Music

I was at a wedding recently and was introduced to this hymn (which also works well as a poem) written by John Berridge. Berridge was a preacher, a revivalist and a hymnwriter who wrote several hundred songs. Indelible Grace has a helpful biography of the man. I quite enjoyed his hymn “Since Jesus Freely Did Appear” and thought I’d share it with you.

Since Jesus freely did appear
To grace a marriage feast,
O Lord, we ask thy presence here
To make a wedding guest.

Upon the bridal pair look down,
Who now have plighted hands,
Their union with thy favor crown,
And bless the nuptial bands.

With gifts of grace their hearts endow,
Of all rich dowries best!
Their substance bless, and peace bestow,
To sweeten all the rest.

In purest love their souls unite,
That they with christian care,
May make domestic burdens light,
But taking each their share.

True helpers may they prove indeed,
In pray’r, and faith, and hope;
And see with joy a Godly seed
To build their household up.

An Isaac and Rebecca, give
A pattern chaste and kind;
So may this married couple live
And die in friendship joined.

On every soul assembled here,
O make thy face to shine,
Thy goodness more our hearts can cheer,
Than richest food or wine.

There are two albums that have been receiving a lot of my attention lately, both of which were released on August 2: Matt Papa’s This Changes Everything and Mat Kearney’s Young Love. Let me give you a brief overview of each of them.

This Changes Everything

This Changes Everything is a full-on worship album and one that focuses on big themes of sin and sovereignty and salvation. It has as much theological depth as any album I’ve heard recently and combines this depth with calls to action and Christian living. Musically it ranges from rock to ballads with even a little bit of rap and a little bit of Piper added for good measure. Here are some sample lyrics:

From “Our Sovereign God:”

Our Sovereign God
The King of all
Clothed in Power
And crowned forevermore

Idols will fall
He stands alone
Reigning ever on His throne
Dwelling in Glory and Awe
Our Sovereign God

Every now and again I like to mention some of the albums I’ve been listening to lately—largely because many of these albums are sent to me by people who read this site. This time around I’ve got 4 great albums to recommend to you.

Ordinary Time

Ordinary Time is a band that (largely) sets old hymns to new music. And they do it well through acoustic folk music featuring guitar, piano, mandolin, banjo, dobro and violin. Their most recent album is At the Table and it contains a mix of original songs with older hymns. My favorites are “How Firm a Foundation” (I love their rendition) and “Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners.” Whenever I mention my favorite tracks someone says, “You always choose the worst tracks.” So be it. Those are the ones I find myself listening to again and again. Deal with it!

You can listen to the complete album at their web site.

Jamie Barnes / Brooks Ritter

James Barnes and Brooks Ritter may be familiar to you through their work with Sojourn. They have collaborated on a new split EP—each contributes 5 tracks. Barnes’ half is The Mercy Seat while Ritter’s part is The War. Each of the two halves is very different and yet somehow they work well together. The split is obvious, and yet it works. My favorite tracks are “A City No Longer Forsaken” and “Whom Have I In Heaven.”

Once again, you can listen to the whole thing at Bandcamp.

Christa Wells

Christa Wells has a new EP set to release in a week or two. I managed to get an early copy of How Emptiness Sings and have enjoyed it a lot. Check out “Panning for Gold” and “Everything Moves But You” for great lyrics set to great music. Christa will be updating her site soon with more information about the album. It should be on sale by mid-March. You’ll just need to be patient.

Jaron & Katherine Kamin

Jaron & Katherine Kamin have a new album of old hymns titled Here Among Us. They record classics such as “Praise My Soul the King of Heaven,” “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus” and “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.” Some are set to traditional melodies while others have new melodies. “Give Praise to the Lord” and “Nothing But the Blood” may be the strongest tracks.

You can listen to the complete album at Bandcamp.

There’s a strange phenomenon in the Christian world right now: middle-aged white pastors are talking about rap music and, even more strangely, actually listening to it and recommending it. Suddenly 65-year-old pastors who wear plaid jackets are interviewing dudes who wear their hats all funny and say things in their songs like, “They got ya head bobbin til ya lose ya necklace.” This may not be a long-lived phenomenon, but while it lasts, I thought it would be interesting to reflect on what exactly is going on here.

Why are all these middle-aged white guys suddenly all excited about Christian rap music? Why is it that I am going to pastor’s conferences and hearing these guys talk about Flame and Trip Lee and Lecrae and Shai Linne?

Here are five factors I came up with.

The Copycat Factor

Not too many white middle-aged pastors were listening to any of this rap music before some of the prominent Reformed personalities began to endorse it. Then these rappers began to perform during worship services at big churches, they began to appear at the Reformed conferences, they were invited to sell their wares at the major events. There is definitely a bit of a copycat factor at play in which people are responding to a guy like John Piper and thinking, “If Piper likes him, he must be good.” Not that this copycat factor is in any way unusual when we observe a new phenomenon. When the leaders begin to endorse it, the rest of us tend to follow.

The Novelty Factor

For a lot of people there is a level of surprise and delight in discovering that there is such a thing as good Christian rap music. We’ve come a long way from D.C. Talk and “I love rap music / I always have and I always will / There ain’t no other kinda music in the world / That makes me feel quite as chill.” Today we are seeing a lot of artists who are releasing rap music that is theologically-rich, easily as much so as any other form of music, and that is also enjoyable to listen to. And so a lot of these white middle-aged guys are enjoying the surprise and the fun of exploring rap music, of listening to different kinds, of trying to figure out what it’s all about. For most of them, this is an entirely new genre—a whole new world ready to be explored.

The Cool Factor

Let’s face it—middle-aged white guys don’t know a whole lot about being cool. White middle-aged culture is not very hip (or hip-hop, for that). But rap music and the people who make that music, well, they are definitely cool. That’s the gimmick at the heart of this way-popular commerical from Toyota:

So I think some of these guys are enjoying something that they consider cool, something that is hip and fun and otherwise validating. I’m not cool at all; Lecrae is ridiculously cool; listening to his music allows some of that coolness to transfer to me.

I always close a year with two lists—a list of my favorite books and list of my favorite albums from the year that was. I recently posted my list of books and today want to offer you my list of music. As always, allow me to give a couple of caveats: these are my favorite albums of the year, which is very different from saying that these are the best albums of the year in any objective sense. Also, these are not all “Christian” albums (a difficult label to apply at the best of times). With those caveats aside, here, in no formal order, are my favorite albums from 2010.

Pieces of a Real Heart by Sanctus Real - I’m of the opinion that this is Sanctus Real’s best album. There’s a gut-honestly and spiritual depth about it that takes it to the next level. If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to check out my interview with lead vocalist Matt Hammit.

Suburba by House of Heroes. This album was good, but still a wee bit disappointing. I had really enjoyed their previous album and felt that this new one was just a little bit of a letdown after The End Is Not the End. I’d tend to label this one as “fun” more than “serious.”

Light the Horizon by Bedouin Soundclash - I had never listened to Bedouin Soundclash before I found this album, but was immediately drawn in by “Mountain Top.” Beyond that excellent song there are plenty of others that are good and feature a really original and compelling sound. I like these guys. And not just because they’re from Canada.

The Rock and the Tide by Joshua Radin - I feel like a girl saying this, but I’ve always had a bit of a soft-spot for Joshua Radin. I just love his music. “Streetlight” is the best track from this album, I think. I’ve been known to just put this one on repeat.

Flags by Brooke Fraser - She writes music for Hillsong, but also records solo albums. And Flags is a good one. “Something in the Water” just draws you in and the rest of the songs hold you. My kids love listening to this one just as much as I do.

Gravity & Gladness by Matt Boswell - Our Glorious God is probably my favorite worship song from 2010. “Christ is Risen Indeed” is another great one. There’s really no reason not to get a copy of this album right away. Note that you can download (for free) one of Matt’s previous albums if you’re a Friend of the Blog.

All by Myself by Brian Regan - This may be cheating a little bit since this is a comedy album. But it’s downright hilarious. There are a few that fall a little bit flat without being able to see Regan’s facial expressions and body language, but it’s funny nonetheless.

Yellow Tag Mondays by The Farewell Drifters - A bluegrass album? I know, I know. But this one is exceptionally good. And i’m ready to call it my favorite album of 2010. I’ve listened to this one way more times than can possibly be healthy (as my kids will no-doubt attest). These guys make music that is just plain fun. Be sure to check it out.

Other albums I enjoyed:

• Me in Motion by Me in Motion
• Vagabonds by The Classic Crime
• Horseshoes & Hand Grenades by Disciple
• Almost Everything I Wish I’d Said The Last Time I Saw You… by Wakey Wakey (try getting “The Oh Song” out of your head)
• Live Horses by Needtobreathe (if only they had reduced the spoken bits a little)

Here is a song we’ll be introducing at church just a little bit later today. Written by James Montgomery, it is titled “Go to Dark Gethsemane.”

What I love about this hymn is the progression from Gethsemane all the way to the resurrection, from watching Christ be tempted in the Garden all the way to watching him rise. In just four short verses, the hymnwriter has managed to capture the gospel. With Good Friday and Easter fast approaching, the words especially relevant.

Go to dark Gethsemane, ye that feel the tempter’s power;
Your Redeemer’s conflict see, watch with Him one bitter hour,
Turn not from His griefs away; learn of Jesus Christ to pray.

See Him at the judgment hall, beaten, bound, reviled, arraigned;
O the wormwood and the gall! O the pangs His soul sustained!
Shun not suffering, shame, or loss; learn of Christ to bear the cross.

Calvary’s mournful mountain climb; there, adoring at His feet,
Mark that miracle of time, God’s own sacrifice complete.
“It is finished!” hear Him cry; learn of Jesus Christ to die.

Early hasten to the tomb where they laid His breathless clay;
All is solitude and gloom. Who has taken Him away?
Christ is risen! He meets our eyes; Savior, teach us so to rise.

We’ll be singing it to the tune written by Indelible Grace’s Kevin Twit.

If you’re interested in giving it a listen, take a look at Wake Thy Slumbering Children:Indelible Grace V.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned the music of Christa Wells and told you how much I’ve enjoyed her song “Weightless.” Christa came across that post and was kind enough to offer the song to all of you as a free download.

You can download it by clicking here. (You may want to right-click on the link and choose “Save File.”)

Also, I’ve got 5 copies of her album Frame the Clouds to give away. Leave a comment or retweet this post and I’ll randomly choose 5 winners. Each of the winners will be mailed a copy of the CD.

Here again are the lyrics to “Weightless,” a song about the freedom of forgiveness.

Nothing scalds
like the memory of wrongs I did when I was young
how could I, how could I
I’m sorry

I see the eyes
of the ones that I so carelessly abused
how could I, how could I
I’m sorry

Well, I’ve carried this a long time
in a well hidden bundle on my back
but I’ve realized repentance is weightless
so I’ll leave my burden on the tracks

And then I face
the yesterdays that disappointed
misunderstood by a cruel world
and I’m angry

You might suppose
the years would close the curtains on a scene
from such a time, but this was mine to harbor

Well, I’ve carried this a long time
in a well-hidden bundle on my back
but I’ve realized forgiveness is weightless
so I’ll leave my burden on the tracks

It’s gonna be like delivery that’s overdue and getting too heavy
Then suddenly, I’m weightless

If you’d like to buy the rest of her album, you can do so through her web site, through iTunes or through Amazon.

A couple of weeks ago, a friend introduced me to the music of Christa Wells. I had never heard of her before and immediately fell in love with her music. Now I often hesitate to share my musical preferences because it seems almost inevitable that as soon as I do so, someone will email and say, “Didn’t you know that she [insert grave sin here].” (Yes, it’s happened before) Nevertheless, I wanted to draw your attention to one of her songs: “Weightless.” You can hear the song by visiting her site (look for the nimbit player and scroll to the song). Give it a listen and ponder the weightlessness of being forgiven.

Every now and again I like to post a song we’ve sung at church that may not be widely-known. Here is one we sing quite frequently. Titled “Wide Open Are Your Hands,” it was written by Bernard of Clairvaux back in the 10th century and translated from Latin in the 1800’s. The chorus was added by my friend Julian and the music (for which, unfortunately, I do not have a recording) was composed by the guys who lead us in worship.

*****

Wide open are your hands, paying with more than gold
The awful debt of guilty men, forever and of old.
Ah, let me grasp these hands, that we may never part,
And let the power of their blood sustain my fainting heart.

To you I lift my hands in heartfelt song and praise
For steadfast love which won my heart, for never-ceasing grace.

Wide open are your arms, you welcome all who come;
To take to love and endless rest each of your chosen ones.
Lord, I am sad and poor, but boundless is your grace;
Give me the soul-transforming joy for which I seek your face.

To you I lift my hands in heartfelt song and praise
For steadfast love which won my heart, for never-ceasing grace.

Draw all my mind and heart up to your throne on high,
And let your sacred cross exalt, my spirit to the sky.
To these, your mighty hands, my spirit I resign;
For me to love is Christ alone, to die is only gain.

To you I lift my hands in heartfelt song and praise
For steadfast love which won my heart, for never-ceasing grace.

I realized the other day that I have a growing stack of CDs around here awaiting some kind of attention on the blog. So today let me draw your attention to a few noteworthy new albums.

Nate Fancher: The Cross of Jesus - I wasn’t quite sure how to describe the sound of this EP, but found some help at Nate’s site: “A catchy and classy pop/rock genre graced with rhythmic arrangements, ambient guitars, percussive keyboards, and soul lifting melodies might help describe the music of Nate Fancher. And if you call yourself a fan of ‘modern worship’, you’ll feel right at home.” That sounds about right. If the music reminds me of anything else in my collection, it is probably the Passion albums with their big choruses and “loud” instrumentation. You can hear several of the tracks at Nate’s MySpace.

Sovereign Grace Music: Sons and Daughters - You may well be familiar with the Sovereign Grace albums—there are quite a few of them now. As time goes on, it seems to me that the songs are getting a bit tighter and the instrumentation a little bit more varied. I take this as a good thing. For example, you can give a listen to “God Delights in You” and you’ll soon realize that this song would not have been likely to appear on any of their previous albums. There are some new songwriters and some new musicians and that is helping to keep this line of albums fresh. You can find information about the album here.

Sovereign Grace Music: To Be Like Jesus - One of the first Sovereign Grace albums I listened to was Awesome God, one that was targeted at children aged 7 and up. A thing I enjoyed about the songs on that album was that they were deliberately focused at kids who were raised in Christian homes but who were perhaps not yet Christians. So rather than having songs that said, “I’m so glad I’m a Christian” they were songs that simply spoke of how Christian kids ought to behave. In this way they leveled a real challenge to the children. The follow-up to that album, To Be Like Jesus, is much the same. It “contains twelve worship songs that teach the fruit of the Spirit in a creative and memorable way.Through these songs kids will learn that Jesus is our perfect example of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. More than that, they’ll discover that we can’t be like Jesus unless we trust in the power of his cross to forgive us and the power of his Spirit to change us.” read more here.

Daniel Renstrom: On the Incarnation - As you may guess from the title, this is a Christmas album (which releases on October 27). Renstrom reminds me, both in voice and in musical style, of Derek Webb (though without the cussing). The new album has eight tracks split between originals and traditional Christmas songs. Be sure to also check out his previous album Adore and Tremble. Both of them are fantastic. You can read more at Daniel’s site.

Indelible Grace Music: By Thy Mercy - Surely you know Indelible Grace Music by now. They have just released a new album and this time around it is an acoustic album. As with the others, it features a series of hymns set to new or mostly-new melodies written and performed by a variety of artists. I am not the biggest fan of this kind of acoustic music, but still enjoyed this album. It’s a fitting addition to the series. Check it out at igracemusic.com.