Every month I hope to give you a slice of what at at the time has been on rotation for me the most (I listen to way too much music to post every single album or single that I indulge within 30 days...that is a good problem to have though I must admit).
It is true that 80% of the music I listen to is comprised of the epitome...Bob Dylan. But, that leftover 20% still is made-up of a very wide pool of talent!
"Melancholy Mood" is mesmerizing. Probably my favorite track off of Fallen Angels. Though I long for another album full of 'original' Dylan lyrics, I cannot deny the uniqueness of the instrumentals on Fallen Angels and the excellence in the vocal deliveries via Dylan.
Tom Petty is one of only a handful of artists who know how to craft radio hits with lyrics that contain actual emotional depth. "Refugee", "Here Comes My Girl", "Even the Losers", and "Shadow of a Doubt (A Complex Kid)" all on the same album?! Yes, please.
Lou Reed was being himself on New York- that is... remarkably controversial. New York paints a grotesque picture of humanity from beginning to end that is not altogether untrue. New York is about what it says though- it is an album steeped in imagery of the gritty back streets. Though Reed was aiming to be ruthlessly sacrilege (maybe) you come to realize he was telling the truth when he says "You need a busload of faith to get by..."
Thrice is back! More Dustin Kensrue vocals with plenty of gospel-centered imagery and inquiries on transcendence abounding! ("The Window", "Wake Up", "The Long Defeat", etc.) Enough said.
Thank God that in Jesus we have no need for a "Wristband" or set of good works to get us in the door of eternity. When our faith is in Jesus then our reputation and our social status are not needed for Heaven (John 14:6, Eph. 2:8-9).
Paul Simon strikes a lasting chord with "Wristband" and it's a single that sets the tone for Stranger to Stranger. I really enjoy the blend of humility and humor that is sprinkled throughout the album. There is also no denying the abstract soundscapes that Simon went out of his way to craft.
