Conversations 3: The One with the Depressing Videos

I (Red) can't remember exactly how this one started - that piece seems to have been deleted - but the general context was discussing limits and concerns for content for the blog. As followers of Christ, Jonah and I both strive for consistency between the God we say we serve and how our lives reflect that in practice. But part of that worldview is the understanding that the world as we know it is not as it was created.

It is our stance that because there is a God who sets a standard of ultimate truth, there is the capacity for wrong as well as right, and music has a responsibility and opportunity to speak to both the beauty and brokenness of life. And so the conversation begins...

R: Are you ok with going dark? Some of the most powerful songs I know aren't "pretty," ie: 9 Crimes by Damien Rice, Swallow the Knife - Story of the Year, and Se Acabo by SanLuis (Feat Chino y Nacho) Thoughts?

J: I don't speak Spanish, so that last example I gather from the the intro to the video is about a dude that cheats on his wife and gets caught?

R: Exactly. And how it not only blows up his life but everyone else around him.

J: Jeez this video made me cry. Even though I have no idea what they are saying, the visual alone is powerful.

R: Wait till I make you watch one of their other ones about teens in love and the girl has cancer. I still bawl every time.

J: Katy by Kelly Joe Phelps. This is probably the darkest in my library. It's a gorgeous piece of guitar work and Kelly Joe's writing is always amazing to me (not really any different than that last video).

R: Reminds me of Jolene.
J: Agree, very possible it was an influence. Also this: Shakey Graves - Late July. Fun fact, only remembered this because Miley had a cover version of Jolene and used the same type of microphone in the video - not as an influence connection, just dark material.

R: I was wondering about that.

YouTube Playlist: Conversations #3