Into Great Silence

I just finished watching a great docu-drama called Into Great Silence. It follows monks of the Grande Charteuse monastery - for nearly three hours. Maybe I'll get to do a proper review/piece for the Patrol (www.patrolmag.com - yes, I really can't stop myself from self-advertising), but I have to say the film was fascinating.

I'm not at all a fan of those artsy slow movies that ultimately have no point at all, and in the very process of trying to be more real, or true to life, strip all the emotion and life out of a piece and actually make it "less" like life, but Into Great Silence is an exception.

There's few surprising moments, but the few we do get are treated as every other moment in the film, whether it be a time of prayer, or song, or eating lunch. The film was profound not in that it made me think about a lot of things, but in that I spent three hours of the most peaceful, warming silence of my life.

Derek Webb Interview

Hey, I did a great interview with a artist you need to check out - Derek Webb. In the first part of the interview (the second part is due tomorrow) Derek Webb talks about growing up in the south and the vital role art plays to any worldview or culture - it tells the story of our culture. And, furthermore, is the music, film, and art being produced right now the story we want to be told. Check it out at: http://www.patrolmag.com/index.php?s=front

Scott Orr's Miles From Today Available Free

Hey, a pretty great unknown folk/country artist Scott Orr has made his latest album Miles from Today available for free. For news and a link (look in the bottom left corner) to the download visit www.patrolmag.com.

The Patrol

The website which was formerly known as the CCM Patrol has undergone an amazing transformation and is launching tomorrow as the Patrol (www.patrolmag.com) We have some amazing pieces coming up, including interviews with Derek Webb, Switchfoot, and so much more stuff. I promise if you give it a shot you'll love it. Check it out tomorrow.

The Timothy Zila Caseless EP

Available this Tuesday the Timothy Zila Caseless EP is a collection lovely acoustic songs which show a temperate for confessional and heartfelt songwriting. Simple melodies abound amidst darker elements. With production values so poor you can't really blame me if you don't like it, and a voice which I hope will be tolerable the Caseless EP will stay in your room forever, and I trust it will be eventually broken in two as I don't have a case to give it to you.

Delivered by hand and, again, available this Tuesday, order yours today.