The Christian Medium

There’s been alot of ideas and questions sloshing around in my head and I haven’t had a chance to just write them down, and if I don’t do it now they will just vanish into oblivion.

I want to address some issues I have seen and heard on a daily basis for years. While the issues is fresh on my mind I want to address it here. Can one be a christian and be on a secular music label? So let me ask you this; is there such thing as a christian taxi driver, mortician, plumber, carpenter?  If so does the importance lie on the messenger/artist or the medium of what is expressed? My point is if you’re a “Christian” carpenter, and the house collapses because you  didn’t do the job the right way will it will it reflect on you’re Christianity or not ?

Throughout my upbringing Iwas always  taught to do my work unto the Lord. I believe this literally applies to the actual product one puts their hands to. Also excellence reflects who you are and where your values lie. Can an atheist be a great carpenter? Yes. And will the work he lays his hands to reflect his atheistic views? That depends on the recipient. And if it does reflect his views then the medium in of itself is the vehicle of persuasion. Also the value system backing it is more apt to be embraced.

Bad art is bad art, and a bad roofing job is a bad roofing job. It doesn’t matter if you are a christian or not. And If christian art sucks (I’m not saying all of it does) than what does that say about us, or more importantly our creator? Bad art is obviously not an accurate reflection of our Lord. I believe God isn’t and never has been able to stay in a box. God can use what ever tool he wants. To say someone cant be used to glorify God just because he or she isn’t on a christian band is stupid. It’s a mission field. Just like wherever you happen to work. Are you still a christian if you work at Starbucks? (which happens to not be a christian company) Its my opinion this kind of ignorance might even be similar to the spark that started slavery. Ignorance gone unchecked and excepted in christian circles has caused the church to retreat from expression and influence,thus causing bands like the Beatles cries for “help” to fall on deaf ears.  In my experience the greatest spiritual experience I’ve ever had while listening to music has not been inexplicably “christian.” I believe the purpose of art is to cause the recipient/listener/reader to wrestle with ideas of existence, pain, failure, loss, love, regret, faith etc.. causing the scale to turn inward.
If you look at the music of today you will find certain “christian” bands headlining “non christian” music festivals like; Warped tour, Ozzfest, and others I cant think of. This list includes and is not limited to; Under Oath, As I Lay Dying, Norma Jean, The Chariot, Mxpx, and others I cant think of.

Jesus said to shine our light, and what is a greater place then to the above festivals? And where are you going to find a better platform than to play in front of a demon filled mob?

Who’s Your Daddy?

When someone comes into the  kingdom of  God they inherit a family. They become a son or a daughter to a father who not only loves them but who breathed  his hopes and dreams into them. We are no longer orphans but are totally accepted , and have a rightful place at the family table.  Not only do we belong at the table, but we share in everything being served. We converse with the father freely while eating the same delicious supper  the Father is eating.  But why so many times do we excuse our selves, and eat the crumbs that lie on the dirty floor? So many believers these days have a backward sense of who they are in Christ. We not only dismiss our selves from the table, but we refuse to sit there out of a false sense of humility. We say we aren’t worthy when he paid the price and grafted us in to his righteous kingdom.

I was talking to a lady recently, and she was telling me how her car had broken down. She went on to tell me how it was probably God teaching her a lesson, and how he wanted to humble her. This is not the case. God isn’t insecure, he knows who he is. This sounds more like an abusive father who slaps his kids around so they know who the boss is. Listen. He made the universe, and he doesn’t need to put you in your place. He is fully secure in who He is.

I believe there is a direct coloration between our relationship with our earthly fathers and our heavenly father. If we look at God through the lenses of our earthly experience we will not only misinterpret God, but we will dismiss him when he knocks on our door. So many people think God is coming to bop us over the head with a wrench, but really he came to do some repairs.

Owl City “Vanilla Twilight”

Adam Young is a one man band who has a knack for making heavily poppy music, drenched with optimistic gobbledygook.  As cliche as it sounds, at first listen I thought this was Postal Service. I had heard a lot about this band and the curiosity was killing me. Listening to this album is kind of like eating a diet consisting of only cake frosting. Really good, and sweet for the first couple bites, but then you start to feel kind of sick from all the rich sweetness. By the end of the album you have a headache and  your teeth are falling out. I had this album in my car for like two days straight, (not from obsession, just forgetfulness) and ended up chucking the thing in the back seat out of sheer insanity. I couldn’t take it anymore, and my wife was going to kill me. Lets just say this album is only healthy in doses. Yet the thing finds its way back in my CD player. The album is essentially a G-rated fluffy bunny material.

The album opens up with a song called “Cave In” which is a perfect introduction to this rainbow -licious gem. Adam Young starts right out of the gate with catchy synth keys that seem to swirl back and forth through the speakers. I found that the most interesting thing about this is how Young simulates all instruments with just a key board. The lyrics seem very whimsical and dreamy, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Young had ADD.  But I think it fits the music well. Most of the lyrics have junior high tendencies, which is a common theme throughout the rest of the album. Although its first single “Fireflies” is a deeply textured, atmospheric, and wanderlust anthem, the album is not without its missteps, as “Dental Care” feels quite ham-fisted in its attempt to integrate dreamy soundscapes with an altogether mundane topic of oral hygiene. Musically speaking, such stargazing naïveté seems a welcome change given the times we live in—but very rarely does it ever have a long shelf life.

Some of the lyrics seem sort of.. well..  - ahem- .. Girly.

A great example of this is lyrics like; “I would rather pick flowers instead of fight.” Sounds like Young should probably stay clear of any dark alleys.

Seems like Adam really auto tuned the hell out of this thing, a great example is the song “Hello Seattle.” Yet another dreamy sort of hallucination song encompassing a flying theme with visual descriptions of beautiful geological landscapes. If there was one theme to this album it would be Adams obsession with escape and fantasy.

I was very glad the discover some actual real acoustic guitars in “The Bird And The Worm.” This one  definitely sounds like  juvenile love story, wrought with adolescent-safe references of romantic beachside excursions, aquatic friendships, and nature walks with that special someone. The wooziness is reflected in Adam’s voice, which is whisper-soft, quiet and nasal, like a man whose parents sleep lightly and have to get up early for work.

So although this review is has a mostly negative vibe to it I must say I like the album. It has some sort of emotional relevance for me that I cant explain. Also I got engaged around the time I got it, so theres some nostalgic significance mixed in there.

On a more somber note some things to keep in mind while listening to the album, specifically the song “Vanilla Twilight.”

First,  Adam Young’s girlfriend had unfortunately passed away.

Also, it is said that Young suffers from insomnia, that is to say not being able to fall asleep properly. Which explains the song “Firefly’s”

This definitely puts the album in perspective and kind of kills any sarcastic jabs directed at the album, kind of like telling a fat mom joke, but then finding out said mom is in fact dead.

JL

The decline of Hip-Hop

So I am about to write about something that has been on the back burner of my conscience for a while now, and Ive waited until now to share my madness here. Ive been puzzled lately about our culture, and with all the changes I find it tough to keep up with all of it whether it be art, politics, science… whatever. I always want to keep an open mind about my stance on things, and stay relevant with the changing of tides. When it comes to music I’m always looking on the horizon for new artist that inspire me on some level. If it doesn’t resonate within me by the second or third track I usually loose interest. The more inspired I am the longer the the disc spins. When I pop in a new CD I read the lyrics immediately. I am very lyrically minded. The music in itself is a vehicle for the artist to convey a message where the words by themselves couldn’t necessarily go. You can say inspiring things or dumb grotesque things on top of a beat, or melody and it can literally infect millions of minds.

I believe art is meant to be objective. What I take this to mean is this: it is the power of the creative medium, in creativity and ambiguity itself, to ask questions, to evoke thought, rather than just give answers. It is my fervent opinion that the ultimate role of the artist in culture is to provoke a response in the audience, to cause the listener, the viewer, to wrestle with concepts of life, love, regret, salvation, and eternity so that the author himself fades into the background of the work itself, thus leaving the greater question with the mind of said audience.

Having said all that I would like to address a specific genre of music. I want to share my outlook on my view of “The Hip-hop culture” and express some of my concerns and thoughts. I should say first that I love Hip-hop/Rap, whatever you like to call it. But lately when I turn on the radio or TV I see and hear the same cliche language reverberating through my cranium. When I was little I listened to a lot of rap. I remember when I got the first Vanilla Ice cassette tape. Shortly before it got jacked from my moms car. Let me make myself clear; It was the only thing stolen out of her car, AND they broke the window. I also had an MC Hammer cassette, which I memorized in the first few hours I owned it. Now, I know Hammer and Vanilla were far from being original, (much props to Rick James, and Queen) but I also remember the Vanilla Ice craze that in sued for…. oh…. like ten minutes. Remember The ninja turtle movie? OK I hope I’m not the only one here. I also remember watching Run DMC, and wanting a pair of Adidas for my birthday. Oh the good ole days. Now that I look back and reflect on those days I can see how I was being affected by the materialistic side of Rap at a young age. Back then Rap was something fresh and something new and interesting. I believe Rap was (and still is) a voice and identity for the black community. Which is something I value.

But today we have a different kind of beast. A beast that has run out of originality, and is riding on the coat tales of a trend, rather than a true culture. A trend is something people just go along with without thinking. There is a lot of trends that I see on a daily basis. Things like huge shinny rims, Bling-bling, girls dancing every where.  I believe in Rap, even though it looks like garbage right now. Like I said above, Rap (and any other art) has the power to shape cultures. Art is a very powerful tool to influence minds and create action in one person and cities abroad. I am bothered when I see a TODDLER walking down the aisles of a super market using vulgar language to his mother while having the resemblance of a hoodlum.

The other day I was listening to a friends CD who left it in my car. I popped it in my player and took a gander. The beat was good which is what drew me in at first, but as I continued on my journey I heard some surprising themes. Pretty much all the songs had the word “CLUB.” Throughout the rest of the album other phrases were introduced, such as; VIP, BLING, HO, etc….

These are the exact lyrics;
This is why I’m hot [2x]
This is why [2x] Uh
This is why I’m hot (Uh)
This is why I’m hot [2x] Whoo
This is why [2x]
This is why I’m hot

I’m hot cause I’m fly (fly)
You ain’t cause you’re not (Mims)
This is why [2x]
This is why I’m hot [2x]

This is why I’m hot
I don’t gotta rap
I can sell a mill saying nothing on the track………

NO YOU CANT. YOU’RE A RAPPER. RAPPERS RAP, RIGHT? YOU WOULDN’T BE RAPPING IF YOU YOU WEREN’T RAPPING.

Hip Hop is a force that transcends language, race, culture and social class. Unfortunately, the classic roots of rap/hip hop have been long forgotten, at least in its homeland the US. Politically and socially rap/hip hop could be a venue for change, a force to be reckoned with as it organizes and mobilizes the youth in mass (and it does, sometimes for the negative). Instead of being revolutionary the mainstream hip hop industry has single-handily distorted the minds of an entire generation.It has been perverted from the socially and politically conscious art form that it began as and peddled into nothing more than materialistic, sexualized, glittering garbage that rarely holds any true significance or art. Mainstream hip hop has also denigrated the African American community, African American women, and is making strong movement toward consuming the Latino community as well. To the mainstream artists: You have the whole world’s eyes on you.

Cory Desliva “Someday when I’m young”

Talking about why I like this album is a little like trying to expound on why Oreo cookies and cold milk are so perfect together.  Of course it’s good; you know they’re meant to be together.  Whether you’re a fan of classic seventies material strangely familiar of a short pudgy guy with spectacle glasses, or of a mop-headed foursome, or of modern independent singer/songwriter crooning, you will love Cory Desilva’s much anticipated freshmen release ”Someday When I’m Young.”  Just holding a physical copy of the album awakens a sense of intrigue, making you feel you need to own this piece of art. The album starts off beautifully, like the gradual building and crackling of a campfire, with “Mezzo City.”  This tune has a fantastic acoustic rock riff and swooping harmonies in the choruses that really get your attention right out of the gate.  Cory does a great job mixing a good funk jive in with some progressive guitar parts. Throughout the album Cory performs several mid-tempo, slow shuffles.  A prime example is “Just The Way I Like You.”  While hard-core punk rock fans like myself might be searching for that aggressive sound, I have to admit that you can listen to this for a long time and not get a headache.  And it definitely scores points for mass appeal.  ”Help Me Girl” exhibits a sensitive side of Cory.  Just when a tear is starting to form, he snaps you out of it with the pulsating intro to “It Can Only Go Up From Here,” which takes youthful, naive, and somewhat clumsy Taupin lyrics and molds them into an inspired hymn for survival and escape.  Cory’s angelic crooning and bare boned piano takes you on a completely different path when you least expect it with melodies like “Short & Sweet,” where Cory displays his talent on the instrument.  I’d be hard pressed if you were to ask me to choose my favorite off the album.  While I’m a bit partial to the aforementioned “Short & Sweet,” there’s also the soul-drenched “Don’t Know” and the title track “Some Day When I’m Young.”  The album has room for them all and they play together nicely.  There is no denying that this album canvases the optimistic, melancholy and searching emotions of a young man, nor can one completely ignore that Cory is an old soul.  It’s a unique record, with hints of the familiar, and well worth owning for any music enthusiast.  With so much talent and ambition in someone so young on their first try, it would not surprise me if it became a collector’s piece someday.

http://www.myspace.com/corydesilvamusic

http://www.ibethel.org/store/Music/c28/p3603/SomedayWhenI2339mYoung/product_info.html

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Calvanism vs Human choice and responsibility

Jesus is all Truth, therefore anything that proceeds from his mouth must be held as complete, lacking nothing. Therefore any gaps in understanding that may seem as contradictions we must except as lack of understanding on our part. Not Gods. So both are true. There is the reality of a very real hell looming over our existence, AND we should also realize God is not afraid of being wasteful with his invitations. If one decides to reject Gods invitation to eternal life, is this a commentary on Gods incompleteness or does this only mean the invitee is acting on another God given freedom, free will? AND if free will is a reality in each of our lives does this mean there are two doors so to speak? Is God capable of the both realities? Me must say yes to this question, that God can juggle all realities unknown to mere man.

The buzz..

Today’s music is much like the buzzing from a fridge, apparent and on the surface of conciseness, but given time it turns into something you just  learn to tolerate. I think music (art) should be on the forefront of our minds, pricking, and provoking emotions from under the surface, inviting  them out of the basement so to speak. Causing the listener to wrestle with  insecurities, eternity, loss, joy, or his or her place in the universe. Causing the scale to be turned inward. There is only a hand full of albums that are consistently on my music rotation. These albums have been with me through battles, and long drives. Only a few have been there when I need to clear my mind.

In the world of music and progressive rock, there are few bands that have such a drive and furry behind their music than Angels and Airwaves. From the very first track AVA comes out with heart throbbing, epic, beautiful sounds that  have no equal, in my opinion. Everything you think you know about music needs to be thrown out the window. These guys have a genuine approach to creating music. From the album cover to the music itself, there is an explosion of creativity and artistry. And that brings me to the part of the blog where I start Bitch’n…

Blink 182 is back and I’m only kind of happy about it. Tom Delonge (Guitarist and one of the vocals of Blink 182) was on his way to legendary status with Angels and Airwaves. I was really glad he was doing something else. He was really inventing and forging forward with new sounds, reinventing himself from being a Punk Rock icon to someone who was making fresh new tunes. But, instead of forging forward as a potential music icon/legend he has decided to shrink back to his old juvenile self/band. Which isn’t a terrible idea, but instead of singing about heavier things, such as, life, death, world peace, and Space travel, etc., Tom is back to curb photos and penis jokes instead of epic super nova sounds. I’m not saying I don’t like Blink, I’m just saying leave the past in the past man. I think I liked the boys in Blink better when they were doing their new projects. It really seemed as if they were growing up and finally done with puberty. I thought plus 44 was ok, but I did feel as if Mark’s (Mark Hoppus, Singer and bassist of Blink 182 and plus 44) writing style alone was better because there was no compromise from Tom in the writing proses. I saw a darker and more transparent side of Mark. I was wrong I guess. It was a breath of fresh air for me to know the boys I grew up listening to had finally grown up, and so had I. It just funny to me to see a whole new generation of teens being introduced to Blink, some of which weren’t even conceived before “Dude Ranch.” This is scary to me, only because I don’t know what the music industry has been doing for the last ten years. I’m so bored. And the fact that Blink can emerge after five years with no competition and be cutting edge again makes me wonder. Ive felt this way for a LONG time. Call me old and set in my ways, but seriously. Dude!!!! Blink is old.

Anyways, I’m not bashing Blink, they’re good. Just not great. They’re a punk band and learned how to play all their songs in like one hour, all power chords folks!!

On another note; Creed is back and has released a new album…
Gawd!!

Feelings of scorn rise to the surface of my being when I hear Scott Stapp’s voice. I was seriously more excited about the B 52’s reunion tour… The reasons they are back together astounds me..

They essentially got back together because of quote; “we want to prove our critics wrong”

AND Scott shaved his head. To me they sound like a more angry Creed, more grungy and less spiritual…  Although the song “Rain” is not bad. I’m reminded  of when Vanilla Ice finally came back and reinvented himself through years of self hatred. He came back angry and venomous. I’m not really sure if that’s a good idea dragging everyone through that process. (am I talking to myself  over here?)

Destroy Nate Allen “Recipe For A Smile” Review

In this day and age of auto tune and laptop loops rarely is pure raw energy captured in an untempered manner, and its not every day you come upon a soul who has both ferocity interwoven with a child like honesty. Destroy Nate Allen is a folk /punk  sing along duet from Portland Oregon, consisting of Nate Allen and his wife Tessa Allen. Nate originally started as a solo act releasing several EP’s and full length albums on his own. DNA just released their new double album, “Recipe for a smile”, and “Don’t let this mile fool You.”   The first album  “Recipe for a smile” exudes with rudimentary Garage Punk, absorbed by various influences from the likes of Green day,  Johny Cash, Dashboard confessional while adding a little grit in his voice.  As I listen my being starts to unravel with anthems that seem to feed the soul. By listening to the album just once, it is easy to see that Nate does not want his  work to be labeled under any certain genre. The album contains good doses of pop punk bar chords with catchy choruses, all leading to the mixed bag mentioned before. The good news is that some of this variety leads to a few noteworthy songs. DNA starts the album off on the right track with a catchy kind of feel  with “Anchors away.”  Which is a great  song to start off with. Nate raves like an optimistic lunatic giving the listener hope with lyrics like; “its not over for you/yes this I know true / and this is not the end.”  Nate and His wife Tessa push all the boundaries of the norm, and seem to sing with their hearts on their sleeves with tracks like “Turns out your perfect for me” and “His lips are sealed.” adding  some insight to Nate and Tessa’s relationship. Tessa is able to produce a hauntingly monologue and  beautiful symbolism with songs like “Recipe” where Nate and Tessa name the importance of ingredients, and this is manifested brilliantly with their voices mixed together.  Hands down the best song on the album for me was “White flag.” I am almost not doing this album justice if I don’t sing the whole song, loudly. You just cant resist signing. This highpoint of the album marks DNA’s ability to craft  incredibly moving and uplifting song’s by keeping it simple, which is rare now a days.

Moving on to the second album, “Don’t let this smile fool you.” This album is entirely sung by Nate himself, who plays the whole album on a banjo. Again Nate keeps it simple yet reveals and evokes emotion. Nate recorded this album in his apartment so the sound quality isn’t the best, but I think this is the desired effect. The album is mostly picking which lets you see a softer side of Nate. If you would have told me he recorded the album on a porch in Louisiana I would have believed you, minus the bug zappers. This is entirely evident with the song ”Phil Collins”  in which Nate’s voice is distorted purposely to give an old feel. The song’s “Glow in the dark” and ”How to make a girl cry” reminds me of the movie “O brother where art thou.” Its obvious Nate’s inspiration for this album  is his wife Tessa with lyrics like; Tessa I love you /you make me complete.  Although some of the songs sound alike I can still listen to this from beginning to end, over and over, and not easily tire. There are no weak links or unevenness here, no filler. Every cut is grade-A choice. Some, in fact, are dangerously addictive. I’ve owned the CD for a short time now and Ive sung  the song “Don’t Let This Smile Fool You” about twenty times now. I feel like a rat pushing its lever again and again to get a buzz of sheer bliss.

between the door and the night

I was caught between the moon and the door way
Reason and realism pulled me to peaces like dogs
lunar time presses the child out of me
Indego abyss looms over head,
The moon reins large,
Tinny pinpricks on an indigo back drop
Nothing foreign but rustling pine needles
The colors in the air tonight,
The breath in my lungs
Poltergeist rise from my nostrils
The two heavens, one above and one below
Stars and city lights
Velvet chill caress my cheek

The Inevitability Of Pain

Pain is an absolute, an unavoidable enemy which looms over us every day. Its  inevitable to experience it and , when we do our first reaction is to numb it or cheat it. It’s been on this ancient planet for millions of years. We humans know what suffering is all too well. Our lonely planet slides across the universe quietly without a sound at first glance , but if you listen closer you can hear the entropic screams of  injustice, suffering, and violence. Death is always around the corner yet we are taken by surprise by it. It stalks us in our sleep, waiting for our protections to melt, and when they do its there with its velvet paws. We distract our selves with trivial objects and sometimes even concoct potions and shoot it in our blood stream to detach from it.

But I have a question; Is pain really the enemy? And isn’t pain a process in which one is made stronger?  And if it is, than why do we love to avoid the process?

While I’m mostly eluding to emotional pain, I think this truth is directly related to physical pain as well. Pain works as an alarm system to the body, pointing the victim to the reality of danger. While pain is important it would be quite absurd to hold pain to a higher importance in the presence of a broken ankle or symptoms of a heart attack. Having said that, we should conclude that pain is indispensable because it is the vehicle in which a damaged part of the body is discovered.

Ask a weightlifter how he got so strong, he will tell you, ”I suffered.”  Ask a runner how he got so fast, he will tell you ”I suffered.”

We cannot run from pain. Any great civilization that runs from suffering has begun it’s demise. Look as far back as you want: Babylon, Greece, Rome, or the British Empire, you’ll find that the reason for every great civilizations demise is rooted in it’s attempt to cheat pain. If we’re not careful we will follow quickly down in our self-absorbed disregard towards suffering. We ignore the suffering on the street when we’re in line for an over priced coffee. We ignore the suffering overseas for a cheap pair of sneakers. We try to cheat suffering with technology, with medicine, with economic bandages. But greatness does not come from ignorance of pain. Greatness comes from wrestling with pain, wresting with the injustices of the world. You cannot cheat death. Suffering will find you. Pain will find you. Death will find you. Do not run from suffering, how else could character form? Yes, suffering forms character, suffering forms patience, suffering forms perseverance, joy, grace- all these beautiful parts of a human soul that cannot come into being any other way in this life.

No, no- you see, suffering is not the enemy.  Sure it hurts. It hurts a lot sometimes. But so does giving birth. So does playing football. So does growing up. In this life, my friend, do not run from suffering. You’ll be running from yourself.