Music and a Book to Look Forward To

I love music and while I don't discuss it in great detail here, sometimes I have such a wonderful music day that I feel like I have to!

First things first, Jennifer Knapp's new CD, Letting Go came out yesterday. I got it Monday night and I have to say I like it. I need a little bit more time to let it soak in, but I'm so glad she's back.

Secondly, yesterday I was so glad to catch a tweet of Justin McRoberts about some new arrangements for 4 of his songs from Father. Father is one of my all time favorite albums, and "Waiting on Your Love" is in my top ten songs ever. So I happily went to NoiseTrade (for those of you who don't know what NoiseTrade is it's a goldmine for discovering new music. You just trade some info for free downloads. A lot of it's faith based music, but I don't know if it all is...that's just what I use it for--you can also tip the artist for the music so they still get paid) It was such a huge treat to revisit these songs with fresh arrangements. I can't seem to stop listening to them...songs are a funny thing, because they live. They cannot be contained in a recording, they can always be given new treatment. I love, for example, the Counting Crows collection of live performances on Across a Wire: Live in New York for how the songs have been reworked. And I love that McRoberts has given us a whole fresh new glimpse into these songs I already loved, these songs that have already traveled with me through life by giving them a new sound. If iyou go to NoiseTrade and download these songs, and also use the Twitter function to let the world know, you'll also get a coupon code for 3 dollars of Through Songs I Was First Undone.

And then of course the announcement that Andrew Peterson's first radio single from his forthcoming Counting Stars is available on iTunes was the icing on the cake.

Waiting on Wednesday

I mentioned how I wanted to go to Hutchmoot this coming August and well, I've registered. I'm counting on a few miracles coming my way to make it happen for real, but it will happen. Hannah of Wordlily is going, too! And so is Paul! Yay!

So in honor of Hutchmoot, my Waiting on Wednesday book (a book whose publication I'm anticipating) is keynote speaker's Walt Wangerin, Jr.'s forthcoming novel Naomi and Her Daughters

Here's a bit about it: From master storyteller Walter Wangerin, Jr. comes this familiar biblical saga told in a fresh, transfixing way. You’ll feel you’ve never heard it before! Melding historical accuracy with imaginative detail, Wangerin uses the biblical books of Judges and Ruth to explore themes of love, faith, grief and community set against a backdrop of war and political instability. The widow Naomi grieves the deaths of her two adult sons after the shocking murder of a beloved adopted daughter, while pondering her responsibilities toward her Moabite daughters-in-law. Ancient Israel is in chaos. When her daughter-in-law, Ruth, begs to return to Israel with Naomi, events are set in motion that will change the course of history. But wait…this isn’t the tame, flannel graph story you heard in Sunday School. In the tradition of Anita Diamant’s The Red Tent and Elissa Elliott’s Eve: A Novel of the First Woman, Wangerin imbues his tale with strong female characters and an earthy realism that gives the timeless Old Testament narrative so much power. You’ll find echoes of contemporary issues throughout: deceit, heartbreak, loss, war, and, of course, the power of love. Naomi’s combined strength and tenderness becomes the pivot upon which a nation turns; her decisions ultimately lead to the founding of the family lineage of Jesus Christ. Breathtaking descriptions, shocking violence, and inspirational courage make this spellbinding novel by a beloved award-winning author a story you won’t soon forget. It’s the perfect novel for your book group, and a satisfying read for those who love thoughtful biblical fiction.

Sounds interesting, eh? I'm just so glad that books and music and friends make life better! What music is making your life better these days?