Two articles: 1) Eddie Vedder, 2) Reformed Pastor on Super-heros

Two articles I enjoyed today...

1. Here's an NPR article on the new Eddie Vedder ukulele album coming out.
   http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2011/05/26/136625347/eddie-vedder-giving-a-modest-instrument-a-turn-in-the-spotlight
   
   
2. And, here's another one from a pastor in the Grand Cayman Islands about why the recent comic book movies are no good. I think he's on to something:
   http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/thabitianyabwile/2011/05/31/fallen-super-heroes
   
   "...honestly, I’d have to say they’ve all thus far been colossal flops (I haven’t seen Captain America yet).
   
   There’s one reason really. All the heroes are essentially adolescent, irresponsible, and immoral. There’s no “hero” in them. They barely manage to be courageous, and out of costume most are essentially over-sexed mysogynists.
   
   I realize that good literature refuses to keep everything nice and tidy, good kept to one side and evil to the other. In great literature, tragic realities and horrific pasts give sometimes dark motivations to the noble hero. And occasionally, even the villain has a streak of good running through them.
   
   But to a one, these films have all disappointed me in their failure to depict any significant virtue."
   

Best albums of 2011 - so far

I offer you a break from the surprisingly consistent 'favorite song of the week' posts. This week I'm imposing on you - 'favorite albums of the year - so far'. (Somehow this blog has turned into a 'favorites' blog...the music-only blog...and, the sell-out/overly-linked-to-Amazon blog. Things could be worse.)

Tier One of Favorites

1. The Decemberists: The King is Dead - Easily my favorite album of the year. "Easily" means you might want to spend your hard earned money on it.


2. The Head and the Heart: The Head and the Heart - This album came out last year. I'm breaking the 2011-only rules. I'm ready for the chaos. This has been the most highly played album in the our home over the last month (of course, it's hard to say how much Muse my wife listens to when I'm gone, ignorance is bliss).


3. Paul Simon: So Beautiful or So What - I've listened to this one 5 or 6 times and have highly enjoyed it each time. He's clever. He's telling nerdy, Paul Simon, lyrical jokes...and, he's processing life through stories. That's a hard combination to beat. ($5 is added bonus - 5/28)


4. Wanda Jackson: The Party Ain't Over - This is a honky-tonk, rockabilly, horn-filled house-party in the Caribbean. I think Loretta Lynn is jealous (Jack White produced an album for both of them...this one is better, in my opinion).

Tier Two


5. Brett Dennen: Loverboy - I can't stop listening to Sydney (I'll Come Running)...it has a catchy melody and a cougar reference. What else do you need? It's one of many good songs, though.


6. Shawn Mullins: Light You Up - The Ghost of Johnny Cash...you can't beat this creepy, awesome song about Shawn and the man in black. For what it's worth, I think Shawn Mullins is a great song writer...his down-side is that his albums can feel more like a bunch of songs thrown together than a cohesive album. This album feels that way.


7. Peter Bjorn and John: Gimme Some - It's a good album, and yet...missing something. I would give it one thumbs up, instead of the three that it arrogantly gives to itself.


8. Bob Dylan: Brandeis University 1963 - Masters of War is the stand out song to me. I like the show as Dylan history...it's 'interesting'. ...Not my favorite assembly of 7 Dylan songs, though. ($5 - 5/28)

Eight albums is all you get...let me know what I should add to the list...

Favorite Song of the Week 4: "Dust Bowl Dance" by Mumford and Sons

Favorite Song of the Week = Dust Bowl Dance

Apparently I hadn't listened to Mumford's lyrics close enough on this one. Inspired by the Currently Prophetic podcast, I gave it a closer listen. This time it came through my earphones as a song about the repercussions of misplaced trust...which rejuvenated its lifespan on my MP3 player.

"I placed all my trust at the foot of...this hill." When your trust ends up in the wrong spot, you end up feeling alienated, hateful, spiteful, angry at whatever let you down. I guess it's good to make sure your trust is at the foot of something stable.

(I thought this make-shift way of sharing the song would be preferable to making you watch a YouTube video.)

- For those interested, the runner-up this week was Everybody Needs Love by The Drive-By Truckers. A nice little ditty about how everybody needs love.

Seeking Discomfort?

This blog post is good.

http://sashadichter.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/tune-in-for-mindless-affirmation/

Favorite Song of the Week 3: "Lost In My Mind" by The Head and the Heart

Favorite Song of the Week - Lost In My Mind.



Other stuff:
- The Head and the Heart. In my mind, they are good...good like Mumford & Sons - 2010. You can download two of their songs for free on their website. The price is likely cheaper than anything at the Mumford & Sons website.
- If I ever need a music video made I will find Christian Sorensen Hansen and ask him to do it. Here is his website: http://www.internationalfilingsystems.com/
- 50% of the music I listen to was discovered at http://www.fuelfriendsblog.com/. This is no exception.
- Runner up for Favorite Song = My Maria by B.W. Stevenson. A long-lost love song from the 70s.

Favorite Song of the Week - "June Hymn" by The Decemberists

Favorite song of the week = "June Hymn" by The Decemberists

It's a good song for Spring & (bonus) it uses the word panoply. If you like the Spring and panoplies, you are in for a real treat this week.

Other items of interest:

- Runner up favorite of the week "Devil's In The Jukebox" - Ray LeMontagne.

- All time favorite song with a bonnet reference - Return Of The Grievous Angel's "calico bonnet" (June Hymn references yellow bonnets)

- Number of words in favorite song of the week I needed to look up in the dictionary: 5-10