Figuring It Out
Contemplating the intersection of faith and pop culture at Calvin’s Festival of Faith & Music.
Photos by Julee Duwe
In its mission to become an “agent of renewal in the academy, church and society,” Calvin College is making a habit of facilitating deeper discourses in faith. The recently held Festival of Faith & Music (FFM) [...]
Archive for April, 2009
Festival of Faith & Music 2009
Posted in Christianity Today, tagged andrew greer, Andy Crouch, Calvin College, Cornel West, David Bazan, Festival of Faith & Music, Julie Lee, Lupe Fiasco, Makoto Fujimura, Over The Rhine on April 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
As Cities Burn “Hell or High Water”
Posted in CCM Magazine, tagged andrew greer, As Cities Burn, CCM Magazine, Christian Music on April 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Third Time’s A Charm For Insightful Indie Rock Band
If you’ll recall, Solid State band As Cities Burn issued its inaugural CD in 2005 before deciding to call it quits only one year later. And though personnel shifted, the one-time quintet became a quartet and stayed intact, thanks to the insistence of a devoted legion of [...]
Kim Burrell “No Ways Tired”
Posted in Christianity Today, tagged andrew greer, Christian Music, Christianity Today, Gospel Music, Kim Burrell on April 14, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Style: Contemporary Gospel/R&B/Jazz; compare to Karen Clark Sheard and Fred Hammond.
Top tracks: “No Ways Tired,” “My Faith Looks Up To Thee,” “Yes to Your Will” (w/ Kathy Burrell)
In a nutshell: Burrell is one of Contemporary Gospel’s majorly under-recognized treasures. Having spent the late ’90s honing her ineffable vocal craft on a trio of best-selling CDs, [...]
Luke Benward
Posted in Christianity Today, tagged andrew greer, Christianity Today, Disney, Luke Benward on April 14, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Catching Up With . . . Luke Benward
The 13-year-old actor from We Were Soldiers and Because of Winn-Dixie on being a role model and becoming a third generation recording artist with his first CD.
Mike Farris “Shout Live!”
Posted in CCM Magazine, tagged andrew greer, CCM Magazine, Christian Music, Mike Farris on April 14, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Old-School Fire And Brimstone Ignite This Major Label Debut
Nashville’s Station Inn has hosted scores of legendary musicians over the years. Alison Krauss first visited the club as a teen. The late Bill Monroe sat in from time to time, and Vince Gill stops by on occasion. Even Dolly Parton has loaned her famous soprano to [...]
Sara Watkins
Posted in Christianity Today, tagged andrew greer, Christianity Today, Nickel Creek, Sara Watkins on April 7, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Beyond the Creek
Sara Watkins records comfortable music, fashioning the kind of plaintive tunes that breed familiarity. A young veteran, the twenty-something prodigy has already earned her stripes as one-third of the platinum newgrass band Nickel Creek, but it is Watkins’ personal interpretations—featured on her self-titled solo debut releasing this week—that earn her comparisons to folk [...]
Billy Ray Cyrus “Back to Tennessee”
Posted in Christianity Today, tagged andrew greer, Billy Ray Cyrus, Christian Music, Christianity Today, Country Music, Hannah Montana on April 7, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Sounds like … authentic power pop country; the radio-readiness of Rascal Flatts mixed with the grit of Toby Keith and the wit of Brady Paisley.
At a glance … Billy’s back recording the kind of catchy, down home country music he became famous for in the early 90’s.
Chances are you can still sing the chorus [...]
Phillip Larue “Let the Road Pave Itself”
Posted in CCM Magazine, tagged andrew greer, CCM Magazine, Christian Music, Phillip Larue on April 7, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Young Veteran Surrenders Vulnerable Solo Debut
It has been several years since we last heard from Phillip Larue. Though he has kept busy creatively writing and producing, the 20-something singer/songwriter has remained nearly silent on the artist front. But today, whether through an act of good fate or divine fortune, Larue is resurfacing.
Sara Watkins “Sara Watkins”
Posted in CCM Magazine, tagged andrew greer, CCM Magazine, Nickel Creek, Sara Watkins on April 7, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Arresting Debut From Former Nickel Creek Comrade
Over the past year, many a Nickel Creek diehard has been spotted wandering aimlessly around music store kiosks, feverishly thumbing through every CD filed between “M” and “P” in hopes of discovering insight into the popular newgrass band’s whereabouts, and in constant expectation of its imminent resurrection.
After all, [...]
Various Artists “Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration”
Posted in Christianity Today, tagged 3 Doors Down, Aaron Neville, Al Green, andrew greer, Angelique Kidjo, Bon Jovi, Buick Audra, Christian Music, Christianity Today, Heather Headley, Jonny Lang, Joss Stone, Mavis Staples, Michael McDonald, Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration, Patty Griffin, Queen Latifah, Robert Randolph, The Clark Sisters on April 7, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Style: Traditional Gospel/R&B with a lil’ rock ‘n’ roll; compare to Mavis Staples, Georgia Mass Choir, Aretha Franklin
Top tracks: “I Believe” (Jonny Lang w/ Fisk Jubilee Singers), “Higher Ground” (Robert Randolph and The Clark Sisters), “Keep the Faith” (Jon Bon Jovi w/ Washington Youth Choir)
In a nutshell: Gospel is arguably the backbone of American [...]
