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This week, since we mentioned the music of Loretta Lynn on Wednesday, I wanted to take a moment to share with you Loretta Lynn’s most recent studio album. Recorded in 2004, Loretta Lynn took part in an unexpected collaboration having Jack White of The White Stripes produce her album.
Loretta’s first album was released in 1963, and 40 years later, her 2004 album, Van Lear Rose, still serves as an excellent reflection of the classic era of country music. One might think that a collaboration between Loretta Lynn and Jack White would result in an awkwardly contrived album. However, in my opinion, (and it seemed that many critics agreed) the musical combination of White and Lynn worked wonderfully, creating something that sounds fresh and yet nostalgic at the same time. As far as the lyrics go, it is still the Loretta that I love. She is either telling earnest personal stories or sharing other stories earnestly.
Today or over the weekend, take a little time and visit Van Lear Rose. I love this album, I hope that you’ll find it to be an enjoyable listen.
This week we’ve been talking about the importance of transparency for artists.
I want to take a few moments today to share with you two examples in art that I think serve as great examples of transparent creativity. So, here they are:
1. Cameo cast in new film, Up in the Air:
This past year, director Jason Reitman, the son of well known director, Ivan Reitman, released his 6th film, Up in the Air. This film is about a man (played by George Clooney) who’s job is hired by companies around the country to come and inform employees of their termination. A major chunk of the cast in this film is the group of people who are fired throughout the film. To my surprise, I discovered that the majority of these actors were first time actors who had actually lost a job.
The actors were not acting but instead were telling their stories of their termination. This is how Jason Reitman described the experience in an interview with CNN:
“They would come in. They’d sit down at the table. We’d interview them, each one for about 10 minutes. ‘How did you lose your job?’ ‘What was it like?’ ‘Who did you tell first?’ How has it impacted your life?”
“After about 10 minutes of that we’d say ‘And now, we’d like to fire you on camera, we’d like you to either respond the way you did the day you lost your job or if you’d prefer the way you wish you had.
And each one would turn into an impromptu scene whether they would either get angry, sad, funny and they would just start asking about things … they went with it in a way that I would never have imagined they would because none of them had acting experience.” (Quoted in CNN.com)
These ‘actors’ were re-living their personal tragedy for a film. I found this level of transparency to be one of the most impacting elements of this movie.
(Side-note: Whit, one of our bloggers, wrote a great post about Up in the Air in his personal blog, which you can see here)
2. Country Singer/Songwriter, Loretta Lynn:
Loretta Lynn has been in the country music industry for decades, and Lynn’s transparency is easily seen through her songs.
As you have heard, her songs serve reflect her life. Her story is simple and some might say ordinary, but what I find so appealing about Loretta’s songs and performances is her earnest telling of these simple stories. As an artist, Loretta Lynn is not trying to be anybody else but herself, and this transparency has captured her listeners for many years.
These are two few examples I have found of transparency in art. Of course there are many more…so, what are some examples you have found?
When I was in the 7th grade, I saved $45 and went to Dillard’s to buy a Guess brand long sleeve shirt. I had never spent money on clothes before, and until the 7th grade, I was not too consumed with what I wore. However, when I was 13, it was different. In 7th grade, like many of my peers, I believed my clothes served as a key to social success. I believed these clothes would garner acceptance from others. In addition, these clothes gave me a way to be “cool” without having to reveal any genuine aspect of myself.
Sixteen years later, I don’t purchase $45 shirts, and I don’t really have a longing to be considered “cool”….but at my core, I still desire acceptance and still try to avoid transparency out of a fear of rejection. For instance, I have a hard time being transparent about personal struggles I go through. I will be completely honest about a personal struggle after I have walked through it. But, if I am in the middle of a trial, I hide it from many people. If my hunch is correct, transparency is something that doesn’t come easy for most of us. However, when I think about the power of transparency, I long for it.
Being genuine with myself and with others allows me to view my life clearly. If I’m being authentic, then I know that friends and family are accepting me with all of my strengths and weaknesses. I also find that when I’m authentic with others, this gives them permission to be authentic with me.
In the world of art, I believe that transparency is one of the most important traits that an artist can have. When artists are transparent, we get to see an incredibly HONEST creative portrayal of another person. It doesn’t matter if the art represents reality or fiction. Any work of art serves as an outflow of someone’s inner core. Transparency in art can dynamically impact the viewers of this art. Much like I find in my own life, the honesty in one’s creativity can serve as a powerful catalyst and “permission giver” for others to live authentically.
I leave you with a question to ask yourself. When you display your creativity to others, do you show your transparency as well? Today, try living for 10 minutes with total unabashed authenticity…see what happens.
Come back this Wednesday because I want to show you two examples in art that I think serve as great examples of transparent creativity.
It’s a snowy Friday here in Tennessee. All the more to settle down to a new album recommendation. This week’s recommendation comes from indie rock duo Beach House. Their 3rd LP, Teen Dream, just released this week to wide acclaim and fandom.
Teen Dream is full of all sorts of beautiful gems ready made to get stuck in your ears. The guitars are spacious and warm and the synths cut right through the mix. Lyrically, Teen Dream isn’t exactly the happiest record of the year, dealing with doubt and uncertainty. The pop hooks bury the emotion, creating a conflicting state of dreamy pop and heavy lyrical themes.
Take a good listen to this record. It didn’t grab me immediately, but I’ve quickly fallen in love with it. Start to finish.
I remember the first time I saw someone walk across campus with a pair of white earbuds dangling from their ears. As more and more started to appear, I asked a friend across the hall what the iPod was all about. After all, I had heard the name, but I didn’t really get what to do with it. What was the point in spending loads of time copying CDs when the copy wasn’t going to sound as good anyway. Of course, this didn’t last. I felt hollow, my lack of cool screaming with every passing emo hipster and the faint wailings of Dashboard Confessional audible in the halls. Eventually, the thought of carrying all of my music with me in something no bigger than a deck of cards became really appealing, and now, four iPods and two iPhones later, the rest is history.
Technology changed the way I consumed music; it changed my perception of it, too. It became harder to listen to a record for its whole when I was consumed with cramming as of much of it as possible onto my iPod. It has also made me more intentional when it came to listening a piece of new music. A new record became more of an event, and I started saving my money for stuff I was really excited about. I now wear a CD out before I load it on my iPod. After all, what’s the point in having 40 gigs of music in your pocket when you don’t really know what’s there.
My job required a careful viewing of yesterday’s Apple announcement. Love it or hate it, the iPad, like the iPod, will change the way people consume music, books, magazines, news, and a host of other types of media. Not because everyone will buy an iPad, but because media now has a more powerful, personalized method of delivery and lots of companies will follow in those footsteps. Not everyone bought a Model T but it wasn’t long before people gave up their horses.
I look forward to the week each month where all of my magazine subscriptions show up. I don’t want to read National Geographic on an eReader or iPad, but something tells me I eventually will be. And I definitely don’t want to trade the smell and texture of a book for a glass and aluminum computer. My appreciation for the print and paper has changed overnight, and I am convinced my enjoyment of an art medium is dependent on its medium.
For now.
I remember the first time I saw someone walk across campus with a pair of white earbuds dangling from their ears. As more and more started to appear, I asked a friend across the hall what the iPod was all about. After all, I had heard the name, but I didn’t really get what to do with it. What was the point in spending loads of time copying CDs when the copy wasn’t going to sound as good anyway. Of course, this didn’t last. I felt hollow, my lack of cool screaming with every passing emo hipster and the faint wailings of Dashboard Confessional audible in the halls. Eventually, the thought of carrying all of my music with me in something no bigger than a deck of cards became really appealing, and now, four iPods and two iPhones later, the rest is history.
Technology changed the way I consumed music; it changed my perception of it, too. It became harder to listen to a record for its whole when I was consumed with cramming as of much of it as possible onto my iPod. It has also made me more intentional when it came to listening a piece of new music. A new record became more of an event, and I started saving my money for stuff I was really excited about. I now wear a CD out before I load it on my iPod. After all, what’s the point in having 40 gigs of music in your pocket when you don’t really know what’s there.
My job required a careful viewing of yesterday’s Apple announcement. Love it or hate it, the iPad, like the iPod, will change the way people consume music, books, magazines, news, and a host of other types of media. Not because everyone will buy an iPad, but because media now has a more powerful, personalized method of delivery and lots of companies will follow in those footsteps. Not everyone bought a Model T but it wasn’t long before people gave up their horses.
I look forward to the week each month where all of my magazine subscriptions show up. I don’t want to read National Geographic on an eReader or iPad, but something tells me I eventually will be. And I definitely don’t want to trade the smell and texture of a book for a glass and aluminum computer. My appreciation for the print and paper has changed overnight, and I am convinced my enjoyment of an art medium is dependent on its medium.
I was talking with a visual artist this morning about why she enjoys teaching her craft. Her answer was seeing people unlock creativity the way that only they can. She talked about her belief that everyone was creative. “Maybe not everyone is artistic, but everyone is creative. They just believe they are not creative because they have been told that it has to be manifest through a brush or a guitar.”
I could not agree more! A while back, I wrote a post about this very issue. Just because your creativity may not come out in a “traditional” way doesn’t mean there’s a lack of it within you. You may have created your own filing system for keeping up with paperwork or rearranged the shelf in a way to make more space. This is how creativity is flowing out of your life.
Do you believe that you are creative? If not, why? What are some non-traditional ways that creativity flows from you? It’s time to celebrate!
This past Friday night, a broadcast took over the T.V. airwaves across the globe. Initiated by George Clooney, the “Hope for Haiti Now” telethon was aired to raise funds in order to assist in Haiti’s relief effort.
During this telethon, throughout the evening, musicians such as Sting, Bruce Springsteen, The Roots, Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, and Jennifer Hudson (just naming a few) were performing. These performances were recorded and are now being sold as a digital album on such Mp3 stores as iTunes and Amazon Mp3 with 100% of the proceeds going to the Hope For Haiti Now benefit.
I didn’t get a chance to watch this marathon, however I did get the opportunity to watch the performances after the marathon. (You can watch these performances at the bottom of this post.) Many times in the past I have watched artists perform live on television. However, these performances stuck out to me as I found each artist to be performing with transparency and empathy. I enjoyed listening to the technical flaws in the musicians, revealing levels of vulnerability. They still strove to perform excellent songs, but they were also revealing an element of their soul and their heartbreak for the losses in Haiti. It was almost as if each musician was performing for a funeral of their friend. While I am not able to peer into the souls of each musician, these deeply felt performances gave me a glimpse into hearts of each artist, with their empathy, hope, and heartbreak.
Watching this reminded me of a challenge many of us as artists have. Hopefully, as we take steps to strive for excellence when we perform, we do not lose our concern to create a genuine connection with others.
Where is your soul when you share your art? When you perform for someone else, are you more concerned with how you are perceived? Are you consumed with the technical aspects of your performance? Do you long to express transparency through your art? What is your priority?
I mentioned in my post this week that there are lots of places to find new music. One of those resources is friends…so I thought it would be fun to ask a few of my friends what some of their favorite albums were. Hopefully you’ll find something you like and be reminded to ask your friends about some new music they are enjoying… here we go!!
Russ…
Sainthood, the latest album from the Quin sisters Tegan and Sara has been in rotation for me since it came out late 2009. I’ve been a fan since their second album and this their fifth album (second album produced by Chris Walla of Death Cab fame) could be their best. They know who they are, how to write great songs, and have been maturing with every album. To sum it up these are heart felt honest songs that still know how to have a good time.
“The Gabe Dixon Band”Gabe’s smoky, bluesy vocals
are topped only by his incredible musicianship and deliberate lyrics. He
can rock out with the best of them, evoking thoughts of vintage Billy Joel
or Elton John, but also sets a new standard for piano ballads with “Further
the Sky,” which is a truly spiritual experience.
So tomorrow is Conan’s last day on the job at “The Tonight Show”. I’m sad about this and disappointed for the way the whole thing went down. Now, for all you rock dwellers out there, you can get caught up on the latest here (http://abcnews.go.com/Business/nbc-confirms-deal-conan-obrien-speeds-nbc-show/story?id=9621682), but this is not the place to hash out the specifics.
I do find the whole thing interesting, however. The 5 nights-a-week late shift comedians continually develop material from current events and cultural happenings. This way, humor stays relevant, but something else is at work here. These comedians take serious matters and make light of them, or shine a light on ridiculous and frustrating happenings. In this way, it’s become the perfect way to unwind at the end of the day, watching someone to make light of the world and send you to bed laughing.
It is clear the impact these men have had on culture through all of the news attention, Twitter trending, and such over the last few weeks. I think that people are frustrated because these are the men who are supposed to write the jokes, not be the brunt of them. And this says more about the cultural impact of creative humor than just about anything that’s happened in recent memory. Their comedic styles create loyalty and the expectation of entertainment, and disruption creates an uproar. People change jobs every day—jobs that have the power to affect our daily life—but we rarely cry foul like the public has over this shuffle.
Which leads me to my point. I think that comedy is an art (a gift I don’t possess), and we culturally consume this art, not with gratitude, but with expectation. Artists have a tendency to succumb to expectations, often in self-destructive ways. We then marvel over, criticize and revel in their destruction, unaware that we played a part. It’s a tough place to be in.
As we continue to contemplate how art and creativity influence culture, take a moment to be thankful for the people who entertain you. And maybe watch Conan’s last show tomorrow night—I’m sure it’ll be a good one.
So tomorrow is Conan’s last day on the job at “The Tonight Show”. I’m sad about this and disappointed for the way the whole thing went down. Now, for all you rock dwellers out there, you can get caught up on the latest here, but this is not the place to hash out the specifics.
I do find the whole thing interesting, however. The 5 nights-a-week late shift comedians continually develop material from current events and cultural happenings. This way, humor stays relevant, but something else is at work here. These comedians take serious matters and make light of them, or shine a light on ridiculous and frustrating happenings. In this way, it’s become the perfect way to unwind at the end of the day, watching someone to make light of the world and send you to bed laughing.
It is clear the impact these men have had on culture through all of the news attention, Twitter trending, and such over the last few weeks. I think that people are frustrated because these are the men who are supposed to write the jokes, not be the brunt of them. And this says more about the cultural impact of creative humor than just about anything that’s happened in recent memory. Their comedic styles create loyalty and the expectation of entertainment, and disruption creates an uproar. People change jobs every day—jobs that have the power to affect our daily life—but we rarely cry foul like the public has over this shuffle.
Which leads me to my point. I think that comedy is an art (a gift I don’t possess), and we culturally consume this art, not with gratitude, but with expectation. Artists have a tendency to succumb to expectations, often in self-destructive ways. We then marvel over, criticize and revel in their destruction, unaware that we played a part. It’s a tough place to be in.
As we continue to contemplate how art and creativity influence culture, take a moment to be thankful for the people who entertain you. And maybe watch Conan’s last show tomorrow night—I’m sure it’ll be a good one.
Today, we want to bring an awesome opportunity to your attention. The earthquake in Haiti has shaken that country to its core and mobilized the world into action. One way you can take part is through the Paste Media Group, parent company of Paste Magazine. Paste has organized what it is calling “Songs for Haiti.” Through this program, 100% of what is donated is split among Doctors Without Borders, Red Cross, and Wyclef Jean’s Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund.
As a way of saying thanks, Paste is offering you access to their download vault of well over 200 tracks by artists such as Switchfoot, Of Montreal, Rosie Thomas and more!
Take advantage of this great opportunity to support a great cause and in turn, check out some great music. Click on banner below to donate today!
To put some content here, go to Site Admin -> Appearance/Presentation -> Widgets -> Select "Right Sidebar" -> Click "Show" -> Click on "Add" on one of the widgets on the left side -> Click "Save changes" -> Done
This week, since we mentioned the music of Loretta Lynn on Wednesday, I wanted to take a moment to share with you Loretta Lynn’s most recent studio album. Recorded in 2004, Loretta Lynn took part in an unexpected collaboration having Jack White of The White Stripes produce her album.
As far as the lyrics go, it is still the Loretta that I love. She is either telling earnest personal stories or sharing other stories earnestly.
It’s a snowy Friday here in Tennessee. All the more to settle down to a new album recommendation. This week’s recommendation comes from indie rock duo Beach House. Their 3rd LP, Teen Dream, just released this week to wide acclaim and fandom.
I was talking with a visual artist this morning about why she enjoys teaching her craft. Her answer was seeing people unlock creativity the way that only they can. She talked about her belief that everyone was creative. “Maybe not everyone is artistic, but everyone is creative. They just believe they are not creative because they have been told that it has to be manifest through a brush or a guitar.”
I mentioned in my post this week that there are lots of places to find new music. One of those resources is friends…so I thought it would be fun to ask a few of my friends what some of their favorite albums were. Hopefully you’ll find something you like and be reminded to ask your friends about some new music they are enjoying… here we go!!
