Hey, are you listening Well, hey, are you listening?
This is a podcast exploring the past, present
and future of Christian music. My name is Joel.
I'm here with my good friend Brandon, and we
connected over a mutual love of some artists,
but also have kind of different tastes along
the way. And so we get to experience some new
stuff from each other while inviting some friends
along for the ride. We are going to have a friend
back with us today in just a little bit, but
Brandon, how's it going? That's going good. Yeah,
anything exciting happening in your life? Oh
man, it usually this is when life kind of gets
busy for me. I mean you have like the mix of
different stuff that are going on, you know,
with Easter coming up and whatnot. There's also
the racing at Darlington a few weeks ago. So
it's a busy time of the year just between Easter
and NASCAR and all that. That's the passions
of my life. If you guys didn't know this, Brandon
commentates on things other than Christian music
out there. Brandon, you've got a whole NASCAR
thing going on. You want to tell the people?
It's a cool thing. A couple of years ago, I started
volunteering with the North Carolina Auto Racing
Hall of Fame. It's an organization in Mooresville,
North Carolina, and it's a nonprofit that supports
Ferros parenting. So all their proceeds go to
victims of child abuse. And what they do is they
kind of go in and their goal is to reunite the
family. So they offer classes to parents. So
it's pretty cool. And I get to work with Don
Miller. He founded it. He used to be the president
of Team Penske. so if you don't know nascar just
when you see all the trucks riding around that
says penske that guy owns all of that so yeah
it's pretty cool so i get to sit down with kind
of the past present and future of motorsports
and get to kind of learn more about their story
and help them tell it to the masses That's great.
So you were involved in the past, present and
future of Christian music and motor sports all
at the same time. It's weird. Cause growing up,
I thought, Oh, I'm just a weird kid that loves
Christian music and loves NASCAR. And look at
me now on top of the world. Well, thanks for
investing your life and time and energy and all
those things. We appreciate it. And so, yeah,
today, in just a little bit, our friend Zeke
from Idle Threat is going to be back with us
to talk about one of his favorite records, The
Burning Edge of Dawn by Andrew Peterson. And
so I'm kind of excited to dig into that with
him. But before we do that, let's check the mail.
All right, Brandon, our question today comes
from our friend, Chris Blanchard, who asked this.
Why does so much modern CCM sound emotionally
safe and spiritually vague compared to older
Christian music scenes? Are we discipling people
or just avoiding offense? That's a heavy hitter.
Yeah. Yeah. What are your thoughts? Let's pull
on the question again so I can Get the the full
grasp of it. I hate whenever someone presents
a good question and someone answers it like halfway
That's not what I meant. Um, i'll say this. It's
kind of get started. I do think that he's right.
Yeah, um much of modern ccm is pretty like Vague
and safe compared to some of the risky stuff
from the past. Yeah. Um, yeah Tell me your thoughts
on that. Yeah, I think it's like, I think you
always have kind of groups in areas like with
Christianity, you always have these groups and
I feel like it's almost like it changes over
the course where it's like this side gets bigger,
that side gets smaller, whatever. And I feel
like that's always been there is people who are
like, how can we be safe with this and all? And
I remember like years ago, A friend of mine.
I was like, yeah, we're going to a mute without
you show and they're like, I don't want my my
son go into like a bar Which in hindsight it
probably was I shouldn't have been like no you
should send your 15 year olds onto this bar.
It's good I probably should have worded it better,
but I remember at the time like kind of explaining
like I'm like this band me without you they there's
a lot of like grappling with like like different
stuff in the world and I was like he's gonna
leave there like Asking better questions and
all than going to winter jam and she saw like
a few other songs and was like Nope, I don't
like this. So for her she was like no, I'd rather
him just go to like winter jam and This sounds
like I don't mean for it to sound like this,
but it's almost like be spoon -fed like stuff
because it's like I remember 10th Avenue North
years ago, they were like Yeah, like the purpose
of our music is we don't want to make it difficult
for people to have to struggle We want it to
be you know, what we're singing about. Yeah,
and um, I think that like the problem is is that
I think you have people that are motivated by
like money because they're like Yeah, it's easier
just to be like no everything's alright. Like
everything's good. Like we don't need to tackle
tough questions Yeah, or it's easier just to
say just shut the door and not let those people
in we don't have to deal with them um and I think
you have other people that like are are like
um oh man like how how do we discuss this or
like how can we I don't know because like I know
for me I'm someone who feels like you don't want
to um like get too deep into your faith like
the first time so there's people like I've chatted
with that I feel like it's like over months of
time it's like having small conversations yeah
so it's like I could see someone looking at me
and being like well, if you really believed in
God, you would step out and be like, no, we're
going to talk about this. You're going to come
to church or whatever. So, I feel like you have
people that, like, it happens, and you have people
that, like, there's good intentions, and I think
you have other people that, like, it's not for
good intentions. But, I mean, I agree with you
that I think it's very, like, ignorant to be,
like, it's not, like, happening, because I feel
like that is something that's Kind of just taking
hold Yeah, I think if I had to pinpoint one thing
that I would probably say to this question It's
probably like I feel like I can trace most of
it back to like the worship worshipification
of it all. The fact that we transitioned like
from singers, songwriters and bands writing about
their lives and how Christianity like interfaces
and intersects with it to like we're writing
worship songs. And like this is what's getting
played on the radio. This is what's successful.
If we want to survive, we have to produce this
kind of stuff. And unfortunately, like in a worship
song, there's just not as much space to like
wrestle. Yeah. And so I think that that's kind
of why you get the feeling maybe that it's been
that way. But I also agree with you that I don't
think that that's true for everyone. Yeah. I
think that there are still plenty of artists
that are. um are are working through this stuff
that have um depth to their theology like it's
grounded in pain and things that they're walking
through and the way they've experienced god in
the midst of a struggle um i feel like honestly
the album that we're going to cover today like
models that pretty well and zeke who's going
to be with us from idle threat models that really
well and so i think there are a lot of examples
of of that good stuff happening unfortunately
it's just not like what's making it to the radio
as much at the risk of throwing out some more
landmines i kind of see it as almost like uh
politics where i think that like when you have
someone that all they are is like this is my
person the other side is the enemy like that's
not healthy and then when you have someone who's
like not discussing at all that's not healthy
yeah so it's like how do you sit down with those
conversations and i mean like I feel very blessed
that you know when we had our last election in
the United States like the day of I sat down
with people who were both for both of the candidates
that were running and It was just it was two
very healthy conversations It wasn't like anyone
being like a bad winner or someone being like
a sore loser or whatever. It was just like Yeah,
like here's here's where we're as a nation and
I hope hope we can move towards this, or we need
to fix this, or whatever." And I was just like,
this is healthy, because you don't have to choose
one or the other. Like, you can have, and I think
even with this one, I think there's a time and
place. And, I mean, I used to definitely be someone
who was like, everything on the radio is bad.
And even like worship music, like I've mentioned
before, before I started coming to church here,
I was very anti -like worship music. Yeah. And
the more I've been here, the more I see like
a time and place for it. And I think that you
do need to ask tough questions, but there also
needs to be a time that you can praise or you
can relax and not need an encyclopedia to talk
about it. Yeah. Well, Chris, we appreciate that
question. It's a really strong one and a really
good one. Don't forget that you can reach out
to us with your own questions at HeyAreYouListeningPod
at gmail .com. Let's play a game. All right,
Brandon, I got inspired for this game from a
previous episode of the podcast when we had Brian
Olson from Voda on and we were Covering his album
back to the start and there is a cover song on
that album by the band Coldplay Fix you you remember
this yeah this conversation and how you were
unaware that it was a Coldplay song and So we're
gonna play a game called Christian rock or Coldplay
And I'm gonna give you lyrics and I want you
to tell me is this a Christian song or is it
a Coldplay song? All right Okay, so we'll start
off at the top um lights will guide you home
and ignite your bones um i'm gonna say christian
it's a coldplay song oh man in fact it's the
song fix you that was covered on the photo i
was about to say oh capital kings uh guide you
home all right um we were born to be brave A
Switchfoot. It sounds like a Switchfoot song.
Is it Coldplay? It's not Coldplay. It's actually
House of Heroes. Oh. Oh man. I thought I'd need
to go ahead and stop playing this game. Alright,
here we go. Nobody said it was easy. No one ever
said it would be this hard. Coldplay. That is
Coldplay, the scientist, yep. um you know what
doesn't help is that i feel like i know like
two coldplay songs so it's really just um i swear
this time i mean it christian it is yeah maline
and the sons of disaster that's such a vague
line um um sing like the world is listening oh
man um Cold play let's be almost What song up
there's I don't know In in a true honesty, I
will say that I used AI to help me formulate
this game So I don't have all the answers in
front of me Look at the stars look how they shine
for you. Oh cold play. Yeah Tell me you love
me come back and haunt me Christian it's Coldplay
the scientist This is not the end of me Christian
children 18 -3 didn't you mention that band?
Yeah something. Yeah found grace in the strangest
places the Christian yeah it's house of heroes
again I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing I will
say I feel like all of them this the one that
could go both ways but it's Coldplay that's song
two of theirs that I know let's do one more we
are more than the sum of our fears oh man um
i feel like i was listening to this song recently
but if you're gonna name the band and i'm gonna
be like i don't know who that is uh christian
house of heroes again i tried to pull some that
you would like maybe no so all right well you
did pretty well For uh, not knowing which coldplay
music i'm gonna have to pull up which ones these
are I just know chat gbt. He's got a weird relationship
with house of heroes It keeps trying to tell
me it's a tooth and nail band and i've been trying
i've been trying to teach chat gbt About christian
music. So i'm sure what you've been teaching
it played into uh where I am with it today. So
Worked out. Well worked out. Well, all right
Let's uh, just real quick talk about what we've
been listening to lately anything for you brandon
Yeah, um, I've been listening to I Ordered it
mail. I got the Fipeste this world ain't mine
to change on vinyl. Oh nice So I've been enjoying
that velvet blue was running a deal where if
you spent it goes like $30 You got a free t -shirt.
Hmm, and I was like you don't have to tell me
twice You're in and so um, was it not available
on CD? I think it's available I'm pretty sure
yeah, it's available on CD, but I got that and
then I got the rocky valentines They had I think
it was the Thanksgiving happy Thanksgiving. Yeah,
but it came with a bunch of stickers. Yeah, and
One thing I'll say too about velvet blue is if
you order something they throw in all this free
stuff with it So they'll throw in a bunch of
like promotional items. And so I'm a huge fan
of I have so many jeff cloud signed pictures
um because with every order he like takes a picture
with a camera and then signs it oh so yeah there
was a picture of owl that came in there and i
was like i was like i don't know it was a band
coming out and i was like i don't know he just
does that with like all the orders it's awesome
i love that it's super fun for me um mxpx is
coming to town um pretty soon and so i've been
listening up Lot to you to that just kind of
in preparation. Are you going to that show? I
think so. I don't it's the same weekend as our
Anniversary stuff like I need to check with Jordan
before I just go to a band I've never heard before
I might have an extra ticket if you don't have
one already Okay, so let me know but yeah, I've
been listening to a lot of MXPX especially there's
like a few records that I never like Spent a
lot of time listening to you. So I've been working
through that All right, well, let's kind of dig
into where we're going for today. All right,
well, we are back again. We've got our good friend
Zeke McKinney from the band Idle Threat, who
is here back with us today, man. Zeke, thanks
for joining us again. You're welcome. It's my
honor. Yeah, we're super pumped. And Zeke, you
brought one of your favorite records to us to
talk about today. And that album is The Burning
Edge of Dawn by Andrew Peterson. And so I'm going
to give a quick bio and then we can all kind
of talk about just kind of some opening thoughts
about Andrew Peterson and our past with them
and stuff. But The Burning Edge of Dawn is the
11th studio album by Andrew Peterson. Centricity
Music released the album on October 9, 2015.
I thought this was interesting. Instead of entering
the studio with a full set of songs, Peterson
arrived with only about a song and a half. and
wrote most of the material during the recording
sessions with his producer Gabe Scott. And because
the songs were written in real time, Peterson
said the album reflects what was happening in
his life at that moment, what he described as
seeing the first glimmers of sunrise after a
long, painful night. So the themes revolve around
suffering, faith, perseverance, and hope emerging
after darkness. Also, this is a very well -reviewed
album across the board. I couldn't find any bad
reviews on this one. I'm excited to dig into
it. Zeke, tell us a little bit, when we asked
you, you had a couple of ideas first. We talked
about maybe a Reliant K record, but then you
ultimately landed on this Andrew Peterson record.
Why did you pick this one and why is this such
an important album for you? Oh, man. Yeah, I
definitely I feel like I could have done the
Reliant K record is, of course, like one of the
best albums of all time. There's not a bad track
on that record. All 14 tracks. But when I thought
about it more deeply, like like what album has
the Lord used in my life as a person to make
me more like him and to grow me in my faith and
I had to be real it's definitely this Andrew
Peterson album like it's just the impact that
it's had on me personally is just it goes way
beyond the first time I listen to it you know
I still come back to these songs a lot yeah I
just I remember the season of life that these
songs met me in and how much it was exactly what
I needed at that time. Mm hmm. Yeah. It had to
be this it had to be this album, although I love
by relying back to those songs I do, but just
in a different way. I was still in Brandon earlier.
It's so fun that the the idol threat guy brings
an Andrew Peterson album to talk about. That's
me, man. I love it so much. I love it so much.
Can't wait to talk about it. Brandon, what about
you and Andrew Peterson? Like, what's your history?
All right. I'm going to be really honest about
this. Going into the album, I don't know why
I thought this, but I was expecting like, like
the almost. So I expected it. I was like, Oh
man, that's a cool cover. And like, I guess the
songs kind of sound like, yeah, I could see someone
like screaming and all. Um, so for me going into
it, I, I feel like it's very safe to say that
I don't think I, I've listened to very little,
um, entrepreneurs going into it. Um, so for me,
it was exciting to, um, get introduced to like
an artist that I, um, That I really knew nothing
about and I will say spoiler like we talk a lot
about how like I feel like I Fall way more into
the lyric side than like the music kind of guy
So I found a very pleasant surprise going into
this album. So you're in a good place with that
for sure We we've sung, um at least one of andrew
peterson's songs at church brandon. So So you've
really heard some Pias. My problem is, I've told
this Jared, our worship leader, that I don't
listen to like a lot of like radio and all. So
whenever the songs do come on the radio, I think
to myself like, oh, that's Jared's song. I don't
think Jared is singing someone's song. most of
the time, if I was to listen to that song, I
would probably be like, that's Jackie's song.
Jackie is singing his song. That's fun. I would
assume it's probably, is he worthy? Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Great. That's a great song. Um, for
me, I, so I, Andrew Peterson goes back a few
years for me, probably not this far back. Interestingly.
Um, I think I came across his stuff first, like
with some of his like advent music. Yeah. And
then I really enjoyed his resurrection hymns
record when that one came out. I also randomly
have his his books that he wrote the wing feather
saga. Oh, I haven't read those yet, but I've
heard they're good. Yeah, which is really cool.
They are good. I got I read them with my kids
when they were younger. Um, but for me, the biggest
thing probably has been last year, Brandon, you
probably remember when we did our top 10 albums
of 2025. One of my top 10 was his, um, Liturgy
Legacy and the Songs of Rich Mullins, um, record
was in my, was in my top 10 last year because
I love Rich Mullins so much. And, um, and that
record specifically, that cover of Liturgy Legacy
and A Ragamuffin Band by Rich Mullins. And so,
um, I kick -started that. um before it came out
and so i think the vinyl might be on its way
to my house right now which i'm pumped about
so like right this very minute yeah i literally
think it's in the mail right now oh okay so yeah
it took a while for that thing to dude i'm right
there with you love ridge mowans and i'm sure
that's part of the reason why i i also love andrew
peterson yeah I feel like the two go together
very well. Yeah, so we'll get into that as we
kind of walk through it So well, let's kind of
jump straight in then um into our discussion
of the record. So the burning edge of dawn and
your peterson, um I'm gonna be honest with you
guys something crazy happened to me when I was
listening to this all the way through and um,
and I was writing down my notes somehow my Phone
was put on shuffle mode And so I completely,
I've since gone back and listened to this in
the right order, but all of my notes are in the
wrong order. And so I had to go back and renumber
all the numbers after I wrote on all my notes.
And so for the first time I listened to it, I
didn't get to listen to it. I feel like cohesively
the way that Andrew Peterson wanted me to listen
to it. I listened to it out of order, but that's
okay. It'll be fine. I did listen to the first
song first. And so the first song is The Dark
Before the Dawn. What do you guys think about
that one? Zeke, you want to go first? Oh, yeah,
I love this song. 2016 was one of the worst years
of my life. I went through a lot that year and
I lost one of my best friends in high school.
I did a motorcycle accident. We were 21 and it's
that age where you think that's never gonna happen.
You get that call that we're gone. And the words
that you thought you'd never hear that this person
is gone, who you loved so much. And it just,
that happening sent me down like a spiral that
year of just a lot of depression that I wasn't
talking about. and a lot of doubt in my faith.
I really doubt God's goodness because of suffering.
And that is what this album is about. God's goodness
and suffering. And this song, I think it was
one of the first songs that really hit me. So
yeah, this song means a lot to me. so for me
whenever you're going into like you've never
heard someone I feel like that first um that
first song is kind of like how you'd mention
it during an interview about like the debut album
like you're like this is my shot and so I think
that like sometimes you can be met with like
a oh this is not going to be fun or you're like
oh okay this is decent like they're kind of just
whatever um but then sometimes you are hit with
something that you're like this is Amazing right
off the bat and I think for me like Not not knowing
at all what to expect I enjoyed that I was met
with this very genuine and like personal song
and I felt like I didn't have to like Like as
soon as I heard this I was like I don't have
to wait for the good stuff like I don't have
to go through like this like an appetizer of
some like Garlic bread before I get to like the
good stuff. I felt like right off the bat. I
was like This is this is gonna be good Because
it's just kind of like everything that I would
want from an album is like right there So I enjoyed
that right off the bat. It was like, oh, I'm
I'm looking forward to this and to be honest
So, you know you talked about like listen out
of order the first time I went through this afterwards
I realized oh I was supposed to like write reviews
for stuff so like I listened to the whole album
and I had like two tracks that I'd made that
comments on and I think that's like Probably
since doing this. It's the first time that I've
ever just sat through and like Enjoyed an album
and it wasn't like oh, this is this is a business
or like let me write my reviews then later on
I'll go back and listen to it. Um So yeah, i'm
i'm right there with you. Zeke. I feel like it
it starts off just a really really good note
But you Joel Yeah, for sure. I um, i'm actually
pulling up the so I don't get the track listing
Yeah, I it's fun. We've talked about rich Mullins
that literally the first note that I have is
rich Mullins II And so it just felt like something
rich Mullins would be writing if rich was still
writing songs today I yeah, I loved everything
about this track The I love the like piano like
line that's like going down I usually Brandon
usually brings the like talk about the lyrics
and I usually bring the talk about the music
But I feel like on an album like this. You can't
not have a lot of talk about the lyrics and so
I actually have most of my thoughts I feel like
even though I love what's happening musically
to you on this one But yeah, I feel like this
song sets up really well kind of like the theme
of the record. It's like Knowing that hope is
coming and that it's around the corner but still
kind of being on the the back edge of it in brokenness
and experiencing things I just I Really like
where this kind of like set the pace and set
the tone for for what's to come So yeah, it was
great were your thoughts Joel on every star is
a burning flame I I like I like a lot the guitar
that's coming in when the song kind of kicks
in. Yeah, I wrote that I like story songs, like
songs that kind of tell a story. And I felt like
this was a really great example of that. And
I kind of also wrote down Paul Simon on this.
I got some like Paul Simon kind of vibes from
it in like a really good way. But yeah, and there
was a line about I'm trying to remember exactly
how it goes about a star being a burning flame
to like a heart being burning flame But yeah,
I thought I thought there were some really good
imagery. I really liked it. Yeah, what about
you Zeke? Yeah, this is this is one of the Songs
I feel like on the album. He kind of takes like
a detour. Mm -hmm. It's not like the most like
We're diving into grief. Yeah, like hey, we're
gonna like tell a story for a second It's almost
like he's just painting a picture of like he
was you know But musically it's failing. I feel
like it's one of the more interesting songs on
the album like drumbeat is really cool There's
a couple like drum fills in there. I'm like,
oh wow. That was really groovy and The guitar
works good One of the things I love about Andrew
Peterson is that unlike most Christian artists,
unlike most CCM artists, he's just willing to
be a storyteller. He's just willing to be a poet.
He's willing to use robust but flowery language
and tell us to use his lofty words to bring you
into a story and write beautiful and compelling
way that almost feels like on K love you're not
allowed to do that yeah yeah and he just that's
that's that's the rich melons you know that's
like i'm willing to write this song like in the
most beautiful and compelling way that i can
um and do it excellently and he just he does
that well on this song where he just like he
just he's just telling a story And it's compelling.
This comes up a few times in some of these songs,
but I enjoy that there isn't like a manual. He
doesn't have like an instructional guide to like
how to like produce an album. And I appreciate
that because I think even sometimes with albums
like this, it's like it like you're like, oh,
you have to follow the story. So it's like he's
There's a little bit of sad at the beginning,
but then all of a sudden, no, he's already good.
Like by track three, he's, you know, he's everything's
resolved for like our main character. And I just,
I enjoyed that like even following up, it's not
like, like y 'all said, it's like this detour
of like, here's like a little story. It's not
like I have, I don't have to comment more on
like, well, let's talk a little bit more about
the dark or like the first track I'm talking
about, like. You know, like six in the morning,
but now I'm going to talk about like six fifteen
in the morning, you know, like it's kind of him
doing his own thing. And so I enjoyed that I
was already kind of picking up on like, OK, like
I enjoy this first track and I don't I don't
know where we're going now. Like I don't I don't
have it mapped out of. Oh, yeah. I know what
you're going to do next. It's good. Mm hmm. Yeah,
this song is kind of like. You know, I don't.
If I'm being honest, I don't know what the point
of this song is. I'm not sure what is Andrew
Peterson's mind, but I still find it compelling.
Just the story of like, like I can just think
of a time like where the first line, I pulled
the car off to the side and walked along a starry
hill in Idaho. Like all of a sudden I'm there.
Like I'm on that hill and I just feel what he
feels without him having to tell me what he feels.
That right there is good storytelling. That's
good writing right there. And I feel like I've
done that before. Songwriters take note, like
mention states in your songs. Yeah. It's funny,
though, he does it later with Tennessee. And
I'm like, I was immediately there like when he
does it. I know exactly what he's talking about.
He does. He does mention North Carolina. Yeah,
I heard that song. I started thinking about like.
Oh yeah, that time I broke down in North Carolina.
I was like, I'm feeling this song. Love that.
Yeah. It's like in the later on this song, it
says, I remember Mr. Green and I were walking
down a busy street in Louisville. I'm like, who's
Mr. Green? Got no idea. Right. But I can, I can
picture like me and a friend walking down a busy
street in Louisville and feeling the next line.
So he talks about The sign said Merton looked
around and all the people passing by were shining
like the sun and beautiful. Yeah, this is a great
line. Like, what's the point? I don't know, but
you're bringing me into the story of the record
and that's meaningful. It is. And I think it
fits really well as a second track because it's
just a reminder of. That like even I feel like
in the midst of pain and difficulty and brokenness,
that there are still these like glimmers and
moments of joy that exist. And so. But believe
me, I'd love to sit down with Andrew Peterson
and say, what were you thinking when you wrote
this? We'll have you guys back together on the
podcast. And we love it. Track three, we will
survive. Brandon, what do you think about this
one? um so i i really enjoyed um something that
like we see a lot is just the build up of stuff
that it's like the track does like at the beginning
you don't say okay this is going to be a guitar
one or anything like that so it's kind of like
you're seeing where where is he going to take
it Um, and I wrote down, it reminded me of a
mix of rich Mullins and Stephen curse Chapman.
Um, but what's funny is this auto corrected in
my notes to Rick Mullins. So I kind of laughed
when I read that and I just started thinking
of like rich Mullins is like, I don't know, like
his cousin from like South Carolina or something.
So it made me just start thinking of like, Oh,
but so yeah, that'd be a totally different ball
game. Zeke, what about you? For We Will Survive?
Yeah. Yeah. I love this song. Again, it's just
Andrew Peterson being really vulnerable and real,
particularly about his marriage. And I wasn't
married when I first listened to this record,
but I am now. in a way, this album has followed
me throughout the years of my life. And I find
myself relating even deeper to songs on this
record now that I didn't then, while also still
having the connection to the other songs that
spoke to me more deeply then. And there's a couple
songs on this album like that, but this is one
of them where I really feel this a lot. I think,
gosh, what's that line? um oh yeah yeah yeah
i need to it's in the chorus um i need to know
there's nothing left to fear there's nothing
left to hide so will you look me in the eyes
and say we will survive yeah like i can't there's
just so many times or like i think i just need
someone to tell me it's gonna be okay i don't
need someone to give me the answer for this darkness
i just need someone to say hey it's gonna be
okay survive and uh it's really simple but profound
i love that um yeah i think this is one of my
favorite tracks um on the album and um maybe
i mean brandon you brought up that this sounded
like rich mullins but um this song starts off
with like a hammer dulcimer which is like um
it's very that is very rich melons like i don't
know any other artists in the christian world
that did that um that's like the epitome of who
he is and so and and yeah i did like um i i like
i closed my eyes and almost felt like i was hearing
him sing again um which was cool and so i loved
it for that on its own but but then when you
bring in just the themes of That there is hope
and we will persevere and we will Survive like
I really really loved it. I love the groove that
the song gets into you. So yeah, this one's one
of my favorite ones I Wonder you know rich never
got married. So everything you're saying is just
rich moments for married people Our next track
my one safe place Zeke, what'd you think about
this track? Similar or similar to the last one
in a different way, but just I feel this one
a lot. A lot deeper now, a lot deeper now that
I'm married to be totally real and vulnerable
in 2016. I also lost my friend, but I also went
through a breakup, so. So this song kind of hit
me in a different way of just like it may be
more sad back then. But now it's just like I
just feel what he's talking about like I Feel
like he's writing this album like one honoring
Christ as a fast light and darkness and Then
also honoring his his wife a lot on this album.
Yeah You just just be in there like yes me through
all this crap and being, as the song says, my
one safe place. And I feel like I understand
that a little bit more now, where it's like,
man, sometimes my wife does feel like the only
safe place, or just a blessing it is to come
home and have someone that not only wants you,
but needs you and loves you. So I wrote that
lyrics are like, really like shining on this
album. And I think at this point, just start
kind of noticing like oh man there's a lot of
like depth like there hasn't been a track yet
that wasn't like something that you could dive
into um and i think what i love too is that this
song is such a great example of a lot of times
in the christian world I think especially like
in worship music, you start falling on the same
descriptions of Jesus. So it's like everyone
is saying, like, oh, that's like a mighty flame,
or it's like, you know, it's as deep as the river
goes, or you know, whatever. And I love that
the way Andrew puts it, it makes it feel so much
more personal, because it feels like he's sitting
down going like, what is Jesus to me, or what
is this going on? It's not just... like googling
like how did i how do i describe the feelings
i'm feeling right now you know i think it's like
the difference is like right now if i just googled
like what what love is versus like if someone
came up to me and i just took time to think like
what does love mean to me like if i take that
time it's gonna mean so much more than me just
finding like the google you know like um definition
of it so i feel like for me that just kind of
like has been shining through on the album. Yeah,
yeah, it definitely exists. You listen to this
album and you can hear the authenticity of it.
It's like he's like sitting. It's like sitting
down at a dining room table and he's just like
telling you like, all right, let me tell you
about a season. Mm hmm. And it's great. Yeah.
Yeah, this one I really liked a lot, too. And
I just loved like. he he does this thing as a
songwriter where he drops references and if you
know the reference then you get it and if you
don't it sounds good still but um yeah i like
he like he mentions um i'm a lost boy out in
the trees like like i'm tying that back to peter
pan but like But it like fits both ways, like
whether you tie it back to that or not. But yeah,
it's just fun. Um, and so I, I really like this,
this one for sure as a guy who at this point
in my life has been married for 20, almost 23
years. Um, yeah, it, I still feel this way. And
so even I was listening to this song with my
wife yesterday and it, it just brought, um, brought
all of that back. And so it's a beautiful track.
Yeah. Alright, so next track is The Rain Keeps
Falling. Zeke, what are your thoughts on this
one? This is one of the best on the album, I
think. In this song, I feel like he just really,
really dove into the grief and the despair he
was feeling. And it's so relatable. So relatable.
Kind of like that like No matter what I do the
rain like it the the refrain is like the rain
keeps falling and Yeah It's just something that
if if you feel it you feel it, you know, if you
know, you know like and when I heard this song
I was like, yes, I Feel like I'm there right
now and I this song just like understood me way
that I need it and in a way that like I still
need sometimes and I find myself coming back
to it. I think the third verse gosh is so good
like where he says my daughter and I put the
seeds in the dirt and every day now we've been
watching the earth for a sign that this death
will give way to a birth and the rain keeps falling
and all of a sudden the rain keeps falling starts
to become a beautiful thing because the good
that it brings out of death one that's just so
biblical two it's so beautiful and three that
breathes so much purpose into my suffering now
and all of a sudden i'm not here suffering in
despair for no reason anymore like God is doing
something beautiful in this season through this
death that I'm feeling It's just I don't know
I could talk about that this song specifically
for a long time Yeah, man. I was not I was not
ready. I don't think I was ready for this Like
I was listening to this and there's such good
like imagery throughout it like oh My goodness
that like the line So I'm stuck in this tomb
and you won't move the stone and the rain keeps
falling. Um, the one, the one that got me, um,
there's a woman at home and she's praying for
a light. My children are there and they love
me in spite of the shadow. I know that they see
in my eyes. Um, like I wrestle with that as a
dad now and like realizing that my kids often
see me in like my worst moments and my hardest
moments. And I feel that. And, and so like, I'm
with this. And then, man, when that last one
hit like about the seeds in the dirt and that
turn happens, I got super emotional and was not
ready for it. But I'm like. I even as like a
songwriter myself, like I couldn't. I don't I
don't know, like I wasn't expecting it somehow,
and I I. I felt it like in a deep deep way when
that happened that that turn happened in the
song and it's not that like everything it's not
like everything got fixed but it's like his perspective
began to be shifted and he began to see his suffering
and his pain in a different way and i feel like
that's so i mean that's that's like our life
and what we walk through and like the hope is
that we can see that the testing of our faith
produces perseverance and not just pain um but
um man this this one gutted me it's such a good
song holy cow we all want everybody wants deep
down you know i think i think sometimes people
Maybe, you know, myself included in times of
my life, but we sometimes lobby unfair criticisms
at God, I think. Like, why didn't he just make
the world perfect? Well, first thing is that
he did, but like, why did he allow sin, right?
If he's all sovereign, right? But I think deep
down, none of us want a perfect life. We want
a meaningful life. And I don't think a life without
suffering is that meaningful and This song really
teaches you that mm -hmm and and just such an
inspiring way And yeah, and I love at the end
he just starts it almost feels like he's just
singing off the top of his head at the end Yeah
He's saying Lord, I can't find the song. Well,
I'm so tired I'm always so wrong like the like
words that are just on the tip of your mind right
when you're going through something hard, right
and Then it I don't know. There's just something
he's talking about being in a cave, right and
and Then he just starts singing is it you is
it you yeah true is it you Dude, I just felt
that so deep. It's almost like the song is bringing
you to a place where he's in a cave and you can
see a light. And he's asking, is that you, Lord?
Are you with me? And it's just beautiful. It's
beautiful. I'm really glad we're all on the same
page because I have a history of usually our
guest and Joel will be like this song is life
-changing and I'll be like that probably the
first miss on the album if you ask me so I'm
really glad that we're all on the same page so
I wrote like when I discovered the band me without
you they introduced me Ernie would love you right
now So they introduced the idea that a song can
be a story. Like, it doesn't have to be a chorus.
And I feel like for them, there are so many songs
I would hear where it would be like, you are
doing, you're painting such a picture and it's
amazing. But then the chorus immediately is like,
I'm taken out of it. It's almost like a musical.
Like, my problem with musicals have always been
that, okay, if you're really struggling with
this, like, How is it that you and 20 people
have this perfect choreography? Like I'm immediately
taken out of the story of like, oh, no, this
is a movie. This is a performance. This isn't
like real. And for me, I just thought like this
is such a good example of that is that if you
had some chorus break in, like I don't I don't
I don't think you could write a chorus that would
have made it to where, yep, this song is better
because we had two verses, you know, or whatever.
I felt like it just benefited so much from not
having this like eight lines we have to bounce
back to and um since y 'all both shared lines
that you loved um one of the lines I loved was
um I'm so tired of this game of these songs of
the rote I'm already ashamed of the line I just
wrote yeah and I just I felt like I feel like
for me that was something I looked at and thought
like i know for me there's been a lot of times
where especially i feel like in ministry if my
heart's not in it it's like you're just trying
to like check a box or you're like i didn't have
time to do that so it'll be fine i'll just reuse
i'll reuse like a graphic or a video that we
made a couple of weeks ago and it's just just
immediately like yeah this isn't fulfilling because
i didn't take the time like i tried to like bypass
this or whatever um I feel like for me, this
is probably my favorite song off the album. Just
a really, really cool song. Yeah, I love that
verse, too. And I love that line where he says,
I'm already ashamed of the line I just wrote.
Yeah, just heard. It's almost like he like broke
a rule writing that. Yeah. Breaking the third
wall. Yeah, it's like he broke the fourth wall
by writing that line. It's like. He immediately
took you out of the spell of the song and took
you into him in a room writing these lyrics down
Mm -hmm. I'm ashamed of this line I just wrote
and instead of that like taking away from the
song it adds more to the vulnerability mm -hmm
as a real person writing a real song about his
life, and he just admitted that he's ashamed
of the line he wrote like It's something about
that drew it draws me even deeper in yeah It's
cool. I love it. Next up we have the shortest
title of the album rejoice Joel, what'd you think
about rejoice? Yeah. Well, I wrote down the note.
This is the first really chill song I don't really
know if that's true because I wasn't listening
to it in order But that's one of my notes anyways,
no, I I love I love this one I think I feel like
on an album like this You have to take nature
and creation and talk about spring, because it's
such a beautiful picture of turnover, of life.
I think one of my favorite quotes by Martin Luther
is that the Lord has written the promise of resurrection,
not in books alone, but on every leaf in springtime.
and how, obviously, creation declares the glory
of God, like we get to see it and experience,
but we also get to experience the gospel in new
life. And it's spring right now, and I've been
outside as much as I can be just because I feel
like I'm literally living and breathing in hope
and pollen. I was about to say, I feel like I
haven't been breathing in hope, but some Zyrtec
will help me. Uh, but, um, but yeah, so I love,
I love just, I love the theme of spring. And
so I feel like, um, this song does, does a great
job of drawing that out and then just keeping
it going. Again, I wrote down very Mullins. Um,
um, there's, there's a great, a great build.
Um, and this, this, I feel like this is a song
that starts off, um, Think on this song he does
this more so than in the other songs But they're
they're the dynamics of it or bigger like it
starts smaller and it gets bigger than a lot
of these tracks do and always Appreciate that
feeling especially when you're talking about
new life sort of so mm -hmm. Yes Definitely,
how about you Zeke? Yeah This is a very rich
Mullen song to me about more that hammer dulcimer.
Yeah and uh it just kind of it fits it gives
it like a brighter feel you know and this song
over joys right uh the first line in the song
is and when the winter is over right so it is
a very like spring feel like song um one of my
favorite lines in this song is um um it's the
second verse And when the peace turns to danger,
the nights are longer than days, and every friend
has a stranger's face. Then deep within the dungeon
cell, you have to make a choice. I love that.
I love that. Sometimes you do have to make a
choice. And that, I guess that can feel kind
of like defeating, like what? I just have to
choose? But in the same time, it's like, Like
like no like you have the power to choose like
don't have to roll over and die to your like
depression Now it's not always that easy the
feelings don't come always but like The beautiful
thing is that in Christ like it's not an unreasonable
choice to make Choose the choice despite your
sadness, right? We always have a reason to but
I just love that. He gave us this call in the
middle of this album about sadness He gave us
this call to make the choice. Yeah So yeah, the
message is simpler in this song, but still just
great great track Yeah, I feel like for me it
was um Like a simpler track, but I feel like
that's nice when you get to like throw that in
you know like I feel like when you hear that
you think it's Okay. Well, it's not as good as
the rest or whatever, but I feel like it really
fits To throw in a song like this That just have
a little bit of a like easier vibes or kind of
like you're getting at so Yeah, and it feels
great right after the heavy weight of Yeah, yeah,
it does. Yeah, that's a good point All right.
Track seven is I want to say I'm sorry Brandon.
What do you think about this one? Um, so I started
off with the lyrics that stood out was well,
I want to say I'm sorry, but I don't know how
And I think that this album is just full of songs
that check every box and that's music That's
lyrics. Um, and then there's that extra box where
it's like the artist believes what they're saying
and I think that like it's in and out of christian
music like it's important because i mean like
even if it's like just a statement about someone
singing about like their wife or something that
they think social change or you know whatever
like you want there to be this like sincerity
um but i think in christian music like even more
so like you you expect that and you're almost
you're you're not almost like you are held to
that standard of like or you're not just singing
this so that you can take my money you know and
then i'll buy tickets for your your show or buy
your cd um and i just i think that like just
the songs and this album is everything is checks
those boxes where it's like there's nothing where
it's like well he's focusing on the lyrics so
the music's gonna suffer or he's gonna have to
like change his tone a little bit and I love
that so much of the album has been kind of the
same themes, but they haven't like worn out their
welcome. Like I don't find myself thinking like,
OK, can we can we get happy now or can we stop
mentioning like it's it's still like enjoying
the album? Yeah. Yeah, that's good. Zeke. Yeah,
I love this track. I feel this even more deeply
than the first time I heard it now being married.
I've said I'm sorry to my wife a lot. Well, I
say it hopefully I'll say it more but if I'm
being real I hope I don't but if I'm being real
I should I Love that this song gives voice to
that it gives dignity and it gives like respect
to like a man Humbling himself and saying he's
sorry. Yeah, I I could go deep into my testimony
about how Having a dad who was willing to say
he was sorry changed my life And how important
that is I believe as a man to be willing to just
say I'm sorry And how hard that is a lot of times
I think our culture Preaches against that and
preaches wrong views of manhood. Yeah But it's
actually really strong. It's a really strong
thing to do to say I'm sorry, but my my favorite
verse in this is The second verse I think he
says well, I want to say I'm sorry But it's not
enough to close the wounds that I opened up So
now I've got I've got this sorrow and you've
got this hurt and we can't go back to who we
were Mm -hmm says oh, but could that mean I'm
someone new Maybe I can love you better than
I've failed to do and I love those lines Good
I think I've never really understood, like, when
you hear people say, like, well, they're just
not the same person that I married. Yeah. My
thought is, like, what, 15 years ago? Of course
they're not. That was 15 years ago. Like, everyone
changes. Like, that's kind of what you signed
up for, right? Yeah. I know that can be oversimplifying
15 years of someone's life, but to give that
as a main reason, like, well, I, you know, I
just can't do this because they're not the same
person I married I think is ridiculous and I
love how he points this out like yeah we can't
go back to who we were because of what's happened
but and then he immediately breathes hope into
that like oh but that could mean I'm someone
new and that means I can love you even better
than I it could be better than it was before
if we Stop romanticizing what once was and accept
our reality now we can move forward and I That's
so beautiful and a right way to look at it. It's
full of them. Yeah Yeah, there's a lot that I
love about this one. I love the the bridge and
The they'll tell you everything is beautiful
and pure but there was poison in the well from
years before just the idea that we all walk We
all walk into relationships with baggage and
brokenness and, and then we have to navigate
not just the present with this person, but the
way that all of the past has affected that present.
Um, but how that ultimately leads us to be people
that are willing to forgive and confess. And
so I love then how the song ends up on, so this
is my communion hymn. I want to sit beside you
at the feast, my friend again and again and again
and again. Um, just this idea of. remembering,
one, who we are now in Christ, but two, always
being willing that... Being people that are willing
to confess to each other, even to our spouse.
Yeah, I think it's beautiful. Right. Another
Martin Luther quote, one of the... This is, I
think he said, the whole of the Christian life
is repentance. Don't move on past repentance.
You're actually supposed to get better and better
at it. It's so good. It's the most that we've
quoted Martin Lee during an episode. So I think
that's the most time we've we've mentioned like
quoted lyrics to a lot of records today with
Pretty awesome. Um, our next track is be kind
to yourself Zeke would you think about that track?
This is one I've come back to a lot on times
when I I need a reminder so so hard on myself.
Now, not to negate what we talked about in the
last song, that doesn't mean I keep myself from
repenting or like I don't accept conviction of
my sins, but just when that turns into self -condemnation,
it has entered into a sinful realm, I think.
And this is just such a great song. It is also
another kind of like simple message. But it's
such a needed message So don't be mean to yourself
be kind to yourself and I Love the line. It's
super simple, but That how does it end when the
war that you're in is just you against you against
you you got to learn to love your enemies, too
That's so good. Forget that we're treating ourselves
like an enemy and God said So yeah, I love the
the message behind this song I'm pretty sure
that he wrote this for his daughter At least
all signs point to that in the in the song And
so I kind of I kind of hear it as like a fatherly
reminder. Yeah Kind of do yourself. Yeah, that's
really good. That was my favorite section to
Being at war with yourself and loving your enemies.
Yeah such a powerful idea Yeah, I love that it
does seem like a fatherly reminder like a dad
to a daughter But then also like our Heavenly
Father to us just as a constant constant reminder.
So it's good Yeah, I feel like it's um, it's
like it's such a like a good message I wrote
down to I feel like you could create a sermon
series based on this album Because at the end
I was like man, I feel like everyone here You
could just have like I mean you already have
your titles right there, too That we will survive
my one safe place the rain keeps falling. It's
sound cool, too You have good sermons and you'd
have good uh, it's like you've been on a church
staff for a few years now things that are coming
to your mind Yeah, I have thoughts on that um
coming up oh cool um all right so next track
i've got to i'll have to repull up my thing next
track is um track number nine the power of a
great affection um zeke what do you think about
this one uh this might be my favorite song yeah
yeah i love this song come back to it a lot It's
actually in my Instagram bio. I once heard a
story, I don't know if this is where this came
from, but I once heard a story that in a country
in Africa, I'm not sure where, it might be a
region of Africa, but whenever the body of Christ
in that region of Africa, whenever someone was
saved, they wouldn't say, oh that person was
saved, they would say that person was seized
by the power of her great affection. I just thought
that was like so beautiful, such a way to describe
like God's love overcoming my sin, you know?
And I just love it. I love that. I don't know
where Andrew Peterson was drawing from when he
wrote this, but I've heard that phrase before
and I just think it's Such a great way to describe
what it means to And I love that this out this
song within the album is Again, kind of a departure
from the storytelling nature. Mm -hmm. It just
like a just kind of like a worship song but not
like not like a corporate K love or even like
a corporate like Sunday morning like just in
person like Okay, I feel like I could hear Andrew
Peterson just singing this alone in his room
like It's almost like a testimonial personal
worship song and it just feels so pure -hearted
to me Yeah, and one of those that like I have
like found myself singing over and over and over
again throughout the year since I first heard
it So there's there's a A famous 19th century
sermon by Thomas Chalmers called The Expulsive
Power of a New Affection. Yes, I've heard that
one, too. That I think is kind of where the idea
of that comes from. Yeah. So you can read it
online. So maybe the pastor that told that first
story was wrong. But what jumped out to me was
the power of the phrase. Yeah. Yeah. used by
the power of a great affection i just love that
i think they probably all feed just off of each
other in a lot of different ways but yeah um
building up what you said zeke so like we've
had a couple artists on here and i feel like
i'm trying to like get this term going but i
because i was like i don't know how to kind of
describe like what you were describing and we've
had a couple artists on here that we've reviewed
um like peste and chris ranzima and i was like
it's almost like You're looking through like
their journal. Like you said, they're not writing
this song to be like cool There's gonna be songs
across the country. They're singing this on sunday
mornings. Yeah, it's more of you're just like
Man, it's not it's not the most like beautiful
or polished but like this is how I guess it goes
back to like describing like if I describe love
to you, it's not gonna be This very well put
together thing. It's gonna be me going like oh
well this is the times like love's not this because
this was a bad relationship with whoever but
like this is the really good good things you
know with love so like it's going to be very
like kind of all over the place yeah but at the
end like it makes sense and um i kind of feel
the same way about that song It's probably my
favorite genre of music whatever it is that you
call it journal or journal worship journal worship
My top two albums of last year fall in that category.
So When John Van Dusen as long as I am in the
10 in this body, I will make a joyful noise fellow
tooth and nail Sort of current guy. I don't know
if you've ever listened to his stuff, but it's
so good Um and john van deessen john van deessen.
Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I'm a big fan. Yeah, he's
great I've been listening to a lot of his newer
stuff. Yeah, like that new album he released.
Yeah Got some really good songs. It's unbelievable.
And then um john gara or john guera his I love
oh my god That record. Holy cow. I love john
gara, man Yeah, hit the past three albums have
been so good. So good all of it. Oh my goodness.
Yeah, I just get that was His Jesus record was
my number one record last year. Just really incredible.
Yeah. But I loved his album Ordinary Ways. Yeah,
it's so good. It's so good. But that song let
a little light in. You talk about a song that
would fit on this record thematically. Like,
yeah, man. Yeah, it's great. Yeah, I love this
track. I literally wrote that down as a note.
Love this one. I love that there's like a line
about, where is it? I want to make sure I get
it right because I don't want to blow it. So
Father, I'll give you thanks and praise. The
sun has opened wide the gate of glory. He declared
your mighty love and gave his grace and I will
tell his story. It is my story. Um, uh, so good.
Yeah right there. Yep Such such a great track.
Yeah, so All right, and we move to our final
track, uh, joel your thoughts on the sower's
son, man Um, I oh, yeah I don't know if this
might be my favorite track on the record and
I probably Have weird reasons for it, but we're
we're about to starting on easter step into a
sermon series um, John 14 through 17 called abide.
And so this song just connected to me because
I've been spending a lot of time in those passages.
Um, but then he also takes it to what is maybe
my favorite chapter in all the Bible and Isaiah
55, um, from there and holy cow, like just the
connection of those two things and how like I've
never Spent a lot of time thinking about a thematic
connection between the two but But it works so
well as he brings them together here and I feel
like it's just such a great Cap to this record.
I mean he spends time talking about the rain
earlier in this record the rain keeps falling
and Here you find about how from Isaiah 55 like
the rain and the snow don't fall without purpose
But there it's all purposeful um and uh I just
feel like it's such a good tie to everything
lyrically it's incredible I love the melody like
I love everything about this song it's so good
yeah yeah it's awesome um this is a great way
to end the record yeah I feel it all up um again
I love his there's poetic writing like he just
pulls you into all the imagery he uses like uh
like i don't find a lot of like uh a lot of like
deeply christian artists that write things like
so i kneel at the bright edge of the garden at
the golden edge of dawn at the edge of spring
when the winter's edge is gone like that just
like uses so much like Colorful language and
like really draws you in And then right after
that he says and I can see the color green I
can hear the Sower song. I'm sure the color green
is a little rich melons. I know Yeah I'm sure
it's a little nugget, but I I also love the whole
I mean basically just just sings Isaiah 55 Word
for word that last part of the chapter, right?
And then like the ending refrain of, it will
not return void. We shall be let in peace and
go out with joy. But then the last line on the
album being that, and the sower leads us, is
so good. Just a reminder, like wherever you are,
like Jesus goes before you. Like kind of brings
it back to like, Psalm 23 verse 4, you know,
um, even though I walked through the valley of
shadow of death over fear, no evil for you are
with me, right? Um, just ending with that refrain
of and the sower leads us was just so good. Yeah.
It's powerful. Yeah. I think for me, I was really
enjoying this album and I was like, man, I hope
he like lands the plane because it was really,
really awkward at the last track. It's like,
oh man i don't know what that thing was um so
for me like it was almost like i found myself
being like i'm really enjoying this then i was
like oh it's the last track and it's like oh
man and it because it kind of has this build
like a lot of his stuff where it builds so at
the beginning i'm kind of like well if it just
kind of stays like here like am i okay with an
ending but i feel like this like big like ending
he has that it builds up to kind of like you
don't even have to have like ask that question
of oh is it okay if it ends like on a slower
thing because um, I think it's cool and I mentioned
a lot like I a lot of times see albums like as
um Like as concerts like if this guy was going
around performing like the 11 year anniversary
of this album Like if I sat in this show would
I leave there like loving it or would I be like,
oh didn't really do that concert but like I feel
like if you told me like yeah, he's doing a tour
or like he has a live album of this like i'd
go listen to it like as soon as i left here because
i was left like um really really enjoying it
um i mean i guess we'll be moving into final
thoughts now yeah go for it so yeah yeah just
kind of like building off of that like um you
know it's always it's always tricky when you
don't you don't know what to expect um I feel
like just like I said the first time I listened
through it like I found myself not even reviewing
it it was I'm listening to this just to enjoy
it and As someone who just like loves lyrics
like I just I found myself like loving this and
I think it's a testament that I feel like almost
every track we reviewed that there was Between
one to three of us, you know bringing up a line
that we really loved from it. Yeah and so for
me i feel like it's like i would say 4 .5 is
my rating for it so yeah man i love that um yeah
for me i'm so thankful that zeke you gave us
the opportunity to sit down and listen to this
beginning to end because i think i i had heard
some of these songs um but but this album does
something and it's purposeful and it goes somewhere
um and a lot of it is sitting in the midst of
struggle, just with hope for what is to come.
But it like it was a really powerful thing just
to sit with him as he's kind of walking through
the rawness of his journey. And I don't know
all the story of everything that he was walking
through when when he wrote this album. But but
the thing is, is like I after listening to some
of these songs i immediately have like people
that i'm like oh somebody needs to hear this
one and somebody needs to hear this one and I
think that's just the power of of strong songs
and strong songwriting is that I know I could
put some of these songs in the hands of people
that I know that are walking through difficulty
right now and it would minister to them in a
pretty powerful way and and so I'm super thankful
that we got to spend time working through it
and just kind of digging into a lot of these
ideas. The lyrics are incredibly, incredibly
rich and in two ways, but they're just really,
really powerful. And so I'm walking away from
this album with more hope myself, which I feel
like is exactly what Andrew Peterson would want
for me after listening to it. You can always
do a scale if I rate every track on the album
individually and then divide it to come up with
the average across the board. Even while we are
working through it, I'm adjusting some scores
in my head because I'm like, I really like that
song a lot. And so I think I'm ending up on a
four point three out of five which is pretty
Incredible for me after just listening to an
album a couple of times. So yeah, I loved it
loved it What about you? Oh Man, I feel like
I'm a little biased Which is totally okay And
I know it's probably easier for me to talk through
is that one because I've gosh I mean listen some
10 years you know um but i don't know probably
like a 4 .7 maybe it'd be way up there yeah yeah
yeah i i really like that and i know like i mentioned
a like a lot on these podcasts but like i love
when it's an album that you have people with
like varying degrees because there's so many
times where like The person bringing it will
be like, man, I've held on to this album for,
you know, five, 10, 15 years. And then like either
me or Joel, one of us will be like, yeah, like
I'm a big fan of the band. And then the other
one will be like, I've never listened to them.
And to me, like, it's so cool to dive through
because I think as a listener, because like my
mom will make comments about like, I don't know
any of these bands. And most of the time I'm
like, I don't know most of the bands that we're,
you know, covering. to me it's just so cool that
as a listener you get to have these like perspectives
towards not just like all three of us being like
we all love this band and for the next hour we're
just gonna say amazing things like it comes across
as like here's someone who's listened to this
song it has impacted their lives for you know
over a decade then you have me who's like oh
in the past 24 hours you know like it has really
like kind of made me think about like different
stuff and um I just think these are a lot of
times my favorite episodes because I get to find
new music and the listener gets to experience
a really cool band. I think that's cool too because
like you said, it doesn't always go this way,
but it's really fun when we find something that
we're like, oh man, this is... from what i've
seen online like um with the reviews for this
record they all range from like a 4 .5 to a five
um because i honestly feel like this is one of
those albums where if you sit with it and listen
to it and read the lyrics as you're listening
to it you i don't think you can help but walk
away impacted by it in a pretty powerful way
and so um man See, thanks for bringing us in
my life for sure he did. But yeah, yeah, of course,
man. It was it was a pleasure. Yeah. This has
been a lot of fun just getting to hang out with
you a little bit and kind of walk walk through
these things together. And so maybe we can do
it again down the road sometime. But but man,
we're really thankful that you took the time.
I know you have a lot going on and so I appreciate
you hopping out of your schedule to spend some
time with us and Talk with us about this record
and earlier talk with us about idle threat and
everything going on with you We're just super
thankful for you and everything that God's doing
through you. So Keep pressing on man Thank you,
man. It was very encouraging to talk to you guys.
I'm Equally filled with encouragement and hope
and thankful for you guys you guys as well. Keep
going. Keep doing it You've got it. You got it.
We'll keep pressing on well. Thanks again, man.
We'll transition out Such a fun conversation
there. Let's get into our lyric of the week.
All right, the lyric of the week this week comes
from Sower Song, So I Kneel. At the bright edge
of the garden, at the golden edge of dawn, at
the glowing edge of spring, when the winter's
edge is gone and I can see the color green, I
can hear the sower song. Andrew Peterson's good
with imagery. He makes me see things in my head,
so I've enjoyed digging into that record a lot.
This was a really fun conversation through that
album and of course hanging out with Zeke again.
But we've been really thankful that you joined
us and come find us at all the places, join the
conversations on social media, follow us on Facebook,
subscribe to the podcast, leave us a review.
We'll see you back next week.