|
Style: Spirited and howling folk music; compare to Josh Ritter, Tom Waits, White Stripes
Top tracks: "Home on Your Heart," "Maybe," "Black with Tears"
Strumpel's previous album, Elephants, was a thundering take on the Psalms; his new one, Birds, is a creature of another kind. This acoustic affair is nimble and light on its feet, but, if anything, even more tempestuous than its predecessor, a gloriously disheveled affair where hoarse vocals, furiously strummed guitars, and primal trumpet blasts meet in a kind of holy hoedown, the messy nature of the performances perfectly conjuring the spirit of the songs. Here, Strumpel takes inspiration from throughout Scripture—and from Song of Solomon, in particular—to bear witness to the chaos and confusion of earthly life, and remind us of the hope and healing we find in our Lover.
Copyright © 2011 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
Annual & Monthly subscriptions available.
- Print & Digital Issues of CT magazine
- Complete access to every article on ChristianityToday.com
- Unlimited access to 65+ years of CT’s online archives
- Member-only special issues
- Learn more
Read These Next
- TrendingAmerican Christians Should Stand with Israel under AttackWhile we pray for peace, we need moral clarity about this war.
- From the MagazineI Wanted a Bigger God Than My Hindu Guru OfferedAs my doubts about his teachings grew, so did a secret fascination with Jesus.
- Editor's PickHold Your ClapbacksC.S. Lewis recommended discernment over diatribes in exactly the moments we’re most eager to indulge in critique.