I’ve always loved Derek’s music and his ability to use his lyrics as a sword that pierces the heart of your beliefs and pre-conceived ideas about the world around us. This album looks like it will be more of the same.

The "words" are fitting to the message he’s trying to convey. Nothing gratuitous in my opinion. Interested in hearing what you think.

Hat tip to Matthew Paul Turner over at Jesus Needs New PR for sharing the video on his blog.

I recently received this email update from Derek Webb about the release of his new album and challenges with his label.

friends-

this is turning into a bigger deal than we expected.  as a result, we’re having to temporarily _pull everything online down (can’t explain now).  and to be on the s_afe side, i’m going to pe_rsonally go offline while we sort this out.  i re_ally shouldn’t use my twitter account for now either so _don’t expect any updates there.

make no m_istake, our trouble with the label over content i_s very real, and not as simple as one word; we’re back_ed into a corner.  but we have applied all of our creative resources to th_is, working furiou_sly to create something that we believe not only subverts any leg_al issues but should also be a _pretty wild ride.

so this will be the l_ast email for a while.  we’ll t_ry to lea_k information via a new tw_itter account, @ssyndrome.  you’re o_n your own so start payin_g attention.  i’l_l see you _on the o_ther side-

derek

Not sure what the deal is with all the _’s in the message. But there you go.

UPDATE: Visit the Bloggable Music Network for more details on this issue. It’s all code and secret stuff. I feel like I’m living through an episode of LOST or something.

In finally trying to catch up on what’s going on around me I was digging around in my Bloglines account and found an article about Derek Webb’s new release running into an obstacle allegedly because of the language he uses in the song.

I’ve become a huge fan of Derek’s and absolutely love his razor sharp lyrics in his songs. He doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to addressing challenging issues or topics.

In his latest album he may have gone too far for his label, INO Records, to release to market his newest album.

Here’s a bit from the Patrol Mag website on what’s happening:

Well! Frustrating as it must be for Derek, this may be the best Christian music censorship story we’ve had in a long time. Judging by our inbox, this kind of thing happens on an almost weekly basis in the industry, but leave it to Derek Webb to make all the details public. Not exactly, as his email has next to zero details ("because of various legal/publishing issues"). Apparently most of the controversy surrounds one song, the most important on his most important record, he says. Given the name of his new charity/activism website (not active yet), it’s reasonable to guess that it might be the first Christian song ever to feature the s-word. (Update, May 14: We have confirmed, via someone who has heard the song, that it deals with Christian treatment of gay people, and, sure enough, includes the word "shit.")

As I said, I love Derek’s music, lyrics and his method. I’m still trying to decide if this recent method is over the edge though. Personally I’m not really bothered by it, but I know it might be a stumbling point for others that like his music.

What do you think?

INO Records finds new Derek Webb album, "Stockholm Syndrome," too scandalous for release. – The Scanner – Patrol Magazine

My friend Dustin just sent me this link to the website for Jeremy Camp’s new album. I’m guessing the title of the album is “Speaking Louder Than Before” and the message that’s coming across the website looks to be pretty loud and clear.

I can’t wait to hear some music off this album. I’m hoping it’s going to be some in your face and intense messages that I’ve grown to love with other artists like Todd Agnew and Derek Webb.

What do you think?

I hope you have a great birthday Derek!

What are some of your “must have” songs for your favorites playlist? Let us know in the comments and let’s introduce each other to some new music maybe.

I picked up a load of new CD’s from my local Christian book store this weekend. Here’s the list of albums I picked up. I got a great deal on them out of a bargain bin where they were packaged in bricks of 5 CD’s each.

1. Sanctus Real – the face of love
2. Jonny Lang – turn around
3. Go Fish – snow
4. The Cross Movement – Gift Rap: A Hip Hop Christmas
5. Derek Webb – one zero (acoustic)
6. Caedmon’s Call – In the Company of Angels II: the world will sing
7. Jill Parr – Me again
8. Leigh Nash – blue on blue
9. Paul Wright – Wright or wrong these songs are Paul’s
10. The Swift – Singing Back to You
11. Sullivan – Cover Your Eyes
12. the jtb – Everything is Nothing
13. pfr – The Very Best of PFR
14. Leslie Phillips – The Definitive Collection
15. David Meece – The Definitive Collection
16. Steve Camp – The Definitive Collection
17. Petra – The Definitive Collection
18. Wayne Watson – The Definitive Collection
19. Randy Stonehill – The Definitive Collection
20. Guardian – The Definitive Collection

I’m absolutely pumped for the albums I’ve bolded above. Some of my favorite artists or artists that I’ve been wanting to listen to more and get to know. Derek Webb and Caedmon’s Call are obvious, along with PFR. Love Sixpence None the Richer, so grabbing Leigh Nash’s solo project was a nice find. Always interested in Petra and Gaurdian, but can’t believe the Guardian album didn’t include “I Found Love”, “Sweet Mystery” and “The Captain” from their “Miracle Mile” album.

Some of the people I didn’t bold above I’m not real familiar with, anyone know some of the artists and let me know what I can expect from them?

This is your last chance to order the new Derek Webb & Sandra McCracken collaboration, Ampersand EP – which is about to hit the streets on April 22 – preorder now and get your copy on the day it’s released! Plus, download the full album instantly! All orders containing the Ampersand EP received on or before 4/8/2008 will be shipped to arrive by street release date!

Derek continues to be one of my favorite Christian artists with his brilliance in lyrics and beautiful melodies and rhythm to his songs.

Webb muses that Jesus “wasn’t a white middle-class Democrat either, incidentally. The point is that he didn’t walk any party line. But I think that the church, especially where I live, makes a terrible habit of co-opting the more conservative political party.

“I’m not saying the church shouldn’t be concerned with issues. My problem is that they’ve grown so predictable, and Jesus was in no way predictable. The people he loved most lavishly were often socially stigmatized, and he reserved some of his harshest language for the law-keeping church leadership. That’s the opposite, in a lot of cases, of what the evangelical church puts forth.”

That’s powerful stuff, and why I really like Derek Webb and his music. There’s plenty more to read about in the full article on USA Today.

Jones, Webb find faith their way on USA Today

If you visit the site you can listen to the album in streaming format and preview the images that appear in the accompanying book. I like the graphic quality of the images. Very stark, strong lines and bold colors. Pretty much black, white and red.

His lyrics are very powerful and by the titles of the songs on this album, I’m sure there’s going to be some really challenging messages being spoken and heard in our lives.

For those that pre-order the album now from the website, you can then immediately download the entire album in digital format. How’s that for a marketing option. You don’t see the big labels doing that kind of stuff now do you?

How many other Derek Webb fans are there out there? I’d love to hear from you.

Derek Webb’s The Ringing Bell