The Opiate Mass- Vol 2. Albatross

Zadok over at The Opiate Mass used an image I drew for the cover of their newest release.
Go buy the record and support what they do.

Checking Back In on Last Year's Resolutions

Last year I resolved to do two things: read more poetry and try to digest the entire Tom Waits discography. I did neither fully, but at the same time, don't think I failed at either entirely.

I went almost all year without reading poetry and in this last month, have read two books of poetry cover to cover- and I strongly recommend them both:

Billy Collins - Questions About Angels
Wendell Berry - A Timbered Choir

While I didn't "digest" [it might have been a bit ambitious, what was I thinking] all of Tom Waits, I certainly listened to a lot of Tom Waits. And at the end of the year, I will say that I am more convinced I need both good poetry and the music of Mr. Waits in my life.

Current [NonStop] Soundtrack

Ghost Town Revival

My brother has two buddies that write short stories and songs that (in my imagination) are told and sung on the stage that Flannery O'Connor built called the "Christ-Haunted South." Really great stuff to poke through. Two of my favorites: The Preacher on Saturday Night and Weather Report.

Image Details: "The Church without Christ," Ink on Board by Phil Nellis. Inspired by O'Connor's Wise Blood.

Bazan at MHGS

Bazan at MHGS

Bifrost Arts

The Bifrost Arts music project "Come O Spirit" is available for pre-order. It ships on 9/8. Buy it here. YAY!

*UPDATE*
to my surprise, it shipped on the 1st and arrived last Friday- and after 20 spins, i think everyone should buy a copy. go now- iTunes or the link above... GO!

Come O Spirit!

this is exciting and wonderful and i can't wait. i won't write anything about it because you can read about it here, here, here and here. [thanks for the heads-up blaine].

future soundtrack

My most anticipated album of the year has offically been announced. David Bazan's full lenth "Curse Your Branches" is set to release Sept 1st but is available for pre-order on August 10th. It can't come soon enough!

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song of the day. [source]

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Baby Mix Tape

when we had our last child, we pulled together a mix tape that we listened to non stop during the final month of pregnancy. when the time came to birth, the music was able to lead us into restful and relaxing spaces and particularly helped my wife connect with the longing to meet our baby when labor was hard. it was such a good experience that we are doing the same thing again for this birth. here's the tracklist of the songs that have pretty much worked their way into our bodies by now, it is almost time.

1. I Am A Mountain- Bonie 'Prince' Billy
2. Lullaby for Grown Ups- Ane Brun
3. Cello Song- The Books
4. Flume- Bon Iver
5. Happiness Won Me Over- El Perro Del Mar
6. Always for You- The Album Leaf
7. Hey Little- Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
8. Now It Last- Feist
9. Hold On To What You Believe- Mumford & Sons
10. Your Rocky Spine- Great Lake Swimmers
11. Arriba del Cielo- Claudia Martinez
12. The Dress Looks Nice on You- Sufjan Stevens
13. Blackbird- The Beatles
14. Sons & Daughters- The Decemberists
15. Upward Over the Mountain- Iron & Wine
16. New Soul- Yael Naim
17. You Are My Flower- Elizabeth Mitchell

[if you want the mix, email me or leave me a comment]

current soundtrack: i'm just standing here so i might as well swallow something whole

current soundtrack: nostalgia

dark was the night

this compilation is great for a number of reasons:
first, its a good cause, proceeds will "benefit the Red Hot Organization – an international charity dedicated to raising money and awareness for HIV and AIDS through popular culture."
secondly it stands as an accurate snapshot of a particular segment of current music culture. the participants are somewhat iconic and representative an exciting season in music- check out the tracklist.
third- it's just damn good. [thanks johnathan for pointing it out!]

current soundtrack

tom tom waits

this year i want to absorb all of tom waits. that is a lofty goal, but you see, i suffer from massive gaps in my music history: i was raised in a religious bubble in another country. i've had to dive into entire discographies to educate myself, pour over wikipedia articles, i've had to look for guides. the way i've done it is to choose an artist per year, or per season. i spent a year with nick drake, then one with bob dylan, the next one with johnny cash. spent a summer with leonard cohen then a spring time with the allman brothers. a fall with paul simon. i tried to spend a season with led zepplin but didn't get them. i'll have to return to zepplin, for there is much to understand and feel. last year was spent with pink floyd. well, i had tried tom waits before and didn't get him. abbrassive, annoying. but at the recommendation of many respected music lovers, i'm trying him out again, and i think it's starting to click. so far i've worked my way from 1973 to 1977. and i've jumped ahead to mule variations and can't stop listening to that record. so, dear reader, what's your favorite tom waits record? what advice do you have for a new listener?

sonseed

i saw the video a year ago, and i guess you could say it was just a matter of time before this made it to my blog. the first question upon viewing, is always "is this for real?" the answer is yes, they were a real band. a catholic rock band to be exact. the next response is always one of shock and disbelief. well, since it's viral spread all over the internet, the people behind the band were tracked down and interviewed. they have even been the topic of an article in one of my favorite theology and arts publications, image journal.
watch the video. read the interview. be amazed... the colors, the rhythms, the ironically non-catholic theology, the nuances of each face, the simultaneity of belief and disbelief... soak it in. dance if you want to. or not.

davian bazrado

last night i got to see two of my favorite musicians play the same venue. david bazan and damien jurado. since 1998 (when i last saw them play the same show... in chicago at the fireside bowl. shout out if you were there!) i have journeyed closely with their musical careers and as different as they are from one another they have uniquely marked my life and my process around faith and art. i don't think i can begin to describe how much my own engagement with creativity is influenced by both of these men- on a theoretical, thematic, theological, and emotive level. my friend nate said it well as we were leaving the show- jurado's songs are born out of grief, bazan's are born out of struggle. no wonder i connect. i guess this is just to express gratitude for their work.

"Hope for a Tree Cut Down"

Some highly creative and generous friends over at Church of the Beloved have recorded a fantastic set of music that stands in the spiritual and musical traditions of Sufjan, Colbalt Season and Over the Rhine- it evokes similar worshipful and emotive responses for me.


This is an exemplary demonstration of contextual, local and indigenous worship that has come out of a faith community that is in touch with their creativity:

Hey. This music is free for you.
Of course it was a lot of hard work and cost a lot of money for us to make this album. But for you, it’s free, because we have been shocked by God’s grace… that is to say, God’s gift; because we are discovering what our community’s gifts are; And because we want to give. - Ryan Marsh, Beloved Architect

current soundtrack: some old, some new

[arcade fire meets ennio morricone] [beautiful, listenable swedish pop] [the best mmj record]