1st Quarter 2012 Music Guide:

Do to my work on our other blog, I've neglected this one a great deal this year.  My apologies for that, but I believe our ministry will keep me focused on the other one the majority of the time.  Therefore, for the time being this blog will be where I occasionally write about the music I've been enjoying.  And here is a look into what I've purchased thus far in 2012:

All Sons & Daughter album "Season One": 

All Sons & Daughters are a duo worship pair who have released 2 EP's titled, "Brokenness Aside" and "Reason to Sing".  In 2012 they combined the 2 EP's, added a couple extra songs, some videos, chord chards, and voila, "Season One" was born.  If you haven't listened to All Sons & Daughters, they're probably writing and recording the best worship music you can get your hands on today.  It's well layered, yet they do an excellent job of allowing the instrumentation to take a back seat to the beautiful harmonies they create.  "Season One" on itunes contains worship videos and a bunch of extras for $11.99.  Amazon's digital download is $9.99, but they also have a hard copy CD (for the purists out there) that can also be found for about 11.99.  Either one is worth the expense, but the iTunes LP and/or hard copy CD/DVD is probably the best way to go.  As for their sound, I'd like to say AS&D is similar to "The Civil Wars" with more of a worship feel, but honestly, "I believe Season One" to be even better than "Barton Hollow".  Final Take: 4.5/5

Paul Baloche's album "The Same Love":

Paul Baloche is well known for some old worship favorites ("Open the Eyes of My Heart") but he's been putting out albums for a long, long time. His new one, "The Same Love" is brilliant.  Recorded in a few houses with some studio work and mixing going into it, he's delivered an album that's not only theologically solid, but also points the listener directly to the gospel, and he's able to accomplish this in every single song! without sounding mundane.  He worked with "All Sons & Daughters" on the track "Oh, Our Lord" as well.  I would be inclined to give "The Same Love" a 4/5, but Paul Baloche also decided to make the album available in hard-copy form as of March 13, and release it digitally on April 3. This gave bookstores some much needed business (Apple does take a 30% cut from itunes, you know, and I believe Amazon's mp3 store does too - buy directly from artists whenever possible! *rant over*) and those who preordered from this site got a truckload of bonus material, how-to-play videos, chord charts, demo tracks, and more.  Well done, Paul Baloche, well done.  Final Take: 4.5/5

Passion's album "White Flag":

Passion has become a bit too formulaic in my personal opinion.  It seems that all Passion artists/conferences have this mindset of, "If it's worked before, let's just do it again!"  Here me Passion, and understand this isn't a judgment of any one person on this album: You need to add a bit more creativity into in your music.  The lyrics are simplistic and the guitar riffs and effects are getting repetitive. I don't mind hearing a slightly similar sound ever now and then (think "The Edge" from U2) but most artists will mix things up just enough to sound fresh.  While there are a few songs on here with a slightly different sound than albums of the past, the album as a whole still falls short.  Nevertheless, I'm sure we'll be introducing some tracks to our congregation in the near future.  The Deluxe Edition adds 3 tracks, some videos and a Louie Giglio talk making it worth the extra 50 cents on amazon (The 268 Generation store doesn't sell the Deluxe Edition).  Not sure it's worth the extra $2.50 on itunes.  But as stated on Paul Baloche's review above, if you truly want to support Passion, purchase it directly from them.  Final Take: 3.5/5

27 Million: by Matt Redman and LZ7:

Matt Redman and LZ7 combine to bring a modern day hip-hop track in which the sole purpose is to bring awareness to human trafficking and modern day slavery.  It worked. I've heard this song and seen it advertised just about everywhere.  The song itself, isn't great.  It's not bad, but it's not great either.  Nevertheless, the message of the song and the awareness that it continues to bring gives this single track a 4/5.

Robbie Seay Band's album "Rich and Poor": 

Robbie Seay Band continues to remain quiet in the realm of "worship" music these days.  Many of the tracks are not congregational friendly, but the band pulls them off in a way that makes this album a real treat to sit down and listen to.  I've found it's not the kind of album to listen to just 1-2 tracks before moving on.  Instead, listen to the entire album straight through.  Honestly, this album was a surprise to me (I've been playing and leading on worship teams for 12+ years now) and I'll have it in my repertoire for the next several months, if not longer.  Final Take: 4/5

David Crowder* Band's album "Give Us Rest"

David Crowder*Band released their final album in January of this year.  They played their final concert at the Passion Conference and are now all moving in different directions.  "Give Us Rest" is a Requiem Mass, and it's wonderful. While lyrically bland in a number of places, the artistic nature of the music helps to off-set this.  A wonderful way for David Crowder and friends to go out, yet something tells me we'll see a "live" album or two come into play, as DC*B recorded every concert they ever played.  I could be wrong, but I'm hopeful to see a live CD if not DVD make it's way out in the next 12-18 months.  Final Verdict: 4.5/5

Hillsong United Album "Live in Miami": 

What I stated above regarding Passion I can state again for Hillsong United.  I purchased this album thinking they would mix up enough tracks to give various ideas for how to do some of their songs in a live setting. I was wrong. I feel like I've heard this album before. At least 3-4 times before. As much as artists may believe it helps the overall experience, the crowd yelling in the background doesn't help.  Final Verdict: 3/5


Rend Collective Experiment's album "Homemade Worship by Handmade People"

Rend Collective Experience had out one album before this which didn't do too much for me.  The more I listened to it, the more I felt like it was missing something.  I was expecting this to be a "Sophomore Slump" kind of album and sadly watch what could have been fade into obscurity. Thankfully, this didn't happen.  Rend Collective Experiment does a fantastic job writing fresh worship songs with great harmonies and the occasional horn section.  Here's hoping for even better things ahead for Rend Collective Experiment.  Final Take: 4/5

Bon Iver's Youtube video "Live at Air Studio"

Fading away from the "worship" music scene, I'd like to give my 2 cents on the Bon Iver live at Air Studios youtube clip.  Bon Iver (aka Justin Vernon) is either one of those artists you truly love, or truly don't.  Personally, I love the guy.  I do my best not to fall into the trap of what magazine's tell me I should listen to, but when it comes to Bon Iver, they were right.  The Grammy's Bon Iver won this year were very much deserved and I find these 5 stripped down recordings to be absolute perfection. Last Year's self-titled album and this video will be in my playlist for years to come.  Final Take: 5/5

Of Monsters and Men's EP "Into the Woods

Haven't heard of "Of Monsters and Men"? You will. They currently have a 4-track EP out titled, "Into the Woods" and their full album is due to be released April 3 (though many clips are already available on youtube). RELEVANT Magazine says they may be this year's "Mumford and Sons" and RELEVANT may be right.  Check out the sound clips from the EP and prepare yourself for what may be one of this year's best released.  Final Verdict on the EP: 4/5

Albums I'm looking forward to later this year:

 Of Monsters and Men - My Head is An Animal:

See Above Notes on their EP

Swithfoot's "Vice Re-Verses" Remix Album:

Switchfoot is releasing a Vice Re-verses remix album from their wildly popular Vice Verses album last year.  I get weary of many remix albums, but with artists like Paper Route getting involved, I'm wildly curious and have a slight restrained jubilation vibe (Seinfeld reference) about this album.

Paper Route - "The Peace of Wild Things"

Paper Route's album "Absence" is probably one of my favorite albums over the past 3 years....maybe 5! And they're returning with a new album soon titled, "The Peace of Wild Things".  Oddly, they've mixed up their sound, and not just a little, but a lot.  The two tracks they've released thus far via Noisetrade giveaway's have a lot more of a "pop" music flair to them.  Honestly, I'm not sure what to expect with the album, as what I've heard is very different from their former album.  I'm excited about this one, but I have a few reservations.  Here's hoping they pull out a "Rend Collective Experiment" and send my shallow expectations to the curb.


Mumford & Sons, U2, The Violet Burning, and more:

Word is out that Mumford and Sons very well may have a new album out in 2012, as well as U2.  Additionally, I'm aware that "The Violet Burning" will be releasing some acoustic tracks to last year's "The Story of Our Lives" (to select individuals who supported their last album - me being one of them).  That said, TVB may release some other new material as well.  I'm certain there are a number of albums coming out I've yet to hear about, nevertheless, 2012 has been a great year for music thus far, and here's hoping it only gets better!

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What great album(s) am I missing out on?  Let me know in the comments below!

Best Albums of 2011:

As there isn't a whole lot of new music due out the remainder of the year, I thought I'd go ahead and post my "Best Albums of 2011" list.

Having a very wide range of musical taste, I thought I'd post by genre. While there could be much debate as to whether or not each of these albums has been placed into the appropriate genre, I've placed them here per my own personal preference.  Anyway, without any further ado...

Best "Worship" Albums of the Year:

I loathe CCM.  I really do.  Fortunately, however, good worship music (both congregational friendly and non-congregational friendly) continues to thrive, and 2011 was no exception to this.

10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman: There probably isn't a better congregational friendly worship album released this year.  Most solid album by Redman since Facedown.  Definitely worth owning.

Economy by John Mark McMillan: Many folks don't know John Mark McMillan, but if I told you he wrote "How He Loves", you'd say, "Oh, I love that song!"  Well, Economy is everything but "How He Loves", however, the album is a great Rock-worship album.  Not congregationally friendly perhaps, but a fantastic listen!

Brokenness Aside by All Sons and Daughters: When I first heard this 7-track EP I was floored.  Tracks such as "All the Poor and Powerless" are as good (if not better) than Gungor's "This is not the End".  Seriously, it's that good.  I cannot wait to hear what they come out with next.

Worship Album of the Year! - Ghosts Upon the Earth by Gungor: RELEVANT Magazine said Gungor's album was an early pick for album of the year.  They were right.  Ghosts Upon the Earth is 12 tracks of pure amazing songwriting and musicianship.  And unlike many other albums released these days, Ghosts requires you to sit and capture the entire project in one sitting.  A true masterpiece.

Best Singer/Songwriter Albums of the Year:

Love & War and The Sea In Between by Josh Garrels: This album is amazing, and Josh decided to give it away free for one year.  If you haven't downloaded it yet, do it.  Seriously.

Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars: The Civil Wars took years to be noticed, but they kept plugging along.  Now they're nominated for a Grammy and rightfully so.  Fantastic songwriting.  Fantastic vocals. Fantastic album.

Invisible Empires by Sara Groves: If you've never heard Sara Groves before, she's got a huge heart for social justice.  This is well seen on her former albums (in fact, she once recorded a live Christmas concert from within a women's prison and released it for free.)  While Invisible Empires may not be her best work, it's still one of the best albums I've heard this year.

Deeper by JJ Heller: JJ's former album was awful, just awful.  Fortunatly, she's gone back to her stripped down acoustic roots.  And there was much rejoicing.

Mission Bell by Amos Lee: A friend of mine turned me on to this album, and I'm really glad he did.  It's one of the finest pieces in my singer/songwriter collection that I'll be going back to for years to come.

Yearbook Collection by Sleeping at Last:I haven't heard a set of EP's this good since Jon Foreman's 4 Seasons EP's released a few years back.  To be honest, this SaL collection may be one I turn to more often in years to come than Foreman's.  Yes, it's that good.  Definitely worth purchasing the entire collection.

Singer/Songwriter Album of the Year! - Bon Iver by Bon Iver.  This album probably won't be your cup of tea.  Justin Vernon sings in a constant falsetto (as he also did on For Emma, Forever Ago) and the music is far from most radio-friendly music heard today.  Nevertheless, this self-titled effort is so musically creative and well layered that it is probably my most listened to album of the year. 

Best Rock Albums of the Year:

Codes and Keys by Death Cab for Cutie: It's really a shame that Death Cab's non-belief in God is so blatantly apparent throughout this album.  Its' a pretty good project for Death Cab, but not one I'll put in regularly.

Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes: Perhaps this album belongs in a "Folk" section, I'm not really sure.  While Fleet Foxes have been compared to a lot of bands of years past, I liken them most to a cross between the Beach Boys and the Mamas and the Papas.  This album has superb songwriting and musicianship

The King is Dead by The Decembersists: Another "folk" album maybe, but The King is Dead is a great project by the Decemberists.  While it's not the quality of Helplessness Blues, it's still worth a good listen.

Nothing is Wrong by Dawes: One of the great mellow southern rock albums of the year.  Dawes may not be your style, but I found this album worth listening to a number of times, and I'm certain I'll hear it a lot more in the months ahead.

The Whole Love by Wilco: Wilco is a very interesting band, but they've been around for years.  And The Whole Love is probably one of the best albums in their career.  If the mood is right, you won't find a better record to listen to than this one.

Vice Verses by Switchfoot: Jon Foreman and Switchfoot do it again! Vice Verses is a great alternative/pop/rock album.  You feel kind of torn as to what genre to place it in (depending on what track you're listening to), but they're able to make it work very well.  If you haven't picked this up, you probably should.

Rock Album of the Year! - The Story of Our Lives by The Violet Burning: It's true.  I could not in good conscious put forth a different "Rock album of the year" than this one.  Michael Pritzl's 34 track - 3 cd - box set compilation is as good as it gets. 

Let me know what I missed in the comments below!

Ghosts Upon the Earth:

Let me get this out of the way now: if you're looking for a "worship" album that contains a few songs that are easy to sing along while you're driving down the highway, this album is not for you.  However, if you're looking for something to really LISTEN to, something that provides some of the best instrumentation, powerful lyrics, and an overall taste of the best collective songwriting possible, stop reading this right now and go buy Gungor's latest album, "Ghosts Upon the Earth".

Gungor attacks themes such as creation, death, the afterlife, and even wrongful biblical teaching, and accomplishes all of this with lyrics and music that have a "faith like a child" feel to them.  It's beautifully, artistically, and painfully impressive all at once.  It's an album that will have you in deep worship one moment, and in a challenging self-retrospective state the next -- and then back again.  It's almost as if Gungor intentionally set-out to bring the listener into a state of worship, then challenge their perception of God, and bring them to an even greater moment of worship as album closes.  A truly remarkable accomplishment.

"Ghosts Upon the Earth" is truly one of the greatest albums of 2011. Enjoy!

To read all about the album, check out Gungor's blog.  This will give you the opportunity to have all lyrics on-hand as you listen.

Ghosts Upon the Earth:

Due out September 20, is Gungor's "Ghosts Upon the Earth".  The official trailer (video) for the album project is below.  Full review will come once I've had a chance to listen through the entire project.  From what I've heard thus far, this may very well be the best album of 2011.

The Ocean:

I'm heading to the beach.  It's been a while since I've seen the ocean.  But a glimpse of the ocean can always be found elsewhere.  Enjoy!

Creativity in Music:

After posting about the new "Codes and Keys" album by Death Cab for Cutie, I've done a great deal of thinking about music and more specifically the "Christian" music industry.  (Whether or not it should be defined as such is a conversation for another day.)  This industry is one in which I very much have a love/hate relationship.  I have three different reasons for this:

1) I feel like the majority of artists cater only a churched crowd and aren't doing a good job of reaching others with/through their music.  60 minutes of K-love radio will show you that "Christian" music today caters to a specific demographic, indeed.

2) I also believe that the majority of "Christian" music today is limited in  lyrical and musical creativity.  The same style is being used over and over and over again.  Very few artists are trying anything new and distinct, and I firmly believe that followers of Jesus should be at the cutting edge of creativity.

3) There is a cultural stigma against "Christian" music (probably because of #'s 1 & 2).  All throughout my childhood, my high school youth, my college years, and even into young adulthood I felt like I could always find some Christian music album/s that I could give to non-believing friends of mine and they would enjoy it.  In fact, many times in the past when I gave friends copies of some of my favorite albums I receive responses like, "This is 'Christian'?  No way!"  Today, I find it much more of a challenge to do so.

These are the primary reasons I often avoid a great deal of "Christian" music these days.  However, there are some artists out there who trump all of the above.

Concerning #1: This Fall, David Crowder*Band, Gungor, and John Mark McMillan are on tour together and are only playing secular clubs...no churches.  If a church tried to book them on this tour, the answer is a definitive, "no".  Those who know me well know I probably wouldn't attend a Crowder concert, but Gungor's and John Mark McMillan's newest "worship" albums are fantastic.  (In fact, John Mark McMillan's "Skeleton Bones" is one of the greatest "worship" songs of our day.)  These artists break the mold of the genre in every possible way.  Not only is their music lyrically and musically creative, but Michael Gungor spends the majority of his time ministering directly to the poor and desolate.  (What Crowder and McMillian do in their time I'm not sure, but the fact they've all agreed to hit secular clubs only speaks volumes to me.)  While Switchfoot and a number of others fit this description as well, I'm most fascinated that even "worship" artists are catering to a much different demographic than the typical "churched" crowd.  I love that.

Concerning #2: Gungor and John Mark McMillan are not the only "Christian" artists out there who are very creative in lyrics and instrumentation.  The Violet Burning's newest box set "The Story of Our Lives" is one of, if not "the" most fascinating musical project I've heard in years.  Mumford & Sons includes a great deal of biblical imagery and principles into their lyrics.  Sleeping at Last (especially their Yearbook EP's) has also become a staple in my recent musical playlist.  The Civil Wars, Matthew Perryman Jones, and even Derek Webb's newest "Feedback" album all show great amounts of creativity.  In fact, I've even been listening to Lecrae's newest album.  And while Hip/Hop-Rap isn't really my style, the fact that Crowder and Chris Tomlin both included Lecrae on recent "worship" music offerings during a Passion conference shows me that there are some who are willing to go outside the invisible boundaries surrounding "Christian" or "worship music".  The list of artists I love could go on, but the point I want to make is, while "Codes and Keys" is a great album, I've come to realize these other artists musical offerings trump it in more ways than one.

Finally, concerning #3: Most of the artists listed above are having an impact outside of the "chuched" crowd.  Few (if any) are truly represented by the K-Love crowd (outside of say, "How He Loves"), and all are creating music that breaks the norms of what music can or should be.

In summary, there are "Christian" artists out there who create fascinating music.  Who opening practice what they preach.  Who spend a great deal of time with others far from God.  And while some of them are relative unknowns in the music industry and probably won't ever make the best-sellers list, they're doing what they do out of a love for God, others, and musical and artistic creativity.

Here's "Skeleton Bones" from John Mark McMillan.  Enjoy!

Peel back our ribs again
And stand inside of our chest
We just want to love you
We just want to love you yeah

Peel back the veil a time
Let us see you with our naked eyes
We just want to love you
We just want to love you yeah

Skeleton bones stand at the sound
Of eternity on
The lips of the found
Grave stones roll
to the rhythm of the sound of you

Skeleton bones stand at the sound
Of eternity on
The lips of the found
Yeah so separate those doors
Let the sun of resurrection in

Oh let us
Adore the son of glory
Dressed in love
Open up your gates
Before him
Crown him
Stand him up

We want your blood to flow inside our body and
We want your wind inside our lungs
We just want to love you
We just want to love you yeah

Skeleton bones stand at the sound
Of eternity on
The lips of the found
Grave stones roll
to the rhythm of the sound of you
Skeleton bones stand at the sound
Of eternity on
The lips of the found
Yeah so separate those doors
Let the sun of resurrection in

Oh let us
Adore the son of glory
Dressed in love
Open up your gates
Before him
Crown him
Stand him up

Everything that Breaths
Yeah

Codes and Keys:

Just a very short post to comment on the new album by Death Cab For Cutie, "Codes and Keys".

This album is brilliant in so many ways.  I've listened to it 4-5 times and find that it's musically and melodically engaging and brilliantly crafted and layered.  A true delight to listen to.  Musically speaking, it's definitely a 5-star album.

Unfortunately, it's a 0-star album when it comes to the lyrics.  While the lyrics are often poetic and quite meaningful, it's absolutely apparent that Ben Gibbard doesn't believe in God.  Too bad, really, because it's one of the best-sounding albums I've heard in a long, long time.

I hope that somehow in some way Christian music artists are listening.  The secular music scene is growing in creativity, while I feel Christian - and more specifically, worship - music has remained stagnant since about 1995.  If a Christian band had released Codes and Keys with amazing and worshipful lyrics, it'd be the best album I've heard in years.  No offense Passion artists...and Hillsong...and others.  But I believe we're being outcreated by other artists. 

More thoughts on this later...until then, I'm probably going to listen to Codes and Keys a few more times.

Musical Monday: Jars of Clay Concert!

Jars of Clay recently traveled to within 30 minutes of my home.  I've seen JOC in concert before, 3 times actually.  But it's been years.  I probably haven't seen them on tour since their Much Afraid album was selling well.  And to be honest, they were never very good live.  I think they were young and still trying to figure out how to have solid stage performance.  That being said, I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to see them on "The Shelter" tour with Audrey Assad, Matt Maher and Derek Webb.

Before the concert, I had a decision to make.  Do I get the regular ticket, or do I go all out and purchase the $45 VIP ticket which included a "Special Merchandise Item" and a meet & greet with the band before the show.  I did some asking around, and the JOC management just would not disclose what the "Special Merchandise Item" would be, other than to say, "It's worth it."  I'm a sucker.  So I bought the "It's worth it," comment, hook, line & sinker.  

The "Bad" of the Concert:

The "Special Merchandise Item" was a poster.  Not music.  Not even a t-shirt.  But a poster.  Sorry Jars', but disappointment doesn't even begin to cover how I feel about this.  $25 for a quick Q & A and a poster.  If you wanted to sell "Gold Circle Seating" for $25 or $30 that may have been worth it.  But $25 extra dollars for a poster and a seat in the 1st-2nd row.  That's not "worth it".  Please be more open with communication in the future.  (On a positive note, I was with a friend who also had a VIP pass, so we were in the 2nd row.  We gave our seats to other friends, one of whom happened to be in town during a break from a military tour in the Middle East.  It felt really nice to give them great seats to enjoy the concert.)

The "Good" of the Concert:

Everything else!  This is probably one of the best concerts I've attended in years.  Seriously, it was amazing.  Audrey Assad began the concert with "Sparrow".  Shortly after she shared a song she had originally written for her (at the time) boyfriend.  When the song was written, they had yet to say, "I love you," to one another.  But, "I love you," sounded so much better than, "I like you a whole bunch," when writing the lyrics, so she went with it.  When playing the song for a small group of friends for the first time, she realized that they hadn't yet said, "I love you," to one another...and she was singing the song!  Uh -oh.  Fortunately, it all worked out, and now they're happily married.  

Matt Maher was up next.  He opened with "Your Grace Is Enough" (no surprise there) and went on to sing "Hold Us Together".  I confess, I don't like "Hold Us Together" very much.  But I can see why others do.

Derek Webb played a number of tunes as well.  He was sure to include "The Spirit vs. The Kick Drum" as well as some new electronic/instrumental tracks from his newest record.  It was pretty cool to hear how Derek transformed the Lord's prayer to music.  I was impressed.

Finally, Jars' performed better than I'd ever seen them perform previously.  "We Will Follow" was a big hit, but they were sure to sing songs not only from "The Shelter" (many of which they included Audrey, Matt & Derek), but also performed songs from "Redemption Songs", "Long Fall Back to Earth", and even a couple from their self-titled album. They were all over the place.  While I would've loved to hear "Headphones" and/or ""Out of my Hands" live, it certainly wasn't a deal-breaker.  They played well and the sound was perfect for a "live" event.  It was wonderful. 

If you have a chance to see Jars of Clay on tour, take the opportunity.  Seriously.  While a VIP ticket may not be "Worth it," the concert is certainly worth the price of admission. 

The Story of Our Lives:

Recently, what may very well be my favorite musical artist of all time -- The Violet Burning -- released a massive project.  Not just a new album.  Not just great artwork to go along with it.  But an entire, 34 track 3 album box-set titled, "The Story of Our Lives".

This isn't a piece of art that you see as you're walking down a city street and take a minute to observe.  No, this is something completely different.  It capitulates you.  This happens not because it's a story, but because it's the story of our lives.  Those who enjoy music (perhaps more specifically, rock n roll) will not only find some great songs, amazing guitar riffs, and drumming that's out of this world.  But will instead find themselves wrapped up in the story.  Not like a good movie or book where you're cheering for the hero; but instead, peering into the looking glass.  And everybody is looking in all at the same time.  Enamored by the Story of Our Lives.

Within this story one will discover several characters, including references to Jesus.  And full confession about how even the name of Jesus has been exploited for human greed.  Is this the story of The Violet Burning?  No, it's our story...and we're all a part of it.  Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

This project is not something that can be consumed in one sitting.  It takes time.  Patience.  Pondering.  And in the end, one may be left with a great deal of questions left unanswered.  But keep listening.  Keep peering.  Keep pondering.  The answers are in there.

Check out www.thevioletburning.com.  Support independent rock n roll.