rainy day video

It's been raining here in the Northeast.  So, what do you do on a rainy day?  You make a Rube Goldberg machine of course!  And what's one of the best examples of it today?  A music video by OkGo.

oh! gravity where are you?

So, I decided to take a look at a Switchfoot song to review. Switchfoot, which is my favorite band, are rooted in rock and deep lyrics. Their latest album came out in December 2006 and was titled Oh! Gravity. The band sits on the fence as a non-Christian or Christian band. Not because the band chooses to: because neither Christians nor non-Christians will take the band for themselves. The band is in the fuzzy grey area and I think they like it that way. A “Christian” band or not, their lyrics lead only to one thing – God.

Or so I thought as I wondered around a review on the title track ‘Oh! Gravity’. On the website Jesus Freak Hideout, a Christian music website, their review of the album and song Oh! Gravity was anything but good. They insult the album for “dwelling too much on materialism and consumerism”, and “ambiguous political leanings”. In the end the album was deemed forgettable.

Forgettable is exactly what has happened: forgetting the poor, the hurting, our enemies, and the ‘sinners’ of this world.

The political left, bent on pointing out the world’s (especially the United States’) problems with materialism and consumerism reminds us that a song like ‘Oh! Gravity’ is exactly what we should not be forgetting. Composer, Jon Foreman points to God’s love and what Christians should be striving for in these lyrics.

“There's a fracture in a corner bar
In the back seat of a parked car
By the liquor store where the streetlights
Keep you company till the next night
In the same town there's the same scar
In the same glow of the liquor store
By the freeway where the headlights
Keep you company till the next night”

You can feel the pain and anguish in the lives that are being forgotten in the lonely and hurting in the bar. You can see the innocence being lost in the back of the car.

“In the back room of the Pentagon
There's a thin man with a line drawn
With a red jaw and the red bite
Watch the headline on the next night”

Politics or love? The review thinks it is politics. Maybe it is just a case of love. A love for one’s enemies, and an idea of life for everyone beyond war, violence, and murder. The album does dwell a little on materialism and consumerism. Is that such a bad thing? Did not the prophets of old warn of false idols? Did not Jesus speak about not being able to love both God and money?

Just look at today’s global economic crisis and see what materialism and consumerism has done to the world, to the poor, to the sick. Although the album and song received some poor reviews the band was right on where both Christians and non-Christians lives and love for God should be.

Full song lyrics here.

reality, far from it

Blah, blah, blah. With a quick search on Google of this song by Lilly Allen the same thing kept coming up: the buzz worthy, loaded statement “social commentary”. The phrase, although true to its form, is more thrown around encourage people to disregard the lyrics than to emphasize them as truth. While some of the language may not be seen as age appropriate for younger audiences, it is not unlike much of the content throughout the rest of the album. However, we are not talking about the rest of the album, just this song, and it has a lot of good tidbits that can (and should) be taught to young and old adults alike.

The lyrics - they aren’t going to solve all of life’s problems, but they sure do point out a few. First and foremost, the opening sentence about being rich and wanting lots of money. It seems to be everyone’s goal in life. And in the fourth paragraph it talks about film stars being more popular than mothers. There is no denying that. The song also addresses greed, shopping, human rights (diamond trade), nudity, the need for speed, plastic surgery, war, and murder.

The most important message I think this song send is in its title: The Fear. It’s an odd title for a song. And it is a little confusing (at least to me) because it is a blanket statement for something else – a life that convincingly looks like the American dream, but in reality is far from it, and like the lyrics, most people ‘don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore.’

The fear
I want to be rich and I want lots of money
I don’t care about clever I don’t care about funny

I want loads of clothes and [many] loads of diamonds

I heard people die while they are trying to find them

I’ll take my clothes off and it will be shameless

‘Cuz everyone knows that’s how you get famous

I’ll look at the sun and I’ll look in the mirror

I’m on the right track yeah I’m on to a winner

I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore

I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore

When we think it will all become clear

‘Cuz I’m being taken over by The Fear

Life’s about film stars and less about mothers

It’s all about fast cars and passing each other

But it doesn’t matter cause I’m packing plastic

And that’s what makes my life so ******* fantastic

And I am a weapon of massive consumption

And its not my fault it’s how I’m programmed to function

I’ll look at the sun and I’ll look in the mirror

I’m on the right track yeah I’m on to a winner

I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore

I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore

When we think it will all become clear

‘Cuz I’m being taken over by The Fear

Forget about guns and forget ammunition Cause

I’m killing them all on my own little mission

Now I’m not a saint but I’m not a sinner

Now everything is cool as long as I’m getting thinner

I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore

I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore

When we think it will all become clear

‘Cause I’m being taken over by fear.

october round-up

Let’s see. It’s almost Thanksgiving so that means it’s time for October round-up.

Well, not too much happened in October. It got colder so I was outside less. Small group started up at church. We’re in a small group that meets up bi-weekly. The group so far has been about six to eight people. It’s been encouraging to be in community with others and to have casual conversation about God. The food has also been good.

On the eighteenth I early voted in Chicago. It was great because it literally took me fifteen minutes including travel time. It helps that I went over as soon as it opened up and that the polling place is my local public library which is literally a stone’s throw away from my apartment.

Also, on the eighteenth a bunch of went to seek the folk artist, David Wilcox at the Old Town School of Folk Music. I had never been to the Old Town School of Folk Music so it was excellent to see the inside and to hear about all the great stuff that goes on there. Definitely check it out. And if you are into folk music or music at all I would definitely check out David Wilcox. His music is fantastic and he puts on a really entertaining concert.

One of the best parts of the month was to visit my brother who lives in Texas for a long weekend. I hadn’t seen him all year and won’t get to see him over the holiday months so it was really great to be able to visit him and his wife. We visited the Dallas Arboretum, and ate at some wonderful local restaurants including an authentic BBQ place for lunch. We saw an opry at the local theater. It reminded me of a country music American idol. The singers were very good. On Sunday we went to a Dallas Cowboys game. It was a great weekend, but too short of a visit.

Great places I ate during the month:
Rockwell Neighborhood Grill – This place is excellent. It’s off the main street, and they are known for their burgers. Which were awesome! The restaurant had a cozy ambience for a bar, but it was kid friendly. It was also one of the first smoke free places in Chicago.

Dallas Arboretum

Dallas Cowboys Game

My brother and I cooking marshmallows

A little inspiration to go vote...

saturday at the green mill

I went to the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge on Saturday night with a few friends. It was one of those great Chicago experiences that I’ll remember forever. There is a $12 cover, but it does have a free parking lot. The Cocktail Lounge opened in 1907 and has quite a history. Much of the famed history of the Green Mill happened in the 20s when the lounge was part owned by a mobster. You can learn more about the history here.
The lounge itself is really cool. When you walk in it is like stepping back into the 1920s. The décor, color, and set-up are all from a different era. There are all these great paintings all along the walls and half-circle seating lounges that seat out to see the band playing on the stage. The man who introduced the band (who was probably the owner) has this great Chicago accent. When the band began to play and everyone hushed as it was announced not to talk while the band was playing. The music was great. It got to be standing room only, but eventually we got a few bar stools. Everyone seemed to be happy even though it was exceptionally crowded. While the band was playing you could see people getting out of their seats to see the band and people dancing to the jazz. Things to remember: bring cash or an AE card. The Green Mill Cocktail Lounge is located at 4802 N. Broadway Ave., Chicago, IL 60640.

dw: a new law

derek webb: a new law

don’t teach me about politics and government

just tell me who to vote for

don’t teach me about truth and beauty

just label my music

don’t teach me how to live like a free man

just give me a new law

i don’t wanna know if the answers aren’t easy

so just bring it down from the mountain to me

i want a new law

i want a new law

gimme that new law

don’t teach me about moderation and liberty

i prefer a shot of grape juice

don’t teach me about loving my enemies

don’t teach me how to listen to the Spirit

just give me a new law

what’s the use in trading a law you can never keep

for one you can that cannot get you anything

do not be afraid

do not be afraid

do not be afraid

I’ve never actually seen anyone walk out of a Christian concert before. Of course I have heard of people walking out before. In a class I had in undergrad, an esteemed atheist decided to proclaim to the whole class one day that one of her friends brought her to a concert. The girl went on to say that her friend had the audacity to bring her to a lame Christian concert without telling her it was a Christian concert. (The friend probably should have mentioned that.) The concert was so lame in her opinion that she walked out. I’ve also heard of people walking out on Derek Webb. Not because his music was lame, but that his lyrics were to honest that the group could not take it and walked out. Derek Webb didn’t always have people walking out in his concerts. He is a former member of Caedmon’s Call [now on tour with them]. If you do not know who Caedmon’s Call is, they are a popular Christian band. They consider themselves folk-pop. This is probably a proper description. Their songs are sung in churches and youth groups all over the U.S. I’ve been recently listening to Derek Webb and his album “Mockingbird”. The album is from 2005. It is a few years old and he has newer music out. (I haven’t listened to it yet.) The music and lyrics are really good. The music is different from the praise-song music that Cademon’s Call is known for. The lyrics bring about thinking, imaginings, wonder, and change. His songs may even be a little facetious. Take for example the song “A New Law”.
“A New Law” is a great song because it brings out the hypercritical, prideful, damaging, and enslaving attitudes that Christians sometimes have. Jesus is the new law, yet we continue to disregard him and continue to make up new laws. This song isn’t the most controversial song Derek has. This song talks about rigid legalism and blinded views. I like this song however because it proclaims [in a song] what is not proclaimed often. We are to seek out truth and beauty. We are to know about politics and the world and to not just follow it blindly. God created and loves every person (enemies included) and creation of this world. Should we not seek out what God seeks? The best part about the song to me is the line: “I don’t wanna know if the answers aren’t easy so just bring it down from the mountain to me.” Sometimes it is just easier to add a new rule instead of taking the hard answer and many times we do. Webb makes a prophetic statement for a people who desperately need to hear it.
Many people that review Webb’s music say he provides the music to “jive” to and words to converse. I hope his music continues to make people think and brings about awareness.