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Grant’s recommendations 1.11.08

by Grant Elgersma

PODCAST: The Bored-Again Christian

A music podcast that aims to provide “Christian music for people who are tired of Christian music,” each episode offers good music from the likes of Sufjan Stevens, the Danielson Familie, Elliot Smith, Arcade Fire and The Snake, The Cross, The Crown.  The often narrow-minded labeling of what is and is not considered Christian music does not apply here.  But one can definitely sense an emotional consistency throughout the show that, well, just feels Christian...at least for those who have ears to hear it.  Those who get it are predominantly seminary students and twenty/thirty-somethings who can appreciate a well-placed sarcastic comment and have a high tolerance for tongue-in-cheek.  The episode is peppered with quips about American Christian culture and playful turns of biblical phrase such as “for the wages of din is death.”  The Bored-Again Christian has more subscribers on iTunes than Mtv News and Paste Magazine’s podcast, which bodes well for the future of Christian music.  Check out this interview with “Just Pete,” creator/producer of the podcast, and then subscribe to it on iTunes.  It’s one of the best ways to save Christian music.

MUSIC: Phases by Steve Reich

One of the fathers of minimalism in music, Steve Reich is known for his use of phasing techniques in which a musical line is repeated at a slightly different tempo, causing slight variations that extend throughout the piece.  Phases features the composer’s earliest work with tape-loops of the human voice and later instrumental works.  Amazingly, Reich’s first experiments (in 1965) with loops pre-date hip hop by more than a decade and European house and techno music owe much to composers like Reich as does The Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth (who performed this Reich composition in their live show).  Reich’s later work was certainly a big influence on Sufjan Stevens as well.  Reich’s influence will continue to be felt in both the classical and popular music worlds, and may be one of the prophetic voices that is bringing the two musical worlds closer together.