The Arcade Fire
15. Armchair Apocrypha by Andrew Bird
14. In Rainbows by Radiohead
13. The Flying Club Cup by Beirut
12. Ongiara by Great Lake Swimmers
11. Once (Original Soundtrack) and The Cost by The Frames. I prefer The Swell Season but it was from 2006 so I’ll go with the other two.
10. Arigato! by John Davis
09. Ears Will Pop and Eyes Will Blink by Bodies of Water
08. Are We Not Horses by Rock Plaza Central
07. Heart Attack Time Machine by Waterdeep
06. Straightjacket by Steven Delopoulos
05. Cotton Teeth by The Snake The Cross The Crown: Having grown out of their indie rock roots, The Snake The Cross The Crown has delivered an album that fuses modern sensibilities with class rock and boisterous, sing-a-long choruses. A perfect album for driving. This is surely to become a classic, at least among those who actually heard it this year. Being reminiscent of Creedence Clearwater Revival is never a bad thing.
04. Sermon On Exposition Boulevard by Rickie Lee Jones Much of this CD was actually improvised and that carefree devotion to the music comes through very well. Loosely based on Scripture, you may not agree with all of Jones’ interpretations (referring to God as “Heavenly Mother” and the like) but this is a moving declaration of faith drawing heavily from the likes of Tom Waits and others. This is the music of someone genuinely moved the the Bible’s portrayal of Jesus, which is much more than we can say for much of what passes as “Christian” music. This is Jones’ best work in years.
03. Person Pitch by Panda Bear: How could I not love this CD, loving Pet Sounds from the Beach Boys and much of what has come to be known as “freak folk.” Panda Bear, of the Animal Collective, seamlessly fuses the two: perfect pop with psychedelic flourishes. Challenging yet accessible in many ways, this album reveals new layers with every listen. This disc reminds us that there is a reason so many continue to read Pitchfork, who named this their album of the year.
02. The Christ Tree Boxset (reissue) by The Trees Community: Originally released in 1975 and then out of print for many years. 2007 saw the re-release of this wonderful album in the form of a limited-edition four CD box set, including an informative booklet telling the story of the Trees Community. Preceding “freak folk” and smashing the boundaries of “Christian” music, this is music like you’ve likely never heard: crossing and fusing genres while remaining cohesive. Sincere and sublime and definitely ahead of its time.
01. On Promenade by Doug Burr and Recovery by Jeremy Casella: I can’t tell you how much these two albums have been part of my life this past year. Every time I thought one of them was my favorite of the year I listened to the other one and it switched again! So I chose both of them. It’s a tie! Though these are different albums, they are both as close to perfect as anything I’ve heard in a long time, just in different ways. Casella mines the world of majestic and moving pop while Burr plows in more solitary ground, playing what many would consider to be “alt. country” while transcending anything the genre has to offer.
Sun 23 Dec 2007
This’ll be a little rushed, but here’s my two cents worth:
1) Christian indie music - It was in 2007 that I really began to discover Christian indie. I knew of a few artists previously (mosty just Sufjan and Danielson), but in 2007 I delved into the depths of all that is Christian indie. I’m a little behind the times, but it was in 2007 that I found out about Woven Hand, Rosie Thomas, Destroy Nate Allen, This Beautiful Mess, Aaron Strumpel, Ponoka, and zillions of others who are now mainstays in my life. If you don’t know those bands, check them out. And if you don’t know Christian indie, go scour the internet to find some great bands you’ll never hear on Christian radio. There is a lot of stuff out there now that puts secular music to shame.
2) Jazz Music - While delving into Christian indie in 2007, I also decided to broaden my musical horizons by exploring the word of jazz. I’d always liked jazz, but I never knew much about it until recently. So for a period of about 3 months, pretty much all I listened to was jazz. Jellyroll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk, Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Brubeck, John Coltrane, Wynton Marsalis …the list of jazz greats stretches on forever. I watched documentaries on jazz. I read articles about jazz. And I came away really appreciating the music as probably the most American of art forms. It was great for me, growing up mostly on rock music, to go out into totally unknown territory.
3) Blues Music - Not only did I discover jazz for real in 2007, but this year I delved into blues. If I could pick two forms of music that define America, they’d be jazz and blues. I’d always written off blues music previously, because I’m not a huge fan of classic rock with all its blues influences, but there’s nothing like discovering the roots of the art form. I did the same thing with blues as I did with jazz. I turned off almost all other music and just listened to blues for a couple months, watched documentaries on the music, and surrounded myself with it. I came away with some musicians that will probably never leave my playlists. Some of my favorites were Son House, Blind Willie Johnson, Mississippi John Hurt, and Skip James, guys who played a simple form of music with emotion and passion like no one else.
Maybe that was three cents’ worth.
Sun 23 Dec 2007
Wade is a true gentleman and scholar. I think when they coined the phrase they had him in mind. He was once the frontman for legendary rockers The Corbans, who were bent on world domination. He was also one of the room-mates in what was arguably the cleanest guys’ apartment in any college history and then one day his lamp caught on fire and we had a burn spot on our carpet the rest of the time. But it was still a clean apartment. May I introduce you to Wade Myers, now of Peoria, AZ:
Here is just a smidgen of what I thoroughly enjoyed this past year:
Music:
Perhaps one of the most catchy and surprising albums I have heard in awhile. Every song is beautifully crafted and sticks in my head…over…and over…and over…
Braddigan caught my ear this past year. Very mellow and chill…nothing complex, but easily good…check out Watchfires by Braddigan as well.
One of the best “worship” albums I have ever heard. Robbie has a way of bringing out the heart of worship without sounding CCM…we need more of that.
My wife’s favorite artist…ever…Man, I love her…and I think Sara’s great, too.
Thanks Brent for pointing me toward this album. Jeremy is solid…one of the BEST albums I own.
Although this album came out in 2006, I just found out about Jonah Smith this year. Smooth, soulful, delightful. I can’t stop listening to this album…
Glen Phillips has to be one of my biggest musical influences…ever! From back in the “Toad” days to right now, he never ceases to amaze me with his songwriting and lyrical allure. Again, this album came out in 2006 but this has had heavy rotation in my iPod throughout 2007. Great songs…great songwriting…Have I said that Glen is one of my biggest musical influences?
Another 2006 album that I caught wind of this year. Get this album…trust me.
Books:
A good look at how American evangelicalism has watered down the gospel to fit the “felt-needs” and consumerism of congregations today. Mike does a great job of illustrating how this is NOT the church Christ desires.
The title says it all…
Fascinating book…
I enjoy reading history biography. This is good…
Television:
Not much of a television watcher, however I love The Office and continuous Seinfeld reruns.
Sat 22 Dec 2007
Josh Kidwell blogs at Unbound and his “best of” post originally appeared here. He has graciously agreed to have it reprinted here.
2007 had some good points. I discovered Stumble in 2007 and eMusic. I figured out that small things are important at home too. I was forced into using Windows Vista but discovered it’s not too bad. Too many more to remember or write down I am sure. I am also sure that I was probably too busy to notice most of them except for the periphery. I managed to grow my own sweet potatoes and I began to teach my son about working with his hands. Last week we split and stacked firewood and learned to dig and sort sweet potatoes. We both slept well those nights.
It seems like I came to value the church a great deal more than I have in the past as I have been without one for most of a year. Late in 2006 we walked out of our church and, essentially, never went back. It wasn’t without a lot of prayer and attempts to reconcile and things like that. We basically left because we were at a point where we were about to start causing trouble. I don’t like to cause trouble in the church so we left. But the church is a priceless gift and you should treasure it if you have one. Being a member of a church is a privilege and we should treat it as such. Yes we who are Christians are all members of the Body, but we should rejoice in the presence of our brothers. The day may come when we cannot.
2007 was a banner year for music but I also learned a caution as well. I discovered Miles Davis and Kind of Blue this year. It’s rarely out of my CD player. I discovered MP3’s and the delightful power of the eMusic DRM free download. Yea, I am not afraid of the iPod, neither do I wish to embrace it. I spent the summer revisiting some old musical haunts. Metal and Rock (classic and not so classic) and some other nostalgic avenues. Was it that shallow when I was there the first time or was I so small of stature that it seemed like an ocean? Probably. I also discovered the delightfully redone hymns of the Gadsby Project by Red Mountain Church and the worship tunes of Sovereign Grace music. Good stuff all.
Here’s my caution, and it comes in the form of rediscovering a band I used to love and a new one that’s pretty cool too. My wife and I both have medical backgrounds so we watch the CSI’s Miami and NY. We love catching their mistakes but we love watching because there aren’t many. Anyway, I heard a song on CSI:NY that caught my ear and looked it up. It was a Velvet Revolver tune and lo and behold their guitarist is Slash. Being a big fan of Guns and Roses I found it, bought it and a few others and, thus, started on the nostalgia thing I talked about above. I also exposed myself to some rather awful lyrical content. I’m not getting all fundy on you here but it wasn’t healthy…spiritually I mean.
Watch yourself. That’s all I’m saying.
I did some re-reading recently. I read a lot of fiction over the Summer because my brain was on overload after May/June. But one book that continues to affect me is Chosen by God by R.C. Sproul. I also like Luther’s Bondage of the Will and his biography. The non-Bible book that as most altered my thinking is J.L. Dagg’s Manual of Theology. (hurry, there’s only one left.) The theology is good, but the biography in the back is intense. I found one on Amazon and I’ve read and re-read the bio several times.
As for movies? I don’t get out to the movies very often. The nearest movie theater is thirty minutes away on a good day. I buy a lot of DVD’s and we watch a lot of kid’s movies. Transformers was spectacular from a geeky special effects standpoint but the message about the American Dream and buying a car so you can date and maybe have sex was typical. Wild Hogs was great, except for the homosexual humor—what did I expect? One surprise was High School Musical and I am still trying to think if there are any hidden evils in there but I haven’t found any. No sex, profanity, or even suggestive themes. It’s a sort of a ‘you can do it’ movie for kids. I guess you could figure a secular humanism angle in there but it’s just so surprising to see Disney produce a nearly completely family friendly film that I just can’t get worked up enough to do it.
Next year is an election year so pop-culture is popping. I’m always interested in seeing the Candidates pictures in whatever media where the Republican’s look like idiots and the Democrats are obviously posed and have taken a minute to primp before the click. I think it’s a vast left-wing conspiracy. I also enjoyed Joe Torre telling the Yankee’s to get stuffed. I hope he thumps them senseless sometime soon with his new team.
Sat 22 Dec 2007
Aaron Kellar, one of the two famous (or is that infamous) Kellar twins and younger brother to the world-known Robbie Kellar. Another short and sweet list:
Here is what I enjoyed listening to:
Here is what I enjoyed reading:
