What Happened to the Album
Every week dozens of new albums are released in stores and online. More and more often I'm seeing options for purchasing the "deluxe version" of said record featuring between one and ten additional tracks. Now, as a music collector, of course I want the additional tracks. But as a purist, I hate the fact that additional songs are tacked onto the end of the album which should be a singular thought.
The fact is that most records are not a singular thought. They are just the best ten tracks out of the forty that were written between the last album and the new one. At that point, the message of the album isn't being watered down by the additional "bonus" tracks.
I want a record to make a statement. I want it to have a theme. I want there to be some unifying principle beyond, "hey, we're a band and we record songs, so here's some songs that are hopefully decent." Sure, I want to hear your cover version of Justin Bieber, but if you tack it onto the end of a rousing journey that we've just gone on, you kind of shoot yourself in the foot.
The other possibility/fear is that if I don't buy the deluxe version, I'm not getting the entire story.
At the end of the day, I know it's all about money. What can we do to get people to spend more for relatively little cost to us? I don't like that. Make a record that says something. Let it stand on it's own two legs. Release some bonus tracks (that can be purchased individually) separately. Don't take advantage of your fans. It's not nice for one, but it also makes me think that you lack faith in your own product.
Which is Easier…?
1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--he said to the paralytic-- 11 "I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home." 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
Mark 2:1-12 (ESV), emphasis added
To the audience in the story, the answer would be obvious. They believed in healing. Spiritual redemption, however, was not something that was easily attained. While we may look at this as one side just being words (forgiveness) and the other requiring a miracle (walking), the audience knew that the forgiveness was truly the greater work of the two.
It's interesting to me, how relatively easy it is to trust Christ for the spiritual healing and not the physical. Which is truly easier, though: to pay a debt that you incurred at birth and will never be able to repay or to pay off you credit card bill? to mend the only relationship that truly matters that you can never men on your own or to heal the relationship between you and your spouse/family/friend?
This is an area in which we often show ourselves to be practical atheists. We "believe" that God has saved us, but we don't live as though he can take care of us and our stuff. I tend toward being a "fixer" but the reality is that I can never fix anything of any value with lasting or permanent results. I'm in need of fixing. Would that I lived like I believe the the things I say I believe.
Be Yourself
You'll never become who you want to be tomorrow
until you accept and admit who you are today.
What I’m Listening To: August 2011
Sometimes you find music in your archives that you just don't listen to. Sometimes it's because you don't like it. Other times it's because you just have so much that you overlook it. This month I've decided to commit to listening to some things that I wouldn't normally pick out.
David Gray: Foundling - I was so much a fan of David Gray when I discovered him and his amazing album Draw the Line. This is just a sub-par followup. It lumbers along like a Sunday afternoon drive through the country.
Tinted Windows - This indulgent-pop vehicle for such less-than-well-known superstars as Taylor Hanson (Hanson), James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), Adam Schelsinger (Fountains of Wayne) and Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick) is just too bubble gum for me. There's a part of me that wants to believe that there's something deeply artistic and relevant about it. I just can't find it.
Graham Colton: Pacific Coast Eyes - I absolutely love the Drive album by Graham Colton Band. His solo follow up Here Right Now was a colossal let down. This album brings it back a bit, yet still lacks the urgency of the debut. He's the official winner of my "Augustana Bait and Switch of the Month" award. I guess when Kelly Clarkson writes an album about how she hates you, that's a hard thing to bounce back from.
Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - This album features some of John's most beloved and recognized songs. Those tracks, however, account for less than 1/4 of the record. I've found that he has some great album tracks and I want to get to know them.
Elton John: Madman Across the Water - Two weeks ago, I wrote about my love for the song "Levon." While this album lacks the "hit quotient" of Yellow Brick Road, I prefer it's tone and style.
Project
Here's the first preview of what I've been working on every day since I started my job 10 weeks ago. Full version will be up on Monday and I'll give you all the creative credits then. Film company provided us with their edit and I went in and did some tweaking in Premiere to add titles at the end and such.
Songs We Wish We’d Written – Levon
Levon by Elton John - I have no real idea what this song is really about. I do know, however, that I've been captivated by this song since the first time that I heard it. It is just musically captivating. People may hate on Elton John, but the guy can write a song - well he can write the music to a song.
Quality
Dia Frampton covers "The Cave" by Mumford and Sons
(if only the audio were as good as the video).
Aside: I think that her "shy girl" persona on The Voice was totally fake. Girl has 4 records she put out independently and several dozen YouTube videos. Don't buy the hype. But she's still great.
Wait for it…
So, I knew what it was when I first looked at it, so it kind of spoiled it. Took my eyes a few minutes to really settle on the visual. I find it a bit reminiscent of Inception. Can't wait.
First Big Project
Last week, my first big project at my new job went online. When I got here, I was assigned to "re-skin" one section of our website. As ideas began flowing, the project grew quite a bit. Check out the before and after shots.
Home Page Before
Home Page After
Kids Area Before
Kids Area After
Art Supplies Before
Art Supplies After
In the interest of giving credit where it is due... my role in this process was mainly project management. I did a small amount of coding and and gave general direction for design concepts. Our graphic designer did an awesome job and our out-sourced web developers executed the changes with little difficulty.
