Holiday At The Sea

As you may or may not know, I am part of something known as Habañero Collective. Habañero Collective is dedicated to beautifying the everyday of suburbia. In Jeremiah 29, God tells His people living in exile in Babylon to seek the betterment of their captors. He tells them to plant gardens, to marry and to seek the welfare of the city in which they find themselves.

As I wrote for Gospel Centered Discipleship a while back:

“God tells His people to seek the welfare of the city of their captivity. For me, that is suburbia. Not cool suburbia where gentrification has transformed the past-its-prime strip mall into vintage clothing stores and hip coffee shops. We have Chili’s and Target and if it’s crowded, don’t worry because there’s another one just a couple of miles down the road. Our color palette is various shades of beige and the term “cookie cutter” adequately describes our home architecture. One day, when we moved back to Phoenix in 2008 to plant our church, we visited some friends in a neighboring subdivision. Turning into their neighborhood, one of my boys said: “We’re home!”

I live in Suburbia and I love music, especially live music. Suburban exile means that live music has been stripped from the fabric of our culture with the exception of the occasional lip-sync act at the mall food court. It’s as if the Taliban came in silencing the music, but the special forces are outside the camp trying to drive us out by pumping in “lowest-common-denominator, auto-tuned, mid-era power pop” until we snap. I have to drive close to an hour for quality live music venues.”

So, some time back, we started hosting concerts in our homes. This has been a great experience and I’m privileged to be able to say that we have actually hosted some of my favorite live musical moments ever.

We are humbled to welcome, from Dallas, TX Air Review, for a house show this Friday night, June 21, 7:00pm at the Thomas Listening Room (see here for for details and to RSVP). Paste calls the bands recent album “Low Wishes,” “A beautiful and well-crafted collection of songs.”

Check out the band’s video for their track “America’s Son:”

 

 

• Find more information and RSVP for our upcoming house show
• Visit Air Review’s official website
• Buy “Low Wishes”

Hello. Hi there. Hidy. How you?

Hope you’ve been well. I know, I haven’t been writing a whole lot here lately. But hey, you know what, I’ve got eight kids. What’s your excuse? I understand that everyone thinks they’re busier than everyone else, but you know what? Having eight kids pretty time consuming. Anyways, welcome to The Weekly Town Crier, where I collect and pass along links I’ve found interesting.

Enjoy.

Be my Facebook friend. It’s not real until it’s on Facebook.

Follow my Twitterings.

Browse the music I’ve been listening to.

Stay tuned to the Habañero Collective events page for house show upcomings or check out out new concert-only website, Habañero Shows.

Take a Tumbl with me.

Check out Shawn Skinner’s new video for his song “Mainstay.”

See various pop culture icons in oil paintings.

Are we raising “A Nation Of Wimps?”

Hear the Windows 95 startup theme (composed by Brian En0) slowed down 400%.

R.I.P. Arturo Vega, artistic director for The Ramones.

Read as The New York Times considers the rise in sales of vinyl.

Read as NPR Music asks: “How Do You Describe The Music You Love?”

Read the Phoenix New Times’ piece: “Bob Dylan Comes to God in an Arizona Hotel Room.”

Read as Consequence Of Sound considers everything we know about Kanye‘s new album.

Browse as NPR Music picks their favorite songs of the year so far.

Browse as NPR Music picks their favorite albums of the year so far.

Read as “Kanye West Is the ‘Nucleus’ Of Culture, Says Kanye West.”

Read as Barna considers “The Rise Of The @ Pastor.”

Listen to a new track from The Civil Wars.

Read about Mumford and Sons canceling tour dates after a medical emergency.

Read/watch as Ira Glass considers whether or not Christians really get a bad rap in the media.

Read as “Apple Introduces iTunes Radio Streaming Service.”

Read Donald Miller’s piece: “Why I Don’t Bother Getting my Inbox to Zero, and Why I’d Lose Out if I Did.”

Read Pitchfork‘s report: “The Replacements Announce First Shows in 22 Years” and browse Consequence of Sound’s dream setlist.

Read Pitchfork’s report that Adrian Belew has quit NiN.

Read about Facebook adding #hashtag support. #doyoucare?

Read this piece arguing that creative people must know how to say no.

Read/Listen as NPR’s Morning Edition talks with Jerry Seinfeld about the second season of “Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee” and watch the season two premiere, featuring Sarah Silverman.

Read about MTV’s promise to once again be all about music . . . for an entire half a day.

Read as “Yo La Tengo Says Goodbye To Maxwell’s.”

R.I.P. Darondo.

Read Phoenix New Times’ piece: “Fox News Sued After Kids Watch Their Dad Commit Suicide.”

Read as the New York Times profiles the opening of the Best Made Company store in Manhattan.

Read about the Supreme Court deciding that you “cannot patten (naturally occurring) genes.”

Watch a Tiny Desk Concert from The National.

Read about Kim Deal quitting the Pixies.

I am part of something called the Habañero Collective. This started out as a podcast dedicated to exploring and challenging the idea of “Christian music.” This evolved (am I allowed to use that phrase as a Christian?) into hosting concerts in homes and now it seems to be morphing into partnerships with all kinds of artists. I’m excited to see what it becomes and I’m thankful to have been a part of so much creativity over the years.

Some of my favorite concert moments ever have been at shows we’ve put on (see Seryn perform “So Within” or Aaron Spiro perform “Come On” in my living room, and Chris Bathgate perform “Big Ghost” at my friend Eldon’s gazebo) and I don’t take that for granted.

But these house shows are a lot of work and it can be frustrating and even discouraging when, as with last night’s concert, very few people show up. It can be difficult when it seems like no one seems to share your passion.

So I’ve been thinking a lot about “Apple, Habañero Collective, House Shows And The Golden Circle.” Apple recently unveiled IOS7 to mixed results. I think the good guys over Baji Group nailed it on the head with their piece “Think Different? No More…” Their article jarringly opens: “Apple publicly confirmed that they’ve forgotten why they exist.”

Of course, this is a reference to Simon Sinek and others who work with what’s often known as “The Golden Circle.” Every organization should be able to tell you what they do and how they do it but not every organization can tell you why they exist. And if their reason for existing is simply to make a profit, few people will be inspired to brand loyalty. Apple used to encourage people to “Think Different” and they used to say things like: “The people who are crazy enough to charge the world, are the ones who do.” But now, as Apple finds itself from challenging the status quo to maintaining market supremacy, they are gradually becoming just another company, leaving people to wonder if they’ve lost sight of their “why.”

If you’re not driven by a clear “why,” people won’t care, and sooner or later, neither will you. If my drive is profit or recognition, after hours of preparing and only a handful of people show up to a house show, I won’t do any more house shows. But what if we are hosting house shows for reasons other than money? What if we are driven by a desire to see God’s beauty shine through the cracks of suburbia? What if we want to foster community knit together by a love of creativity and inspiration? If that’s the case, then sparse turnouts simply force us to remember why we do this. Being certain of the why means that what others might perceive as failure, we can see as moments of clarity.

Why do you do what you do?

I know, I know, I just posted about the Habañero Collective house show with Ramsay Midwood and Shawn Skinner. But I am seriously excited.

I mean, Shawn is a great friend whose music I also happen to love. Check out his new video for his song “Mainstay” to see why.

And then there’s Ramsay Midwood. What do you really say about Midwood’s music? Allmusic.com says:

It isn’t likely that anyone is going to accuse Ramsay Midwood of being glossy or ultraslick anytime soon. Earthy, gritty, rugged, and soulful, Midwood is an Austin, TX-based singer/songwriter whose folk-rock, Americana, and roots rock owe a major debt to the blues — in fact, his songs are soaked in blues feeling.

Paste says:

With a voice as craggy as a Colorado gorge and a Dust Bowl-tinged instrumental style, Midwood captures the essence of country blues while folding in healthy doses of his own artistic quirks and darkly skewed sensibilities.

No Depression describes Midwood’s music as “Gospel Music For Inspired Barflies” and says: “Ramsay Midwood’s music is at once highly idiosyncratic but also as familiar as a bad habit.”

My wife and I have been listening to Midwood’s music ever since I stumbled across him on a Germon record label’s website looking for import releases by Rainer Ptacek.I ordered “Shootout at the OK Chinese Restaurant” and the rest has been history. We were able to see Midwood play solo while we lived in Kentucky, then, when we lived in Texas, we drove to Austin to see him in a tiny bar for our 10th anniversary.

Here is some sort of two-part documentary/profile in which Midwood tells the story about finding out what’s at the end of a “Snowbow” and plays some songs.

Part One:

HARDLY SOUND: Ramsay Midwood, Part 1 from STUCK Productions on Vimeo.

Part Two:

HARDLY SOUND: Ramsay Midwood, Part 2 from STUCK Productions on Vimeo.

• RSVP for the Habañero Collective house show.

Here we are again. The Weekly Town Crier again. Links again. Browse again.

Be my Facebook friend. It’s not real until it’s on Facebook.

Follow my Twitterings.

Browse the music I’ve been listening to.

Stay tuned to the Habañero Collective events page for house show upcomings or check out out new concert-only website, Habañero Shows.

Take a Tumbl with me.

Check out Shawn Skinner’s new video for his song “Mainstay.”

Listen to Wu Tang Clan‘s new track.

I guess Sting thinks people still listen to him, because he just put out a new album.

Read about Jack White donating to save a Masonic Temple.

Download B-sides from BiFrost Arts.

Learn about what actually happens to your brain when you practice something.

Read about the downside to Facebook.

Read about the video game (loosely) based on Joy Division‘s “Love Will Tear Us Apart.”

Read about the Scripps’ Spelling Bee Arrested Development allusion.

Watch The Cure’s out-of-print 1987 concert film “The Cure in Orange.”

Read about U2 wrapping up their new album.

Read about the debut of Wilexico.

Read about Beck’s plans to release two new albums.

Read Barna’s piece: “The Books Americans Are Reading—And What that Reveals About Us.”

Read about Over the Rhine’s new double album.

Read as Skye Jethani considers the marginalization of Christians in the public square and asks: “Is It Persecution or Just Politics?”

Watch the powerful short “The Coffinmaker.”

Read this piece considering: “The Spiritual Formation of Things Not Going Our Way.”

Read about new music from Nine In Nails.

Browse Stereogum’s “beginners’ guide to funk overlord James Brown.”

Read this interview with Alan Moore.

Browse FlavorWire’s picks for the 20 best albums you can download for free.

Browse USA Today’s  picks for summer books.

See Emily Dickinson‘s dried flowers.

As many of you know, I am part of a group known as Habañero Collective. This is a group dedicated to bringing culture to suburbia.

We are humbled to have partnered with the amazing Kha Do on a video for Shawn Skinner’s song “Mainstay.” Please check i out and let us know what you think:

Blah, blah, blah. Weekly Town Crier. Blah, blah, blah. Links this, links that. Blah blah blah. Browse them if you want, don’t if you don’t. Blah, blah, blah. See you next week. Blah, blah, blah.

Be my Facebook friend. It’s not real until it’s on Facebook.

Follow my Twitterings.

Browse the music I’ve been listening to.

Stay tuned to the Habañero Collective events page for house show upcomings or check out out new concert-only website, Habañero Shows.

Take a Tumbl with me.

Watch The Artist Formerly Known As  ”“‘s new video.

Read about “Craft Brewer” Magic Hat suing Craft Brewers West Sixth over copyright infringement.

Read about Hanson’s new beer, “Mmmmm Hops.”

Read as NPR music asks whether or not you really listen to full albums.

Read as Christianity Today wonders what the Gospel might have to do with home improvement.

Read as Out of Ur says that “Jesus Is the Worst Superhero Ever.”

Read this piece wondering “What can Starbucks and Alcoholics Anonymous teach us about the power of interaction?”

Read as Barna considers “Three Spiritual Journeys of Millennials.”

Read about “The Suburbanization of Poverty.”

Read this piece wondering: “Is Mark Driscoll this generation’s Pat Robertson?”

Read about the fan who slapped Beyoncé’s booty during a recent performance.

Hear new music, “Eternal One” from Soma Music.

Browse as Rolling Stone recommends “Must Hear Summer Albums.”

Read about “Dylan By Duluth,” an organization hoping to build a statue of Bob Dylan in . . . wait for it . . . Duluth!

Read as Pitchfork profiles The National.

Read as Seattle Weekly interviews Devendra Banhart.

Browse the Chicago Tribune’s list of graphic novels worth checking out.

Read about the most lucrative song ever.

Read Paste’s piece: “David Byrne, St. Vincent Release Free EP for Upcoming Tour.”

Read Christianity Today’s piece: “After Turning Theological, Christian Hip-Hop Turns Critical.”

Browse this list of “How To Pass Out Tracts For Jesus.”

Browse Paste’s list of summer songs ranked by their sadness.

Browse as PopMatters lists June music releases they’re looking forward to.

Browse Flavorwire’s list of musicians you should follow on Tumblr.

Read Consequence of Sound’s report that Elvis Costello is working on an album with The Roots.

Read Rolling Stone’s piece: “Velvet Underground Settle Dispute Over Andy Warhol Album Image.”

Read this piece taking issue with many people asserting that modern television is as good as great novels: “TV is For Dummies.”

Read about a gathered collection of photographs by Allen Ginsberg.

Read a discussion on Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom!

Read as Mick Jones and Paul Simonon discuss their glory days as members of The Clash.

Browse as Spin makes their picks for the best songs of 2013 so far. What do you think of their picks?

Read/Listen as Stephen King talks with Fresh Air about his new novel.

Read this consideration of the difference between congregational singing and a concert.