songs to know
I’m going to start posting about songs and albums and songwriters that I love. The first is a CD that Kelley has been chomping at the bit for us to get for months now:
Raising Sand: a duet album of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss produced by T-Bone Burnett
In a very short review: the album needs to be played loud. Its one you need to listen to more than twice and then it will haunt you. At first, Plant sounded less Zeppeliny than i expected but after a while you recognize the violins of Krauss, her haunting shrills and Plant’s mood building swells as part of the old Zepplin greatness. And Krauss’ willingness ot bring her whole self into rock-feeling songs like Let Your Love Be Your Lesson, is unmistakably what makes the album work. Two unlikely paired together to remind us why we love them both and to host an entirely different project. But the real flair is Burnett’s ability to pull the best repertories for these two.
how to avoid getting a window in your head
Four strangers sat on our couch. They were joined by six other neighbors whom I already knew. “Five to thirty is the federal minimum and maximum sentence,” we heard as we all sat in my living room last night to listen to Stank’s attorney tell us what he was looking at, time wise, and what how we could help. It was Monday night, Eve had just started her second week of Kindergarten and wanted to show everyone her homework. It was clearly a pause in each of our days.
There is, we discover late and often,
an arresting quality about your word to us.
We do not want to be arrested or even pause,
for our days are planned out…Minister to us in our cowardice and timidity.
Set us to be as bold as you are true,
to meet the authorities who resist and arrest . . .
our ancient mothers,
our old convictions,
powerful ordaining communities
and last, even, city hall.(from “We do not want to be arrested” by Walter Bruggemann, Awed to Heaven Rooted to Earth)
Stank is in his early fifties, and except for his balding head and pachy beard you’d think he was late twenties. Dark black, chiseled muscular physique, and tattooed by the sun that follows him every day as he works odd jobs for cash. And a contagious grin- always smelling like the cheap Black-and-Mild cigar that he is almost always smoking. He helped me build my deck, effortlessly lifting by him himself the 14 foot long 2 X 8 that I needed help lifting.
Everyday Liturgy interview about city, emergence, and Wendel Berry
I was interviewed by Thomas Turner of Everyday Liturgy, an quarterly journal, about the impact of Wendell Berry on my work as a pastor, community organizer, and artist. I can’t believe he used as much of the interview as he did. I’m by no means a literurature critic or expert on Berry. Thanks Thomas for the chance to share my story!
The interview is entitled: The Art of Being in Atlanta
This issue includes other book reviews, several more articles about Berry and great reflection for folks looking to see the beautiful and divine in the everyday. And the previous isue includes interviews with Brian McLaren and a beautiful artful piece by Paul Soupiset.
