Ep. 91: Joel Heng Hartse on how Dancing About Architecture is a reasonable thing to do

 

Joel Heng Hartse is the author of the new book Dancing About Architecture is a Reasonable Thing To Do: Writing about Music, Meaning, and the Ineffable." He joins Chris on the podcast to discuss how writing about music is similar to dancing about architecture and they ponder their favorite bands and songs all while figuring out how to continue having a critical eye toward art while still allowing others to enjoy the music they love.

You can find Joel's book here and anywhere you purchase books and you can find out more about his writing and work at his website: https://www.joelhenghartse.com/

You can find Chris's old article on Plankeye's The Spark here.

Related Podcast Episodes:

Ep 90: Brian Doerksen on his song "215"

Ep 85: Singer-songwriter Rick Lee James

Ep 88: Rachel Wilhelm on Composing a Modern Requiem

Ep 87: Harmony Smith—Vineyard Worship Leader, Songwriter, and Pastor

Ep 68: E. Byron Anderson on his book Common Worship

Ep 62: Stephen Backhouse on the Life of Kierkegaard

Ep 50: Stu G on the Beatitudes Project

Ep 26: Zac Hicks author of The Worship Pastor

Ep 47: Dr. Lest Ruth on the History of Contemporary Worship

Ep 81: Rain For Roots 

Ep 67: Singer-songwriter John Van Deusen

Ep 52: Fernando Ortega's The Crucifixion of Jesus

Ep 75: Jeff Frankenstein of Newsboys

Episode 75 features an interview with longtime Newsboys keyboardist, programmer, arranger, and even bass player (on synth!) Jeff Frankenstein. He details what it has been like to navigate changes in the music industry over the past decades as well as changes within Newsboys as a band. He also describes how they've found a balance in being a touring band with families back home. Jeff's kindness and enthusiasm shines through in whatever he does and it's worth listening back to the many Newsboys albums in order to pick out his particular contributions to the band's music and performances. You can find tour dates and much more at Newsboys's website.

It is also worth noting that my book Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas has now been officially been released, which you can purchase on the Wipf and Stock Publishers website or on Amazon. Those who supported my Kickstarter campaign will be receiving their books soon. I'm also in the process of booking interviews and speaking engagements about the book, so if you are interested please contact me! 




Subscribe to the podcast on itunes 

Check out the podcast page to subscribe on Stitcher, 
Google Play, Tunein, and PocketCasts.

Music Related Podcast Episodes:
Bonus: Stu G on the Beautitudes Project 

Ep 74: Charlie Peacock
Ep 73: Phil Joel of Newsboys and Zealand

Ep 52: Fernando Ortega's The Crucifixion of Jesus

Ep 55: Singer-songwriter Nathan Peterson

Ep 59: Jeremy Casella's New Album and Kickstarter Campaign

Ep 56: Andrew Osenga

Ep 53: The Mosleys—Husband and Wife Duo
Ep 67: Singer-songwriter John Van Deusen
Ep 70: Glenn Kaiser

Ep 74: Charlie Peacock—Artist, Producer, and Writer

Ep 74 features an interview with Charlie Peacock, an artist with four decades of experience in the music industry as a songwriter and solo artist and a producer for renowned artists like Switchfoot, The Civil Wars, Audio Adrenaline, and Marc Martel. Our conversation ranges from his thoughts on fame, the state of the Christian music industry, and the wisdom he's gained from getting debilitatingly sick after years of pushing himself past his limits. His new album Lil' Willie is available on various streaming services, his recent autobiographical writings and podcasts done with his wife Andi can be found at https://thewriterthehusband.com/ and more info on what Peacock is currently working on can be found at https://www.charliepeacock.com/ Much of his recent music is available for free on Facebook, which you can find here: www.facebook.com/sound
Peacock is one of my life-long musical and artistic heroes, and it was a true honor to spend some time with him. Finally, those wishing to purchase his recent re-release of West Coast Diaries Vol 2 on vinyl can do so through Discogs.
  Subscribe to the podcast on itunes 
Check out the podcast page to subscribe on Stitcher, Google Play, Tunein, and PocketCasts.

Music Related Podcast Episodes:
Episode 73: Phil Joel of Newsboys and Zealand

Episode 52: Fernando Ortega's The Crucifixion of Jesus

Episode 50: Stu G on the Beatitudes Project

Ep 55: Singer-songwriter Nathan Peterson

Ep 59: Jeremy Casella's New Album and Kickstarter Campaign

Ep 56: Andrew Osenga

Ep 53: The Mosleys—Husband and Wife Duo
Ep 67: Singer-songwriter John Van Deusen
Ep 70: Glenn Kaiser

Rich Mullins Was Weird But He Was Also So Good Christian Radio Had To Play Him

Photo supplied courtesy of © David R Banta. You can find his work at www.davidrbanta.com.

NOT YOUR EVERYMAN KIND OF ARTIST...
A little while ago I was doing some "research" for a Rich Mullins article I was writing—that is, I was listening to his music. The song playing was "Calling Out Your Name" from The World As Best As I Remember It Volume 1. I have heard the song countless times now and it might be in my top 5 Rich Mullins songs ever. Nonetheless, as I listened once again to this masterpiece I could not help but think "man, this song is weird...how in the world did it ever get played on Christian radio?"

To my knowledge "Calling Out Your Name" was never an official single for Mullins and yet it still got played on my local Christian radio station throughout the 90's and for a few years after his death (WCIC). Consider how strange this song is:

The Christian Music Supergroup

The release of Steve Taylor & the Perfect Foil's new album Goliath has got me thinking of an interesting phenomenon in the music world: SUPERGROUPS

Post-Humous Record Review: This Train's "The Emperor's New Band" and "Mimes of the Old West"

Post-Humous Record Reviews: a personal refection on a long-forgotten album in need of a resurrection.

The music of the rockabilly band This Train came about at an interesting time for me personally as well as for the Christian music industry (CCM) in general.

"To be or NOT to be ('Christian', that is): The Dilemma of a Christian Artist

If you could only choose one...

Last week I wrote two posts on "Christian" music:
Why I Cringe Every Time Someone Says "I hate Christian Music" and
Yes, There is Such a Thing as "Christian Music": A Response to Derek Webb

This week I have two more articles on the same subject in response to two comments I received from readers. You can read the first article here: 'Christian music is like beer': An insight from a reader."

Today I am responding to Heather Peterson, keyboardist, singer, and songwriter in the band Hello Industry. You can go here to listen to an interview I did with her husband Nathan last year when their album Matter came out. I think Heather's position on whether or not to call oneself and one's art "Christian" is important. She is a working musician (she's also a piano teacher!) and actually has to exist out in the big bad world. As artists Hello Industry has gone back and forth for years playing in Christian environments (churches, youth camps, ministry conferences) and then just trying to play "normal" shows wherever they can. Their faith is embedded in every aspect of their art and yet I can tell they really feel a tension in how they label themselves and how they communicate their faith.

Why I Cringe Every Time Someone Says "I hate Christian music"

Christian Music is dead! Long live Christian Music!

Last week Christianity Today published an article online by Peter Chin called "Why I Stopped Hating Christian Music". I related to a lot of what he mentioned in the article and would like to offer my own contribution to the conversation on Christian music and the Christian music industry. On top of that, here is a response to an article Derek Webb wrote a while ago on his blog about "Christian Music", which is called "Yes, There is Such as Christian Music: A Response to Derek Webb." In many ways I know there are no easy answers to the questions "Is there such a thing as "'Christian' music" and if so, what is the criteria for it?" There are compelling arguments on both sides of the issue and lately the side for getting rid of the term altogether seems to have the most traction. I, however, come down on the "Yes, there is such a thing as Christian music" side and would like to present my case as such over the course of these two articles. Your feedback is welcome...even though I realize things could get ugly...

So...They're Touring the Rich Mullins Movie Across the Country

This past summer I wrote a post about the Rich Mullins bio-pic they have made called Ragamuffin 
(http://ragamuffinthemovie.com/), and since that time I have wrote a number of Rich Mullins themed posts, not least of which is an interview with Mullins' record producer, Reed Arvin.  This January, the producers of the film had the world premiere of Ragamuffin in Wichita, Kansas and then started touring it around the country.  

You can go here to see if the movie found a screening venue in a place close to where you live: http://ragamuffinthemovie.com/tour/.  

You can also go here to purchase the movie on DVD/BLU-RAY, exclusively at Walmart.

In light of this Rich Mullins activity I thought it would be beneficial to gather links to all the articles I wrote about Mullins into one place, as an easy place for people to read them.  Also, some kind people have written short little reviews of the film in the comments on my blog and I wanted to share them as well, as I think they reveal some of the tensions involved in both making and seeing a movie about the life of Rich Mullins.

Here are the article links:
1. So...They Made a Movie About Rich Mullins...

2. Interview--Reed Arvin: Recording Rich Mullins' 
A Liturgy, A Legacy, and A Ragamuffin Band 
My interview with Reed Arvin was originally published in a shorter form on 
Christianity Today's website and can be found here:
The Legacy of Rich Mullins's Ragamuffin Band

3. Celebrating 20 Years of Rich Mullins' 
A Liturgy, A Legacy, & A Ragamuffin Band

4. The Theology of Rich Mullins

5. Movie Review: Ragamuffin: The True Story of Rich Mullins

6. Interview: David Leo Schultz on 
Directing the Rich Mullins Movie (text version)

7. Finally, Here is my interview with the film's director, David Leo Schwartz: (here's the Soundcloud link)

So...They Made a Movie About Rich Mullins...

My favorite Rich Mullins picture (a cropped version of this
appears as the cover of A Liturgy, A Legacy, and A Ragamuffin Band 

Here you can find my interview with Mullins' producer Reed Arvin.

Here you can find my podcast where I interview the film's director, David Leo Schultz.

Here you can find my reflection on A Liturgy A Legacy And A Ragamuffin Band.

And here you can find my thoughts on "The Theology of Rich Mullins."

And here's my post on the Ragamuffin movie tour

Two years ago I read some strange news on Christianity Today's entertainment page.  Apparently somebody wanted to make a movie about the life of Rich Mullins--not a documentary but a biopic, much like Ray or Cash, or Ghandi, for that matter.  They had a Kickstarter campaign going with the hopes of funding the film, and they had made a great looking "teaser trailer" that contained a monologue from Brennan Manning himself, one of Mullins' mentors. The Kickstarter ultimately failed and I thought the film went the way of the buffalo, but apparently the film has been made and is in the process of getting released.

I was pretty skeptical about this idea right from the start and to be honest, the trailer for the film (now called Ragamuffin) has done nothing to assuage my doubts.  I mean no offense to the filmmakers but it all looks a little too "inspirational" if you catch my drift; perhaps with a little too much of "this was made by Christians" stamp of approval on it.  I don't know...trailers can be deceptive, so we will have to see.  The problem in making this film is the same problem anyone would have in trying to capture the life story of an iconic and iconoclastic personality: unless you get the right actor and great material to work from a project like this will be D.O.A.  Again, I mean no insult, but does anyone think the actor playing Mullins here will do him justice (see the link below)?

I certainly want to see this movie and I know the filmmakers went through all the right channels in their research (see the links below the the film's director's blog) but I just hope I will not have to cringe my way through the whole film.  The life and work of Rich Mullins has had more of an impact upon my faith than probably anyone excepting my mother's, so I just do not want them to have blown their chance to make a great movie.  With a film like this they have an opportunity to introduce new generations to Mullins' music and ideas, but if they have made a syrupy cheese-fest then the chances of them doing so are a lot less likely.

So, what I am going to do is let you, the humble and faithful blog reader assess it yourself. Take a look at the Ragamufin movie trailer and then spend some time watching Mullins himself--in concert, in interviews, and in doing some talks.  I have decided to entirely overwhelm you with choices.  Let us all be thankful with what the internet has made possible!

But first there's this:

I couldn't resist: a picture of me and Rich (strangely double exposed)
from the 1997 Cornerstone Festival.  That year I saw him sing with Derek
Webb and This Train and I got to see a performance of his musical
Canticle of the Plains.  No, we weren't best friends; we had just met after a sound
check and he was kind enough to take this picture with me.

Other Rich Mullins related writings of mine: 
Reed Arvin Interview
The Theology of Rich Mullins.
Celebrating 20 Year of A Liturgy, A Legacy, & A Ragamuffin Band
Rich Mullins and America As The Promised Land

Why I Hate Sufjan Stevens--A Conclusion

Last month Sufjan Stevens released his incredibly long, hyper-ironic, and immensely listenable and yet at the same time un-listenable Christmas boxset Silver & Gold.  Then, for the past few weeks he has been putting on his Sufi-jams Shark-yarns Christmas Concert Tour all around the country.  I, on the other hand, have been chronicling my hatred of him and his work.  So, despite the delay in between my last Sufjan related post, I now leave you with some parting thoughts about my Sufjan-loathing, some observations about his early Xmas gift (i.e., the new music), and the last of my reasons of why I (still) hate him.  So, everybody get your Grinch on and get ready to spread some Christmas hate!


As you might have guessed by now (that is, if you have been reading the list so far), I do not really hate Sufjan Stevens.  My rambling have really been a testament to how an unhealthy idolization can quickly (if I let it) progress into an insane jealousy, and when you want what somebody else has you begin to hate them and resent them for the very fact that they possess what you lack.  As my awkwardly conflicted "reasons" for hating Sufjan have hopefully demonstrated I am completely enamored with the guy and his music.  I pretty much think he is a genius. He is the soundtrack of my adult life.  He has not yet usurped Rich Mullins and Keith Green (the soundtrack of my adolescence) as my greatest musical influences, but he is a close #3 or #4 (having easily risen past Radiohead and perhaps topping The Beatles).  And yet I often feel this confliction when I listen to his work: will I allow my own ego to inhibit the joy I receive from Sufjan?  My hope is that this series of (somewhat) self-deprecating posts will help me get past my jealousy and venture into a more fruitful age.  Thanks for letting me work that out with ya'll!

It must be said however, there really is a small sub-section of the world out there who truly are Sufjan-haters.  Just type in "I hate Sufjan Stevens" into Google and see what you find.  There is actually some overlap with my list (which to me says that you can hate an artist or a work of art for the very reasons that others love it), but here is what you will typically find from those who have no patience for Sufjanese:

1. His music is too "precious," "twee," and "pretentious."
2. His compositions are bloated, over-the-top, cluttered, and excessive and he needs a good editior (“There’s too much Sufjan in every Sufjan song. )
3. His songs are too long.
4. His song titles are too long (the titles are also too precious).
5. There are too many songs on his albums.
6. His lyrics are banal even though they seem deep and/or important.
7. His "State" albums are really just about him.
8. He's annoying and mediocre and overrated (or any such variation)

But I am seeking something higher than these glib inter-web whiners can muster.  I want my hatred of Sufjan to be as ironic and over-the-top as his music is.  And with that:

Why I Hate Sufjan Stevens: Reason #7
His Live Show Are ZANY

Sufjan's live shows are nuts.  They always have been.   They are a zoo, a circus, and incident, a happening.  He has had his band dress like the Michigan Militia, the University of Illinois Cheerleaders, like great winged birds, like neon taped space aliens, and now like tinsel-covered unicorns.  It is so hard to tell if all this is just sincere good fun, a self-consciously ironic pseudo childhood dress-up game, or a bewildering mixture of both.  Anyway, a Sufjan show is always a psychedelic drug-free partay!  And as these pictures demonstrate, his recent Christmas tour seems to be right in the same spirit.  Here is a brief look at some pictures from Sufjan concerts past!:

Why I Hate Sufjan Stevens: Reason #8
Composing a Symphony

In 2007 Sufjan composed and performed a "symphony" of sorts, a programmatic piece called The BQE.  So, not only is Sufjan a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter-producer, a (unsuccessful) professional writer, an avid amateur crocheter and cross-sticher, a photographer, and a graphic designer, but now he also composes "classical" or art music.  Now, The BQE was not all that good, being kind of a mess that taxed the patience of the listener and too easily revealed his influences (Gershwin, Copland, Reich), but even so, the work itself is monumental and a tribute to Sufjan's genius, even if that genius is often a bit misguided.  Let me say this, I will never be able to do what he did (apart from being able to take a few years of intensive music composition lessons and then being allowed to focus on nothing but composing for the greater part of a year), and so for that I say "I hate you Sufjan Stevens."

Why I Hate Sufjan Stevens: Reason #9
Recording Sooooooooo Much Christmas Music

I mean this is just incredibly annoying, especially to us lesser mortals.  Back in the year 2003 when I had been dating my future wife for close to a year I decided that I wanted to start giving her a Christmas present each year that contains an original recording of a Christmas song along with a personal Christmas greeting.  With what little time I had in between the end of my school semester and Christmas day I recorded her a version of "Away in the Manger."  I slaved over that song and barely got it done in time.  For the next few years I was able to fulfill my goal, recording "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," a really short version of "The First Noel," and an original song I had written to her myself.  Did you catch how many songs that was?  Well, it was not anywhere close to the gargantuan amount that Sufjan has given us in the last decade.  I hate you Sufjan Stevens.

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I will conclude with some of my thoughts on the Silver & Gold.  There's no way I am giving a full review, but here are a few random smattering of observations about it:

1. Is Sufjan the musical equivalent of George Lucas?--OK, so a few years ago Rafter, an artist on Sufjan's record label leaked EP #8, Christmas Infinity Voyage (Sufjan actually admits to this in the liner notes on the album).  I have come to love those songs, especially "Christmas in the Room" and "The Child With the Star on His Head," which I think are among the very best of Sufjan's Xmas originals.  HOWEVER, on the new release of these songs, Sufjan has totally George Lucased those songs up (along with a few others).  Meaning, he has replaced some of the original instrumentation and filled his songs instead with his bleepy bloopy digital tomfoolery, as Lucas has been much maligned for doing in the Stars Wars films.  And in the case of "The Child With the..." he totally chopped off the last ten or so minutes of the song that contained a choir and the band going gonzo; that is, the section that was the most epic and moving.  Now all we have is ten minutes of synthesizer noodling.  Let us hope this does not become a trend for Sufjan.  Check out the original version of "The Child..." if you don't believe me, that is, if it is anywhere to be found on the internet.

2. How Pomo can you go?--Back when I was learning about "Post-Modernism" in my literature and theology classes the work of "art" that is Silver & Gold would have been considered the epitome of self-conscious ironic kitschy pastiche.  The juxtaposition of sacred and secular themes, beautiful and the profane imagery, and the eternal and the painfully ephemeral in both the album's art work, music, and related videos (here too) is so extreme that it leads me to think Sufjan is not merely trying to be post-modern but that he is in fact parodying Postmodernism itself (whatever that means), while also managing to simultaneously satirize our culture's understanding of Christmas and yet deeply reflect upon the holiday's most profound truths.

3. Worship pastor disappointment--Despite all the brilliant original Xmas tunes, there's not really anything that I would consider worthy of congregational singing, that is, a song people could sing together at church.  I could be wrong, but Sufjan's original stuff tends to be either too weird in the lyric department or not approachable musically speaking by the 'normal' church-singer.  This is disappointing to me.

4. Public Domain--Sufjan put all his original songs in the public domain, which means that the songs are not under copyright, which means that he will never make any money off of them.  What a benevolent anti-consumeristic thing to do!  I hate you Sufjan Stevens!

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Everyone have a jubilant Christmas!  And seriously, go listen to Silver & Gold, it's truly wonderful.  And watch this video.  Sufjan's thesis for the whole album is in this song:

Interview Exclusive!: Musician Patrick Jenkins

Patrick Jenkins is a singer/songwriter from Central Illinois and is quickly becoming a good friend of mine. We initially met through the pastor of my church and have since bonded over our love of music and our experience with the world of Contemporary Christian Music. At one time Patrick was a songwriter, lead singer, and keyboardist for the band Two Cent Offering. Now he has taken on a role as a worship leader at St. Marks Lutheran Church in Washington, Illinois and is also a husband and a father. Back in December of last year Patrick helped my church out when we put on a carol sing at a local coffee shop. He had just released his EP back in November and graciously gave me a copy of it when I asked him for one (I still owe him 5 bucks by the way). Since then, I have really enjoyed listening to Appeal To Heaven, a collection of folk music that contains heartfelt songs of faith and encouragement and some stellar cover art (see picture below). I recently sat down with Patrick (he sitting comfortably at his home computer, me waiting expectantly in front of my own computer) and asked about the recording experience, what motivates his songwriting, and about being a worship leader.

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Mass Appeal?: Why I am Not Excited About the New (and last) David Crowder Band Album

Last week David Crowder Band released their last album Give Us Rest or (a requiem mass in c [the happiest of all keys]), which is in fact structured after a Catholic requiem mass. It is a double album that consists of 34 tracks. It is epic and is a grand final statement from a band that has done much to expand what we think worship music should sound like and how we should use words when singing to and about God (You can read my extensive review of the album here).

And yet I am nearly all but unenthused about this release. In fact, I am pretty skeptical that it will be any good—at least on a very particular level. Let me explain why by asking and then attempting to answer a very simple question:

Why does(did) the David Crowder Band exist?

The Return of Burlap to Cashmere

Burlap to Cashmere released a new album a few days ago, which is something I am very excited about. I guess I have been excited about it for about 12 years now, since it has been 13 years since they released their first (and previously only) album, Anybody Out There. I remember first hearing about Burlap to Cashmere on my local Christian radio station when the music programming director talked about a visit he made to Nashville during GMA week (http://www.gospelmusic.org/), and they played during a new artist showcase that totally blew him away. You do not often hear descriptions like these, especially not in the Christian music world, so I made sure to keep my eye out (ear open?) for when I might actually get to hear them myself.