Randumb (fake noun): A collection of disjointed links, thoughts, observations, until I get tired of typing this…
I’ve been listening to the new Waterdeep record, “In the Middle of It.” I don’t know if it’s really an exciting new leap for them or a disappointing new leap for them, both, or neither. Here’s the deal: Waterdeep is partially responsible for the greatest worship CD of all time (Enter the Worship Circle) and wholly responsible for the greatest Christian song of all time (18 Bullet Holes), so my expectations for them are extremely high. I’m really not a person who gets all bent out of shape when Christian artists of any sort make things that are not specifically for the Christian subculture — in fact, I generally hate stuff that’s marketed at Christians, and the concept of Christian marketing in general — but it’s a little weird to hear Waterdeep play a hyper-produced record filled solely with songs about people who are dealing with life. It’s a little weirder to hear them play songs that aren’t necessarily redemptive in nature. It’s like a switch was flipped and they got all cynical and angry. That’s not a bad thing, but like I said, it’s just weird.
I figure it’s a by-product of their move to Nashville to become record producers. The music on In the Middle of It sounds like a production demo reel, which actually makes it a lot more fun to listen to than it would be if they had gone for the same sound as their past records. Lori’s voice, which has always seemed like an acquired taste, is awesome here, mostly due to production. They cover so many music genres that it’s obviously meant to say, “See? We can produce any kind of record you want to make!” Well, mission accomplished. The music is fantastic across the board.
The lyrics, like I said, are another matter. Gone is the redemption and the God who cares and searches; In their place are songs about people who are making bad choices and aren’t able to deal with their emotions. There are some good lines, but the aversion to redemption makes most of the album kind of disposable. I just expect to have my block knocked off by Waterdeep, and In the Middle of It didn’t even attempt to slap me in the face. It’s like they wanted to dig deeper into people’s hearts, and ended up stopping right before the good part. Not that it’s a bad album. It’s just weird. Here’s a lala sample:
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I’ve got another column up on thechristianmanifesto.com. It’s about American Idol. Please view it here:
http://www.thechristianmanifesto.com/index.php/2010/02/05/culture-blog-4-gokey/
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If these moderately attractive people are so discouraged with the current economy that they’re giving up the job hunt, what hope do I, an ugly duckling, have? We are at the worst possible economic situation right now: Employers have all the power, and employees either have to put up with terrible conditions or be let go. Nobody wants to be jobless in this market right now. It’s not fun.
In related news, I got a job at Dominos two weeks ago. I didn’t tell you because I…was busy doing other things. But suffice to say I enjoy the job very much, and it’s way more profitable than it should be. For now, I am being blessed at a quantum rate — decent enough job that I don’t hate, living in a great area with great people who haven’t decided to kick me out yet, getting the opportunity to write every day, my car still works, my clothes still fit, and soon I’ll be training for a marathon.
In also related news, Don Miller says I should be positive so I can manipulate somebody into loving me. He’s seriously morphing into Joel Osteen. And yes, my sarcastic tone in this paragraph does mean I’m a big fat jerk. A big fat idealistic jerk. Sorry.
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Back to jobs. Obama was right when he said that Americans have a crisis of faith in their government right now. I mean, I totally do. It’s not going to get any better if they set out to prove (once again) that they have no idea how to create jobs in our current economy. I’m convinced that small businesses, long-term thinking, encouraging innovation, and regulating the crap out of banks are the keys. I don’t know what this makes me politically, so please stop trying to put me in your political box, man.
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I’m done.
