iPod Rotation
It is so hot now that if you want to exercise, you have to get up at 6:00 a.m. So I've been doing that because my friend Don and I are doing this twelve-week nutrition and exercise regimen. One of the things that has made this bearable is listening to music while I run. It seems like I have a hard time keeping up with music these days. I have to totally depend on everyone around to tell me what's worth listening to. Even when I find out, it's hard to find time to actually listen. It's amazing what one can to at 6:00 a.m. Okay, enough whining.
Earlier this year, The Flaming Lips record, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" had all the buzz among the JW musical cognoscenti. It is a great record. Reminds me of the scope and grandeur of Pink Floyd's "The Wall," except with the humanity left intact. The song, "Do You Realize?" may be my favorite of the year. If you want to listen, hit the link above: there is a Flaming Lips media player and you can listen to the whole record. Painful, beautiful lyrics:
Do You Realize - that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize - we're floating in space -
Do You Realize - that happiness makes you cry
Do You Realize - that everyone you know someday will die
And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round
Lori Chaffer's forthcoming "1Beginning" is the second of three records that I can't stop listening to. In fact, the opening song, "Make No Protest" is so lyrically stunning and theologically dense (and musically textured) that it stops me short everytime I listen to it. I think the record is going to be released any time now, so check the Waterdeep website or maybe Grassroots Music if you want your very own copy.
Finally, I've been wading through the new Radiohead record, "Hail to the Thief." I was telling my friend Mike the other day that it has taken me awhile to connect to it and he commented that a lot of his favorite records are records that were initially inaccessible to him. I think, reflecting on it, that I have some of the same experiences. Maybe that is the difference between "pop music," that is, music that is instantly accessible to a large range of people (and also fades the public consciousness just as quickly), and music that becomes art. Music that is or becomes art demands an exchange or an investment. Classical is that way, so is jazz.
Anyway, several guys from our church bailed on Sunday and went to St. Louis to see the Radiohead show. Riffing on the theme of being out of it, I had no idea they were touring. Don posts a great review of the show and his reaction to the larger phenomenon of Radiohead on his blog. Enjoy.
Amen to all of those!
Posted by: timsamoff | August 27, 2003 at 05:19 AM
cognoscenti? impressive...
Posted by: laci | August 27, 2003 at 01:43 PM
I had no idea Radiohead was touring either! I actually had friends from Minneapolis and somewhere in Iowa drive down to St. Louis for that show as well. Crazy.
On a different note: I'm looking forward to the "Rediscovering the Church" conference in Chattanooga next week. See you there ...
Posted by: Steve K. | August 29, 2003 at 06:27 AM
Hey Steve, Glad to know that you'll be there. See you next week.
Posted by: Tim | August 29, 2003 at 11:15 AM
When you hear Elbow's new album, you might just have it framed. Radiohead and Coldplay comparisons are constantly made, so you'd probably like it. www.elbow.co.uk
Posted by: Jared (or Eric's little brother) | September 03, 2003 at 06:49 PM
thanks for the heads up on Elbow jared...I'll have to check them out - Spoon is another one a couple of people have mentioned. Any word on them?
Posted by: Tim | September 04, 2003 at 05:54 AM
Tim: I want to vouch for Spoon. Good stuff there- I've seen them in Lawrence and I'm excited to see them again at the Austin City Limits Festival. Look em up.
oh- and I agree, Elbow is pretty dang great.
Posted by: ashleereid | September 04, 2003 at 05:15 PM
Time magazine just featured Spoon in their What's Next: Imagining The Future issue. I'm not sure what Time knows about music, but that's gotta be good for something. Although, a few years ago, they did boast a 7-year old Radiohead as "the greatest young band in the world."
Posted by: Jared | September 04, 2003 at 07:24 PM
Your friend Don blows... He got all emotionally scarred by a Radiohead concert.
-R
Posted by: Robespierre | February 29, 2004 at 07:22 PM