It's been a while since I posted about some the new albums I've been digging into lately, so I thought that it would be good.
We know he’s talented. He’s produced over a hundred records. He’s played
in multiple bands. He’s put out half a dozen solo albums. We all know
Aaron Sprinkle is talented. But do you really know Aaron Sprinkle?
If you’ve listened to his latest record, you do.
Over the course of twenty years, Sprinkle’s life has been dedicated to
creating and producing music. Outside of his own musical endeavors
(playing in bands Poor Old Lu, Fair, and Rose Blossom Punch, and making
his solo material), Sprinkle has engineered and molded records for
countless talented musicians, building for himself the much-deserved
reputation as an outstanding producer.
It’s through his exposure in the studio that he’s been able to cultivate
his own style as an artist. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with
amazing people that inspire me,” he explains, “They push me to grow and
explore and hone things that I wouldn’t have had on my radar before…
like this record. You would have never heard anything like my new music
on any other record I’ve done.”
It’s true.
Water & Guns, Sprinkle’s fifth solo album, is unlike anything he’s
done before. Yes,
exposure to varying musical styles expresses itself
tangibly in each track, but there’s something new in the mix – his
electronic roots. Reaching back to his musical beginnings, Sprinkle
douses his new material in colorful synth, programmed percussion, and
keys that sprout and flourish, making this his most vibrant record to
date. It’s a pop album – its catchy melodies, synth, and acoustic guitar
color the entirety of the record – but for Sprinkle, it’s more than
that.
“I started making a record that I thought people would want me to make,
and ended up making a record that I just really enjoyed,” he confesses,
explaining, “I wanted to portray who I am now. I wanted this album to
reflect me.” Musically it’s an epic, pop album. Lyrically, it’s a
journal. The record’s upbeat sound juxtaposes its heavy message in a
flawless marriage of playful purposefulness.
With songs that deal with topics from grace and blessings to sin and
death, Sprinkle furthers, “this record took so long because I changed my
mind in the middle of it – I thought no, this is isn’t what I want to
do. I want to write about real things I’m dealing with.”
A perfect example is the track “Alright”, a song that could easily act
as the album’s anthem. The lyrics, “When your life rips at the seams /
When it seems like the worst is really happening / When you can’t see
the light / It’ll be alright” encourage perseverance through trial. The
electronic, danceable track breathes joy in sound and hope in content.
Similarly is the springy track “River of Lead”, an optimistic sounding
song that couples lively keys and an upbeat, sing-able chorus with a
weighty lyrical topic. Singing about being consumed, Sprinkle delicately
addresses human nature’s attraction to destructive behavior. The
lyrics, “Down this river of lead I roll / Feel it pull me underneath /
If the fire don’t kill me the water will / Feel it pull me underneath /
Lay me down to sleep / I pray there’s something left to keep”
transparently speaks to all-consuming struggles and the desperation for
relief.
“Whisper Something”, “Heatstroke”, and “I’ve Missed You” offer the same
mixture; profound lyrics that cover themes of reconciliation, death, and
longing are woven within strong, accessible beats and addictive
melodies. Sprinkle curated an album that speaks to both contemporary,
pop-enthused music lovers and those thirsty for poetic lyrics that
resonate.
“I want to relate to people,” says Sprinkle, “I wanted to be honest,
both musically and lyrically. I’ve realized that every time I’ve been
brutally honest in an intimate setting, I’ve never been greeted poorly.
This is what I like, this is how I feel, this is who I am.”
This is Aaron Sprinkle. Enjoy.
Beautiful Eulogy is a Portland, Oregon-based group made up of artists
Braille, Odd Thomas
and Courtland Urbano. The group introduces a
distinct and directive sound that’s driven by a desire to worship and
glorify the God of the Bible, based in the context of its members’
hip-hop roots and shaped by influences like electronic music, folk songs
and old hymns.
The natural way Beautiful Eulogy came together parallels its organic
creative process. As its members cooperated on various musical and
church-related projects, they realized their chemistry and the
opportunity before them to form a completely collaborative group that
would emphasize a new gestalt — one that would allow them to steer away
from a pure hip-hop trajectory while holding onto its origins, and that
would free them from the courses of their solo careers while applying
their individual talents to a collective.
“We’re reinventing ourselves
together,” the group says. Its members enjoy their creative
freedom
within self-imposed boundaries, by predefining their work’s message,
sound and purpose.
This type of intentionality is central to the way Beautiful Eulogy
creates songs, settling on concepts and driving them through a process
and reprocess of musical and lyrical shaping.
The resulting tracks are
lyric-driven, but contain an equally deliberate musical backdrop. This
panorama enhances and clarifies the presentation of weighty spiritual
and theological truths, inviting listeners into the artists’ ideas about
and experiences of God. Listeners may have first heard Beautiful Eulogy
on Rapzilla’s King Kulture compilation, or featured on
“Misconceptions,” a track from Lecrae’s Church Clothes mixtape.
Beautiful Eulogy’s debut album, Satellite Kite, serves as a foundational
prototype of the group’s approach and ambition.
Their new album, Instruments of Mercy is available now.
Having
joined the Christian group, FFH, in 1999 and contributed to seven No. 1
radio
singles, seven GMA Dove Award nominations, and records that have
sold into the millions,
Michael Boggs is no stranger to the music scene.
When FFH took some time off the road in the fall of 2006, Michael
stepped into the role of worship leader at a fast growing young adult
gathering, Kairos, in Brentwood, TN hosting nearly 1200 college students
and young adults every week, and has served as a regular guest worship
leader at various churches, including Max Lucado’s church, Oak Hills, in
San Antonio, Texas.
Although Michael continues to keep a rigorous, solo-touring schedule
performing and leading worship over 100 dates a year, he has established
himself within the music community as one of the foremost sought after
songwriters. Lending his songwriting ability to other artists, such as
FFH, Diamond Rio, Big Daddy Weave, Anthony Evans, Josh Bates, Jason
Crabb, Selah, Matt Maher and more have garnered him multiple Top 10
singles as well as a featured song in the major motion picture release
“Facing the Giants.”
In April 2010, Michael took home the Dove award for Country Recorded
Song of the Year for “Somebody Like Me,” at the Gospel Music Association
Dove Awards where he was also nominated for Songwriter of the Year and
Song of the Year. The same year, “Somebody Like Me” served as the
featured single from Jason Crabb’s self-titled Grammy award-winning
album.
In the Fall of 2010, Michael’s song, “Said and Done,” was featured on
the Max Lucado: Out
Live Your Life CD, and carried the banner for
Lucado to AC/ CHR/ Soft AC radio. “I’m proud to have this single
carrying the message of Out Live Your Life to listeners,” says New York
Times best-selling author, Max Lucado. Following the Out Live Your Life
release, Michael Boggs debuted his first solo record, More Than Moved,
on October 19, 2010 through in:ciite and Word Entertainment.
In February 2011, Diamond Rio’s album, The Reason, received a
first-time Grammy, spotlighting “Reaching For Me” as one of the album’s
featured singles. Matt Maher’s latest radio single, “Turn Around,” which
Michael penned with the artist, topped the charts and remained in the
Top 10 for over 16 weeks and earned him a 2012 ASCAP Award. In 2012,
Michael was also honored as CCM’s Songwriter of the Year.
When asked where this journey is taking him now, he laughs and says,
“Those plans have never been up to me. I’ll just continue to follow
Jesus.” His new EP is titled More Like a Lion.
How about you? What's new on your playlist?
Solomon in the book of Proverbs wrote, "Those who seek me (God) diligently find me." Jesus said as recorded in the book of Matthew, "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness."
