Local H Goes All Qoheleth On Your YOLO

First, some pop music philosophy from the year 2012: “Let’s make the most of the night like we’re gonna die young.” So says Ke$ha, recently obsessed with apocalypse, in her song “Die Young.” Along the same lines: “And if they try to slow you down Tell ‘em all to go to hell!” That...

January 22nd, 2013 | Music | Read More

Rihanna Becomes Uncomfortably Numb

Rihanna Unapologetic (Def Jam) Chris Brown beat the shit out of Rihanna. He was arrested for it. He doesn’t seem very apologetic about it. Defying tabloid scolds and genuine feminist concern, Rihanna keeps showing us images of them together—in public and in private, in the club and in the bedroom—in...

January 8th, 2013 | Music | Read More

Commie Rap At the End of the World

The Coup Sorry to Bother You (ANTI-) “The Marxian imagines that he has a philosophy or even a science of history. What he has is really an apocalyptic vision.” —Reinhold Niebuhr, Moral Man & Immoral Society Even if they broached the taboo topics of politics and religion, I bet Boots Riley,...

December 11th, 2012 | Music | Read More

Shifty Adventures in Criticism: A John Cale Review

John Cale Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood (Domino/Double Six) Far too often, music reviewers succumb to the pressure to have an opinion. There are so many instances in which a piece of art fails to elicit any affective response whatsoever, and said individual is left with no choice but to come up with...

November 27th, 2012 | Music | Read More

Love Overrides Everything That’s Not Kosher

“And if you feel what you think is true . . . If you found peace deep inside of you . . . If you think that Jesus has saved you . . . Pray for me, pray for me, if you really do believe . . . Then don’t forget to pray for me.” “Pray” by King’s X, 2008 King's X from left to right: Jerry...

November 13th, 2012 | Music | Read More

Transcending the Mundane Yet Again

The Mountain Goats Transcendental Youth (Merge) Mountain Goats leader John Darnielle always reminds me of poets like the Anglican George Herbert or the Latter Day Saint Eliza Snow — people who ended up doing theology through the back door, whose ideas and concepts about the nature of God were presented...

October 23rd, 2012 | Music | Read More

The One That Got Away

When I converted to Christianity it became apparent that I could not reconcile my faith in God with my musical listening tendencies. I soon found myself sorting through my compact disc collection and discarding those I deemed incompatible with my Christian worldview. With the exception of a few U2 albums,...

October 4th, 2012 | Featured, Music | Read More

Into The Generous Fray

“Generosity is the hallmark of the artist.” I heard T-Bone Burnett say that to a room full of aspiring writers, musicians, painters, poets, filmmakers, dancers, and actors one day about 25 years ago. I honestly don’t remember much else he said after that sentence came out of his mouth,...

September 27th, 2012 | Music | Read More

Tornado of Testosterone or Punching Bag?

Josh Turner Punching Bag (Universal Nashville) One reason I am a queer theologian is because I am interested in how bodies work in space with other bodies. Now this might mean sex, and it might mean family — or god, or church, or communion. I can cage to the fact that my continued interest in country...

September 21st, 2012 | Featured, Music | Read More

A Feast Where What Is Yours Is Mine

The Pinkerton Raid The Pinkerton Raid (self-released) I am not comfortable with my spirituality, and I am not comfortable with my sensuality. Combine the two, and my first instinct is to crawl back into my Cancerian shell like the late June baby I am. I do not feel compelled to raise my hands or clap...

September 13th, 2012 | Featured, Music | Read More

Music