Making Lists: Albums

Part of my personality leaves me prone to creating lists, as many people close to me are well aware. I’m not sure why or what it is, but grouping or ranking things comes naturally to me. In an effort to provide new content in this space more often, this will be a new series of sorts; expect more of these posts on a fairly regular basis.

The first list I want to share is musically based. While I may not be as knowledgeable about music or as skilled in creating it as some of my friends (such as Tessa and Shelby respectively), I enjoy sound creations as much as anyone. Below I will lay out the ten albums which I am currently enjoying the most, and hopefully be convincing enough to nudge you in their direction. If I sound ignorant, it is because I am. So cut me some slack, if you would be so kind. Happy hunting.

De-loused in the Comatorium – The Mars Volta
This album is one of my favorites for popping into the car stereo and driving with. The uniqueness of sound created by the Mars Volta is fantastic; even after having listened to this album on and off for a few years I am always discovering new layers to the music. The concept album aspect intrigues me as well (the songs tell a story based on the death of a friend of the band). While the band has put out a good deal of new material since this studio debut album (and solid material at that), none of it has stuck with me like this one.
Songs that stick: Son et Lumiere/Inertiatic ESP, Drunkship of Lanterns, Cicatriz ESP, Televators

OK Computer – Radiohead
I ran across this album a bit later than most; despite its release in 1997, I didn’t hear it until ten years later. This album, similar to De-loused, is one that I have listened to off and on for the last few years, but I still haven’t grown sick of it. While Radiohead is certainly a rock band, they don’t fall in the trap of writing music that all sounds the same (ala Nickelback). Each song on the album carries a unique feeling with it, and that diversity between tracks is a large part of the joy I take from the album.
Songs that stick: Paranoid Android, Exit Music (For a Film)

O – Damien Rice
As I said when I profiled him in the most recent Art and Artists post, Damien may be my favorite musician at the moment. He writes and plays with passion and honesty that I have not often run across. His debut album, O, is a fantastic piece of music. So many of the songs deal with heartbreak and lost love, such a relatable thing for many of us. The contrast between his less polished vocals with Lisa Hannigan’s beautiful singing voice provides a constant reminder of the separation they often sing about. This album is folk music at its finest, and one that I enjoy greatly.
Songs that stick: Blower’s Daughter, Older Chests, I Remember

Greatest Hits I – Queen
Yes, I realize that choosing a greatest hits album might be cheating. I don’t really care. This album is one of the best collections of music I have ever heard, and nothing is more fun to listen to in the car with friends, belting out each song louder than the last. I have many great memories associated with this album, which might contribute a bit to how much I enjoy it.
Songs that stick: Bohemian Rhapsody, Killer Queen, Don’t Stop Me Now

Word of Mouth – Timmy Curran
Curran is a retired professional surfer turned musician, something that you might expect from the free feeling that comes with this album. The lyrics don’t strike me as terribly deep or challenging, but the music is quite positive and flows well.
Songs that stick: Comatose, Slow, Joan

Amethyst Rock Star – Saul Williams
Saul is another artist I have profiled in the Art and Artists series, and beyond being an incredible poet he is a talented musician. This album contains a number of Saul’s poems put to music or shaped in a new way, and the results are breathtaking. Instead of mindless lyrics combined with a hip hop beat, Saul presents the listener with pure poetry as lyrics, intelligent and surprisingly well suited to the drum and bass or hip hop background the words are placed on. I rarely ventue into the hip hop genre, but this is a grand exception. This album is one that will definitely make you think, but the beat is enough to make your head bob and knee bounce all the same.
Songs that stick: Tao of Now, Coded Language

We Were Here – Joshua Radin
Another folk album that I greatly enjoy. Radin’s music is fairly subdued, volume control is certainly not an issue with this album. However, listening to these songs evokes some sense of familiarity with who Joshua Radin is despite my never having met him. There is a great deal of relatability contained in the lyrics, and the acoustic guitar/string pairings make for beautiful, soothing music.
Songs that stick: Everything’ll Be Alright (Will’s Lullaby), Winter

Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
Old, yes. From a different era, certainly. But a fantastic album nonetheless. This album contains one of my favorite individual songs of all time, some of the best synthesizer work I’ve come across, and an altogether fantastic combination of sounds. Wish You Were Here only contains five songs, two of which last over twelve minutes each, and three shorter songs. Something about WYWH makes me want to listen to it again and again, and so I do.
Songs that stick: Welcome to the Machine, Wish You Were Here

Narrow Stairs – Death Cab for Cutie
I don’t have anything profound or special to say about Death Cab or this album. I just greatly enjoy the sound, the cadence and the content. This another one of those albums that I could turn on and never reach to skip a song.
Songs that stick: I Will Possess Your Heart, Grapevine Fires

9 – Damien Rice
You didn’t really expect me to leave off Damien’s other album, did you? This effort has a distinctly different feel from O, but I love it all the same. 9 tends to be a faster, more upbeat album musically, while hitting on the same topics of love and loss. My only wish would be that Damien put out a third full length album; this one leaves me wanting more from him.
Songs that stick: 9 Crimes, Dogs, Coconut Skins

Certainly there are other albums that I enjoy and enjoy greatly. These include: X&Y by Coldplay; Whatever and Ever Amen by Ben Folds Five; Everything in Transit by Jack's Mannequin; Till the Sky Turns Black by Ray LaMontagne; I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning by Bright Eyes; The Wall by Pink Floyd; No Sir, Nihilism is Not Practical by Showbread; Strange and Beautiful by Aqualung; In Rainbows by Radiohead; Under the Iron Sea by Keane. I'm sure I am overlooking many great albums; feel free to add to the list in the comments below.

Making Money Off Jesus

One of my pet peeves is the existence of the Christian bookstore. Family Christian Stores, Berean Christian Stores, etc. It bothers me that these places exist and are as prevalent as Hallmark or Barnes and Noble. Why do Christian bookstores bother me so much? They bother me because their primary reason for existence is to make money off Jesus.

The first I remember feeling such frustration with a Christian bookstore was the summer after my freshman year of college. My mother had asked me to pick up a book or cd or something for her from the store, so I swung by Family Christian after I got off work that day. Walking up to the store, I noticed a rack of shirts on sale outside the store. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the shirts all had a common theme: patriotic, God loves America themed shirts, complete with a matching Bible verse. Similar to this one. The message? America is better, and God loves us more. Oh, the theology.

According to Berean’s website, they stock over 170,000 products. Pardon my generality, but that is a ton of products, all targeted at the Christian community. All created in order to make a profit. A profit off the name of Jesus. Oh, the almighty dollar.

As a student and supporter of the free market, I understand that when a market exists untapped, someone will come along and fill that market segment. The Christian community is a huge segment of the market, and inevitably someone will begin to create products with the hopes that Christians will buy them. This is simple business, a fact that exists in every segment and within every community. But do Christians have to participate so willingly?

Let me step back once again and attempt full disclosure. Yes, I own Christian books and music. Some of my favorite authors are sold within Christian bookstores, such as Don Miller, Brennan Manning and others. Just yesterday I purchased four “Christian” books off the internet, and while two of them were authored by atheists, they were published by Christian publishers with the aim of selling them to Christians. Like me. And I bought them. Amazon is my friend.

I attempt full disclosure because I don’t want it to sound like I am condemning all Christian authors or Christian books. Not at all. Just parts of that culture. Like I said, I understand the need for the market to fill the Christian segment. If there is demand, supply will follow. Yet, I wish that people weren’t so eager and willing to make money off of Jesus.

It seems that within conversations like this, I always come back to a line from Saul Williams' poem The Sermon on the Mount of the Inevitable Progression from Saul to Saul; if you sense a bit of deja vu, it may be because I have cited this poem and line in a previous post. The poem reads: "how many tables and laptops and Cadillacs and pews and pulpits would be overturned in THIS day", and I wonder if Christian bookstores might be added to that list. When Jesus overturned the moneychangers' tables in the temple, it was (in part) because they were seeking to make a profit off God by charging Jews more than they should have been for temple money or sacrificial animals. Are Christian bookstores so different? Would Jesus walk into Berean and be pleased, or would he overturn tables? I wonder if his reaction would entail more of the latter than the former, and I wonder if anyone realizes it. (Certainly some do...check out this article for a unique perspective on the issue of making money off Jesus).

Thus, I have two requests. Not to anyone in particular; perhaps to those indefinable "powers that be". These are relatively minor; I would certainly not ask that these stores close and stop doing business.

First, stop making money off of The Good Message. If the goal of a Christian bookstore is to save souls rather than make money, why are Bibles sold? Why are they not given away instead? I can understand if an author must charge money for a book in order to make a living and be a self-sufficient member of society. But Bibles? Something tells me the authors of that book aren’t interested in profit making. I have an inkling that Jesus might not be a fan of his words being sold rather than given away freely. Leather bound, gold engraved and diamond encrusted (I jest) Bibles don't exactly fit with a message of love for the poor, broken and marginalized.

My second request is that Christian bookstores stop selling political texts and apparel. It bothers me when Christian authors write with the intention of being political or something similar. Example: you can find in any Christian bookstore a copy of How Would Jesus Vote?, a book attempting to convince you of how Jesus would vote on a number of contemporary issues. Don't even get me started on this one. Thing is, I don’t remember Jesus being very political. I remember Jesus avoiding politics completely and just focusing on people. When asked about his opinion of Caesar and paying Roman taxes, Jesus said "give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's" (Matt 22:15-22); doesn't sound as if Jesus was very concerned with politics. But maybe that's just me. Amazingly, you can even find books by Sarah Palin, Laura Bush and even Michael Savage (title of his book: Liberalism is a Mental Disorder...you have got to be kidding me) in many "Christian" bookstores. Yes, those are links within the Christian bookstores' websites where you can buy them. Christian bookstores: stop combining Jesus with politics. And making money off the combination. I do not appreciate it.

Oh, one more thing. Please put away the America-is-a-Christian-nation-and-better-than-everyone-else shirts. I love my country as much as anyone, but to make it sound like we are more moral or religious than the rest of the world is sickening. As if Jesus loves us more because we are American. Oh, the humanity. Are we so quick to forget that Jesus was Jewish?

And so on…

Art and Artists: Saul Williams

The first artist that I want to approach here is Saul Stacey Williams. Saul is a writer, spoken word poet, hip hop artist and actor from Newburgh, New York. Since 1996, Saul has released four books of poetry, six albums and appeared in nine films. He has become what many call the voice of this generation, one of the most remarkable and talented poets alive today. The most lasting mark Saul has left on the artistic world is the way he has taken over spoken word and slam poetry. The man truly has a global reach. During my four months abroad, I attended a pair of slam poetry competitions; after a stirring performance at one of them, the poet was praised as "giving a Saul Williams-esque performance". And aptly so. Many of you have encountered Saul, perhaps without knowing it. A couple of years ago, one of Saul's songs, List of Demands (Reparations), was used as the background music for a Nike Sparq Training commercial.

The writings of Saul Williams have had a significant effect on my development as a person, helping me think differently and approach the world in new ways. In order to get a second perspective on this artist, I approached a good friend of mine who is as big a fan of Saul as I am; Sara and I each answered seven questions which I came up with, hoping to illuminate the impact of Saul Williams and his writings, why you might be interested in him, and what sets him apart.

1. How did you first find out about Saul?
Sara: I actually came across Saul by accident. I was getting really into some other poets (Bukowski, Kaufman, Ginsberg, etc.) and really admiring them for their innovative use of language and beat or rhythm in their writings. A friend suggested I check out Saul Williams. Needless to say, I was instantly hooked!

Kevin: I wish someone had turned me on to Saul sooner. I actually ran across him one day on YouTube looking through video clips from Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam. The poem I first saw Saul perform was Coded Language. Still my favorite poem of his. I’m glad the first time I encountered Saul was through a spoken word piece; I don’t know if I would have connected with him in the same way otherwise.

2. What is your favorite piece of art (song, poem, etc.) that Saul has created?
Sara: This is a really tough question...I'd have to say that my favorite poem is the first one I ever read of his. It's from The Seventh Octave and I'm pretty sure it's untitled (read it here). I know it starts out with the line: "I could recite the grass on a hill and memorize the moon."

Kevin: My favorite complete piece of his is Coded Language (read it or watch it), as I pointed out above. Even to take the list of names Saul cites in the poem and to learn about one each day would be a worthy endeavor. However, the power and beauty behind Saul’s words is contained in the unique ways he describes the world, and the new perspectives he inevitably presents. In his poem Sermon on the Mount of the Inevitable Progression of Saul to Saul (read it or watch it), the poet writes to his deceased pastor father: “…how many tables and laptops and Cadillacs and pews and pulpits would be overturned in THIS day.” The truth in that statement shook me the first time I read it. It still shakes me today when I consider its implications.

3. Are there any themes in his writings that stick out to you?
Sara: Certainly his writings have social, political, and spiritual themes, oftentimes stated very explicitly, but to me the biggest "theme" of his writings/songs is the unmistakable beat. The cadence of his lyrics is so powerful!

Kevin: For me, the constant theme in everything Saul writes is his dissatisfaction with the status quo. His passion is speaking truth, and when truth is not present he will search until he finds it. Living in this broken world, we are surrounded by pain, suffering, hatred, discrimination, deceit and numerous other daily tragedies. The beat to which he speaks is one focused on creating a better world, improving on the status quo.

4. Why is Saul an important artist in our generation?
Sara: Saul has really revolutionized modern poetry. His spoken word technique, while rooted in the tradition of many previous writers/cultures, is truly innovative, and this, to me, is what keeps poetry fresh. It would be a real tragedy if poetry had to conform to some sort of code, only certain themes, or certain structure.

Kevin: Saul is constantly pushing the bounds of poetry and of himself. The passion with which he writes is contagious, and begs to be heard. The medium with which he is the most profound and powerful is spoken word poetry; his ability to combine timeless words with indelible emotion is unmatched in this generation.

5. Describe Saul using one word.
Sara: Revolutionary.

Kevin: Inspirational.

6. How have his writings influenced you?
Sara: Saul has really opened my eyes to poetry and self expression. He is a true inspiration to anyone struggling with finding the words and the way to say what they are really feeling.

Kevin: Saul has inspired me to look at the world with new eyes and to always be seeking a new perspective. He has written often about the power of individual action (here, here, here) and the ability of our generation to change the world. While seeking out ways to change the world and myself for the better is always on my mind, no one has put those desires into words better than Saul Williams. His desire for change has influenced my own and helped me believe that such change is possible. The presence of love makes a huge difference, and his understanding of that truth has helped me understand it as well.

7. Explain why you think more people should get to know Saul Williams and his art.
Sara: Saul Williams certainly isn't for everyone, and that's fine, but I think that it is always a positive thing to experiment with new art forms, and new ideas. I think that others should check out Williams' work to broaden their own worlds and perspectives.

Kevin: The way Saul chooses to express himself and what he believes is unique to any other artist or writer I have encountered. Seeing someone speak and write in new ways is a breath of fresh air in our current day. What connects me most to Saul is the way I see myself reflected in him. The man refuses to let himself be defined, whether by a mirror or an audience. He is constantly reinventing his art, relentlessly searching for the way forward. Remaining in the same place is unacceptable; the status quo must be rejected and replaced with something fresher and better. I might not be able to weave words as powerfully as he does, but I am constantly searching for the right path, just as he is. His determination to be defined by no one and held down by nothing inspires me to seek the same; that alone is reason enough to get to know Saul Williams and what he has to say.