My basic tracks for “…Boots” are coming along; I’m satisfied with my performances on X/13 songs.
Cory, JT, Jake –
I have to admit, C-Rafter, that I couldn’t identify 95% of the kids’ jams in Mexico. There was a 50 Cent song, but I didn’t know it (must be newer than the birthday one). I just recognized the big, almost childish beats and inane party-choruses as urban club music. I’m trying to ease off value judgment here; I like a pop song with simple hooks almost as much as the next guy. What surprised me was that club jams were *all* they played. And never the whole track; only the first minute or so.
5*C will be coming your way, but I can’t even predict a timeline. It will be worth it, though.
On writing spiritual music; respectfully, I disagree! :-) It’s the same as any other music; just write with honesty and integrity about whatever you’re faced with. Well, I guess I agree after all – it is hard – my point is that good spiritual music is not any harder or easier than other good music. Good music is good music, and spiritual people will find spiritual themes bubbling up naturally in the music they write. Setting out intentionally to write spiritual music is, I think, a mistake; the songwriter is throwing away their integrity, which is their
greatest strength as an artist, from the get-go.
On my star-system, I think “Figure 8” is a five (desert-island level awesome) and “XO” is a four right now.
JT, the top-secret song-just-for-you is still in my head. The reason it hasn’t happened yet is that in terms of sound and recording style, it goes with a whole album that I’ve planned but not started actual work on yet. Thanks for your patience on this two-year-old promise. Maybe I can do it during this year’s XMAS session; it would kind of fit there, and might work as a test-run for Eschatron (which is still out there in the far distance).
Jake, I totes got Mockingbird back when you first talked with me about it, and it’s a great record. I found it harder than expected to integrate the songs into worship; I’ve only used “Mockingbird” and “Love Is Not Against The Law.” The meaning of his songs requires that the listener understand the context he’s coming from and his use of irony, and your average person-in-the-pew is not looking for that on Sunday morning. We’re opening up those possibilities in my faith community, but it’s slow going. I hadn’t heard about the new record; I’ll check it out.