Being a music reviewer (or film or any other kind of art) can be a downer at times, because your intake of mediocre art can be too much. If you let it get to you, then you can wonder if there is anything good happening in your little corner of […]
Year: 2015
Christopher Smith’s 2015 Staff Picks
2015 may not have been the most exciting year for Christian music, but there are plenty of albums released that are worth celebrating! These 10 albums have impacted me in some way, whether they have challenged me to draw closer to Christ, made me think from a different perspective, encouraged […]
Celebrating 20 Years of Jars of Clay’s Self-Titled Debut
Where to begin with an album that means so many things to me (and so many others)? An album that is tied to so many great memories? I would submit to you that this album is the perfect soundtrack for any activity, for any mood. Whether you’re chilling, cleaning, studying, driving with […]
“Resting in the Woods with Seth Bolt of Needtobreathe” by William Corbin
Seth Bolt and I have similar souls – we love the woods and realize that too much work will damage you. We live an hour apart on sizeable tracts of land in the South Carolina forests. But Seth has created something that woodsmen and citygoers alike will marvel at. A […]
Celebrating 20 Years of DC Talk’s “Jesus Freak”
The term “Jesus Freak” was coined around the late sixties and has been used as a derogatory term for Christians ever since. Like the term “Christian” itself, believers began to latch onto it like a badge of honor and proudly proclaim themselves as Jesus Freaks. Perhaps, though, none have ever proclaimed it […]
A Look At The Lyrics Of Jon Foreman, Part 1
No Cheap Inspiration Here A Look At The Lyrics Of Jon Foreman, Part 1 Back in my freshman year of college, I came across a “new artist sampler” CD in some magazine or another, and a few tracks in, these lyrics jumped out of the speakers of my college […]
“A Look At The Lyrics Of Jon Foreman, Part 2”
No Cheap Inspiration Here A Look At The Lyrics Of Jon Foreman, Part 2 In September, I released Part 1 of a look at the lyrics of Jon Foreman and Switchfoot. With Switchfoot just about to release their 10th album, Where The Light Shines Through, and Foreman having released a steady […]
‘What’s It Like To Start A Music Festival?’ – Interview With River Rock Festival’s Founder
What’s It Like To Start A Music Festival? An Interview With River Rock Festival’s Founder Jeff Wall There are few summertime activities more sublime than the outdoor concert; sitting on a blanket on the grass or dancing (or moshing) away in front of the stage, and enjoying the sky, sun […]
“Real Deep: Aaron Watkins of Random Hero”
Aaron Watkins grew up despising what he ended up loving – music. Wyoming born and Colorado raised, Aaron has seen and survived a lot of things. His father was an alcoholic who played in some fairly well known bands, and he did not want that lifestyle for himself. He toured with […]
“Inside the Heart: Jeremy Bates of Embers in Ashes”
Jeremy Bates was so desperate to get back into music that he registered twelve band name ideas before he even had a band. Embers in Ashes signified his desire to continue music as his childhood dreams were mostly dead, but the embers of his desire kept burning. When he was in early elementary […]