Fun Music Video


It's a great Italian classic I like performed by an Irish Dance Troupe (Up & Over It)

Montana Slim String Band

I've written in the past about my brother's band: Montana Slim String Band. They're on a national tour this summer and just released this fun acoustic video.

 New Music

OK - it's new for me from the Flight of the Conchords...and oh so funny.  I just want to be popular too.  I wish I'd have learned French this way, would have been cheaper than 5 UC years.  I'm wondering if I can make this my theme song as we move to France.  Is this appropriate for church?

New Music : Slim Pickins by Montana Slim String Band

Ok I'm completely partial. This is my brother's band. They released their first full CD on Friday night at a concert at Cafe du Nord and I have to admit that I love (yes - written by my brother) the song "Consumption". There are no video clips of them playing it, and you can listen to it on their myspace page HERE.

New (Old) Music
Seasons of Love from Rent

I've been thinking about some teaching for the next week in my work and reflecting on events in the past week. This song keeps popping into my head. Good lyrics and challenging reminders about what life is or could be and how we measure in the end a life.

New (Old) Music

I read a great apocalyptic perspective editorial in SF Gate today (Call it the 'A word') that reminded me of this great REM song from the late 80's:  "It' the end of the world as we know it."  Maybe it should become our new global anthem in this season of global economic and social meltdown.

The Facebook Song
New Music

I'm back from my vacation and settling back into my routine of seeming to work while blogging and connecting online. The past few days I've heard this new song "The Facebook Song" (that we first learned of from Uncle Lori - there's your shout out!)coming from the youtubed version of it on my iphone as my kids played with it while we drove around Los Angeles, the youngest singing "faceboooooooooook." It's been making its way all across the internet as well as across LA in our station wagon. Quite clever and my favorite new music of the week. Here it is. There's also a thoughtful - and quite funny - article in last week's Newsweek about Facebook Made Me Do It.

New Music Julieta Venegas

Uncle Tio introduced me to this great new album that is going to break my ipod since I listen so much. JulietaVenegas [wiki]. Here's some of my favorites from her MTV Unplugged appearance.

Blogging Towards Sunday 

December 7th 

The Second Sunday of Advent FAITH

Isaiah 40:1-11

Mark 1:1-8

What is faith? Is it good news? Or does hearing good news lead to it? This week's passages talk of hope, pointing towards the future, proclaiming that something is coming: something definitive, transformative and personal; dynamic, destructive and life-sustaining. In several encounters this week I've been struck by diverse and seemingly divergent, yet actually concurrent visions of faith: an atheist who likes going to church because of the feel, an evangelical saying that don't want to be called "Christian" because of modern-day political baggage, a scientist who says that the truth witnessed to in the Bible narratives is True not in a scientific but an existential/experiential way, my daughter who gives thanks for God who teaches us to love each other.  The Book of Hebrews chapter 11 says that "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." I like that yet it seems so certain.  Maybe faith, having faith, being faithful isn't so much about unwavering certainty as it is about steadfast stick-with-it-ness, the tenacity to keep fighting, keeping participating in community, keep believing in the midst of confusion and chaos.

Here's a song I'm in love with these days playing to a Second Week of Advent Wreath Image. The song is called "Toi et Moi" by the group TRYO. [wiki] I'm also including a LINK to the official clip. Yes it is in French. Lyrics in French [LINK]. Lyrics in English (far from perfect, but good enough to get the idea) [LINK] I like the song because it gives a quick experiential sound to the realities of urban globalized life today. Fear. Uncertainty. Masses of people. Unknown futures surrounded by threats, deaths and doubts. Yet in all of it the poet sings that you and I are together. We love each other. So it will be ok. I'm not a pessimist, but I'm not sure that it's enough. I'm down with love, yet is it self-serving love that ends up being a vampiristic sort of narcissism or is it a love that opens up towards others, embracing the world, making meaning of all of it?  Maybe that's what faith is, faith in something bigger than ourselves, our own love, and the power of our own breath.

High School Musical 3

HSM 3 is big, maybe not real american big, but big nonetheless (at least in our commie meth-lab socialist-embracing liberal elite media embracing postmodern family). The film opens on Friday (the 24th). Here's a copy of the trailer and my favorite song from the CD (released today) "Now or Never"

New Music

Amy Ray

Didn't It Feel Kinder

This is a newly released album by Amy Ray, half of the Indigo Girls.  I love her raw, southern rock sound, and use of the mandolin.  Her lyrics are also authentic and real.  I love track # 4 "Cold Shoulder." No video feeds of her new stuff are online so I'm posting this older video of my favorite song she's written "Let It Ring" - one of the best political-religious songs written in the past 8 years.  Here's also a bit Amy wrote about the new album.

A great youtube video of the song

Here's a live version

Here's an interview with Amy

NEW MUSIC
Vanessa Paradis

I learned of a CD - new at least to me - from my brother-in-law and have quickly fallen in love with it. Vanessa Paradis is big in France, like a Britney Spears crossed with Madonna and Alanis Morisette (if that makes sense). She's also married to treasure-seeking-pirate actor Johnny Depp. Here's a video clip I love from one of the big songs (Incendie) on youtube. I love the cool retro art deco feel and the sound of the music. Thanks Unlce Tio for the tip!

Music for the Week
India Arie: Better People

Fun New Music
L'éphémère - Alexandre Désilets

More at http://www.alexandredesilets.com/

TRYO
Urban Francophile Reggae

I'm doing traffic school at home via the web...and while I should be studying I'm loving listening to an old album of accoustic reggae that I'd almost forgotten about. TRYO is a French group, all the rage (ou bien le top) when we last lived in France. They were environmental, political, rythmic, hip and marjauna-smoking long before Al Gore got into it (without inhaling of course). Here's some of their stuff for you to enjoy! It's a good workout for your French - fast and argot-ridden!

Tryo BLOG
website
MySpace Page

Amusez-vous bien!

"La Misere d'en face" - The misery in front of us



"L'Hymne de nos campagnes" - Hymn of our Countryside



"La Revolution" - well performed by some unknown guys
well performed by some unknown guys


Tryo mixed to Harry Potter