Musical Discoveries

So I started to listen to Relevant FM again today, after a long hiatus.

Here are some tunes I discovered. Note not all of these are “new”, but new to me.

Rain or Shine
Matthew Perryman Jones


One Day
Matisyahu


The Transfiguration (cover of Sufjan Stevens)
David Crowder Band


Edited: It seems I have already posted about the Matthew Perryman Jones song...who knew?

Vulgar Grace

I ran across this quote by Brennan Manning entitled "Vulgar Grace":

My life is a witness to vulgar grace - a grace that amazes as it offends. A grace that pays the eager beaver who works all day long the same wage as the grinning drunk who shows up at ten till five. A grace that hikes up the robe and runs breakneck toward the prodigal reeking of sin and wraps him up and decides to throw a party, no ifs, ands, or buts. A grace that raises bloodshot eyes to a dying thief's request - "Please, remember me" - and assures him, "You bet!"...This vulgar grace is indiscriminate compassion. It works without asking anything of us. It's not cheap. It's free, and as such will always be a banana peel for the orthodox foot and a fairy tale for the grown-up sensibility. Grace is sufficient even though we huff and puff with all our might to try and find something or someone that it cannot cover. Grace is enough...

"Sin and forgiveness and falling and getting back up and losing the pearl of great price in the couch cushions but then finding it again, and again, and again? Those are the stumbling steps to becoming Real, the only script that's really worth following in this world or the one that's coming. Some may be offended by this ragamuffin memoir, a tale told by quite possibly the repeat of all repeat prodigals. Some might even go so far as to call it ugly. But you see that doesn't matter, because once you are Real you can't be ugly except to people who don't understand...that yes, all is grace. It is enough. And it's beautiful.

~Brennan Manning
All Is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir

Who is Brennan Manning? I didn't know either. From Wiki:

Brennan Manning (christened Richard Francis Xavier Manning) is an author, friar, priest, contemplative and speaker.

Born and raised in Depression-era New York City, Manning finished high school, enlisted in the US Marine Corps, and fought in the Korean War. When Manning returned to the United States, he enrolled at Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania. Upon his graduation from the seminary in 1963, Manning was ordained to the Franciscan priesthood.

In the late 1960s, Manning joined the Little Brothers of Jesus of Charles de Foucauld, a religious order committed to an uncloistered, contemplative life among the poor. Manning transported water via donkey, worked as a mason's assistant and a dishwasher in France, was imprisoned (by choice) in Switzerland, and spent six months in a remote cave somewhere in the Zaragoza desert.

In the 1970s, Manning returned to the US and began writing after confronting his alcoholism.

Singer-songwriter Rich Mullins called his band A Ragamuffin Band after one of Manning's books. Warren Barfield's music is also often inspired by Manning, as is the work of singer-songwriter Matthew Perryman Jones.

"The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle," Manning has said. "That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." This quote appeared in the prelude to dc Talk's song "What if I Stumble?" It also appeared on an intro track for the Christian metalcore band War of Ages on its album Fire From the Tomb.

Chris Isaak & Conan O'Brien cover Johnny Cash

Now, This is Shinny

shin·ny (also shin·ney) noun \ˈshi-nē\
1. Ice, street, or field hockey played informally with a ball, can, or similar object.

The National

Who's got two thumbs and goes to a concert by himself? This guy.

I went to see my favorite band The National last night at the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan.

I am not a good critic. I tend to write review that have very few words. Either something was Great or it was not.

Other than the girl who brought her mother**, everything about this show was absolutely fantastic. Theatre was beautiful, opening act was actually very good (The War on Drugs), and the National was excellent.

they play there every night this week. I really want to go back. If anyone wants to take me, let me know.

for your audible enjoyment, here are a few tracks:







**The mother was not a fan, and tried to decifer the lyrics to every song, when she discovered them, she was so happy and proud of herself that shouted them out, so it was a running commentary. She was directly behind me and I was ready to ask her to be quiet. To her daughter's credit, she was trying to shut her up.

Bombay Dreams Cast Sings Joy to the World

I've been looking for this song for years, as I've never heard it, but have wanted to. Randomly searched for it today and found that someone posted it to youtube.

The cast of A. R. Rahman's Broadway musical, Bombay Dreams, recorded Joy to the World for Broadways annual fundraiser Carols for a Cure.

Anyway, enjoy. It's never too early for Christmas...after all they're selling Christmas merchandise in the stores already.

How to Irritate Your Sunday School Teacher

Source

Cool Card Trick

The card trick is cool, but I'm still trying to figure out how he did that thing with his hands.

History of Lyrics that aren't lyrics