John Totten

An Interview With Bill Callahan Of Smog

Usually, I have no problem writing about music. With the majority of artists or albums, the bigger picture, or lack of bigger picture, is well within the grasp of my vocabulary. I can articulate why most musicians are less or more important than they appear to be. Typically, this means understanding such things as where […]

Jason Killingsworth

Best Music of 2005

Ranking albums is fun and maddening and dicey and way too subjective. It’s also strangely satisfying. No matter how thoroughly you’ve scoured the year’s release calendars, you inevitably miss something that absolutely, inarguably belongs in there somewhere. So you slot it into the list and resume your insufferable tweaking once more. This year was a […]

Nate Gowtham

Quick Hits

1. Caspian – You Are the Conductor (Dopamine/Amalagate Records) – This Massachusetts Post-Rock quartet has completely taken over my brain and broken my heart with their debut E.P. Reverb drenched guitars, intricate instrumentals, and a pulverizing rhythm section create fresh, intoxicating music. Warning: you will not want to listen to anything else. Check them out […]

Joel Heng Hartse

Stars: Set Yourself on Fire

We pop-culture-engaged Christians love to claim things as our own. From The Matrix to The Simpsons to Radiohead, if there’s something not altogether evil, or spiritual and “vaguely Jesus-y,” to use Ann Lamott’s phrase, we will somehow squeeze and twist a thing until it is almost Christian. So let me be the first to claim the Canadian pop band […]

Nate Gowtham

Top 11 Tunes of 2004 (because last year definitely went to 11**)

11. “Somewhere Only We Know”– Keane from Hopes & Fears– I do not want to like Keane. I am tired of sensitive Brit Rock. Nevertheless, I cannot resist this majestic ode to privacy, with its soaring melody, righteous pianos, and subtle synths. 10. “The Life and Death of Mr. Badmouth” – PJ Harvey from Uh Huh Her– A […]

Nate Anderson

The Shins

Are The Shins happy? It’s hard to know, of course, but with two critically acclaimed albums under their belts, they have the right to be. In three years they have shot from anonymity to indie rock stardom with a collection of songs in which happiness is not one of the dominant themes. One gets the […]

Kirk Webb

Is Christian Music Christian?

Christian music. What is it? And why is it? Before Keith Green, Amy Grant, and Michael W. Smith, I suppose “Christian music” in the United States would have been black and white Gospel expressions, campfire songs, hymns, and classical music with distinct Christian purpose such as Handel’s Messiah. Beyond those roots, the Christian music industry […]