I’m a longtime fan of quasi-indie artist Justin McRoberts and I heard last week that he has a new album coming out, Deconstruction. As part of the album releasing festivities, Justin made videos of the entire album and released them all on YouTube. Rock on.
Justin’s last few albums have been more in the slower, acoustic vein, and this is more of the same. Though it’s also more political than his previous stuff. I think the best way to connect with that kind of music is in person, and Justin is definitely best in person (from Sonshine, to opening for ska bands to solo coffee shops). But the videos are a close second and a nice way to experience the new album.
I heard a rumor on the Internets a while back that CCM Magazine, the Christian music magazine with self image issues, was no longer going to be published. And if it’s on the Internet it must be true.
But it turns out this rumor is true. The April 2008 issue–the 30th anniversary of CCM–will be its last issue.
What I think is most telling about its demise is that it’s going away with hardly a whimper. I had to really search to find any info about it. The fact is people aren’t interested in the Christian music label anymore. There are too many exceptions and it’s too hard to walk that fine line between edgy enough for the young people and safe enough for the gate keepers. And plenty of good magazines cover the ground on either side of that divide.
I’m really digging the new Eisley release, Combinations.
I’ve had my eyes on them for a while, since I picked up their debut. This time around they’ve grown a bit, though it’s still plenty of girl-fronted, airy, melodic rock with plenty of harmonizing. The biggest change is that they’ve learned some variety. While I liked their debut, a lot of the songs sounded the same. With Combinations it feels like they have a lot more musical variety.
About a week ago I popped in an old Five Iron Frenzy CD while I painted the basement and remembered how much I loved FIF. Loved the music. Loved the lyrics. Loved the concerts. They were my favorite band in high school and college, and if they hadn’t broken up they’d still be my favorite band (well, they could wrestle U2 for the top spot–which would be quite the battle: 8 on 4 in favor of FIF, and while Bono probably talks big but wouldn’t put up much of a fight, Larry and Adam look like they could crack some skulls).
I realized after enjoying a little nostalgia that I’ve yet to find my new Five Iron Frenzy. Aside from U2, no band has really come along where I enjoy their music as much as Five Iron Frenzy. I’ve discovered plenty of great music that I do like, but no group like Five Iron where I can devour every song on every album (OK, so FIF had a few duds, but I love most of their music).
You may remember my complete shock at recognizing Ben Kyle’s voice when I first heard Romantica. Their debut album, It’s Your Weakness That I Want, is pretty good and I’ve had the pleasure of reliving that shock when I hear their music on the radio (so far just the Current).
But the Current really likes them, and that’s pretty cool. Today the Current’s Song of the Day is “The National Side”. Plus they played live in the studio a few weeks back which you can hear online–and you can hear Mary Lucia tell Ben Kyle to “shut it” (when Ben tells her one of the judges of the International Songwriting Competition, which Romatica has won, was Tom Waits).
Romantica’s sophomore album, America, is now available. You can hear some of it on MySpace. Plus, they’ll be playing this Sunday at the Stone Arch Festival of the Arts. It’s free. It’s outside. I might just have to go (and hey, it’s Father’s Day, so I get to do what I want, right?).
Check out this great little video of San Diego rockers Switchfoot performing a cover of Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love”:
I’m not at all a Beyonce fan (I’m hardly even familiar with the original), but I’m liking this cover. You can supposedly download an mp3 from Switchfeed.com, but their link to the file-sharing site eSnips is broken and even when I search that site and find the song, I can’t figure out how to download it (either it’s not working, I don’t have the latest version of something or I’m just stupid).
I went to their site to buy the album and discovered they’re a quirky little group. They eschew major labels so they can have total control over their art, including details like being as environmentally friendly as possible and having visual artists paint on stage during their live shows. Their new album, The Meaning of 8, doesn’t officially come out until April 10, 2007, but since they’re so independent you can get the album directly from them now.
This is a band that understands the new digital era. And the music’s pretty good.
I never really get why we’re supposed to care so much that CD sales are declining. Is it my problem technology has left you behind and only a fraction of the songs on most albums are worth owning? Every other business has ups and downs. Get used to it.
And some people are getting used to it. Like Shaun Groves. I talked about him a few weeks back when he tried to take on Amy Grant (for those curious, he failed–but that’s OK, he’s still cool). The simple fact is that Shaun Groves gets it. It might help that he’s no longer on a label and is forced to figure these things out on his own. Then again, Shaun was always a nice guy, even when he was on a label.
As proof that Shaun gets it, check out a couple recent blog entries, including one where he argues that rock stars need to get human and another where he talks about the story of Jackie, a former Compassion International sponsored child (right now Shaun is more interested in helping children through Compassion than selling his music–that’s refreshing).
The Christian rock band Jars of Clay apparently wants to tamper with the walls of the sterile Christian bubble–but they’re afraid (maybe much afraid?). And in the process we’re denied hearing the war protest songs they’ve written.
“People want to buy what they want to be told,” lead singer Dan Haseltine told Sioux Falls, S.D. newspaper columnist Robert Morast. “They want people to lie to them. … If you rock the boat too much, your records won’t appear in certain Christian record stores anymore.”
I can understand the fears (just ask the Dixie Chicks how it feels to be shunned by your genre). As I full-time writer I worry about clients being offended by what I write here. But I would think Jars of Clay is good enough and established enough to say what needs to be said and let things fall where they may. Suddenly Jars of Clay seem much less like artists and more like mere entertainers. I hope they can find the confidence to be prophetic.
For the record, I think two songs from their latest relaese, Good Monsters, are among the best of their career and among my favorite songs from 2006: “Work” and “Dead Man (Carry Me)”. (link via CT’s Weblog)
But first, if you buy your tunes on iTunes, consider snagging a (Product) Red gift card. You can order them online or pick one up at an Apple store. It’s $25 to spent at the iTunes store and 10% goes to the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS.
The Christian rock band 
It’s time to share my recent music finds.