Posts Tagged ‘andy whitman’

Aaron Strumpel Is Everywhere

I told you this was going to happen.

For a while, it seemed like Appendix E-J had turned into a place for all things concerning Aaron Strumpel. His album Elephants just excited us to no end and we knew it was going to make its way to other ears and other places and both those ears and places would pass Elephants on to other ears and places far beyond the reach of a Everyday Joe’s.

It is starting.

How about a full review by noted writer Andy Whitman in Christianity Today?

“…in the hands of many contemporary musicians, the Psalms have been neutered, transformed into wispy, ethereal sighs and coos. The powerful drama so evident on the page—the tug of war between intense pain and fleeting hope, the wrestling with injustice and senseless death, the crying out for mercy and forgiveness—has largely been absent. Aaron Strumpel’s new album, Elephants (Thirsty Dirt), intends to restore the blood and desperation.”

MmmmmmHmmmmmmm. That’s what I’m talkin’ about. Read the rest of that review here.

Then you can go ahead and wash down that little word snack with some verbage from the small start-up publication USA TODAY:

“Here’s a fresh reminder of the literary and musical beauty of the Bible — no matter what, or whether, you believe…a new, surprising album of psalms set to music.”

In 5th grade, USA Today was my go-to source for articles to complete my current events reports…mainly because they reported on things like space toilets. Now they are reporting on Aaron Strumpel and people who love his music. Read the rest here.

FURTHER:



Popularity: 98% [?]

13

07 2009

Kind words for Aaron Strumpel aka The Wail

It has been mentioned here a few times over the past month that our friend Aaron Strumpel won Calvin College’s Bandspotting contest and that his new album Elephants is superb and that because the album is superb and because he won Bandspotting he got to perform at the 2009 Festival of Faith and Music, opening up for Over The Rhine.

Said festival took place this past weekend. I have been wondering how things went for Mr. Strumpel. Luckily, Bandspotting judge Andy Whitman maintains a wonderful blog – Razing The Bar – and took time this morning to recant the festivities. He has this to say in regards to Aaron’s set:

“We hung out with Aaron Strumpel, from Colorado, and Todd and Angie Fadel, from Portland, Oregon, who somehow got together to lay down the most outstanding musical set of the conference, a raw, punk-like, discordant, and often strikingly beautiful take on The Psalms. Or, the Wail.”

The rest of the post that brackets this statement says some good things regarding pain & love & God. Read the rest here.

Further:

Popularity: 60% [?]

06

04 2009