todd vlog ep 104

Todd Recommends...

Together For The Gospel Live
Found this record from Sovereign Grace a couple of weeks ago. Recorded in April 2008, Together For The Gospel Live is a collection of tunes led by Bob Kauflin and over 5,000 pastors.

But this is unlike any live record I've heard in a long, long time.

First of all, it's just Bob Kauflin and piano. No percussion, no additional vocalists on stage. No overdubs. Now a live record with just one person on stage isn't necessarily all that uncommon. But this record has mixed the congregation mics so hot that in almost every song, Bob is overpowered by 5,000 voices singing these hymns. Sure, Bob is great, but for the first time in my life, I'm listening to a live record of the congregation and not the guy on stage.

Secondly, the piano stuff on here is extraordinary. The transitions are effortless and the amount of energy and variety that Kauflin puts into these songs is extremely impressive. This is definitely a record that makes you say, "Man, I wish I could play like that."

Third, the worship leading here is so very good. Bob is excellent. Lots of worship leaders "call out" things in between lines - to cue the band, to change the order, to help the congregation if projection is lagging, etc. But Kauflin often says what's already been sung...instead of predicting what's coming in the next phrase, he's punctuating what's already been said. At first, it's kinda' tricky on the ear, but after awhile, it's a nice effect. His use of scripture and story are so skillfull here. One of the best things that worship leaders can do is listen and learn from other, better people and Kauflin is definitely one of those.

Lastly, the song selection is stellar. Mostly older hymns, but some newer "hymns" fill out the record. There's nothing better than good hymns done well and this record is all that and more.

The Medicine - John Mark McMillan
You may remember McMillan's tune, "Death In His Grave" from a Good Friday video I posted recently.

This is without a doubt my new favorite record. McMillan is writing some of the coolest stuff I've heard in a long time. It's mostly lo-fi Americana stuff and the songwriting is really good. The rocking stuff sounds like Pete Yorn/Springsteen and the slow stuff has all the cool swagger of David Gray or Mat Kearney or even Chris Whitley.

Great acoustic guitar work combined with a nice laid-back production approach don't just support these songs - it makes the tunes come alive! This guy is writing gutsy, honest poetry that swings from outright worship to confessional peeks into broken lives and what happens when redemption finds them.

I can't stop telling people about this record - it's so good. If you dig artsy, roots rock stuff fantastic lyrical precision, "The Medicine" is your record.

What They Knew...

My parents and your parents (and maybe even your grandparents) have a tremendous lead on us when it comes to music.

Those who came before us saw and heard some of the greats. No auto-tune. No performance on a stage in sync with a music video of that very same performer.

No, our parents saw something different - folks who captivate a crowd with a microphone and a guitar. A solo piano. A jazz combo.

In these days, we don't see many of these performers. But when we do, we're blown away; we're captivated by the power of well-written song and a brilliantly-shared story.

Jon Troast is one of those people.

I love Jon Troast because he's humble enough to cut through all the pretense of performance; he's mischievous enough to know that songs should surprise us; he's honest enough to realize that faith and everyday life are obviously connected...not some off/on switch between sacred and secular that all good Christians know how to do.

I couldn't be more excited that Jon is coming to Tyler next week! My pal Garrick is bring Jon to Young Life Tyler next Monday, April 20th at Accelerate Enhancement Center. The show kicks off at 8:57 and I think folks are going to love Jon's tunes. If you dig great songwriting, you'll want to be there!

THE TENS...("Blessed Be Your Name")

The Tens is a blog series where I look at songs that have consistently stayed in CCLI's Top 10 List over the past five years. In each post, we discuss what makes these songs great and why they're important to churches.

For this post, we'll be looking at Matt Redmans beloved tune, "Blessed Be Your Name."

WHERE I HEARD IT FIRST:
I actually don't remember where I heard this one first, but I think it might have been on the radio. I know a band called Tree63 did a cover version and I think that may have been my first experience with the tune.

WHY IT'S SUCCESSFUL:
This one seems pretty easy...I mean, a song built around the idea of giving God honor even when our lives are difficult? Of course, people are going to respond to that! Here are a couple of things that I think work for this song.

• Poetry. Matt and his wife wrote fantastic lyrics here. They've written a lyric that is broad enough to fit any situation, yet poetic enough to be personal. Even when we're experience joy...we still understand what a powerful message this song carries.
  
  
• Honesty. This lyric still dwells in the hypothetical. We're singing these things "in faith" many times...almost reminding ourselves that we're supposed to be blessing God during trial. And then we hit that amazing line..."though there's pain in the offering." You know, that song probably would have done good enough without that line, but I'm so glad it's in there. Because suddenly it becomes real to us. We sing that and realize that we're not singing some feel-good campfire song. We're singing about real-life.
  
  
• Simplicity. This is an easy song to follow. The verses are pretty wordy, but the tune is just paced so well. This is really a great example of a song that invites on a journey. I don't this a tune you can easily just sing one part of...you gotta' go all in, right?
  

3 TAKES:
I typically respond to worship songs in three ways: as a worship leader, as a songwriter and as a worshiper. Of course, those three things are constantly overlapping, but they each individually shape how I think about a given song.

• Worship Leader - We read a lot about "laments." Lately, I've seen a lot of worship leaders talking about the need for the more confessional nature in worship. We all face desperate times - times when we feel far removed from God's care - and I agree with those that posit the need for songs that let us express as much. However, this can often be one of the many things that works theoretically but that poses so much trouble in its application. Laments are hard to pull off, folks. They're hard to place in a set, hard to maintain an energy level when playing, and hard to write. (Believe me on that one!) As a worship leader, I love this tune because it's so balanced. Yes, it's a song of hope and dependence, but it's also a song of honesty. I know that almost anytime I play this tune, somebody's going to connect with it. And usually, it's a lot of "somebodies."
  
  
• Songwriter - Most any songwriter is probably going to have a weird response to a four-minute song that is essentially the same four chords over and over again. And this tune isn't that different...I'm still amazed that it works so well. Personally, I think the pre-chorus is the key in keeping this song alive. I think the melody of the "every blessing" section is so great - not only is it a pretty cool melodic twist, but the lead-up to the chorus is fantastic songwriting.
  
  
• Worshiper - When this song is played by a good band with a great arrangement, it's fantastic. When it's not, well...it's not. This is that old standard thing so many of us face. How do you turn off your "musician mode" in worship? How do you stop listening to the tempo and watch for transitions and participate fully in the worship experience? Each of us have our own ways of making that happen, but I'll be honest, this song is often a hard one for me to sing along with. This has nothing to do with Matt's songwriting, but rather a very strong tendency for bands to rely on a crowd's excitement rather than to build energy into the tune using their skills. Personally, I'm always gonna' favor a big, ethereal version of this song. Of course, it works simplified, but I think big, rocking versions of this tune are so great for congregational worship.
  

So, what about you?
Thoughts on "Blessed Be Your Name"?
Got thoughts on why it's such a success?
COMMENT BELOW!

THE TENS..."How Great Is Our God."

The Tens is a blog series where I look at songs that have consistently stayed in CCLI's Top 10 List over the past five years. In each post, we discuss what makes these songs great and why they're important to churches.

For this post, we'll be looking at Chris Tomlin's "How Great Is Our God," a song that's quickly risen to the top of CCLI most popular songs. For each of these posts, we'll be following this template.

WHERE I HEARD IT FIRST:
Many of us typically hear new worship songs in our churches, then go out and find the album with the tune. In the past, Chris has often introduced new songs in a live version via the Passion organization, then placed full-studio versions on his individual releases. I don't think "How Great Is Our God" had appeared anywhere before, though. If I'm remembering correctly, I think it was the first or second radio release, but I heard it first on the record.

WHY IT'S SUCCESSFUL:
I think there are a few reasons why the church has latched onto this song. A couple of those reasons are consistent with most anything that Chris releases.

• First off, I think the song is emotive. Chris has done a fantastic job on the melody here. It's almost impossible to sing this song without becoming a bit excited by the overall "feel" of the way this melody works.
  
  
• Secondly, it's singable. Think about it - slow tempo, a chorus that easy to remember and a dash of the unique ("sing with me...")
  
  
• Third, it's a tune that hangs on that chorus. That's why the acapella choir part at the end of the studio version (and in live settings, too) is so cool...because it's the crux of this piece. The chorus is simple, but smart, songwriting.
  
  
• Fourth, it's about God. We hear people complaining all the time about how there are so many "me" songs in worship. And that's true - there are a lot of those out there. Personally, I don't think those are all bad, but I do think that Christ-followers are prone to engage more fully and passionately with songs that are about God and not ourselves.
  

3 TAKES:
I typically respond to worship songs in three ways: as a worship leader, as a songwriter and as a worshiper. Of course, those three things are constantly overlapping, but they each individually shape how I think about a given song.

• Worship Leader - Like it or not, "How Great Is Our God" has all the qualities of the old standby. It's one of those tunes that's crossed denominational, regional and age lines. You can throw this one into a set and be guaranteed that folks are going to know it. The danger with songs like that is that you can kill them quickly. My worship leader "take" on this tune is that it has to be placed just right in the set. I've got to really be watchful and aware of when I utilize this guy. Placed correctly and wisely in an order of worship, it can be a powerful tool to make sure our focus is on God alone. Placed wrongly, or used too much, and this song feels about an hour long.
  
  
• Songwriter - As a songwriter, I marvel at this song. Personally, I've never really liked the verses that much. They're easy to sing and remember, which is good for worship songwriting, but I've always felt that the great chorus overcomes whatever shortcomings might happen in the verses. I think the bridge is fantastic...maybe one of the best worship bridges written in a long time. ("Bridges" tend to be the most difficult part of songwriting.) Tomlin and crew did a great job on this one...the strengths are so abundantly strong that the weaknesses don't even matter. I still think the song is too high. This might seem like a worship leader concern, but as a worship writer, I work really hard at being sensitive to congregational comfort when it comes to range. Sometimes, those can't be totally avoided, but the songwriter in me think the song would have done just as well a step or two lower.
  
  
• Worshiper - I like this tune. It's got tons of stuff I dig...percussion, cool acoustic work during the verses, really great texture. Personally, I never felt it was the most awesome-song-ever, but I completely understand its appeal. This is one of those that's run its course for me.
  

So, what about you?
Thoughts on "How Great Is Our God?"
Got thoughts on why it's such a success?
COMMENT BELOW!

Russell Martin just kicked off a new thing over at his blog called the "Online Songwriter's Showcase" and I posted a new tune on there.

A lot of you may remember me doing an episode of "SongWrighting," where I played a couple of verses and a chorus of a new tune called Forever Faithful. Well, thankfully, I finished the tune and tracked a real simple demo of it. I'm still missing the riff that I keep hearing in my head, but I was so jazzed by Russell's idea, that I threw it up there anyway!

So far, there are three tunes on the site. I'd encourage all you worship songwriters to give it a try!

Check it...

MUSIC TUESDAY

I know this picture looks like some strange photoshop jumble of characters.
The current-day model on the far left, Olivia Newton-John on the right and a former member of Blind Melon down front.

But it's not.
This is Jypsi...one of my new favorite country bands.
All siblings, the Rische kids have found a way to blend bluegrass, folk and honky-tonk country into a perfect mix. Comparisons are sometimes lame, but consider Jypsi to be the new fix for all those who miss the Dixie Chicks.

All four siblings play (two fiddlers, one mandolin player and a bad-to-the-bone guitarist.) They all sing (girls are awesome, brother is really better at BGVs.) And the songwriting is outstanding, proving once again that country songwriting is some of the most clever stuff around.

In all honesty, Jypsi is struggling to find its place on country radio. I'd encourage you to give them a try and maybe even call your local country station and request them.

If you're a country music fan, you will dig Jypsi. (Songwriters, regardless of your personal preference, you'll love digging into these tunes.)

...sometimes one line says it all.

"Just to know that You are near is enough."

What an important thing to sing.
RSB, gang.

Note to all TWB Members...

Not too long ago, I declared my love for the U2 Go Home: Live at Slane Castle, a live concert DVD that my bass player loaned me. Yes, it's a great concert...absent the Atomic Bomb tunes, its a much open set, complete with a few old tunes that have since been cut from the live shows.

But the second thing is this: this DVD has reaffirmed my love and appreciation for a particular U2 song...and what's more...it's convinced me that, in my opinion, this is probably the best tune the band's ever written and recorded.



I'm including it here for all of you out there who play music with me from time-to-time on the road. TWB - this tune is now our new soundcheck song. Learn it. Love it. Live it.

For Kristen...

Today is Kristen's birthday and I thought I might do something a little different for her this year.

When Kristen and I were first married, I played every song for her. Everything I had written, partially written or even just "covered" was played for her first. She knew every song...why I wrote it, when I finished it, what I was trying to say, the whole thing.

Now, not so much. Being married over 10 years has a way of shaping life into something that's sweet and filled with purpose and support. However, we rarely have time these days to sit down and talk about songwriting. It's often weeks after I've written something and Kristen will say, "Wait a second. You wrote that?"

I enjoy playing songs for her as they come to life, but I would change what we have for anything. Because it allows me to do something like this:

It's me and my guitar and GarageBand. It's not perfect, but it's true...and I'm happy to share it.

LISTEN HERE

When I saw you for the first time
Had no idea in mind
What would happen, what love would bring
What wonders I would come to see

When I heard you say, "Yes,"
Had no idea how blessed
You would make me, what you would do
How you would help me build my dreams and then make them all come true

So here's another song...saying something simple and true
But my voice will never be strong enough to say all that I want to
I'm loving the learning every day, discovering you

When I see you, here and now
I can't believe just how
The Father's blessed me, how great His love;
You're the best thing I've ever had the best is still yet to come

So let's laugh some more
'Cause there's so much in store
Joy and pain, some new and some same
But we'll face it together each day

Loving the learning every day
Loving everything you do and say
Thankful to the Lord you came my way
And I'm discovering you...
________________________
Happy Birthday, Kristen. You still amaze and mystify me as only you can. Hope you know how loved you are today.

SongWrighting...

A few months ago, I started doing a thing called "SongWrighting."

The idea was this...I would post old/new/work-in-progress songs to my YouTube page to get feedback. I did a couple of videos with some old stuff I'm thinking about "bringing back." I got a few comments, which was cool, but I decided to take it to another level.

Because the number of folks who read this blog is much bigger than the number of my YouTube subscribers, I figured I'd take a leap of faith and let ALL OF YOU hear this new song and give me your thoughts.

I wrote this song (or most of it) on Tuesday/Wednesday and shot this video Wednesday night. And now, I'm sharing it here because I want to know what you think.

I'll do the song with the lyrics superimposed. And then I'll throw a few of questions/concerns out there. I'd love to know what you think.




Oh..and the volume level of this thing is really hot. Turn down your speakers...unless you really want to hear Distortion Todd rocking out on your computer.

Thanks for listening!

You're No One If You're Not On Twitter

Source: JVo

Weird, But True...

Awhile back, I rejoined TAXI. This is a subscription service for songwriters where you send in songs for music industry listings.

It's a complicated system, but essentially it works like this. TAXI tells it's clients what type of songs a label is looking for. If I have a song that fits that listing, I send it to TAXI. TAXI has industry professionals who review the song before it goes any further. TAXI either rejects or forwards the songs on to the labels. TAXI works as a middle man to weed out songs that don't fit the listings.

I was a member a few years ago, but nothing ever happened. But back in May, I joined up again, mostly to see if I could do anything with all of these little country/family tunes I've written.

After about a month, I sent in a tune called "Wash The Dishes" for a country-music listing. The other day, I realized I hadn't heard anything from them. So I got online, pulled up my critique and saw this:

"FORWARDED."

That's right...my little country song was forwarded to Capitol Nashville!

Who knows if anybody will dig it, but I am totally excited anyway!

I'll keep you updated!

Where The Light Is...

Dang...

Just rediscovered one of my favorite records of all time, thanks to Rhapsody.

The late Chris Whitley was a respected studio guitarist and an accomplished songwriter/performer in his own right.

Widely respected among the likes of Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Bruce Hornsby and numerous other more commercially successful artists, Whitley's death in 2005 came as a pretty big shock to the music community.

The record was released in 1991 and it's still just as cool as it ever was...

What about you?
Have you re-discovered any records recently? Are they still as good as you remember?

Review...(A Sea Change)

Passion - God Of This City
Six Steps Records / February 5, 2008

I'll be honest - I've been relatively disappointed in the last few Passion albums. Lately, I've found them just to seem a bit tired, as if I was really hearing the same record over and over.

In addition, I think Passion kinda' got away from actually providing resources that could be used in the local church. That's just opinion, of course, but it had been awhile since anything jumped off the speakers and said, "TODD, PLAY ME IN CHURCH!"

Well, guess what?

I'm here to tell you that Passion is back.

Passion's 2008 God Of This City is really, really good. If you'll allow me, I'd like to share my thoughts song by song. (This may be a long one, kids...)

Track 1 - Let God Arise (Chris Tomlin)
The record opens with what may be Tomlin's most rocking tune from the Made To Worship project. This opener is more evidence that leads me to believe that Tomlin should only release live records from here on out. Chris' studio records are good and they do great on radio, but I think this new record from Passion once again proves that this guy is a master on the live stage. The tune itself is a nice departure for "worship rock," employing more blues emphasis than we're used to hearing from the young adult worship crowd.

Track 2 - You Are God (Charlie Hall)
Charlie Hall's "You Are God" maintains track one's attempt at difference. The nice bounce of this shuffle leads me to believe that this might have even started out as a more country-tinged tune in its early stages. I'm not as nuts about the chorus section, and the drums get a little too progressive for my taste is the bridge.

Track 3 - God Of This City (Chris Tomlin)
The title track is amazing. Even at first listen, it didn't seem like a standard Tomlin/Giglio/Reeves offering. There's a real fresh approach to phrasing and melody that we haven't heard from Passion in awhile. Tomlin does a fantastic job leading this one and the band is absolutely stunning in their ability to fuel this epic prayer. Churches all over America will be singing this one in no time. It's that good.

Track 4 - O For A Thousand Tongues (David Crowder Band)
Crowder offers his remake of the old hymn. It's not much different than his Remedy version. I like the dual violin/electric riffing in between the sections and I think the new chorus is really nice. From a congregational perspective, I think it's a bit fast.

Track 5 - Hosanna (Christy Nockels)
Christy Nockels takes on Brooke Fraser's "Hosanna." When all is said and done, I like Brooke's version better, but I'm not sure it matters - the Passion remake is pretty much exactly the same. (I've heard folks express some frustration at Passion's recent infatuation with Hillsong United's catalog...but if doing a cover is what you want to do, "Hosanna" is a pretty good choice.)

Track 6 - Sing, Sing, Sing (Chris Tomlin)
Despite spending a bit too much time on the 1 chord, Tomlin and company go ahead and nail a fun crowd tune. The tune's relatively short, but says some good stuff and has a pretty great melody for one of those "dancing" songs.

Track 7 - Beautiful Jesus (Kristian Stanfill)
I've never found Stanfill's stuff to be that fantastic, but I do think this may be the most accessible of all the tunes on the record. I can see this working quite well in almost any musical setting.

Track 8 - Walk The World (Charlie Hall)
There are times when Charlie Hall is just a little too weird for his own good. I think the techno keys and drum loop get this tune off to a bad start and I don't think the song ever recovers. Didn't dig this one. I can't really follow the lyrical thread too well, but there is a slamming guitar lead, though.

Track 9 - We Shine (Fee)
Okay, I've made a turn on Fee. I've always liked Steve Fee's slower stuff, but never found much enjoyment in the rock stuff. I've heard "We Shine" lots of times, and I've never liked it. Until now...some might find this a stretch, but Fee's offering for this record is probably the first time we've heard a worship artist channel U2-circa Achtung Baby/Zooropa like this. Fun song with some pretty good musicianship.

Track 10 - God Of Our Yesterdays (Matt Redman)
As strange as this may seem, I think Redman brings a real maturity to this record. That's not to say that the rest is immature, but Redman's first offering on the record seems way more dependent on simplicity in lyric and melody and is noticeably free of much trend. "God Of Yesterdays" sounds like the type of song we'll be singing in ten years and never even think of it as old. Timeless song declaring His goodness to the generations...

Track 11 - The Glory Of It All (David Crowder Band)
I've always liked this slow burn of Crowder's. Again, there's not much different from the record version (unless you count thousands of people screaming.) Strangely, I think the screams definitely reinforce the dynamic build of this tune that is sometimes hard to get from the Remedy version.

Track 12 - Shine (Matt Redman)
This may be one of the worst Redman songs ever played on the radio...but it's fantastic here. It might be a tad slower than the radio version, and the presence of a congregation singing along gives these lyrics some real depth. I also love how simple the band takes the verse sections. Redman consistently proves to me that he's in a level all his own. (Drummers are going to love the kick on this song!)

Track 13 - Dancing Generation (Matt Redman)
Anybody who knows me knows I love this tune. I mean, this one might even be better that Todd Wright Band version. Maybe...

Track 14 - Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) (Chris Tomlin et. al)
I'm one of the few folks in America who doesn't normally like Tomlin's version of this song. I'm still not sure about the chorus, but as far as production and arrangement and expert delivery, the record closer is the stuff of legend. I think it shows a hidden gift that Passion team has - the ability to perfectly capture a moment of worship without cluttering it up with a lot of stuff. They don't always pull it off, but I don't think I've heard them it better than this.

If you're a lifelong Passion fan, you've probably already got this and love it. But if you haven't taken time to listen to it, you should. I think you'll find it to have a lot of useable stuff, lots of great moments for personal worship and some great rock and roll.

In Search Of Songs...

I once heard a very smart songwriter say that he had adopted a fellow novelist's approach to her craft - "to be a good writer, you've got to be a reader."

I think that's probably true. I find that the people in my life who have written truly amazing songs are folks who actually listen to A LOT of music. They're constantly reading, listening, asking questions, analyzing phrases, word choices - all in an effort to learn more about what makes a song truly come alive.

My personal theory is that any songwriter worth his or her salt will work at this discipline - the analysis, the listening, the long hours of thinking and trying and replaying songs in his or her head. Knowing this about me, it's probably no surprise that one of my favorite aspects of traveling around to lead worship is finding out what songs people are doing and digging in their respective churches.

Knowing what someone listens to can tell you a lot about the person and knowing what a church sings can tell you a lot about them.

From what I can tell, though, my readership around here is a varied one and I'm positive that many of you are singing/celebrating tunes I've never even heard of. So, I figured I'd use this little blog of mine to find out what songs YOU'RE digging. What worship songs are moving you, impressing you and staying stuck in your head?

(And Johnny, try to keep your votes to something post-18th century, okay? It just makes all of us feel dumb.)

CONCERT

This is Andy Gullahorn, who might actually be the best songwriter in America.

And on Sunday night, Andy is playing at Ross' church.

And I will be there.

Krist and I are taking a little road-trip to ComChurch to hear Andy and I'm so excited!

Maybe One Of The Brightest Moments in Country Music and Songwriting In General....

"These are nowhere near the best days of your life."

Life With Johnny...

John Simmons is a great drummer, a funny guy and a pretty smart fella when it comes to the things of God. He is also enjoys destroying sincere, heartfelt worship songs written by his friends.

I saw this the other day, and thought, "Oh, Johnny just reposted that video I made."

Wrong. Johnny put his own spin on it.