In 2012, I easily listened to more new music than I have in the past 3 or 4 years combined, due in large part to my writing music reviews for Mockingbird (although not as many as I would have liked—curse you grad school!) as well as my newfound Spotify addiction. The variety and scope of my listening this year made creating this list somewhat difficult, but I’ve been able to narrow down my list and I’m thrilled to share it with you. Of course, a number of my choices have found their way onto lists across the internet, but there…
New Music: Craig Finn’s Clear Heart Full Eyes
“I always say it’s never too late to be saved.” -Craig Finn (interview in Paste)
To long time listeners of The Hold Steady, Finn’s statement about salvation, redemption and forgiveness will come as no surprise. Throughout The Hold Steady’s five albums Finn has managed to weave these themes into his rough and tumble stories of drugs, alcohol and partying, often with astonishing emotional force. His debut solo album, Clear Heart Full Eyes, is less rowdy than the typical Hold Steady record, but Finn’s songs still tread the same spiritual territory as before.
Musically, Clear Heart Full Eyes reminds me of The Hold…
We’re All Good, We’re All Bad, We’re All Loving Craig Finn’s “Honolulu Blues”
Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn dropped the first single from his forthcoming FNL-inspired debut, Clear Heart Full Eyes, today and man if the lyrics aren’t absurdly awesome. Funny, frank, disillusioned but hanging on, at the mercy of something that doesn’t always make sense, but very much in the same boat as everyone else, and unable to shake something about that ol’ rugged cross. A new Mbird theme song perhaps?
A man darkened our doorway. He said he’s here to share the good news. He had a smile straight from the movies. But when I looked down at his shoes. There were…
Addiction / Film / Grace in Practice / Interviews / Music / Religion / Social Science / Theology / TV / Week In Review
Another Week Ends: King of Human Error, Open-Ended AA, Hollywood Junkies, Trollhunter, Craig Finn, Community and Muppets
1. Irrepressible Moneyball author Michael Lewis profiled new Mbird fave Daniel Kahneman for Vanity Fair in his recent piece, “The King of Human Error,” providing perhaps the clearest and best overview of the great social psychologist’s research yet. The anchoring effect makes for a particularly terrific addition to our ongoing catalog of human fallibility. But it’s the humility of the man himself which makes the deepest impression:
[Kahenman and his partner Amos Tversky] had a rule of thumb, [Kahneman] explains: they would study no specific example of human idiocy or irrationality unless they first detected it in themselves. “People thought we…
Another Week Ends: Zombied Church, The Hill and Wood, Full Eyes, Soda Bans, (The Paradox of) Dysfunctional Families, Joe Pa and Scandal Love
1) Something’s in the water at The Atlantic lately, because inspired after inspired article seems to be finding its way into the proverbial stream, including an intriguing article about tv show The Walking Dead‘s “Come-to-Jesus Moment.” As the review is aware (and mind you, if you’re not caught up on the show, spoilers), it’s certainly a dissatisfying presentation of faith’s power in crisis, but it has a lot to say about the human compulsions to lean on something in hard times, and the ease of and inevitable infidelity of that leaning becoming a leaning on one’s self. In a hellish…
Tam: oh man, that last paragraph. I really needed that today. Thanks....
Marianne Brian: Loved it. So, so true! I love Ethanisms, as well!...
David Zahl: Wonderful, wonderful piece, E. I'm almost tempted to call it 'charming...
Rebecca W: I saw this column and loved it too. Thanks for highlighting his book s...
Shawn Smith: Well said!...