NEW MUSIC
SELECTIVE HEARING | Robert Berman
RANDY STONEHILL The Lost Art of Listening
The life of Randy Stonehill is a Forrest Gumplike saga , a microcosm of the progression of modern Christian music as a genre and an industry . He worked with Larry Norman in the 1970s , with Amy Grant , Mark Heard , and Phil Keaggy in the 1980s , and with Rick Elias , Christine Dente , and Riki Michele in the 1990s . His lanky figure , Robert Plant mane , impassioned guitar playing , eloquent lyrics , and comedic stage routine set him apart in a crowd of his peers . He switched effortlessly from earnest James Taylor-type crooning to Elvis Costello-style bite or Springsteen-esque growl at the drop of a hat . His career paralleled the breakneck growth of Christian rock from suspicious black sheep to youth group favorite , and he released twelve excellent albums in the first twenty years of his career , covering every style from country-rock to hard rock to New Wave . ( Where ’ s the rap album , Randy ?) The next eight albums took another thirty years , cementing a lifetime of achievement unheralded by awards shows .
So how ’ s the new album ? Pretty good for a guy pushing seventy ? Sure , but more than that , it ’ s just plain great . Stonehill makes up for his relative silence with 14 tracks that all deserve a place . As with Johnny Cash ’ s American Recordings and U2 ’ s Songs of Innocence and
Experience , a knowing yet confident awareness of mortality hovers over these recordings . Stonehill ’ s dexterous fingers and supple voice , both far better preserved than his peers , weave potent tales of friends passed on (“ Beginning of the Living End ”) and life with a heavenward gaze (“ Dance Beyond the Laughing Sky ,” one of multiple tracks with Phil Keaggy ’ s instantly recognizable guitar work ). Of watching a loved one slip into senility (“ Where Are You ”). Of the lines that come with the mileage of a life on the road (“ This Old Face ”). It ’ s ground that ought to be covered by more songwriters , and ought to be heeded by more listeners .
Bluesy slide guitar adds an unexpected new flavor to “ Thinly Veiled Threat .” “ She Loves Me ” straightforwardly celebrates his wife Leslie , who co-wrote one track . A string quartet joins on “ Coyote Moon ,” a collaboration with longtime friend and Daniel Amos alumnus Terry Scott Taylor . “ Billy Frank ,” which circulated in demo form several years back , pays tribute to evangelist Billy Graham , a central figure of Christianity in the Twentieth Century . In a career often marked by wistful self-reflection , “ Leonard Has a Toaster ” finds Stonehill at his most thoughtfully vulnerable as he reflects on how his father ’ s failings recapitulated in his own life , “ Passing on like some toxic baton .” Stonehill also goes the extra mile in packaging for a modern release , with a physical release that includes full lyrics and production credits , with a sixteen page photo booklet . More artists should do the same . It ’ s time for fans of Andrew Peterson and Rich Mullins to get re-acquainted with one of Christian music ’ s most enduring and articulate voices .
CHARLIE PEACOCK Skin and Wind
Shall we count the hits and hats of Charlie
Peacock ? Keyboardist for New Wave band Vector . Accomplished solo artist . Producer of the best albums by Margaret Becker , Sarah Masen , and Michelle Tumes . Writer of Amy Grant ’ s massive crossover pop hit “ Every Heartbeat .” Seminary student . Founder of the creativity incubator Art House . Director of a university music department . For a while , there wasn ’ t time to make new music of his own , but recent years have found Peacock busy with projects from Americana to free jazz . This time around , he delves into 70s singer / songwriter territory , playing most of the instruments himself ( keys , guitars , percussion ) with aid from friends and family like Sam Ashworth , Ruby Amanfu , and Matt Slocum . He ’ s clearly enjoying making art for the sake of art rather than the industry rat race . “ A man of quiet demeanor , no more lust for spinning plates .” These mostly mellow songs showcase his knack for addressing deep thoughts in pithy verse . The title track ponders the Christian ’ s nature as spirit and flesh . “ The Captain ” finds him grappling with the realities and weaknesses of his aging body . “ My heart is full , my mind is quick …. I ’ m the captain of a ship that ’ s going down .” You and me both !
Robert Berman Robert is a Sunday School teacher , music nerd , and acoustic guitar enthusiast . He lives in rural Tennessee with his wife and three boys .