Turntable Thursdays

Launching a new feature today called Turntable Thursdays. We will explore a variety of music; some new, some old. I have eclectic ears always searching for groovy sounds (Maybe that is why I like playing keyboards and synths?). As a worship musician, naturally I have spent a lot of time the last few years listening to faith-based, Christian music. But that is not all I listen to. At the end of the day, I love a good song, regardless of genre. I have found I do not have to agree with an artist on every aspect of their being to dig their music. Life simply does not work that way. There are lots of people who disagree with me about my points of view and likewise, a chunk of folks I disagree with in return. We are not all identical. We are the same, but different.

Who remembers Stereo Review magazine???

The way I listen to music certainly has changed over the years, starting with 45s, 33 1/3 rpm LPs, 8-track tapes, and cassettes. I even played back stuff I recorded on my Dad’s old reel-to-reel. Ah, the nostalgia. Now, I listen mostly to mp3s on my phone or laptop. Today, you will catch me listening to Spotify most days.

The last couple of weeks I have been totally hooked on Spotify’s playlist “Songs To Test Headphones With.” It is an assorted mingle of genre-crossing music. And yes…it is best listened to wearing headphones. If you are on Spotify, check it out.

Put on the headphones and crank it up to 11!

I have also been keeping Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, particularly the solo work by Benmont Tench, in heavy rotation. It is hard to believe Petty has been around since the 70s. It seems like just yesterday that I heard “Refugee” and “Breakdown” for the first time.

A lot of big name worship artists have recently released new material. Jeremy Camp, Matt Redman, Matthew West, and Mercy Me all have put out new worship albums in the past couple of months. Camp’s “The Answer” and Redman’s “All Glory” promise to be praise anthems the church will become familiar with on Sunday mornings. I also like Mercy Me’s “Even If”. It is a well-written, strong faith-based song.

Chris Thile, mandolin player extraordinaire, continues to put out imaginative, genre-bending material at every turn and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit are making headlines as the hardest-working band on the planet. Check out Thile’s “Bach Trios” to gain a new appreciation for what can be done with a mandolin in the right hands. Earlier this year, Isbell and the 400 Unit put out a great record in “The Nashville Sound”.

On that note…we will call it a post.