Suddenly, I love Columbus.

I return from my weekend hiatus to tell you some fantastic news.

First of all, if you're going to the Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah concert, you have a rather large dilemma because Kings of Leon are playing at the Newport Music Hall, and I'm definitely going to that.

Second of all, on September 28... Doves. I'm not kidding. Doves. I thought I'd have to wait until Coachella to see them, but no. Somehow, God must have heard that I would pee myself if I could see Doves and sure enough, they're coming to the Newport.

If you know me, you know I hate the Newport, but for these two shows, I will make an exception.

Kings of Leon
September 20
7:00pm
Newport Music Hall
$16.50

Doves
September 28
7:00pm
Newport Music Hall
$18.00

Ahh, I love Thursdays.

He broke the hearts of a thousand teenage girls in one fowl swoop...

It's been forever since I've had something to say about Brandon Flowers. Has it really been since the Killers/Bravery war of the words? I think it has. At any rate, there's finally a news story about him (he's been so elusive lately), and because today is yet another slow day, it makes the headline.

My apologies to the 14-year-old girls who now must find a picture of some other lead singer of some other band to kiss at night. Flowers got hitched to Tara Munblowsky. And with a name like that, I really hope she doesn't plan on hyphenating it.

Due to the shock this may have been, I'm sure many of you haven't had the time to find a new man to swoon over. Might I suggest printing out one of these fellows' mugshots:
Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie, The Postal Service, All-Star Quarterback)
Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes)
Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional)
Andrew McMahon (Something Corporate)
Chris Conley (Saves the Day)

I think you get the idea.

And now for some real news...

Famous ABC journalist and host of World News Tonight, Peter Jennings has passed away from lung cancer. He was 67.

Keeping up with yesterday's trend, I will only tell you that The Village Voice has an article about Sufjan Stevens.

It didn't take very long for Coldplay's new album X&Y to reach double platinum.

While Q and not U are calling it quits, Chris Richards will continue to play music with his new group Ris Paul Ric.

Prefix gives the new Deerhoof EP, Green Cosmos, a 3.5. Don't worry, it's out of 5.

Oh boy, Death Cab for Cutie is going on tour, and to my surprise they will not be hitting up Columbus, at least not yet. If they do, I predict it to be at Promowest. You know, I remember seeing them at Little Brother's forever ago. How much time changes things.

It seems Tommy Lee has gone from bad boy to... pop star? What the heck?! Okay, so I definitely saw his latest video, "Good Times," and, yeah, I was pretty creeped out. Tommy had to ditch the major labels to release Tommyland, which Coolfer predicts will be a flop. I agree.

Courtesy of Prefixblog, a South Korean man dies of exhaustion after playing a computer game for 50 hours. Just minutes before his death, he assured friends he'd finish the game and come home. Also, Apple defines bloggers as "unhealthy."

Upcoming Columbus Shows
The Violent Femmes? How did I miss that one? Hope I can get off work...

8.11 - Ben Folds w/ Ben Lee and Rufus Wainwright - Promowest Pavilion
8.12 - Velvet Revolver w/ Chevelle - Germain Ampitheater
8.13 - Switchfoot - The Ohio State Fair
8.19 - The Violent Femmes - Lodge Bar
8.20 - Pretty Girls Make Graves - Little Brothers
8.23 - Thunderbirds Are Now! w/ Kiss Me Quick - Little Brother's
8.30 - Xiu Xiu w/ Das Yellow Swans and Nedelle - Little Brother's
8.31 - Coldplay w/ Rilo Kiley - Germain Ampitheater
9.02 - Over the Rhine - Little Brothers
9.10 - The White Stripes w/ The Greenhornes - Ohio Theater
9.12 - Stellastarr* - The Basement
9.14 - Sufjan Stevens - Southgate House (Newport, KY)
9.15 - Reggie and the Full Effect w/ My Chemical Romance and Alkaline Trio - Promowest Pavilion
9.20 - Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah - Little Brother's
9.24 - The Rolling Stones w/ Beck - Germain Ampitheater
10.08 - The Fiery Furnaces - The Wexner Center
10.14 - The Decemberists - Newport Music Hall

Daily Downloads
Supplied by the Regnyouth Archives

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Coldplay - X&Y
Doves - The Last Broadcast
Matthew Good Band - Beautiful Midnight

I probably won't get to post the rest of the week thanks to my work schedule and my family coming into town. Have a great one, and I'll be back when life is less hectic.

Monday Morning Monotony

There are a few things to talk about today, one of which has to do with Sufjan Stevens, but I wanted to spare everyone for at least a day from having yet another main article about him. Unfortunately, I can't really find anything else that I would consider worthy of a main article, so I'll just briefly talk about everything.

So, to get this out of the way, let's discuss Sufjan for just a second. I really find it funny that John Styll of the Christian Music Trade Association even has to talk about why Sufjan isn't part of the Christian music industry. For those of us who actually think about these things on our own, it's obvious. Nevertheless, he explains that, because Sufjan's albums are not distributed enough through Christian channels and because he doesn't want them to be in the first place, he isn't considered desirable for the CMTA. "That's OK," Styll tells Reuters. Good to know. To actually qualify for the CMTA's attention, his albums would have to sell a quarter of his first-week sales in Christian record stores, have some sort of airplay on Christian stations, and have what the CMTA considers Christian lyrics. It's interesting to note that the CMTA embraces bands like Switchfoot, who no longer even speak about Jesus and have opted for the "positive message" approach which insinuates Christianity but leaves it so vague that secular listeners don't recognize they're Christians at all, but because they have a history of being a Christian band are already recognized by CMTA. Sufjan actually comes out and talks about Jesus, and his album Seven Swans could practically be a worship album, but I guess that's not enough. It seems to me like the CMTA has a different definition of Christian lyrics depending on who they're talking about, but like Styll said, "That's OK." What it boils down to is that it doesn't matter what the CMTA says or does when it comes to Sufjan Stevens because he doesn't want to be a part of them anyway.

Sad news: Ibrahim Ferrer of Buena Vista Social Club fame has passed away at the age of 78. He died in Havana from emphysema.

Chart Attack talks to Tammy Ealom of Dressy Bessy about her band's new album, Electrified, and what it's like to be loved by the members of Coldplay.

Speaking of Coldplay, they will release their new single, "Fix You," with a couple new b-sides, "Poor Me" and "The World Turned." Look for it on September 5.

I am still unlucky. The Arcade Fire has extended its Fall tour yet again, and they're still not coming to Columbus. The band has opted for some pretty large festivals this time, but I'd still like them to return to Little Brother's as they did last December. My fingers are crossed.

Jon Heder stars as a meter-reader in his latest movie, School of Scoundrels, alongside Billy Bob Thorton, who plays a motivational speaker. The premise: meter-reader wants girl, enrolls in self-help class taught by motivational speaker who also wants girl. Sounds interesting.

Does it surprise anyone else that Death Cab for Cutie's new album, Plans, which was leaked last week, is starting to receive praise from some bloggers? Welcome to the Midwest says that it's "Transatlanticism-meets-The Postal Service," which actually puts me off because I think Ben Gibbard should keep the two bands separate entities entirely. I guess you can't escape wanting to make the less successful one more like the more successful one in order to sell more. Perhaps it was the idea of their new label, Atlantic. Stereogum actually loves the album, but doesn't say why. I took a listen to the song they had streamed on their myspace profile a while back, I don't remember what the song was now, but I couldn't stand it. I miss the days when Death Cab sounded a bit more raw, when they had less money and poor studios. Their new sound is too over-produced. It's practically made for radio. I also feel like maybe I've grown beyond them. There was a time in my life when listening to Ben Gibbard croon about sad things made me feel better about my life because I realized mine wasn't the only life that sucked. Nowadays, I don't need that, and it's made me stray from Death Cab. Should I give the album, the full album, a chance? I can't decide. Chances are I probably won't.

Tomorrow is new release day and I don't have any money, so I won't be buying these:
Bjork - Drawing Restraint 9
Koufax - Hard Times are in Fashion
Limbeck - Let Me Come Home
Then again, I probably wouldn't buy those last two even if I had money. Links care of Largehearted Boy.

Upcoming Columbus Shows
Just found out today that Reggie and the Full Effect are coming to Columbus. Tragically, they're playing with two crappy bands. Will it be worth it? I don't know...

8.11 - Ben Folds w/ Ben Lee and Rufus Wainwright - Promowest Pavilion
8.12 - Velvet Revolver w/ Chevelle - Germain Ampitheater
8.13 - Switchfoot - The Ohio State Fair
8.20 - Pretty Girls Make Graves - Little Brothers
8.23 - Thunderbirds Are Now! w/ Kiss Me Quick - Little Brother's
8.30 - Xiu Xiu w/ Das Yellow Swans and Nedelle - Little Brother's
8.31 - Coldplay w/ Rilo Kiley - Germain Ampitheater
9.02 - Over the Rhine - Little Brothers
9.10 - The White Stripes w/ The Greenhornes - Ohio Theater
9.12 - Stellastarr* - The Basement
9.14 - Sufjan Stevens - Southgate House (Newport, KY)
9.15 - Reggie and the Full Effect w/ My Chemical Romance and Alkaline Trio - Promowest Pavilion
9.20 - Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah - Little Brother's
9.24 - The Rolling Stones w/ Beck - Germain Ampitheater
10.08 - The Fiery Furnaces - The Wexner Center
10.14 - The Decemberists - Newport Music Hall

Daily Downloads
Courtesy of the one, the only, Regnyouth Archives

Radiohead - Hail to the Theif
Air - Moon Safari

To my happiness, my sound card has been replaced and I'm back listening to music again. Praise the Lord!

If you don't like Sufjan Stevens, you probably shouldn't be reading my blog.

So, maybe I'm just getting excited a little early, but I just can't get enough of Sufjan Stevens talk these days. By the way, who else is going to see him at Southgate House in September? Let me know and I'll see you there. At any rate, there's always something to talk about when it comes to Sufjan, whether it be interviews or commentaries (like mine) or concert reviews. Without further a-do, the latest on Sufjan Stevens:

The Denver Post has a review of the July 29th show at The Bluebird. When I lived in Colorado I had the opportunity to go there to see Dressy Bessy. I really love the place, and I can't imagine how packed it was that night. As the article reports, the band dons the now well-known Illinois shirts, blue with a big orange "I" and wows the audience with its epic masterpieces but steals the crowd's heart with the low key "Casimir Pulaski Day" and "John Wayne Gacy, Jr."

I found an older concert review on Indie Workshop for the Vancouver show that even furthers my excitement. It tells of how Sufjan actually tells stories to the audience, like the story behind "Casimir Pulaski Day," which I'm absolutely dying to hear. That song is incredible. From the sounds of things, they pretty much do the entire Illinois album, which is great but I would like to hear some of the old stuffs from Seven Swans. They do dive into it for the encore, so here's hoping we get some of that. The review also gives us show-goers a warning: Beware of the photo snapping. The biggest complaint was all the clicking from people taking pictures. I think Claude's digital camera is quiet, so it won't be my fault if it's annoying.

The LA Times asks Sufjan and Company the hard questions. Why wear the Illinoisemaker uniform when performing on the radio? He replies, "I think it just helps us to feel kind of unified." Sufjan downplays his performing ability during the interview, but the LA Times assures readers that, although a bit shy, he's anything but second-rate. The Times even quotes Pitchfork editor in chief Ryan Schreiber, who said, ""There's something about him that spans audiences. It's got the sort of teenage romanticism at the same time it's got this forlorn world-weariness and this sort of adult perspective as well. Lyrically it's an all-encompassing thing." What a way to put it. I can't possibly summarize the entire article, but it goes on to describe how Sufjan is not alone in the industry even though he sometimes feels secluded. I particularly enjoy their phonetic spelling of his first name, (SOOF-yawn). So get it right, folks.

COtapers.com has a couple recordings of live Sufjan concerts, including the aforementioned Bluebird show, at their website.

All in all, I'm getting way too excited about this show, but how can't I? When you read things like this, it's hard to not downplay the whole thing. Again, let me know if you're going to the show so I can see you there.

In other news...

This is so funny I just couldn't help but talk about it. A few kids down in Gainesville, FL, had the opportunity of a lifetime: to do a real-life punk on Scott Stapp, the apparently former lead singer of Creed whose failed solo career has made him pretty much the laughing stock of most of the music industry. To summarize the events, Stapp was drunk at an airport bar and met a girl there. He got her number (but it was really her friend's) and he called them a couple days later. She has him meet her at a Denny's for what he believes will be a booty call. Everyone's pretty much in on it, and she doesn't show up, but everyone talks about how awful his band is behind his back, etc. I'm doing a really bad job here, you should probably read their first-hand accounts of the matter. Apparently later he even went to the girl's house and did cocaine. Classy. Seriously read these two accounts and look at the pictures. It's a riot and a half. (Thanks to Stereogum for the heads-up.)

Pop Matters has a very entertaining interview with Fruit Bats' Eric Johnson. It's very educational.

Pitchfork gives Dressy Bessy's latest album Electrified a 6.3.

CBGB is past its prime and therefore not worth saving, reports The New York Times.

Prefixblog unveils the true Peter Griffin.

Are you as fed up with the "popped collar" as I am? The Village Voice tries to interpret what the fashion statement might mean. I was so doing that like three years ago.

Upcoming Columbus Shows

8.11 - Ben Folds w/ Ben Lee and Rufus Wainwright - Promowest Pavilion
8.12 - Velvet Revolver w/ Chevelle - Germain Ampitheater
8.13 - Switchfoot - The Ohio State Fair
8.20 - Pretty Girls Make Graves - Little Brothers
8.23 - Thunderbirds Are Now! w/ Kiss Me Quick - Little Brothers
8.30 - Xiu Xiu w/ Das Yellow Swans and Nedelle - Little Brothers
8.31 - Coldplay w/ Rilo Kiley - Germain Ampitheater
9.02 - Over the Rhine - Little Brothers
9.10 - The White Stripes w/ The Greenhornes - Ohio Theater
9.12 - Stellastarr* - The Basement
9.14 - Sufjan Stevens - Southgate House (Newport, KY)
9.24 - The Rolling Stones w/ Beck - Germain Ampitheater
10.08 - The Fiery Furnaces - The Wexner Center
10.14 - The Decemberists - Newport Music Hall

Daily Downloads
Courtesy of your friendly local Regnyouth Archives

The Verve - A Storm in Heaven
Air - Talkie Walkie
Death Cab for Cutie - Plans
Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak

After having a friend take a look at my computer, we've dubbed my sound card completely incapacitated. Looks like I have to go a few days without music. Ahhhh worst nightmare!

Good Stuff You May Not Be Listening To

Recently Claude and I have been discovering some great new artists (and some not-so new artists) who we haven't heard before, and we think it might be a good idea to share them with you. If you've already heard them, well then you get +20 scene points. Otherwise, I suggest a listen.

First up is somewhat of a side project of a couple members of an already fantastic band. The Bell Orchestre includes members Richard Parry and Sarah Neufeld of Arcade Fire fame. The two bands, however, have little else in common. Whereas The Arcade Fire has a very gloomy feel, and Funeral should be a dead-giveaway, no pun intended, The Bell Orchestre is an eclectic mix of chamber and jazz. According to their bio on New Music Canada, they forsee an African jazz club in the future. Not sure if that's true or not, but I digress. Richard and Sarah are not the only members considering this a side project. The band also includes members of Torngat, Ark of Infinity and [IKS]. Stereogum recommends it to people who like Rachel's, and has a few mp3s up for your listening pleasure.

Their website is here.

If The Postal Service is too mainstream for you to maintain your street cred, you might want to look into another Canadian band, The Most Serene Republic. Though publicized by Pop Matters as a group hailing from Toronto, Michael over at For the 'Records' reminds us that the sextet is from Milton, Ontario. Perhaps the most eerie aspect of this band is just how much singer Adrian Juwett sounds like Postal Service front man/crooner Ben Gibbard. While the comparisons to Gibbard and his electronic accompaniment are easy to make, don't let yourself take The Most Serene Republic for just another Postal Service. They take the music a step further. You might notice the addition of seemingly uncharacteristic accoustic guitar, and let's not forget the occasional beat box and hand clap. It's really hard to predict what the band will do next, and it's this kind of quirkiness that gives the band its charm. Their first album, Underwater Cinematography, does have its weaknesses, but I think its character makes up for them. This is a band I could see going places. They have a sound that they know how to mutate, the kind that could easily be played with to create several more albums of decent music. I have a feeling you'll be hearing about them more in the future.

Their website is here.

As you may have noticed, and I, for one, am guilty as charged of sustaining, Sufjan Stevens is certainly getting a lot of notice recently. True, he's a very innovative and creative man, but behind every strong musician is a strong band. You might know them currently as the Illinoisemakers, but when they're not backing up Stevens, they are a little band known as Half-Handed Cloud. Made up of former members of The Danielson Famile, in which Stevens and the band met, they are, as you might expect, yet another part of the new wave of avant-garde Christian musicians, though a bit more outspoken in almost a childlike way. According to Music Spectrum, the band would like to see an entire Sunday school curriculum based on their album Thy is a Word and Feet Need Lamps, which was released this year on Asthmatic Kitty. While their music has a great deal of lyrical simplicity, it has a lot of artistic and musical integrity. Singer and songwriter John Ringhofer has the ability to craft complex chamber pop in a very short timespan. On their first album, Learning About Your Scale, he knocks out 25 songs in 24 minutes, and none, or at least very few of them, are lacking. Ringhofer creates carefully each and every song, with everything from soothing folk rock to brilliantly formed harmonies. Even if you're not a Christian, Half-Handed Cloud is a band that should appeal to all fans of quirky indie pop.

Their website is here.

And now for some news action...

Billboard proclaims, "More horns. More Canadians." The new Broken Social Scene album is set to be released October 14 but without the original title, Windsurfing Nation. The band has instead opted to go the self-titled route.

Sorry Pete Doherty, but you lost your chance. The Babyshambles singer failed to show up at an Oasis concert in which his band was supposed to perform. Liam Gallagher has now said that he will never open for Oasis ever again because "this is the greatest group in the world and what we’re not going to do is let anyone, Pete Doherty, Liam Gallagher or Elvis, fuck it all up.” So saith Liam.

If Wind-Up Records isn't stupid, I don't know who is. The label turned down a $100,000 offer from Absolutely Kosher, the label that now houses The Wrens, for the rights to the band's back catalogue, Silver and Seacaucus.

At long last, The Postal Service has its own website. I could probably recreate it on Dreamweaver myself, but at least they have something.

Torr brings us an update of the current US charts. Alarming facts:
The Killers album Hot Fuss is still on the charts.
Sufjan Stevens' Illinois has only sold just over 25,000 copies.
Not so alarming, Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah's self-titled is already off the chart after only a week.

Upcoming Columbus Shows

8.11 - Ben Folds w/ Ben Lee and Rufus Wainwright - Promowest Pavilion
8.12 - Velvet Revolver w/ Chevelle - Germain Ampitheater
8.13 - Switchfoot - The Ohio State Fair
8.20 - Pretty Girls Make Graves - Little Brothers
8.23 - Thunderbirds Are Now! w/ Kiss Me Quick - Little Brothers
8.30 - Xiu Xiu w/ Das Yellow Swans and Nedelle - Little Brothers
8.31 - Coldplay w/ Rilo Kiley - Germain Ampitheater
9.02 - Over the Rhine - Little Brothers
9.10 - The White Stripes w/ The Greenhornes - Ohio Theater
9.12 - Stellastarr* - The Basement
9.14 - Sufjan Stevens - Southgate House (Newport, KY)
9.24 - The Rolling Stones w/ Beck - Germain Ampitheater
10.08 - The Fiery Furnaces - The Wexner Center
10.14 - The Decemberists - Newport Music Hall

Daily Downloads
Brought to you by the Regnyouth Archives
(By the way, nice new banner.)

The Aquabats - Charge!!
Radiohead - OK Computer
Stars - Heart

Tragedy struck my apartment today, or should I say lightning did, and now my sound card isn't working. Is this normal? I don't know anything about computer hardware. I just know that life without music is sad.

Sufjan Stevens and the Secular-Sacred Divide

It used to be that there was a rather thick black line between what music was inherently Christian, or "sacred," and what was considered worldly, or "secular." I remember it vividly. It was the day that my friend Chris broke all of his secular CDs because they were evil. He said God convicted him. You may have seen the scene in The Virgin Suicides where Lux is forced to burn her rock and roll records. It's the same concept. Music that isn't talking about God isn't Godly and therefore is evil. Many a Sunday morning preacher has said it. I've heard it a thousand times. Why, then, has the Lord not convicted me? Am I a sinner because I find no problem listening to music made and marketted outside of the Contemporary Christian Music Industry?

Certainly not.

Then what about Sufjan Stevens? He's an openly Christian man. Take a song like "Casimir Pulaski Day," in which he talks about lifting his hands and praying over people at a Bible study. These are words pulled out of experience and memory, things he's probably done many times before. Take pretty much the entire album Seven Swans, which for all intents and purposes is a worship album. Despite all of that, not one Christian book store I've gone to has sold his albums. You ask the people who work there, and they've never heard of him. In fact, I have friends who work at a rather large Christian label who have never heard of him. The reason is simply because he never intended to be a part of that. Rather than stay within the comfortable boundaries of Christian music, he chose to take the road of an indie rocker and came out winning over the hearts of a lot of people who would normally not condone such openly Christian lyrics.

Now if you accept that the only holy music is sacred music and the only sacred music that is truly sacred is in the contemporary Christian music industry, you accept that Sufjan Stevens' music is not sacred, but secular, and therefore sinful. Not adding up? It shouldn't. It's simply a messed up theology, one in which the Christian music industry, and pretty much Christian culture in general, has its head entirely up its own butt. Not only is it closed-minded but it's not Biblical. After all, wasn't it Jesus Himself who ate with prostitutes?

In her article "Secular, Sacred or Both?" on ChristianityToday.com, Kate Bowman addresses this exact same issue. She cites the essay "Being There," written by Steve Turner. Both Bowman and Turner agree that there is a very big problem with the argument that you can hide from sin by turning to things that are inherently sacred. It's the idea that you can hide from sin by listening to Christian music, which, ironically, is made by sinners. It's the idea that the more Christian things you do with your life, the more Christian you are. This is contradictory to the Christian doctrine that works and good deeds don't earn you favor with the Lord, which is one of the fundamental arguments for salvation. To put it another way, Turner asks, "Was the Dutch art historian Hans Rookmaaker right when he said that Christ didn't die in order that we might go to more prayer meetings but in order that we might be more fully human?"

Which brings me back to Sufjan Stevens. Stevens' priority isn't to please those who speak Christian-ese but to live as a follower of Christ. It's ridiculous to say that the Lord can't or won't call someone to play music to a "secular" industry because who are we to tell God what he can or can't do? Says Stevens, "Art is … a reflection of a greater divine creation. There really is no separation. There's a fullness of being in the world that takes into consideration the supernatural and the natural, and everything we do and say is evoking and expressing eternal things without even knowing it." Simply put, there really is no line between sacred and secular, or at least there shouldn't be.

Bowman elaborates on Stevens' thoughts: "The whole of life is available to believers as the substance of art. Simply because it does not overtly confess Christ does not mean it is exempt from possessing truth."

There is a danger in drawing the line between secular and sacred. Take Sarah Masen. Originally a musician embraced by the Christian music industry, she's become virtually unknown to it since she chose to become an independent artist.

What she and Stevens are doing is what Bowman considers "a refusal to separate one's faith from one's involvement in the world at large, and a recognition that although the entire creation is broken, God's grace and truth continue to permeate all spheres of life." Well put. To deny this the same acceptance as today's mainstream Christian music would be a travesty.

And now here's where I throw out my opinion. As you can tell, I agree entirely with what Sufjan Stevens, Sarah Masen, Steve Turner, and Kate Bowman have to say, and for those of you who aren't Chrisitan, here's my point: Christians aren't bad. Sufjan Stevens breaks the mold that Christian musicians have to be perfect. He's not the first. David Bazan, also known as Pedro the Lion, is notorious in the Christian music industry for being all too frank about his walk with God. He was actually moved to a smaller stage at Cornerstone Christian Music Festival after being on the main stage the previous year because he was too controversial. The funny thing is that he shouldn't be, because of every single artist at Cornerstone, he was probably the most real about Christianity. He admits that the church is hypocritical. He admits he has problems with infidelity and alcohol. He admits he's a sinner and that he's just an average Joe Schmoe. That's what Christianity, in my opinion, should look like.

I hope you, whether you're Christian or not, are touched by Sufjan Stevens, and I hope that he is living proof to you that there are Christians out there who get that they are not above everyone else. To me, it's about time.

You can read Bowman's entire article at ChristianityToday.com by following this link.

And now for some news...

Thanks to Brooklyn Vegan for providing linkage the video of Jeff Mangum joining Olivia Tremor Control on stage.

Ladytron has a faaaantastic new video out for their latest, "Destroy Everything You Touch." It makes me want to play in the snow. Video courtesy of 'boards.

Franz Ferdinand released the tracklist for their latest self-titled album, the sequel to their first self-titled album.

Prefix interviews Sam Beam of Iron and Wine fame. Just out of curiousity, was anyone else totally freaked out by the M&Ms commercial featuring his cover of "Such Great Heights"? I thought I was in the twilight zone for a second, and then I was kinda disgusted.

Lots of great people have contributed to the tribute to the famous Beatles' album Rubber Soul, including Ted Leo and, you guessed it, Sufjan Stevens.

The Sun reports that Liam Gallagher has actually made ammends with someone for the first time in his life. He has let by-gones be by-gones with ex-wife Patsy Kensit to support their son Lennon as he goes into surgery. Isn't it sweet?

Spin has a song-by-song preview of the new Strokes album.

Thanks very much to Stereogum for linking us up with the Cliff Notes version of R. Kelly's Trapped in the Closet.

One more Sufjan Stevens thing. Has anyone noticed that the tune for the ending of "Transfiguration" on the Seven Swans album is the same tune as the refrain for "Chicago" on the Illinois album? I love it.

Upcoming Columbus Shows

8.11 - Ben Folds w/ Ben Lee and Rufus Wainwright - Promowest Pavilion
8.12 - Velvet Revolver w/ Chevelle - Germain Ampitheater
8.13 - Switchfoot - The Ohio State Fair
8.20 - Pretty Girls Make Graves - Little Brothers
8.23 - Thunderbirds Are Now! w/ Kiss Me Quick - Little Brothers
8.30 - Xiu Xiu w/ Das Yellow Swans and Nedelle - Little Brothers
8.31 - Coldplay w/ Rilo Kiley - Germain Ampitheater
9.02 - Over the Rhine - Little Brothers
9.10 - The White Stripes w/ The Greenhornes - Ohio Theater
9.12 - Stellastarr* - The Basement
9.14 - Sufjan Stevens - Southgate House (Newport, KY)
9.24 - The Rolling Stones w/ Beck - Germain Ampitheater
10.08 - The Fiery Furnaces - The Wexner Center
10.14 - The Decemberists - Newport Music Hall

Daily Downloads
From the Regnyouth Archives

Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon and Garfunkel - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

And a re-post from yesterday...

Sigur Ros - Takk

Okay, guys, hopefully this will ease you for a while. I will try to be back again soon.