Spinning This Week:

The World Wide Message Tribe : Frantik
Regina Spektor : Begin to Hope
M.O.C. : Jersey Chica

On Behalf of Albums

If you've read my 7.24.06 post, Spin & Recycle, you know how I feel about iPods, digital downloads and the general disregard Americans seem to have for "the album." I recently came across an article by Mark Geil that shares some of my views, but also explores the topic at large. Check it out here. Highlights include the following excerpt.

I recently bought a "digital album"—a live EP, exclusively on iTunes, and I did get six songs for my five bucks, a pretty good deal. Trouble is, I've got nothing to show for it. They're on my iPod, and my computer, and I could burn them onto one of those insipid blank CD-R discs which I would probably forget to label, but I can't get over a very basic deficiency: I'll never be able to pull out the booklet, ponder the lyrics, read the liner notes, and round out my music experience.

I miss the tangible things.

In light of all this hubbub, I am tempted to buck the system and start buying vinyl exclusively...

Spinning This Week:

Jennifer Knapp : The Way I Am
Delirious? : Glo
Phil Wickham : Cannons

Spinning This Week:

Plumb : Blink
Delirious? : Glo
tobyMac : Portable Sounds
Coldplay : A Rush of Blood to the Head
Rosie Thomas : Only With Laughter Can You Win
Audio Adrenaline : Until My Heart Caves In

Spinning This Week:

Hillsong : Mighty to Save
tobyMac : Portable Sounds
Derek Webb : The Ringing Bell
Phil Wickham : Cannons
Sarah Brightman : Eden
India.Arie : Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship

For Nostalgia's Sake: Beyond These Shores

Listening to Iona's Beyond These Shores takes me back to my college days in West Michigan. I can't remember if I discovered the Celtic rock group during my freshman or sophomore year. Regardless, Robert, my boss at Jacob's Ladder, a music store formerly adjacent to campus, most likely introduced me to the band. I once read someone describe Iona's sound as an Enya-meets-U2 mix; I would agree. Of the five Iona records that I own, BTS may be my favorite. Perhaps it's because it's the first one I purchased. Perhaps it reminds me of a great time of musical discovery in my life, as working at Jacob's Ladder widened my musical scope. Whatever the reason, the driving rhythms, pensive pauses, soaring instrumentals and inspiring lyrics make this disc a great one to spin in the car with a wide open sky in view against glorious, green, Tennessee hills.

Spinning This Week:

David Mead : Mine and Yours
Sarah McLachlan : Afterglow
Andy Hunter : Exodus
Common Children : Delicate Fade
100 Portraits & Waterdeep : Enter the Worship Circle
David Crowder*Band : Remedy
Nicole C. Mullen : Talk About It
Hillsong : Mighty to Save
U2 : How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
Eisley : Combinations