Livingloud - The Bowmanblog

Everything Sad Is Going To Come Untrue

'Gandalf! I thought you were dead!  But then I thought I was dead myself.  Is everything sad going to come untrue?' - Sam to Gandalf 

“The answer is yes. And the answer of the Bible is yes. If the resurrection is true, then the answer is yes. Everything sad is going to come untrue.”  Tim Keller 

Defeating Discouragement

The past year has felt like a marathon, there has been so much stress and anxiety, and so many obstacles we have all had to navigate.   How we do church and youth ministry has changed in ways we could never have imagined beforehand.

And here we are a year on from the beginning of lockdowns and restrictions, it has been a year of online ministry with very limited in-person contact and I think like me many church leaders are running on empty right now. 

And as we begin to think about life after lockdown and discern how best to connect with children, young people and their families again there is the awareness of the weight of expectations (both internal and external) and the realisation that things will not be the same as they were before all of this started.  There is some apprehension about resetting everything and the inevitable grief about what we have lost, and who has drifted way as a result of the past year.  And we are keenly aware that we need new energy for the months ahead and vision for what we are called to do. 

Yes, the past year has been different… very different, it has been draining, and littered with disappointments.  And at this juncture we could easily become buried by the weight of discouragement. 

Recently I was meeting online with some leaders from across Europe and Africa and we were discussing the discouragements we have encountered in our leadership and ministry, it was an honest, vulnerable and much needed discussion because each of us in our own ways have been feeling it and dealing with it over the past year. 

And for those of you who know my story, I’ve been dealing with illness for the last four years.  The doctors are struggling to diagnose what is wrong, but I had been doing well for most of the last year.  I was beginning to feel like I had turned a corner, and then last month (February) I experienced another event.  It was a nasty experience, but aside from the physical affects of the episode itself what has broadsided me more is the impact it has had on my mental and emotional wellbeing and how it has hit my confidence.  I’ve felt low, deeply disappointed and yes discouraged.  This alongside the challenges of the past year has been something of a perfect storm for me personally. 

I want to open up and share a bit about how I've felt simply because I think there is some learning and wisdom to be gleaned from how we handle the difficult seasons in life and ministry and specifically how we deal with discouragement.

So lets begin by thinking about what discouragement actually means.  The word has at its root the Latin word ‘cor’ which means heart. We are not talking about the beating muscle that sends blood around your body and keeps you alive and moving, rather we are talking about the executive centre of the self.  Ogden and Meyer (2007) remind us that from a Biblical perspective your heart is the “…orienting, motivating, dynamic core of who you are.  For this reason God’s Word says, ‘Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life (Proverbs 4:23)”   

So with this in mind when we talk about being discouraged what we mean is to ‘lose heart’.  Losing heart leaves us spiritually and emotionally weary.  It is a deep, dark and deadly place. 

Discouragement is deadly because I think it can quickly lead to disillusionment which takes deadly to a whole new level.  So how do we deal with it?  What are some of the things that may cause discouragement?  How do we even begin to defeat discouragement?  What can I share with you from my journey that might help you in your life or in your ministry? 

First I’d encourage you to look at 1 Kings Chapter 18 & 19.  It’s the story of Elijah.  The prophet of God and a man of courageous faith, yet who in these two chapters happens to be riding a rollercoaster of emotions and dealing with discouragement in a major way. 

If you start with Ch 18:19-40 you’ll find one of the most spectacular passages in the Bible, Elijah faces down 850 prophets of Baal on mount Carmel and God shows up!  This is followed by a sixteen mile run from Mount Carmel to Jezreel.  He is not long in Jezreel when he receives a death threat, so with 24 hours to live he hits the road again and makes the ninety mile journey from Jezreel to Beersheba and then a further days journey into the wilderness of Judah.  Think of all the different emotions and feelings Elijah has been experiencing.  He’s quite literally had the mountain top experience… and he’s also had the critics and the haters attacking him.

Look at Ch 19 v4.  How is Elijah feeling now?  Within a week of the amazing display of God’s power on top of Mount Carmel Elijah is discouraged and in the depths of despair. 

When I am discouraged I often find it is a period of dark feelings and dark thoughts.  Just like Elijah.  And just like Elijah there can be some other factors that intensify the feelings of discouragement.  This is why I’ve drawn your attention to this passage, because there are some things here that we need to be aware of.  They themselves could be the cause of discouragement, or they certainly could make it worse.  This is all about self awareness, reading your emotions and knowing yourself better. 

Coming Down from the Mountaintop experience – Ironically discouragement can often follow a season of amazingly fruitful ministry, or an intense period of sustained ministry that can leave us feeling emotionally drained and exhausted.  Mission trips, camps, weekend residential experiences, and special events fit this category. There is a great deal of work and energy invested in the build up to and running of such a project or activity and the aftermath brings with it a sense of loss.  Reading how it affects me: I miss the community, I miss the activity.  I know that I need to rest (yet there is often little time for it) I’m more emotional, and that can affect how I hear, react and respond to criticism and negativity.  I've learned that I need to give myself time to decompress and stabilize. 

I would argue that the last year has had a similar affect on us.  We might not describe it as a mountaintop experience (though it will have had its moments), perhaps it has been more like a dim, dark valley experience.  We’ve had to reinvent how we do youth ministry, we may have had to learn new skills.  It has been an intense period of ministry with little let up, and while it may have looked very different it has been no less demanding, in fact I would respectfully suggest it has been much more demanding simply because it has been different.       

Connected to this is Physical Exhaustion.  Elijah had to be exhausted; look at what he has been through, how much ground he has covered.  He is clearly terribly tired and this brings us to a Lack of Sleep.  This had to have had an affect on his emotions, as it will on ours.  How are your sleeping patterns?  There is certainly a tiredness ...actually it is more than tiredness it is a weariness that many people are experiencing as a result of living through the last year.  It has been exhausting, emotionally and physically.  And I have no doubt it is also impacted by our activity, we can all relate to phrases such as 'zoom fatigue'.  Have you noticed if or how increased screen time and online meetings has affected your energy levels and sleep patterns?      

Do you notice a difference in your energy levels when you are discouraged?  Again it could be a cause or effect of the discouragement you’re feeling.   

And finally there is Poor Eating Habits; what we eat affects our moods, and when we are under stress this further complicates things.  I mention these because they certainly seem to factor into the discouragement he is feeling because  in Ch 19v4-8 God gives him two good nights sleep and a couple of good meals, then He begins to sort out his thinking.  In short get to know how you function.  Pay attention to what your body is telling you.  Basic things like food, rest and energy management will have an affect on how we deal with discouragement.  But it doesn’t stop there.  What other things can you be on the lookout for?

I notice that when I’m discouraged I complain a lot more.  Which I think breeds a climate of negativity, it spirals downwards. 

I also tend to withdraw from people. I think when we are discouraged it is easy to become self focused.  I think this is particularly concerning because of the social isolation we all have experienced to some degree during the pandemic.  Bruce Springsteen once said that ‘isolation is one of the most dangerous things in the world’ and he is right!  As human beings we crave relationship; our identity is found in relating.  We need friendship, we need affection, we need stability in our relational environments.

Ortberg notes: “This is why the experience of authentic community is so life giving.  We are taking our place in fellowship with Life Himself.  When I am in isolation, I am lonely.  When I am in community, I experience what might be called “fullness of heart.”  The human heart is forever empty if it is closed in upon itself.  In community – the divine community especially – a heart comes alive.” 

When we are discouraged it is easy to become isolated, and especially in these days we need to be mindful of that danger.      

‘When I’m down, the best way up… is out!’  I like that.  One of the ways to defeat discouragement is to focus out, to keep investing in others and in your ministry, to not give up!

The following are some other suggestions as you and I deal with discouragement: 

1. Take Notice – be more aware of the present moment, including your feelings and thoughts, your body and the world around you. Savour the moment! Reflect and take notice of how you are feeling; feelings are indicators as to how we are doing.

2. Remember that critics and discouragers attack your courage, because when you have courage you can make a difference, you are a force to be reckoned with. I think it is true that there are some people who will just look for reasons to say bad things about you.  I do believe that Satan sends some people: critics and discouragers to beat us down, steal our courage and de-energize us. The opposite of discouragement is encouragement.  Encouragement is all about keeping others on their feet.  Look for those people who can help you stay on your feet… who can give you courage.  Surround yourself with those people.  Be real with them, be honest and vulnerable. Give them permission to speak into your life.   

3. Cultivate 3 types of Biblical thinking – Wisdom, Discernment and Shrewdness.  Be wise as a serpent but gentle as a dove.

4. What can I learn from it?  The point above brings me to this one - not all criticism need be destructive.  Ask, what can I learn from this?  …about me, my inter-personal skills, my ministry etc.  Where there is light and insight affirm it, learn from it.  Where there is negativity reject it.  Learn to discern the difference. 

5. Learn to respond to discouragement and the things the world says to you and does to you (the criticism, attacks and discouraging comments) from the place of your identity in Christ.  Remember whose you are and how He sees you. 

6. Move Your Mood - Take a walk, go for a run, go cycling or some other form of physical exercise that you enjoy. It will pump up endorphins and flood your brain with feel-good chemicals. People who exercise report feeling less stressed or nervous, and regular heart-pumping movement can reduce tension, fatigue and anger, and improve your mood, and sense of worth.  The research also suggests that there are even greater benefits, when you get moving outdoors - with people reporting a higher level of vitality, enthusiasm and pleasure after they have walked outside.

7. Don’t Neglect Self-Care -If you’re uncomfortable with the term think of it as self-leadership or self-management.  This is not a selfish or self indulgent thing to do, it is good stewardship of your life, so that you ultimately have more to give.  I would argue that self-leadership is essential if you are to be a sustainable living sacrifice.

8. Celebrate – You may not feel like it, but remember what God has done.  Don’t lose sight of how God has blessed and used you and your ministry.  I keep an encouragement file, filled with letters, notes, cards etc that have been given to me over the years.  They are simple reminders of the significance of my ministry and when I revisit them and read those words I sense the smiling approval of my heavenly Father. 

If like me you have encountered discouragement, take courage… ‘Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!  Ps 27:14 

My Top Ten TV Shows Of Twenty20

These are my favourite TV shows from the year that was Twenty20. 

1) The Mandalorian 

There was no argument about what my number 1 show of the year would be.  The Mandalorian has in many ways been the rebirth of Star Wars and season two carried the story forwards introducing us to some of Star Wars most beloved and iconic characters along the way.  And in the final episode gave us the Luke Skywalker many of us have been waiting since 1983 to see.  Star Wars is fun again and its future looks bright on the small screen. 

 

2) Cobra Kai 

Cobra Kai is a nostalgic delight, and one of the most enjoyable shows I’ve ever watched.  It is almost impossible to resist binging a whole series (series 3 has just started).   It is so good to see these characters 34 years after the events of the Karate Kid movie and the elements that made that film so special underpin this series. William Zabka is particularly brilliant in his portrayal of an older Johnny Lawrence seeking for some redemption. 

 

3) Warrior 

Warrior is based on the writings of Bruce Lee and contains some of the best martial arts scenes I’ve ever seen on the screen.  An outstanding storyline set in San Francisco in the 1800s that deals with the influence of Chinese immigrants on a post civil war America and the racial animosity they experienced.  It is a beautifully shot gritty and violent blend of martial arts, Deadwood and Peaky Blinders.

 

4) The Clone Wars - Final Season 

It is the finest animated TV show I have ever watched, and some of the very best Star Wars ever made.  The 3D animation is gorgeous and the character development and story arcs really enhance the prequel trilogy of films.   The execution of Order 66 was expertly handled and the final scene with that Vader cameo was stunning!  Both Selah and I loved it, it was a terrific conclusion to the Clone Wars series, now bring on the Bad Batch later in 2021! 

 

5) The Right Stuff 

I’m a space nerd so I loved this series based on the original Mercury Seven astronauts.  It is interesting to see the mix of complex characters, some of them deeply flawed who shaped the early American Space programme.  I’m curious to know how much of it is fictionalised. 

 

6) Locke & Key 

Locke & Key was the show that filled that Stranger Things hole missing from our screens this year.  The Locke siblings  move into their ancestral home after the tragic death of their father to discover the house is filled with powerful magical keys that when used set of a chain of strange and mysterious events.  It is spooky, and has a Stephen King vibe to it which is not surprising as the source material is a comic book series of the same name written by his son Joe Hill. 

 

7) The Expanse 

The Expanse has consistently been one of the best sci-fi shows I've ever seen.  Intelligent, immense in its scope and scale and a compelling story.  

 

8) Raised By Wolves 

Raised By Wolves is produced by Ridley Scott and follows the story of a pair of androids who are tasked with raising human children on a remote planet (Kepler 22b) in the aftermath of a war that has ravaged the earth between atheists and a fundamentalist religious group called the Mithraic.

It is gorgeous to look at with a distinct Prometheus and Alien Covenant aesthetic to the show.   And it is the most artistic and heady sci-fi show of the year dealing with religion, science and belief.  A slow burner but well worth the investment of time. 

 

9) Into The Night

A brilliant ensemble cast in this European post apocalyptic drama about a plane full of passengers who must out fly the sun as it starts to kill everything in its path due to a cosmic event.   The mix of personalities, (some of them pretty nasty pieces of work ) thrown together in a survival situation makes the show very entertaining with lots  of twists and turns.

 

10) The Boys 

A very violent, cynical, deconstruction of the superhero concept. It is laced with dark humour and also manages to put the spotlight on the worst and best of humanity. 

 

Notable Contenders: 

Bosch 

The very best detective series in years, and Titus Welliver is outstanding in the lead role! 

 

The Outsider 

Perhaps the best adaption of a work by Stephen King. A fantastic cast with a particularly brilliant performance by Ben Mendelsohn.  It is a creepy supernatural slow burner. 

 

Warrior Nun

A fantastic concept: a fight between good and evil with a crack team of warrior nuns holding the line and battling demons.  Great fun!

 

Movies - Twenty20

2021 has begun and I hope it is treating you kindly.  I'm wrapping up my year end lists, and this is my Top Ten Movies of Twenty20.  It is a long time since I sat in a cinema, (sadly cinema has been yet another casualty of this pandemic), so with the exception of one movie on my list all the rest were viewed on the small screen.  

Movies did provide a welcome distraction to all that was going on in the world and there were some terrific releases on the various streaming platforms.  Our weekly family movie night is something that we have maintained throughout the year and we've enjoyed watching some classic as well as new family movies.  My list this year reflects those movies I've personally enjoyed as well as some of the highlights from our family movie nights.      

1) The Vast of Night 

My favourite movie of the year is a low budget sci-fi set in the 1950's about two young people who detect a strange audio signal over their town in rural New Mexico; the signal could be extraterrestrial in origin.  The Vast of Night is a clever story that is dialogue driven and pays tribute to the Twilight Zone and those classic sci-fi movies of the 1950's.  You might well be thinking I've seen this all before, and yes while the story has become a staple of the sci-fi genre you've never seen or heard it told quite like this, with as much eerie atmosphere and engrossing dialogue.  It is gripping, edge of the seat stuff!

 

2) Extraction

Action movie of the year for me.  Chris Hemsworth plays a black market mercenary who is hired to rescue the kidnapped son of a crime lord.  The action is visceral and brilliantly executed, but it has a lot of heart and ultimately it is a story of redemption.  

 

3) Resistance 

This is the story of world famous Mime artist Marcel Marceau and his role in the French Resistance saving thousands of orphaned Jewish children from the Nazis.  It is a remarkable story of courage, and it is gracefully and beautifully told.  My friend Tomsa did some of the mime choreography for this movie.  

 

4) Tenet

There is a scene in the movie when two of the characters are talking about the whole time travel concept underpinning the film and one of them says "Don't try to understand it, just feel it" that sentiment is worth keeping in mind when watching Tenet.  My head hurts trying to figure out "how" it all happens, you just need to sit back and enjoy this sci-fi espionage thriller.  It is a bit Bond and a bit bonkers and Christopher Nolan yet again delivers some of the most elegant and graceful action scenes you'll ever see in a movie.  And we also have Kenneth Branagh who always plays a brilliant bad guy!  

 

5) 1917

The only movie on my Twenty20 list that I actually saw in a cinema way back last January.  Sam Mendes immerses us in the horrors of World War 1.  Because of the masterful editing 1917 is essentially one-shot and it makes for an intense and captivating film.  

 

6) The Call of The Wild 

Gorgeous scenery, a loveable dog and Harrison Ford... What is not to love?!  This was one of the highlights of our weekly family movie nights this year.  We all loved the heartwarming tale of Buck the dog who is stolen from his home in California and finds himself in the wilds of the Yukon territory where he befriends Harrison Ford's outdoorsman.  You'd seriously have to have a heart of stone not to enjoy this one.  

 

7) Onward  

Pixar gave us a fun, exhilarating and heartwarming story about family.  Another of our family movie night favourites and the animated movie of the year for us.  So much better and more fun than the recent Soul which I had high hopes for, but it ended up being a "new agey spiritual mess" of a movie (fantastic jazz, but dare I say it, it is the first Pixar movie I found to be pretty boring).  Onward is Pixar at its best, brimful of charm, fun and joy!

 

8) Sea Fever  

I appreciated the west coast of Ireland setting for this indie sci-fi thriller.  A fishing boat is ensnared by a mysterious creature from the deep and the crew then succumb to a strange infection.  It does have a distinct 'The Thing' vibe to it, and it sports a superb cast.  The theme of infection with the dilemmas and struggles of how to manage it and ultimately prevent its spread resonated strongly with our world in 2020.  

 

9) Da 5 Bloods 

Spike Lee delivered a movie that deals with the injustices African Americans faced during the Vietnam war but it is also very much if not more so a movie about the injustices they face today.  It is gritty, violent, sometimes uncomfortable, funny, and utterly captivating especially in the performances: Chadwick Boseman is as always terrific, a wonderful actor gone too soon, but it is Delroy Lindo who steals the show with a mesmerising performance.      

 

10) The Old Guard 

This was a surprisingly fresh take on the super hero genre with Charlize Theron leading a group of immortal mercenaries.  It was one of the year's best action movies, with some fantastic choreography and set pieces.  Charlize Theron holds it together convincingly well, bringing depth and a sense of world weariness to her character.

 

Honourable Mentions:

I've got to mention a couple more contenders  

Color Out of Space  

I thoroughly enjoyed this visually stunning sci-fi horror based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft.  And Nicolas Cage hasn't been this 'out there' good in a movie for years!

 

Four Kids and It 

Another favourite from our family movie nights based on the book by Jacqueline Wilson.  At its heart it is a story about family in all its glorious dysfunctionality.  It is heartwarming with some hilarious moments and a fabulously wacky performance from Russell Brand.  

May You - A Poem For The Start Of A New Year

A stunning combination of spoken word, music and visuals.  May You by Irish Poet Stephen James Smith.

My Top 20 Albums Of Twenty20

 

1) Malojian - humm 

Back when the world was untouched by Covid-19 and all the uncertainty and anxiety it has brought in its wake we enjoyed an intimate gig at the Seamus Heaney Homeplace listening to Arborist and Malojian play. That evening Stevie Scullion aka Malojian played a stripped back version of Chinooks, and I was instantly hooked by the context of the song: growing up in Northern Ireland during the troubles. It’s a beaut of a track melancholic and yearning, and I’ve been looking forward to this record ever since. When lockdown hit Stevie did us all a kindness and released the digital version of the album early, these tunes became an antidote for dark times.

Each Malojian album exceeds my expectations and humm might just be his most accomplished yet with those ethereal vocals, soothing melodies, delicate harmonies, heartfelt lyrics and a few bursts of grungey rock. I hear a gentle nod here and there to the Beatles, vintage Neil Young and Grandaddy. The production is pristine, this is without a doubt one of the best sounding albums I’ve heard all year and it’s clearly a result of the co-production partnership with Grandaddy's Jason Lytle. It’s a style record from one of the good guys and it is my album of the year! 

 

2) The Airborne Toxic Event - Hollywood Park 

This was one of the records I was most looking forward to this year. It’s been a minute since the last album from The Airborne Toxic Event ... Dope Machines was awash with synths and a bit of a departure from their sound, still brilliant though. Hollywood Park is a return to guitar driven indie rock, and it is a glorious thing! The record is a companion piece to Mikel Jollett’s memoir (also tilted Hollywood Park) which is my book of the year. The book chronicles his childhood escape from a dangerous cult, and the trauma he has experienced on his journey; it is a remarkable look at life through his eyes, and in particular his relationship with his Dad. Yes, there is pain in both the book and the songs but there is also a lot of passion, grace, resilience and redemptive rock & roll. I love Jollett’s lyrics and his poetic turn of phrase, together with music that often surges with intensity, it results in The Airborne Toxic Event being one of the most cathartic rock bands I’ve ever heard. Hollywood Park is their finest moment yet... personal, melancholic, euphoric and ultimately redemptive. Stunning stuff and easily one of the best records I’ve heard this year.

 

3) Marc Scibilia - Seed Of Joy 

I love discovering new music and this was one of the bright gems in this very dark year.  Don Miller gave this record an enthusiastic recommendation, describing it as a minor masterpiece... he was spot on!  Seed of Joy is a joyous thing to hear, a gorgeous slice of pop rock with effortless melodies and songs that never shy away from the heartache of this world but always point to hope.  If 2020 needed an album this was the one!  

 

4) Bruce Springsteen - Letter To You

His twentieth studio album came right on time... Bruce has always been able to speak into a world in turmoil, bringing comfort in sound, the celebratory joy of rock n roll and the importance of community and connection. With Letter To You he has done it again! It’s personal, reflective, nostalgic, triumphant and it also happens to rock as hard as anything he has ever done. The vibrancy and energy of the E Street Band live in the studio is something to behold; it might be the best they have ever sounded on a studio album. Lyrically Bruce reflects on mortality and the fragility of life, he reminds us that none of us get to be here very long. But there is also a joyful defiance and celebration of community running through the album.  Letter To You grabs you by the heart and let’s you know that ‘you’re still alive!’ It’s up there with some of his most moving and best songwriting. Yes, Springsteen has given us another record we needed in 2020 and I think it might be his best band album since The Rising. This terrible season of Covid-19 will pass and hopefully one day we’ll stand in a stadium somewhere lifting our hearts, hands and voices to belt out these songs with Bruce. 

 

5) Pearl Jam - Gigaton 

These things don’t come around too often so when Pearl Jam drops a new album it’s always accompanied by a high degree of anticipation and expectation. With Gigaton expectations are well and truly surpassed...for me anyways. One of the things that impresses me most about Pearl Jam is that they have aged so well, never content to just dial it in, they honour their origins but also experiment and allow the sound to evolve.

Gigaton might just be their best in years, it’s a grower (so much to discover on this one). Eddie is in fine form and it also has some of the finest guitar work of any Pearl Jam record, period! Rolling Stone described it as a combination of “Fury and Maturity”... I like that, it’s an apt description.

Pearl Jam have given us a record that is inventive, defiant in the face of our broken, uncertain world, and one that includes some beautifully tender and resilient moments. A triumphant return! 

 

6) Sufjan Stevens - The Ascension

This is another one of the records that I was most looking forward to in 2020. Sufjan (along with Lowell Brams) has already given us Aporia this year, which was a departure from the folky Sufjan sound. With a nod to The Age of Adz, The Ascension continues that trajectory... it’s synthy Sufjan and there’s not a guitar in sight. But his glitchy and glimmering electronic soundscape is packed with catchy hooks and melodies, resulting in an exquisite slice of thoughtful pop music.  At its heart The Ascension is a confessional and contemplative album and Sufjan addresses faith, doubt, regret and modern humanity.  There is no denying that there is a fair bit of anxiety expressed in these tracks, it’s a record for the times we’re in... But it’s not depressing or despairing, far from it!  For me, it’s the combination of infectious melody, the honesty and the comforting sound of Sufjan’s voice that makes The Ascension a shot of light in dark times.  80mins of beauty and brilliance!

 

7) The Killers - Imploding The Mirage 

It’s brimful of big sounds, and I love the War On Drugs vibe to it: it has become without a doubt my favourite Killers record.  And... if you ever might have wondered what the Prodigal Son story would sound like as a synth drenched rock song? Well those Killers have gone and done it with Fire In Bone.  Imploding The Mirage is as near perfect a slice of soaring, melodic pop rock as you’ll ever hear.

 

8) Arborist - A Northern View 

We got a wee taster of what lies in these grooves a while back when Arborist played a gig at The Seamus Heaney Homeplace. I remember being blown away that night by the spoken word track Taxi, and I’ve been anticipating this album ever since.  It’s moody, lush, and full of aching melody.  A sense of place (geographical and of the heart and mind) seems to be a theme running through the record, and together with Mark McCambridge’s wonderful voice the songs carry a sense of longing.  A Northern View is a view you’ll want to take in again and again... a gorgeous piece of work and further evidence of the quality of our local music scene.  

 

9) The Lost Brothers - After The Fire After The Rain 

This is the new record from Irish duo The Lost Brothers (Oisin Leech and Mark McCausland).  They have also assembled a dream cast of guests on the album: M Ward, Howe Gelb, Jolie Holland, and Tony Garnier (Bob Dylan’s bass player on production duties). Before you even hear a note the very fact that they have artists of this calibre featuring on their record says something about the quality of the music held in these grooves. And then there are the rave reviews from the likes of Mojo, Uncut and Rolling Stone. And when you drop the needle you quickly realize it is praise that is rightly deserved!  After The Fire After The Rain is a stunning album. Timeless, poetic, melancholic and intimate, even down to the sound of the gentlest brush of fingers on guitar strings. Their sound and take on americana might evoke a western high desert vista but the heart of this record is very much in the Gortin Glen.  You’ll be hard pressed to hear a more beautiful record this year, than this one.

 

10) Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit - Reunions 

After the first spin it became my favourite Isbell album yet. The production is so crisp and the guitars sound gorgeous, especially those knopfler-esque tones he coaxes from the strings. The songwriting is also some of his strongest yet, marked by that honesty, self-awareness & emotional intelligence that sets him apart as one of the best. Songs of trouble and redemption that we’ll be spinning long after 2020 disappears in our rearview mirror.

Live Albums - Twenty20

Live music was one of the casualties of this horrible pandemic, but there were a number of live albums released to remind us of the joy of experiencing live concerts.  Here's to better days when with arms aloft and voices raised we can safely attend gigs again.

 

These are my favourite Live Albums of Twenty20

 

1) The War On Drugs - Live Drugs

I can’t get enough of this band! Widely lauded as a phenomenal live band, Live Drugs beautifully captures the power and cosmic swirl of their sound, and it is quite something to behold! The translucent green vinyl is a nice touch too.

 

2) Chagall Guevara - The Last Amen 

Back in the heady days of the early 90s there was a band called Chagall Guevara, their star rose and shone briefly but oh so brightly. They gave us one record. Just one. But IMHO it just happened to be one of the top 10 best albums of the decade. It has stood the test of Father Time and still sounds style today... all searing guitars, intelligent lyrics with a bit of bite & a dash of irony. Revolutionary Art!

The band: Dave Perkins, Lynn Nichols, Mike Mead, Wade Jaynes, could tear it up and they had Steve Taylor on vocals (who also just happened to have the best rock star hair of the 90s).

Well friends, the good news is they have just completed an amazingly successful Kickstarter to release The Last Amen - a Live album capturing Chagall Guevara at the height of their powers and it is a belter! I’m so looking forward to spinning this on vinyl in the near future. If you’ve never heard them, go right that wrong and check out the best band you’ve never heard of.

 

3)  Glen Hansard - Live At Sydney Opera House

Normally we would celebrate Christmas and New Year with the annual Glen Hansard gigs in Dublin but 2020 put paid to that, so Glen has released a live album recorded in Australia back in 2016.  If you want to know why Glen Hansard is one of the very best live performers today then this album is all the evidence you need.  It is a full force gale of a performance.

 

4) Metallica & The San Francisco Symphony - S&M2

Back in 1999 the mighty Metallica collaborated with the San Francisco Symphony and the resulting live album captured the power of that performance. S&M is one of my fave Metallica records, the symphonic nature of their music makes for a tantalizing partnership with an orchestra and Metallica live are always something to behold. 20yrs later they celebrate the anniversary of that partnership with S&M2. It manages to be an even more magnificent, menacing and powerful performance... certainly one of their very finest. 

   

     

Playlist Twenty20

At the end of each year I have a tradition of posting my favourite albums, movies, TV shows, etc from that year.  2020 has felt like a marathon, there has been so much uncertainty, so much anxiety, and while music and the arts have taken some massive hits this year too, it has continued to provide much needed positivity, comfort and  relief.  Wendell Berry said it well… “The music, while it lasted, brought a new world into being.”

Here we go with the Soundtrack of my year, the playlist of my favourite tracks from the year that was Twenty20.  36 tracks and over 2 hours of music reflecting my fairly eclectic taste, I hope it points you in the direction of some new discoveries. 

You will find a Spotify playlist at the bottom of this post (not every track in my playlist is available on Spotify. there may be a couple missing) enjoy!

01) Come On Out – The Airborne Toxic Event (from the album Hollywood Park)

02) My Own Soul’s Warning – The Killers (from the album Imploding The Mirage)

03) Video Game – Sufjan Stevens (from the album The Ascension)

04) My Only Love – Moby (from the album All Visible Objects)

05) Tsundoku – Malojian (from the album humm)

06) A Northern View – Arborist (from the album A Northern View)

07) Seed of Joy – Marc Scibilia (from the album Seed of Joy)

08) Something I Should Do – Nada Surf (from the album Never Not Together)

09)  Gadigal Land – Midnight Oil (from the album The Makarrata Projext)

10) Superblood Moon – Pearl Jam (from the album Gigaton)

11) Nothing Else Matters – Metallica & The San Francisco Symphony (form the album S&M2)

12) Where Are You Eden? – Magnum (form the album The Serpent Rings)

13) Seeking The Room With The Three Windows - James Dean Bradfield (from the album Even In Exile)

14) If It All Comes True – Chagall Guevara (from the album The Last Amen)

15) Red Eyes – The War On Drugs (from the album Live Drugs)

16) Ghosts – Bruce Springsteen (from the album Letter To You)

17) And You Evade Him/Born in the Blood – Joshua Burnside (from the album Into The Depths of Hell)

18) When Your Mind’s Made Up – Glen Hansard (from the album Live At Sydney Opera House)

19) False Prophet – Bob Dylan (form the album Rough and Rowdy Ways)

20) Highway To The Sun – Ray LaMontagne (from the album Monovision)

21)  Starting Over – Chris Stapleton (from the album Starting Over)

22)  Only Children – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (from the album Reunions)

23)  River of Music – Denison Witmer (from the album American Foursquare)

24) Eight Hundred Miles – The Lost Brothers (from the album After The Fire After The Rain)

25) Big Iron – Colter Wall (from the album Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs)

26) Bitter Pill – The Jayhawks (from the album XOXO)

27)  When You’re Ready – Brian Fallon (from the album Local Honey)

28) A Thought Is Just A Passing Train – John Moreland (from the album LP5)

29) Miles Away – Josh Ritter (from the album See Here, I Have Built You A Mansion (Rare and Unreleased Songs).

30) Count On Me – The Lone Bellow (from the album Half Moon Light)

31) Eden Lost And Found – Mark Lanegan (from the album Straight Songs Of Sorrow)

32) To Be Treated Rite – Chris Cornell (from the album No One Sings Like You Anymore)  

33) On The Edge Of All This  - Snow Patrol & The Saturday Songwriters (from the EP The Fireside Sessions)

34) Good Things Follow You – Arborist/Malojian (Single Release)

35) Agathon – Sufjan Stevens & Lowell Brams (from the album Aporia)

36) Chinnoks – Malojian (from the album Humm)

 

Merry Christmas

This year has felt like a marathon hasn't it!?  There has been so much uncertainty, and so much anxiety.  It is a weary world right now.  And it is to a weary world that the hope of Christmas comes.  Wishing you all peaceful and joyful Christmas.  Stay safe & here's to a better and brighter new year!   

The Vinyl Series - My Christmas Record of 2020

Mark Lanegan - Dark Mark Does Christmas 2020 - I love Christmas albums and have long awaited this one... Dark Mark first did Christmas back in 2012 with an EP that was only available at his live gigs, at each concert over the last few years I’ve looked for it but could never find it. Thankfully he has expanded the EP to a full album for 2020. And given the year it’s been I couldn’t think of a better Christmas record. Yes it is a time of joy & wonder but there is also a darkness & melancholy at the edge of Christmas and I can think of no better voice to capture it than Mark Lanegan. Sparse instrumentation, a little glitchy electronica here and there but it’s that voice that draws you in. He breathes new life into songs that have been with us for generations. His take on O Holy Night might just be the best version I’ve ever heard, intimate & stark while displaying a vocal range we rarely hear on his albums. Sublime stuff! Dark Mark Does Christmas will be on regular rotation throughout Advent & Christmas, an album that joins Low, Sufjan Stevens, Over The Rhine and a few others as essential listening.