Posted on June 23, 2010 at sometime around 11:33 pm
I’d be deceiving you if I didn’t share my bias for Talain Rayne. Talain and I are friends. Last year, we met up in Lancaster, we drank some delicious chai, and he asked me if I would be his manager. Unfortunately, I was not taking any artists in my lineup, as I was moving to New York. Otherwise, I would have signed Talain in a second! So, my only bias is that we are friends from the same school. Beyond that, all that you need to know is that Talain is making fantastic music and giving away his debut album for free. If I were to write a review, it would say,
Talain’s music makes you want to get up and dance, yet there is incredible depth behind his lyrics. The sounds are infectious and should be featured on the next iPod commercial.
or…
If Coldplay went indie instead of mainstream, this is what it would sound like.
That is, if they are still making iPod commercials. They meaning Steve Jobs.
Anyways, you can hear my favorite song (”Dear Sister, Your Brother”) from Attic Lights below, or you can download the ENTIRE album for free. Yup. 11 tracks. Free. Just enter your email and postal code in the second widget below (and don’t worry, you aren’t going to get a bunch of “come to my concert” spam). No catch.
This week I was privileged to giveaway 3 Gungor albums here at the blog. I’m still highly recommending their album, “Beautiful Things”, and not just because I got to talk with Michael, their lead singer. They are making good music.
TO BE ENTERED TO WIN A FREE COPY OF GUNGOR’S NEW ALBUM, SIMPLY WRITE YOUR FAVORITE WORSHIP ARTIST/GROUP AND A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF WHY IN THE COMMENTS BELOW. FOR A SECOND CHANCE TO WIN, RT ON TWITTER OR RE-POST WITH A LINK TO JONATHAN SIGMON ON FACEBOOK. WINNERS WILL BE SELECTED AT RANDOM. CONTEST ENDS THURSDAY, MAY 20TH AT MIDNIGHT.
Maybe you have never heard of Gungor, but my advice to you is to take a listen! I got the privilege of doing a phone interview with Michael Gungor, the lead singer of the band, and got to ask him a bunch of questions. Some of them were serious and some were just for fun. I hope you will enjoy this podcast-style interview, which I’ve posted below (no visuals, really). I’ve also posted the questions and a few highlights of Michael’s answers below.
Tell us a little bit about your faith journey and your music.
I’ve grown up in the church and following Christ, but what that means has definitely changed…
What is your favorite t-shirt?
V-necks.
What’s it like to work with your wife? Is it hard to transition between work and fun?
“We both have the musician temperament and so sometimes the ordinary life skills come more difficult.” Yep.
Your album is called Beautiful things. What would you plant in your garden if you were growing something?
“I would plant peace in my garden.”
What’s the goal of your music?
The content and the message are important, but the artwork was just as important as that artwork.
Interesting quote: “If music is just about the lyrics, then the music is basically just propoganda.”
What would you say is the purpose of a corporate worship gathering? (9 minute mark)
To gather to remind ourselves what we are supposed to be doing.
“WWJD?”
How do you respond to criticism, whether it be to your music, what you stand for, etc. What do you do with that?
“We should be willing to say ‘I disagree with you.’ It’s sad to see people who argue for a God that doesn’t love everyone.
Sometimes worship music is criticized for being overly simplistic. On a whole, do you think it should be more musical or more simple? (14:30 mark)
“Be diligent with your craft and be who you are and called to be. Don’t try to fit some other sort of mold.”
What if God was one of us? Just a stranger on a bus? Trying to make his way home?
What advice would you give to local worship leaders?
I would encourage local worship leaders to remind yourself of the heart of what you are trying to do. Remember the big story we are a part of.
Describe your concerts that you do outside of the church. (18:30 mark)
The “Beautiful Things Events” have a different kind of worship…
What’s the most challenging thing about leading worship on a regular basis?
The most challenging thing is that you are constantly pouring out. Worship leaders need to have times where they are filled up too, to avoid becoming jaded, dry, or cynical.
I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Michael better. Pick up Gungor’s music from iTunes here. You’ll be happy with your decision.
WANT A CHANCE AT WINNING GUNGOR’S NEW ALBUM FOR FREE? COMMENT WITH YOUR FAVORITE WORSHIP ARTIST AND WHY BELOW. IF YOU HAVE NEVER LISTENED TO WORSHIP MUSIC, JUST WRITE YOUR FAVORITE BAND. OR…JUST SAY “GIMME A CD FO’ FREE! AND SOME WAFFLE FRIES!”
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
If you go into music looking to make money off of a recorded album, it is difficult to be able to break even, let alone make a sustainable living. And music is only going to get cheaper. Check out this interesting graph to see how much artists earn online:
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 »
