On Songs & Albums

A collection of 494 posts

On Songs & Albums

Taylor Swift, Nirvana, Andrew Peterson, and Bob Dylan All Appear in This Headline

Imagine that your favorite band tries on a new sound, or a new look. Imagine that fans are not happy, and they complain about it. Imagine that the band decides to push back... in song. It's happened before. It's happened quite frequently, actually. Taylor Swift, Bob

Journal

An Hour of Wisdom and Storytelling with Joe Henry

Joe Henry, who recorded my favorite record of 2014 (Invisible Hour), was the guest on the latest installment of the excellent podcast "On Being," with Krista Tippett.

On Songs & Albums

Soundtrack for a Day Job: Great Songs About Hard Times

Songs about this day-job, bill-paying struggle are a dime a dozen — or, rather about $16.99 a dozen in this economy. I asked my patient Facebook community if they had any favorite songs about hard economic times, and they filled my FB feed with a whole record store full of

On Songs & Albums

Bruce Cockburn to Receive the 2015 Denise Levertov Award

Wow. The Denise Levertov Award is the prestigious honor given by the good people of Image "to an artist or creative writer whose work exemplifies a serious and sustained engagement with the Judeo-Christian tradition." Past recipients of the award include poets Scott Cairns, Luci Shaw, Madeline DeFrees, and

Interviews

Flashback: My conversation with Sam Phillips

This weekend, Sam Phillips joined Joe Henry onstage for what was reportedly a knockout, 2 1/2-hour concert. Oh, if only I could have teleported down to L.A. to at the Coronet. I've been in a bit of a funk, knowing that I was missing one of

On Songs & Albums

The Lone Bellow, U2, Bob Dylan, and Aaron Strumpel – or, How I Learned to Stop Scowling and Love Liturgy

I may have sensed, on some level, the dissonance between such prejudice and Jesus’ own teachings. But if I did, I suppressed it. That sense of superiority, of being on the right team, of having Jesus’ favor: they felt too good to give up. One of the easiest targets on my denominational dartboard was

On Songs & Albums

What Breakup Record Cuts Your Heart Open? Readers Respond!

I posted a question on Facebook and elsewhere: What breakup songs or breakup records mean the most to you? What music do you find entangled in your own hurtful experiences of separation? The floodgates burst open.

On Songs & Albums

Listening Closer: Bjork's "Stonemilker"

Sharing your heart with someone who in turn takes sledgehammer to it understandably leaves an impression.

On Songs & Albums

Listening Closer to Joe Henry's "Sparrow," The Lone Bellow, and Jessica Pratt

The first song of Joe Henry’s album Invisible Hour — my favorite record of 2014 — is the subject of the second installment in my new series called "Listening Closer." Plus: Two new albums well worth your time and attention.

On Songs & Albums

Do You Hear What I Hear?

This week, I begin a new year-long adventure: "Listening Closer." I will write about one song every week, opening it up to consider what's inside, where it came from, what it might mean, and why it has caught my attention and stayed on my mind.

On Songs & Albums

Overstreet's Favorite Recordings: 2014 — Part Two [Updated Feb. 2015]

Albums I wanted to hear every week; albums I would be happy to own in a variety of formats; albums I would like to put in the trunk of my car so that I can give them away to everyone I know; albums that made a significant difference in my head and heart this year.

Music Reviews

Overstreet's Favorite Recordings: 2014 — Part One

Overdoing it? Yes. As long as War & Peace? Yes. But here it comes anyway: The list of my favorite recordings of 2014. I look forward to this every year. I started making "Favorite Music of the Year" lists when I was about 12 years old. I never

On Songs & Albums

Win a Lucinda Williams Double Album: Tell Us About Your Favorite 2014 Album

What album meant the most to you in 2014? Tell us about it, and you may win a copy of the excellent 2014 double album by Lucinda Williams: Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone.

On Songs & Albums

The Complete 2014 Christmas Playlist

It started as a spur-of-the-moment experiment. I asked Joe Henry if he'd be willing to share his Christmas favorites playlist. I so admire his music, the projects that he chooses to produce, and the way that he listens. I wanted to hear what he hears at Christmas time.

On Songs & Albums

Nurse Claire Nieman's Christmas Playlist

It just made sense. Inviting people to share Christmas playlists, shouldn't I invite someone who spends her days welcoming newborn babies?

On Songs & Albums

The Overstreet Christmas Playlist

I couldn't have asked for a bigger Christmas surprise, or a more enjoyable Christmas blessing, than the personal, thoughtful, revealing Christmas playlists that so many friends have sent in over the past few weeks. Thank you, one and all. I sincerely hope to host Round Two next year.

On Songs & Albums

W. David O. Taylor and Phaedra Taylor's Christmas Playlist

W. David O. Taylor and Phaedra Taylor bring us one step closer to Christmas Eve with their own Christmas playlist.

On Songs & Albums

Andy Whitman's Christmas Playlist

Nobody I know writes about music with more passion, personality, and insight than Andy Whitman. And here he is with a Christmas playlist.

On Songs & Albums

Robert Deeble's Christmas Playlist

I first encountered Robert Deeble's music on Seattle alt-rock radio, and I was immediately taken with his hushed delivery, his haunting lyrics. Think Leonard Cohen meets Sparklehorse. Earthside Down was my first Deeble album. Then I saw him live — he opened for Over the Rhine at the Paradox

On Songs & Albums

Steve Taylor's Christmas Playlist

It is a thrill for me to share this Christmas playlist from one of my heroes for more than 30 years of artmaking.

On Songs & Albums

Author Robert Clark's Christmas Playlist

You may know the name Robert Clark because of his celebrated writing. Since I pay attention to his recommendations in almost everything, I knew that I wanted to include his Christmas playlist in this series.

On Songs & Albums

Poet Tania Runyan's Christmas Playlist

The author of How to Write a Poem shows us how to make a Christmas playlist.

On Songs & Albums

Christmas, Calling, Carols, and #Ferguson: Jeff Keuss Hosts a Conversation with Rev. Richard Dahlstrom, Dr. Brian Bantum, Anna Miller, and Myself (with Music from Eric Miller)

What can we learn from Mary, the mother of Christ, that can help us understand what is happening in Ferguson?

On Songs & Albums

Andy Crouch's Christmas Playlist

Our guest DJ for some Christmas music: The author of Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling and Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power.

On Songs & Albums

Author Shannon Huffman Polson's Christmas Playlist

A Christmas playlist from the author of North of Hope.