Tag: chamber pop

December 15, 2024

REVIEW : Hrada - Mirrorland

This is a very unusual release, and I mean that in the best way possible. If you don’t know, Hrada is the brainchild of Peter Espevoll, formerly of Extol. So Hrada sounds like Extol, right? Not at all. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Well, kind of. Do we have excellent instrumentation, exquisite arrangements, and segues that make your head spin a little? Sure. The two projects have that in common. On Mirrorland, there are also themes of faith, doubt, and some very deep questions and societal critiques that wouldn’t be too out of place on an Extol album.… Continued →

December 23, 2022

Song of the Day: Half-Handed Cloud - Christmas Baby's Last Straw

Honestly I think this is a song that only Half-Handed Cloud could write. Aside from the ever-present pop bliss is a song about a baby trying to reach shiny Christmas ornaments that are out of reach, and yet so desirable. But Ringhofer makes a point that only he could make, about humanity’s incessant need to grasp for shining things that are always slightly out of reach and that we really don’t need after all. Merry Christmas IVM friends–may you find the true joy of Christmas this year–the baby in the manger!… Continued →

June 26, 2020

Song of the Day: All Saved Freak Band - All Across This Nation

For my Song of the Day this time round, we’re going back. Like way back. To the beginning of Jesus rock. It’s widely accepted that Larry Norman is the “godfather of Christian rock” and you can make a reasonable case for that. But he wasn’t the first. Several other bands and artists were contemporary with him, including Liverpool’s own The Crossbeats, Agape, and the All Saved Freak Band. Arguably the first rocker, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, was also a Christian and a gospel artist, plugging in her electric guitar long before Bill Haley and the Comets set on the scene.… Continued →

January 3, 2020

Song of the Day: Sufjan Stevens - Jacksonville

Here’s the thing . . . Sufjan is incredible. Whether or not you like his music, one has to acknowledge the astounding amount of talent the guy has. To me, he is the musical equivalent to the literary Tolkien. What I mean is this: somewhere in the deep recesses of their brains, the creative impetus for all those ideas already existed. For Tolkien it was a myriad of languages, races and lands–each with their own histories and storylines. For Stevens, it’s his complex musical compositions alternately cloaked in folk, electronica, and baroque hues.… Continued →

November 22, 2018

October 6, 2018

Chamber Pop Roundup

10 Christian Chamber Pop Acts You Need to Check Out

Chamber pop may not be the most well-known, or well-respected genre. Nonetheless, it holds some of the most intricate compositions and rides the line between progressive and radio-friendly. Here are our top 10 chamber pop groups you need to check out. Anything we missed? Add it in the comments. In no particular order… 1. The Oh Hellos This brother/sister duo (plus a couple friends) has truly manager to refine their sound, with their last two EPs showing incredible growth in songwriting and some fairly poetic lyrics to boot.… Continued →

May 19, 2018

February 10, 2018

December 23, 2017

November 25, 2017