theo|digital

Regional rag Innocent Words Magazine reviews indie music nationwide, with an emphasis on Illinois and Chicago scenes. I’m still enjoying doing some writing for them. Here’s my last.

Butterfly Pinned
Monster in the Machine
(2007 Emotional Syphon)

Funny thing about titles like “New Wave” – the “new” always overstays its welcome. Classed as the backlash to disco, the early-80s-keyboards -plus-reverb-snare genre is fun for lunchtime radio, but otherwise is appropriately semi-retired. Of course, there are always some for whom the wave still rolls. Enter Bowie-inspired Shannon Crawford, the chain-smoking keyboardist-guitarist-painter (really) who’s released a 2007 new album with a new band to go with it –complete with (not so new) synth lead.

Butterfly Pinned is Crawford’s eye-shadowed brainchild, and though it’s band-attributed to Monster in the Machine, Crawford’s accompaniment seems about as permanent as INXS’ lead vocals – recording bassist Doug Ardito and drummer Josh Freese aren’t even touring.

The lead man probably doesn’t mind using replacements – his tracks are soaked in melodramatic vocal flair – whispers, echoes, counterpoints, and falsetto croanings that evoke the show-stealing emotional vibrato of a 1985 Danny Elfman (Oingo Boingo). And here comes the synth! Fat pads and programmed arpeggios barrel us into the (“new”) electronic age of music in luscious detail. “Helicopter” doesn’t make it a minute in before succumbing to a dream sequence of fading vocals and spinning effects under the heady influence of the pitch-blend wheel. And hand-keyed pan flutes (whee!) show up in at least three tracks.

The 80s-is-back-I-Heart-Duran-Duran crowd (check out “Dot on my Soul”) will enjoy Butterfly Pinned as an admittedly skilled revival entry in the New Wave. But those who don’t like it so thick should run sideways to the tenured and original Of Montreal. Unless you’re producing an over-sexed new 80s film. In that case, Shannon Crawford’s got your walkout credits covered.

~ Chris Ridgeway
(more reviews at www.innocentwords.com)

Scot McKnight has posted up two more of my reviews on Don Evert’s short book series. If you’re familiar with them, feel free to agree or disagree there.

• Jesus Creed: Don Everts 3
• Jesus Creed: Don Everts 4

Thanks again to Scot for the opportunities and challenges he’s providing me.

Scot McKnight asked me recently if I’d look through a four part series of books InterVarsity staffer Don Everts wrote recently. I reviewed each, and Scot today posted the first of my takes on his blog Jesus Creed.

ps – have you noticed that Starbucks is closing all 7,100 stores tonight? And I’m already reading the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life report… hopefully some thoughts when I get done.

One of my new increasing interests is investigating some of the theology that has been passed down to me informally in Great Commission Ministries and my local church at the UofIllinois. Some of it is very standard, but other portions are more unique to the current Christian world, and I’ve been curious of their sources (besides scripture).

One of the definitions of the church that we’ve used is: “a family, body, and army rooted in faith, hope, and love.“

I took an aside this semester and wrote a short expansion of this definition for one of my theology classes. It only made me like it more. Furthering what I had been taught/taught in the past, I put the definition “in parallel” with itself, and also God as Trinity – ending up with this:

Read it, and feel free to tell me what you think.

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…

Possibly my favorite form of media is my podcasts (snottier way to say it: “new audio”). Here is what I’m currently listening to (in iTunes alphabetical order), including links to each! (click the pic):

Garrison’s Keillor’s The Writer’s Almanac
Garrison Keillor recounts the literary highlights of this day in history and reads a short poem or two. Perfect — as expected from the master of vocal inflection.

Aristotle’s Philosophy of Friendship
“What is Friendship?” by Mark Vernon. Aristotle’s lecture notes on friendship are in Books VIII and IX of his Nichomachean Ethics, and dull-voiced Mark Vernon is about to explain. He begins with the “perils and promise” of friendship, starting with a thoughtful definition, and builds quickly. Don’t let the awkward choral interludes distract you: this content is worlds better than the production quality.

Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
“Grammar Girl here.” Grammar, punctuation, style, and business tips will make you a “better and more successful writer,” if not simply envious of her dry (and insane) example sentences. Occasional staid voicing is instantly forgiven by her humble segment conclusions, where she admits imperfection, and practically invites you to google for her number.

NPR: Religion
Explores the intersection between religion and society, with stories from Morning Edition, All Things Considered and other award-winning NPR programs. Worth it.

NPR: Story of the Day
Funny, moving, exceptional, or just offbeat — the NPR story people will be talking about tomorrow. The best of Morning Edition, All Things Considered and other award-winning NPR programs.

NPR: Technology
Perspectives on digital culture, research news, the tech industry and more. The best of Morning Edition, All Things Considered and other award-winning NPR programs. Not all nerdy.

Pandora Podcast Series
A new one: The Music Genome Project starts explaining the methods behind it’s popular free music online player. Each episode will explore (they’ve done only one so far) a musical concept in an engaging, educational and digestible way.

The Onion Radio News
Doyle Redland reporting. “A daily podcast featuring a short news clip from The Onion’s award-winning 24-hour radio news network”. Always amusing, but hits a home-run only about once a week. Probably with illegal medical assistance.

The RELEVANT Podcast
Features the editors of RELEVANT magazine talking about the latest news, issues and entertainment that matters to your life- an extension of RELEVANT magazine covering covering “God, life and progressive culture”. Good topic selection, but the editor’s banter can make you switch windows and forget you were listening. Worth a shot.

This American Life Podcast
Official free, weekly podcast of the award-winning radio show “This American Life.” First-person stories and short fiction pieces that are touching, funny and surprising. Hosted by Ira Glass, from WBEZ Chicago Public Radio. This free version is new to me: I’m a massive fan of the full one-hour show, broadcast on NPR weekends, and available in storable audio only when purchased. Perhaps this version chooses only 1/3 of the show’s segments?

It seems it’s been so difficult to get my thoughts out. I’m not writing, not creating. I feel less inspired. I feel emotionally tight. Isn’t my inspiration supposed to come during these more shadowed times?

I’ve been excited about recording audio, but haven’t got to trying real editing. I’m not writing. My blog is sitting sorta silent.

It seems like it’s a good thing that I’m not scheduled to speak at SNG this semester. I don’t know if I’d feel inspired enough to speak. I feel taught and comforted by God. But not in the way that overflows out of me into story and truth.

Maybe it has less to do with emotional pain, and more to do with how emotionally tired I am. It takes a lot some effort to put out creative output. And I think traditionally, the pace of Sept/Aug has silenced me.