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From: rjd4507@venus.tamu.edu (DEFRESE, RAYMOND JACK)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re:  "The Beginning by M. Card"
Message-ID: <Aug.24.21.23.00.1990.11196@athos.rutgers.edu>
Date: 25 Aug 90 01:23:03 GMT
Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu
Organization: TAMU
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Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu

In article <Aug.20.22.48.52.1990.6820@athos.rutgers.edu>, telesci!kstehm@twwells.com (Kevin J. Stehm) writes...
>I cannot hold my peace any longer. 
> 
>Having enjoyed Card's Scandilon album I went to see him in concert just
>a few months ago. He was boring. Half of his time was spent talking 
>about his music instead of playing it. He had a cellist and a synth player
>to accompany him on piano and guitar. I was eagerly expecting some
>virtuoso performing but was treated to average piano, minimalist synth
>and a lonly cello who tried his best under the circumstances.
>Card's guitar playing was very nice---when he played it. 
>I was disapointed.
	
	My first Christian concert was a Michael Card show about a 
	year and a half ago. I really liked it, and though I'm not 
	a music expert, the instuments sounded alright to me. And
	Card's talking to the audience made it a more personal 
	experience for me as it gave some insight to his music and
	to him. He's supposed to be coming here again in the fall,
	and I plan to go.

> 
>But Michael is a songwriter, no? I must not expect the same quality of
>music live as on his record. So I went and bought The Beginning.
> 
>Yuk.
> 
>The album lacks musical continuity and is downright embarrassing in places.
>While the theme is admirable the execution is spotty. And some of the
>lyrics sound forced and corny. It seems as if
>he were trying to emulate John Michael Talbot in some instances but 
>couldn't pull it off. He had mentioned during his concert that he had 
>been "kicked off" of 2 record labels. Now I know why.

	I'm not as pleased with "The Beginning" as I am with his other
	work. Maybe that's because I'm not that well grounded in the OT.
	If anything, it has made go back to the OT and read it some more
	and perhaps understand it and the NT better. [BTW, John Michael
	Talbot is another of my favorites. Any truth to the story that 
	he's leaving the Franciscan order to get married?]

	As for Card's being kicked off two record labels, I thought it
	was because he wouldn't conform to their vision of a star on the
	CCM scene, complete with all the material trappings that entails.
	His current label seems to allow the artist to freely pursue
	any avenue of music they desire, even if it's not outright "ear
	candy". 

> 
>Sorry Amy. I recommend people save their money.

	I recommend "The Beginning" for hard core Card fans.
> 
>Kevin J. Stehm
> 

Ray De Frese
Texas A&M University
EMAIL: RJD4507@TAMVENUS