Year: 2013

One of my main objectives in writing reviews is to help us think a little more deeply about the music we are putting in our ears.  Every song conveys a message and that message is going to impact the way we think.  Our God is a God who has chosen to create and sustain faith in our hearts by means of words (Romans 10:17).  What we hear and what we listen to matters. Which brings me to Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience.  Lyrically, this is not a tremendously deep album (save “Mirrors” and “Blue Ocean Floor” which are decent...

Overproduction is overrated. Simplicity is in. In reviewing The Lumineers (self titled) I was struck by how much I enjoyed this album, despite the fact that there is nothing revolutionary about it. It is simple pop, acoustic folk-rock. It is (simply) fantastic! As part of the so-called roots revival, their website says they are seeking to prepare “listeners for a new generation of rustic, heart-on-the-sleeve music.” The trio of Wesley Shultz (vocals, guitar), Jeremiah Fraites (drums), and Neyal Pekarek (cello, mandolin, piano) present a sound similar to a stripped-down Mumford & Sons or a prettier sounding Decembrists. Deservedly, they...