theo|digital

For the first time in over three years, I got to see Over the Rhine last night, live at the Old Town School of Folk Music (the “late show”). Their quiet brand of jazz-folk-blues-americana did what it always seems to – stared into our eyes and refused to let go. One wonders why they bother with reverb on Karin Bergquist’s tender-strong voice – my friend Matt said that her smoke and ambiance seem built in, no effects needed.

They walked on stage with “I Don’t Want to Waste Your Time” (“with music you don’t need”), the self-assured opening track on their recent release The Trumpet Child. “All I Ever Get for Christmas is Blue” followed, off Snow Angels (also this year!) Most of the set was pulled from the two albums, notable exceptions being Karin sneaking to the piano to sing and play the title track from Ohio (hello Ohio / the backroads / I know Ohio / like the the back of my hand), and their encore (2nd one!) song, where Linford and Karin returned to the stage to give us “Latter Days.” An old-days song from indie released Good Dog Bad Dog (1996), it was probably single-handedly responsible for hooking me in the first place. I pretty much melted.

A nice highlight was the vocal-less piano stroll “Goodbye Charlie” that Linford wrote as a tribute to Vince Guaraldi. it’s so perfect, I had thought I had selected the wrong album on when I first heard it last week.

phew.

Some of my music reviews in the October/November edition of Innocent Words, a regional indie music mag. If you’re in Illinois, you may be able to find it in print (Champaign friends: many coffee shops, etc), but elsewhere you might have to checkout the online version.

(ps – I think these links may require you to scroll down a long page to find the reviews – the Innocent Words site doesn’t use anchors or seperate pages for some reason).

Interview/Article with Grammy-Nominated Abra Moore
“The new face of indie: Abra Moore on seatbelts, pop marketing and love by Chris Ridgeway”

Blake Rainey and His Demons
The Dangerous Summer
(Two Sheds Records)
Review…

Teletextile
Care Package
(Self-released)
Review…

Wrinkle Neck Mules
The Wicks Have Met
(Lower 40)
Review…

Jason Harrod
Living in Skin (2000)
Contemporary Folk/Newgrass

In person, the large North Carolinian introvert is awkward, but his shyness belies his songwriter savoir faire: he doesn’t mention his previous sell-out shows as the 90’s Boston duo Harrod and Funck, or his Chris Austin Songwriting award – judged by bluegrass icon Gillian Welch. The acoustic Living in Skin is effortless harmonica hooks, smoked vocals, and unafraid falsetto that would decisively capture the scene if his thoughtful southern poetry didn’t quietly win the day.

I accidentally saw Jason at Aroma in Champaign while he was doing a I’ll-drive-myself tour through Illinois. He newest album is Bright as You (2005) and apparently is now available on iTunes.

Finally got out to see a show this year. Credits to Nick, Ben, my sister, and others who kept bugging me to give Andrew Bird a chance. He wasn’t disappointing. Who knew a monkey-loving violin player could be so entertaining. Did I mention he’s got a knack for whistling and glockenspiel?

I saw the show at the Canopy, which thankfully is now smoke free (although not a ton less grungy than usual). Check out Andrew Bird’s new album entitled Armchair Acrophobia which I bought on iTunes on Monday and listened to non-stop in a rather determined effort to be familiar with the songs before I walked in the door. It paid off.

Imogen Heap
Speak for Yourself (2005)
Electronic Pop

Brit do-it-herself girl is an aural genius, stacking perfect loops and breath-stop vocals in a menagerie that doesn’t forget classical instruments and samples of passing train engines. The 2006 Best-New-Artist nominee started in 1998 but with recent singles Hide and Seek and Headlock is just now getting American attention. It’s deserved, she’s complicated, and I’m mesmerized.

Lots of stuff really happening in my life, but while we wait for me to figure out what’s important enough to post about, I’ll be glad to share this remarkable demo from a university audio-visual research group in Barcelona, Spain. Just the interface alone is fascinating.

There are rumors that the bluegrass trio Nickle Creek is breaking up. This would be a loss. They just keep getting better. My favorite song – it’s hard to tell whether musically or spiritually – is Doubting Thomas.

What will be left when I’ve drawn my last breath
Besides the folks I’ve met and the folks who’ve known me
Will I discover a soul-saving love
Or just the dirt above and below me

I’m a doubting Thomas
I took a promise
But I do not feel safe
Oh me of little faith

Sometimes I pray for a slap in the face
Then I beg to be spared cause I’m a coward
If there’s a master of death
I bet he’s holding his breath
As I show the blind and tell the deaf about his power

I’m a doubting Thomas
I can’t keep my promises
Cause I don’t know what’s safe
Oh me of little faith

Can I be used to help others find truth
When I’m scared I’ll find proof that it’s a lie
Can I be led down a trail dropping bread crumbs
That prove I’m not ready to die

Please give me time to decipher the signs
Please forgive me for time that I’ve wasted

I’m a doubting Thomas
I’ll take your promise
You’ve always kept me safe
Oh me of little faith

I’ve been writing these for a little while, but now I’ll start posting some here. Short reviews of music, literature, and media that I force into 75 words or less. They’re a fun exercise, and you get more of what I think about, for instance, the things that graduate from my “Currently Reading” box on the right.

D.A. Carson
Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church:
Understanding a Movement and Its Implications (2005)
(genre: Church and Culture; Theology; Critique)

The New Testament research professor’s appraisal of authors Brian McLaren and Dan Kimball opens with olive-branch humility and qualified praise of emergent church emphasis on experiential and ecumenical spirituality. Carson’s historical and academic breadth (well-footnoted) brings must-read cautions to the dialogue, but turns in later chapters, carrying an increasingly shrill tone that eventually misses the point, ironically calling theological fouls too fastidious for the works he critiques.

Vertical Horizon
Go (2005)
(genre: Pop Rock)

Five years after Everything You Want, Vertical Horizon reminds us that they still exist with the John Shanks (Michelle Branch) produced Go. Stereo-surround harmonies still trump the ’69 Marshall guitar amp, tipping the scales to pop hooks over any real thrash. I’m a sucker for catchy, but until mid-30’s Matt Scannell rises above his pre-teen lyrical constructions (I need you ~ I want you), Vertical will rarely find my playlist.

This is funny, because my friend Nick just posted about my new music fascination. I heard about them from my sister, who doubtless will want to post quickly, claiming that she was first. My friend Matt thinks they’re really cool. And my friend Ty, after shoved my iPod earphones at him, bought the CD from iTunes in 24 hours.

I’d like to be all cynical about corporate-plotted viral marketing using personal relationships for financial gain. But it turns out maybe I really did like them, so I told everyone I knew, regardless of whether I was playing into larger (greedy) hands.

And of course, now I’m posting here. :-7

The first three songs of The Weepies CD “Say I Am You” – Garden State-ish singer/songwriter/pop folk of the kind I like best – can be heard at their website www.theweepies.com.

I know this is already old in the blog world, but, you know, I’m a slow person.

The iTunes Game

How many songs: 2875

Sort by song title…
First song: ‘Round Midnight, Java Jazz, Late Night Latte
Last song: Zombie, The Cranberries, No Need to Argue

Sort by time…
Shortest Song: One Last “Whoo-hoo!” for the Pullman, Sufan Stevens, Illinoise
Longest Song: Blind, Jars of Clay, Jars of Clay

Sort by album…
First Song: Vaka, Sigur Ros, ()
Last Song: Kingdom Come, Coldplay, X&Y

Top 5 Most Played Songs…
Pbs/Kae, Tycho, Sunrise Projector
Wise Up, Aimee Mann, Magnolia Soundtrack
Gabriel’s Oboe, Ennio Morricone, The Mission Soundtrack
The Dress Looks Nice On You, Sufjan Stevens, Seven Swans
In The Waiting Line, Zero 7, Garden State Soundtrack

First 5 songs that come up on Shuffle…
Not the Land, Caedmon’s Call, Caedmon’s Call
The Call, Michael W Smith, Freedom
Cast No Shadow, Oasis, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory
Speak to Me – Breathe in the Air, Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon
Daughters, John Mayer, Heavier Things

Search…
1. “Sex”–How many songs come up: 1
2. “Death”–How many songs come up: 15
3. “Love”–How many songs come up: 145
4. “You”–How many songs come up: 412
5. “love” and “you” –How many songs come up: 38