For Nostalgia's Sake: 'Til We Have Faces

I was first wined and dined by Over the Rhine in the late 90s. My then-bandmate, Rob, was working for a local radio station on the weekends. The station was doing some spring cleaning and had some CDs up for grabs. I cleaned up the day Rob picked up Over the Rhine's 1991 debut, 'Til We Have Faces, for me. A vocalist in our band, I was excited to discover another female-fronted group. I've been a fan ever since. A bit of a collector, I love the fact that TWHF is now out of print and that I have a copy with the original booklet intact. Also an art appreciator and wordsmith, the album's artwork and liner notes ruined me then and there for anything less.

Note: Although the CD title on the artwork above reads "Till We Have Faces," the title on my copy's booklet, tray card and disc itself boasts "'Til We Have Faces." I wonder which version represents the original pressing...

Spinning This Week:

Brandi Carlile : The Story
Rosie Thomas : These Friends of Mine
Over the Rhine : Drunkard's Prayer
Mute Math : Reset
The Rocket Summer : Do You Feel
Jon McLaughlin : Indiana
Sherri Youngward : No More Good-byes
Kosmos Express : Now
Mindy Smith : Long Island Shores
World Wide Message Tribe : Dance Planet
Mat Kearney : Nothing Left to Lose
tobyMac : Portable Sounds
Feist : The Reminder
The Sound of Music Original Soundtrack - 40th Anniversary Special Edition

Spinning But Not Telling

During my recent media fast (which included blog abstinence), I discovered just how much I enjoy listing my "Spinning This Week" selections. It's a fun way to ensure that I get my money's worth out of my fairly extensive CD library, but it's also a great excuse to introduce new artists to others. That type of thing gives me a healthy high.

P.S. Just for the record, I had some diverse listening habits during the 21-Day Turnoff!

21-Day Turnoff

I will not be blogging between July 8 (12 p.m.) and July 28 (11:55 p.m.). I am voluntarily participating in a 21-day media turnoff for the purposes of "detoxifying" from the influences of American media and culture, and further cultivating my spiritual life and intimacy with Jesus Christ. For more information on the 21-Day Turnoff, click here. I shall return...

Albums of the Year: The Halfway Mark

Now that we're into the third quarter, I've decided to post the titles that are currently in the running for my five favorite albums of the year.

Note: "Favorite Albums of the Year" are not necessarily synonymous with "Best Albums of the Year."

IN THE RUNNING (in alphabetical order, by artist):

Feist (pictured above) - The Reminder
Patty Griffin - Children Running Through
Group 1 Crew - Self-titled
tobyMac - Portable Sounds
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black

With an Eye Toward Eisley

Just bought tickets to see Eisley, the artful, family, indie rock act, on Aug. 10. The new album, Combinations, drops the following Tuesday, the 14th.

Good Dog Great Dog

On July 2, Over the Rhine announced that they've started a brand new record label, Great Speckled Dog. Listen for the latest OtR bark on Aug. 21.

Spinning This Week:

Feist : The Reminder
Over the Rhine : Drunkard's Prayer
Amy Winehouse : Back to Black
Tyrone Wells : Hold On
Earthsuit : Kaleidoscope Superior
Cool Hand Luke : The Balancing Act
Mute Math : Self-titled
Eli : Now the News
Eisley : Room Noises
Phil Wickham : Self-titled