Echoes and Moments

I wrote in a previous post on the abundance of high quality, richly textured music that we've been able to consume, to digest, to chew on, to sit with, to allow to mess with us over the last year. I still believe now, as I did at the end of last year, that we are in a new age of music, one where artists have the potential to go beyond the constraints of the medium of their chosen tools: sound and voice, to arbitrate culture and influence the conversations that shape our society. To reach the standards set by Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, and even (as divisive as he is) Kanye West, is to dialogue with the biggest questions of our existence: what is important? Why are we here? What makes us human? This last question concerns me as I survey the variety of music available for us to choose. As a form of art, music is inherently a description, sketch, and reflection of the humanity that creates it. You can see the ideas that my favorite band, Radiohead, wrestles with when they mov...

on Formation tour, 2016. I have a mildly embarrassing custom of talking in-depth with a friend about various cultural, socio-political, and theological topics over the worst food that our society has to offer: greasy fast food. This past week was more defendable than most, considering our chosen location for conversation, WingStop, prides itself on cooking everything fresh. But the amount of salt, fat, and grease that I consumed that night (and that found its way quickly through my defenseless digestive tract) was more than enough to make me think twice about my life choices. During this conversation, as I munched on a deep-fried chicken wing coated in lemon-juice glaze and pepper, my friend paused, looked intently into my eyes, and offered me a question with great severity: "Karl, I know you have thoughts on this. I just wanna know...why the hell should I care about Beyoncé and her twin babies?...because I just don't care!" I slid the last strip of meat from t...

Yes, let's get it out of the way. 2016 was a ridiculous, horrifying, event-filled, tragic, and overwhelming shitstorm of a year. It was probably the most stressful year of all the twenty-seven that I've lived through, both personally and existentially. And yet, those of us tuned into the arts, and music in particular, were left with a shocking revelation of its consequences: there was some damn good music that was made in this year. Amidst the rise of a Trump presidency and the painful losses of so many luminaries cherished for their innovations (Cohen, Prince, Bowie, and others), we saw a consistent output of music straddling the lines of progressive innovation and holding the flame alive of well-worn sonic territory. You'll notice this list has an impressive diversity in genre, gender, and ethnic background, a testament to the vast creativity that brimmed amidst the chaos of the times. This top ten was painfully difficult to pare down, yet I am confident that I captured t...

This post is a long time coming. From porch-side conversations with my best friend to evening phone chats with my girlfriend, a certain label fails to elude me as I continue the trek through my late twenties as a rank-and-file member of the Millennial generation. Although this label overlaps, to an extent, with the generation before (X), I have warily accepted its use to describe certain tendencies that I embrace, no matter how much I feel it eviscerates any real depth to which I hold certain of my likes, dislikes, and convictions. I am talking about the divisive label Hipster,  one that has been leveled against me by my students, by certain friends, and others. At first blush this title might conjure images of a thirtysomething, tattoo-wearing, mustache sprouting, oddly dressed entitled upper middle class white person, and though there are some excellent examples of how that came to be the case, it simply doesn't describe me at all. Upon deeper reflection, there are certain areas...

As the rain mist gently cools the air outside the creaky windows of my home here in Fresno, the world slows down a bit and I am afforded the perfect opportunity to listen to some new music. It is, after all, Friday*, and as we herald the weekend, let's reflect on some of the best new tunes to cross our airwaves. There are many candidates to consider, but for now I'll focus on three artists and their latest releases. So far 2016 has been a great year for new music, and there seems to be more to come on the horizon. I am, of course, giddy with excitement over the new Radiohead release on Sunday , and although I lament that I could not come close to getting tickets for their summer tour, I can enjoy a new video release in anticipation of their imminent album drop. That album will have to wait for a review of its own, but for now I'll dive into the three featured albums that have stayed with me over the past few weeks. To begin, I travel sonically to the land of my birth, th...

What a year 2015 has been, and although this post may strike you as a bit late (thank you late-winter chills and El Niño storms), I've compiled my annual list of music to satiate your earbuds for the time being. Per tradition, the music is listed by artist, followed by album title, and is listed from my lesser favorites to the number one (which should be no surprise to those of you in conversation with me). Thus, without further ado, I submit my list for your humble consideration. 10. Kamasi Washington, Epic Washington has come a long way as an artist rising out of the sublime musical swamp that is LA, and, because he was featured in Paste Magazine  and other musical pulp, he grabbed my attention immediately. What we find is an incredible blend of hip-hop and jazz; twinges of radio-ready beats mixed with the newest and most progressive expressions of right hand wizardry. I love this because it is, as I've come to learn, the sound of a city coming together. LA is one luck...

The last few weeks have put me through the wringer. I can scarcely remember the last time so many converging factors amounted to a barrage of crises to manage. External circumstances and the changing landscapes of work launched me into a realm of terrifying speculation about whether or not I would have a job at this time next year. If things stayed the same, or continued to develop at their current rate, I would be forced to leave my ministry assignment at the end of the academic year, earlier than I would have planned. My mind grappled with a catastrophic sense of having to make a decision without the freedom to do so unencumbered by the failures of others. I have been reeling to recover a sense of rhythm, clarity, and peace in the midst of a difficult and ongoing process to move forward. Luckily, I had the chance to have a literal escape by visiting some close friends for the weekend. Although Santa Barbara is in the midst of its warmest months of "summer" (a phenom...

2015 is shaping up to be a good year for music. Already we've had immense and game-changing releases from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Sufjan Stevens, My Morning Jacket, Tame Impala, and Wilco. This year we can expect our horizons to be further expanded by Foals, St. Vincent, and (as I go into giddy fan mode), Radiohead. It's easy in the midst of this to forget that there is a good deal of art out there that recognizes the intensely spiritual side of our human journey. Lamar and Stevens' latest efforts are obvious choices for those artists not being played in church settings (although they arguably could). But more on that later. My concern is to look back through the realm of contemporary sacred music from across traditions to see just how our Christian faith shapes our expressions today. Unfortunately, much of the landscape is bleak. I've had my issues with the label "Christian" as applied to music, and I would agree with Michael Gungor that applying ...

"Americana." "New Folk." "Southern Rock." Each of these labels brings with it different connotations and influences on music across the rock soundscape, sometimes for better, and often for worse. In the wake of two huge releases this week, I'd like to reflect on what makes a good American album, seen through the lenses of two related, but far different pieces of music in quality and execution. Riding the crest of the wave that has popularized the blend of rock music and folk, making the banjo ubiquitous on the popular rock scene. Mumford & Sons has conquered their niche through a relatively brief tenure: only two albums and a smattering of singles and TV appearances led them to sold out concerts across the globe, a host of Grammy nominations, and a sound that has been copied by scores of lesser bands, both popular and (oddly)  religious . I have to clear the air and state the obvious: for all the banjos, foot stomping, and flannel shirts, th...

This year was a pretty good one for music, so far as I've noticed. While well known media outlets like NPR and Paste have published lists of their favorite albums, and as I await lists from other prominent sources , I've collected my top ten albums after a careful accumulation of music from a variety of sources. Yes, I discovered some of these artists as a breath of fresh air, new sonic territories carving paths into territory yet uncharted. Others I appreciate for their lyricism, or the particular nuances of emotion that an artist can convey through their voice, tone, and timbre. Some are new offerings from old favorites. You'll notice I don't organize the music apart from the entire work. I could make a list of songs, singles, or even new artists that I've enjoyed this year. But I am a firm believer in the album format, and despite my love of creating mixtapes to travel with me in my pickup, it is still the medium that most comprehensively captures the essen...