Archive for the ‘Reader Response’ Category
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):
- Neon Bible by The Arcade Fire
- Strength in Numbers by Calla
- We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank by Modest Mouse
- Armchair Apocrypha by Andrew Bird
- In Our Nature by Jose Gonzalez
- In Rainbows by Radiohead
- Some Loud Thunder by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
- Once (Original Soundtrack)/The Cost by The Frames/The Swell Season (it all became a great soup of music)
- Cease to Begin by Band Of Horses
- Sky Blue Sky by Wilco
- Icky Thump by The White Stripes
- Hvarf/Heim by Sigur Ros
- Friend and Foe by Menomena
- The Ringing Bell by Derek Webb
- An End Has a Start by Editors
- Southern Weather by The Almost
- Cosmos by The Send
- Even Heroes Need a Parachute by This Beautiful Republic
- Cannons by Phil Wickam
- Ode to Sunshine by Delta Spirit
- Horses of War by Revival
- Remedy by David Crowder Band
- The Flying Club Cup by Beirut
- Life is Still Beautiful by The Orange Lights
- Carnavas by Silversun Pickups
- All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone by Explosions in the Sky
- The Story and the Song Between the Trees
- Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem
- Self-Titled by A Place to Bury Strangers
Best things to shake up the industry award:
- In The Attic of the Universe by The Antlers
- Letters to the Editor EP by Andrew Osenga
- In Rainbows by Radiohead
Keeping the Music Alive Award (AKA: “Riding on Your First Release for Over 2 Years):
“Can’t Wait To Hear It All” Picks:
Movies:
- No Country for Old Men
- Bourne Ultimatum
- 3:10 to Yuma
- Danielson: A Family Movie
Top Pop Culture Pick:
- Anna Nicole Smith is still dead!
Books:
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.
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.
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.
- Jonah Smith by Jonah Smith (2006)
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…
- Mr. Lemons by Glen Phillips (2006)
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?
- Mysterious Things by Evan Wickham (2006)
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.
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.
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:
- The Crane Wife by The Decemberists
- The Wilderness Underneath by The Via Maris
- In Rainbows by Radiohead
- Chase the Light by Jimmy Eat World
- Fox Confessor Brings the Flood by Neko Case
Here is what I enjoyed reading:
Kyle Hopper was once the owner of an extraordinary beard. He says it’s coming back but it will never be the same. It never is. Kyle sometimes blogs here but more often than not, he does not.
Favorite Book:
My favorite book of the year was certainly Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology by Eric Brende. This is a book for anyone that enjoyed Crunchy Cons by Rod Dreher. Brende is a young guy with degrees from Yale and MIT. To say he knows a thing or two about technology would be an understatement. After his formal education, he began to wonder what kind of an impact technology has on our daily lives. The best way for him to find out was to essentially “unplug” himself, so that is what he did. He and his wife lived for one year in a very tight knit community of Amish/Mennonite. For one year they did not use electricity or modern technology. Of course the book is loaded with great stories of a couple of suburbanites trying to hack a living out of the natural/rural world. The book is more though. He comes away with not an “All technology is evil” mantra. Instead challenges us to think about what is gained but what is also lost by having certain technology.
Favorite new band find:
I really love music as much as the next guy, probably more than the average guy, but cannot physically consume the quantities that a Brent Thomas can. Therefore I rely on my good friend for recommendations for possible bands/albums that I might enjoy. He came through in a BIG way in 2007! He introduced me to The Snake The Cross The Crown’s album Cotton Teeth. I have been wearing this album out! I cannot begin to explain how happy this album makes me or even why! I think of Creedence Clearwater Revival in that this is another band that brings Southern Rock by way of California.
Best movie of the year:
300 for all of the stereotypical hypermasculine chestbeating reasons. It’s all of the great battles of something like Braveheart without a pesky plot or romance getting in the way!
Favorite Concert of the Year:
I want to say William Elliott Whitmore at Rocket Town in Nashville, but I can’t. It was a great show. Very personal and extremely moving. This show was incredible, but still didn’t compare to the Lucero show at the Gibson Guitar Factory Lounge in MEMPHIS! If you can ever see a band in their hometown, do it. I have seen Lucero more times than I care to admit, yet every time I see them in Memphis I am blown away. This show was for every die-hard fan. They had no setlist. As fans would call out songs, the band would play them. The show went on for about 3-4 hours with NO break. I was able to hear songs that I had NEVER heard live performed that night. The opening band was great as well. Imagine CCR having “Woodstock era” Joe Cocker as lead vocals, which goes over very well in a place like Memphis. They were called Catfish Haven. The added bonus was seeing the show with two of my college roommates. Good Times!
Most memorable moments of the year:
Becoming a Full Time Minister, becoming a pet owner, moving from an apartment to a house, personally suffering a miscarriage and helping two other couples through theirs, some great meals with friends and family (including breakfast at Denny’s with the Thomas clan), shaving off the beard but thankfully growing it back.
Eric “Gunny” Hartman is one of our most vital weapons in the war on terror. Ever ready for the battle, Gunny pastors Providence Church in Garland, TX, teaches at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, is a proud ally of the Fellowship of Reformed Churches and blogs here about various and sundry items. A beacon of hope in a dark and dreary world, our ally and friend Gunny always stands ready to defend the defenseless in the war on slooge everywhere. Wait, is slooge good or bad? I’m still not sure; is it good or bad? Let’s see if Gunny can help us understand (and please let me know afterwards if you have any better understanding of the world of slooge or not):
Musical Discovery:
- Songs About Jane by Maroon 5: I really dig their sound.
Music with which I got reacquainted:
Books that made an impression:
- Stop Dating the Church by Joshua Harris
- Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
- The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter (again)
- Easy Chairs, Hard Words by Doug Wilson
Passings I found most notable:
- Dan Fogelberg
- Evel Knievel
- Jerry Falwell
- D. James Kennedy
- Norman Mailer
Most interesting movies I saw for the first time:
- Premonition
- Wild Hogs
- Tyler Perry’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman
- The Pursuit of Happyness
- Stranger than Fiction
- Gridiron Gang
- Glory Road
- Ratatouille
“What the sheol?” moments:
- Virginia Tech Massacre
- Massacre of Brittany Spears’ scalp
- Appalachian State upsetting Michigan (and the copycat crimes that were
- rampant the rest of the season)
- Michael Vick’s dog fighting slooge
- The Little Mavericks getting bounced in the first round of the NBA
- playoffs … after the MVP endowed team won 67 games
Scripture on my mind:
- Psalm 9:1-2: I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. (ESV; our church’s theme verse for 2007)
- Jeremiah 9:23-24: Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” (ESV)
Personal Highlights:
- Coaching a soccer team of 6 year old girls - As a first-timer, it was a challenge, but with such a great group of girls my heart was warmed just being around them and seeing them enjoy themselves.
- Getting to speak at the Fellowship of Reformed Churches‘ annual
conference on “The Character of God in Everyday Life” (hear Gunny’s message here).
Providence Church Highlights:
- Having a joint worship service with North Garland Baptist Fellowship, a predominatly African American congregation that shares our passion for ethnic diversity.
- Playing the role of Bruce Dickinson (yes, THE Bruce Dickinson) during our re-enactment of the “Cowbell” SNL skit at our annual talent show.
- Celebrating our 1 year anniversary with a fish fry & picnic.
You may know Adam from his contributions here at Colossians Three Sixteen (most recently read this, this or this and let him know we’d love to read more from him!). You may know him as a guy who somewhat resembles Christian Slater, although Adam certainly isn’t as young as he once was. But then again, neither is Christian Slater.
Adam’s list this year is short and sweet and focuses on books:
