Manifesto by The City Harmonic

We saw these guys three times at Soulfest last week. Love it, love it.

The Sound (John Perkins Blues)

Since we'll be seeing them next week, here's what Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman had to say about their song, "The Sound (John Perkins Blues):"

 "The Sound (John Perkin's Blues) is a very important song for us as a band. I see so much hatred and fear around me, I see so many people living out their pain. I hear it on the radio. I see it in the headlines. John Perkin's story needs to be heard. This song was inspired by a man who sang a louder song than hatred. In a world where we are defined by our differences, Mr. Perkin's life of service and compassion is a tangible demonstration of what it means to live a life of love. Love is the loudest song we could sing. Louder than racism. Louder than fear. Louder than hatred. John Perkin's said it right, love is the final fight. We're excited to hear this song on the radio, louder than pain."  

Read about John Perkins here.

This is an unpolished, "alternate take," live studio recording. Don't play it if you don't like louder music...

How Deep The Father's Love For Us

Death In His Grave

A profound and poetic description of Jesus' mission at the cross, enjoy "Death In His Grave" by John Mark MacMillan.

"The man Jesus Christ laid death in his grave!"




You can read John Mark's line-by-line commentary about the lyrics here. (thanks for the link Becca:)

Happy Easter everyone!

Music: For The Soul

The little electronic voice that emanates from this little blue dog toy, called a "Talking Babble Ball" is nothing like a real voice. The closest it comes is to make recognizable sounds that emulate a voice that sort of pronounces syllables to make you think you heard it a say words. Words like, "Good Doggy!" or, "Oh, you got me!" or "I'm gonna get you!" Kind of like the fake voice on the "pull the string" dolls my little sister used to have. Nothing like a real voice, right?

Admit it: you're a shower singer. Or a car singer. Or a living room conductor. We love music. We kind of need music, don't we? Can you imagine life without music? It's like trying to imagine life without trees. Picture the entire earth with no trees. Like the moon. Life without music would be airless and dry and suffocating.

How He Loves

Though David Crowder (and I guess Flyleaf) made the song "How He Loves" kind of  'famous' in the Christian music world, John Mark MacMillan wrote it and sings it with, I think, a little more heart.

I hadn't realized that the song came from

Happy All The Time

Naturally, I think about Heaven a lot these days.....here's Brooks Williams singing a simple, cheerful tune called "Happy All The Time" in a weirdly old-timey looking video......oh, come on, give it a chance, at least to hear the

One Continuous Camera Move Music Videos

These 3 music videos were all made using only one continuous camera move. How'd they do it? The same way the maestro says you get to Carnegie Hall: practice, practice, practice.(videos are after the jump: click 'Read More' to get there).

Savannah

My current favorite Relient K song. I know it's a cool, more serious song, especially for Relient K, and it's probably Christian powerpop blasphemy to say it...but I can't help wishing that the Muppets still had their show so Relient K could go on and the whole cast could muppet-dance to this song............

Come Thou Fount

I have never been able to sing the 2nd half of the 2nd verse of "Come Thou Fount." I try every time, but nothing comes out.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wand'ring from the folds of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Bought me with His precious blood.

I have no voice until I recover at the start of verse 3, but then it's gone again when we sing,

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, 
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it;
Seal it for thy courts above.

And then the song is over and it's time to mop up. What song 'goes right through' you?

How He Loves Us

Here's another performance of John Mark McMillan's "How He Loves Us," this time by Jared Anderson who is new to me. He did a really nice job and I love this song.

Happy Spring!

I know, I know, it's probably bad form to post two songs by the same artist two posts in a row, but, well, it's the first day of Spring! Now or never!

Andy McKee

Completely mind-boggling skill and beautiful music..........

Cowbells and Colossians

Daniel played bass for the jazz band portion of the Green Mountain District 5 Music Festival tonight. Shredded basically and his awesomeness showed the most when his sheet music fell on the floor and he just kept playing from memory with out missing a beat. In fact if I didn't know better, I would almost suspect that he purposely made the music fall so that his awesomeness at playing without the music and never missing a beat could be seen by all. Except that's not like him and also I think no one saw the music fall except me and the trombone player next to him who kindly picked it up.

Plus, they also played an absolutely gorgeous version of Charles Mingus's, "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat." Made you weep. (Of course, there is always the version by Jeff Beck, whose guitar weeps and which takes me back to my own high school days...).

There were other groups playing as well: a Women's Chorus and a Full Choir, which sang a really cool Magnificat which I love because school music programs across our great nation violate the supposed 'Separation of Church and State' every time they sing spirituals and no one raises a finger or even an eyebrow.

There was also a Middle School Wind Ensemble, but my personal favorite (apart from the Jazz Band of course), was the Middle School Concert Band. They played, "On Broadway." (Remember, "On Broadway?" Made famous and popular by the cool and suave George Benson in 1978? Well, remove the cool and remove the suave and remove George Benson and replace it all with 6th grade brass and a giant bass drum and you've got the picture...)

Anyway, the reason that this band was so great was because of their

This Side

An old favorite: 'This Side' by Nickel Creek...embedding is of course disabled so just see it at Youtube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nneEIX59I8 

Go ahead, tell me I'm silly. Tell me I'm crazy and I'm reading too much into it...but I

How He Loves

What a great song from David Crowder....watch "How He Loves" at Youtube. Lyrics by John Mark McMillan.

Inbflat

Daniel showed this to me...for those (like me) who can't play music...you may almost think you can...

You'll figure out what to do...enjoy!

I Saw What I Saw

Sarah Groves' rather affecting video of her trip to Rwanda. Would you give the shirt off your back? Man, I hope I would...

Switchfoot 'Spirit'

I don't know what album this came off of...must have been a bonus track somewhere. A.W. Tozer says when Jesus is glorified, the Spirit comes. What were the disciples doing when the Spirit came at Pentecost (Act 2)? Glorifying Jesus. We should probably pay more attention to this.....

In Christ Alone

Got 6 minutes? Settle into your chair and get blessed by this great song by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty.This performance by Adrienne Liesching and Geoff Moore.



In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.