He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane
I am a tree
Bending beneath
The weight of his wind and mercy
When all of a sudden
I am unaware of these
Afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize how beautiful you are
And how great your afflictions for me
Oh how he loves us so
Oh how he loves us
How he loves us so
Yea He loves us
Oh how
We are his portion
And he is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in his eyes
If grace is an ocean we’re all sinking
So heaven meats earth like a sloppy wet kiss
And my heart burns violently inside of my chest
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way
He loves us
Oh how he loves us
Oh how he loves us
How he loves us
This is impressive! 185 voices from 12 countries all singing together in a choir - virtually!
PRODUCED AND MANAGED BY:
Scott Haines
COMPOSED AND CONDUCTED BY:
Eric Whitacre
Representing 12 Countries:
Austria
Argentina
Canada
Germany
Ireland
New Zealand
The Philippines
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States of America
Posted on April 12, 2010 at sometime around 10:40 pm
Sufjan Stevens (pronounced sue-f-yahn) is one of the founders of postmodern indie-music. Sufjan is a Christian, but does not get bound by the chains of CCM. Sufjan is an artist and his work is the very sound that paved the way for many independent artists pursuing music today. His style is unique and leaves many listeners confused with his eclectic taste, but his cult-like following is very similar to that of Radiohead fans. The placement of Sufjan’s vocals are often out of sync with the rhythm of the track and sometimes the instruments are played slightly out of tune. The variety of instruments used is astounding, especially considering that the majority are played by Sufjan himself. His best work Read More »
Posted on April 6, 2010 at sometime around 10:41 am
Diane Birch has been selected as this week’s featured Music Monday post based entirely on this creative music video.
Diane has a very interesting journey, traveling as a missionary’s kid through Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Australia with her father, a Seventh Day Adventist preacher. She grew up never listening to pop music, as her parents did not allow her listen to any secular music, but left home when she was old enough and headed for L.A. Even though it seems that 99% of people who leave home for a big music city fall flat on their face, Diane Birch has received critical acclaim from the Huffington Post, NPR (you can stream her live performance at a favorite venue of mine: The World Cafe in Philly), and Rolling Stone Paper Magazine. Diane’s release of her album, Bible Belt, also landed her on Conan and Craig Ferguson, and her quirky pop is gaining a substantial fan base. You can find out more about Birch here or head to her website to hear more of her music.
What do you think of the video? Were you as happy as me when you found out this wasn’t just a big video-editing project, but was actually coordinated like a complex dance piece?
Posted on March 29, 2010 at sometime around 3:19 pm
For Fans of: The Swell Season, Damien Rice, Lisa Hannigan, She & Him, Alison Krauss & Robert Plant
I love the honesty of the lyrics for Poison and Wine. I love the sound even more. Who isn’t a sucker for a killer male/female duet? No one.
Joy Williams is known in the Christian industry for her 11 Dove Nominations, but now seems to be steering more towards music that is accessible to people of all faith backgrounds with her new endeavors in her band The Civil Wars. Here are the lyrics for Poison and Wine, their first single I’ve posted above:
You only know what i want I you to
I know everything you don’t want me to
your mouth is poison your mouth is wine
you think your dreams are the same as mine
I don’t love you but I always will
I don’t love you but I always will
I don’t love you but I always will
I always will
I wish you’d hold me when I turn my back
well the less I give the more I get back
your hands can heal, your hands can bruise
I don’t have a choice, but I’d still choose you
I don’t love you but I always will
I don’t love you but I always will
I don’t love you but I always will
I don’t love you but I always will
I don’t love you but I always will
I don’t love you but I always will
I don’t love you but I always will
I always will
I always will
I always will
I always will
Joy Williams has partnered with JP and has written a fantastic description of her new group, The Civil Wars:
Poison & Wine is a musical snapshot about the dichotomy of love - that while it can be the thing that destroys you, it can also be the very same thing that beckons and builds you. JP and I are both married have been for several years now - and we got to talking one day about what a tug and pull our individual relationships can be. The longer you know someone - and the longer you allow someone to know you - the more the light and shadows inside each person become more vivid. This song was our attempt at being as brutally honest about the dangerous and beautiful process of knowing and being known. (-Joy Williams, The Civil Wars)
One of my favorite lines in the song shows the awesome commitment to their spouses: Your hands can heal, your hands can bruise. I don’t have a choice, but I’d still choose you. The first part of the lyric shows the complexity of a human relationship. With every interaction, we can make a positive influence in someone’s life or damage them with our words. The second part of the lyric explores our uncommitted world. This lyric is very important, and to me, says, “even if I had the choice to leave, with all of our hardships and differences, I still choose you, because I love you. I always will.”
You can download their music for free below at NoiseTrade:
Posted on March 29, 2010 at sometime around 2:46 pm
Explosions in the Sky writes some of the best ambient music out there. There is nothing better for tuning out Milton in the cubicle next to yours, or to enjoy when trying to wind down at the end of a long day.
The band from Texas primarily uses three electric guitars and a drum kit to make all of their unique sounds, although they sometimes exchange a guitar for a bass. The band probably received their biggest notoriety for writing the score for the movie Friday Night Lights, although their best work comes through in their album All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone. Many of their songs eclipse the 10-minute mark as well, making a .99 cent deal seem all the better for us as cheap consumers of music.
If you are someone who enjoys quiet time in your day, be sure to pick up an Explosions in the Sky album soon (here is an iTunes link). As a youth pastor, I play them nearly every week at the end of our discussion to let our young people have time to pray/connect with God/think about their life.
Check it:
(PS - Just listen to the videos, don’t watch them.)
