music spotlight.

First and foremost, I would like to give a shout out to Mumford & Son's--long-time readers of the blog, I'm sure--on their Grammy win for Album of the Year. This is one of those rare years where the Grammy's and I are in agreement (see also: Arcade Fire, Bon Iver).

2013 in music has already been a solid year. I have been making far too many trips to Houston preparing for the big move (March 4!), so I have been very thankful for the excellent music selection available for the seemingly endless amount of time I have been spending in my car. Here's what I have been listening to this past month:

Heartthrob by Tegan and Sara. Tegan and Sara are one of those bands that have always been on the periphery of my musical radar, and it wasn't until I saw them live at ACL that I really began to appreciate how great they are. This album, their latest, is darn near perfect. Honestly, there is no filler on this album; there are no lows or throw away songs. Every song could be the lead single--that's how awesome this album is. Tegan and Sara have perfected the kind ethereal indie pop ballad that sounds like it could be played at prom in a John Hughes movie. And to me, that is a wonderful quality.

Beta Love by Ra Ra Riot. Ra Ra Riot released the lead track of this album ("Beta Love") a few months ago, and it took me a while to warm up to it. Once I did, though, I couldn't stop listening to this insanely fun and catchy song on repeat (as Frank, my patient fiancé, can easily confirm). This whole album feels like that. I am always annoyed when my long-time loves take a new direction creatively (see: Band of Horses, Ryan Adams, etc.), but I have learned to try to allow space in my heart for new material. While Beta Love is no Rhumb Line or The Orchard, it is certainly good enough to stand on its own--and really a lot of fun to listen/dance to.

Atlas: Darkness by Sleeping At Last. In contrast to Ra Ra Riot, Sleeping At Last is one of those bands with a well-developed and long-standing sound. They (he?) know what works for them, and they stick with it. As a fan, I definitely appreciate it. (You've got a great thing going--please don't mess with it!) This EP features some of their heartbreakingly beautiful, cinematic masterpieces of instrumentation. This is what Sigur Ros would sound like if they traded their Icelandic homeland for American soil. My favorite track is "Woodwork," a transcendent piece about the triumph of the human spirit in the face of suffering.

Season One by All Sons & Daughters. Here begins the major shout outs to my dear friend Kandice: This past December, she sent me a really amazing mix CD (the girl knows the way to my heart) with some seriously solid music. All Sons & Daughters was another one of those groups that I knew of, but had never bothered to give a listen. When she put several of their best tracks on the mix, I fell in love. This modern worship album us brimming with God-given creativity and artistry--at times anthemic and at times so vulnerable and beautiful. I just can't get enough!

The River by Wayfarer. This is another band that my dear Kandice introduced me to. When I first heard my favorite song from the album, "How Long (Love Constraining To Obedience)", I couldn't believe how much they sounded like a Fleet Foxes concert held in an old country church. This wonderful little EP of traditional hymns is just genius. I can't recommend it enough.

The Fourth Wall by The Vespers. The Vespers are a really solid folk/blue grass/alt country band in the vein of the Lumineers (with female vocalists). They sound to me like Eisley meets the Blue Ridge Mountains. Their patented twang mixed with their traditional old-timey country instrumentation make this album a really enjoyable listen.

What have you been listening to this month?

Cheers,

Caroline

top 25 albums of 2012.

Here is the list that started it all! I have been coming up with a year-end albums list for the past several years (2011, 2010, 2009, and 2007) and I am so glad I have. What were your favorite albums of the year?

25) Beware And Be Grateful by Maps & Atlases.
24) Boys and Girls by Alabama Shakes.
23) Days by Real Estate.
This breezy record is what sunny happy beach days are made of.
22) The Lumineers by The Lumineers.
21) Port of Morrow by The Shins.
20) O Be Joyful by Shovels & Rope.
Shovels & Rope reminds me of what The Civil Wars would sound like if they took some anti-depressants and stopped writing break up songs.
19) My Head Is An Animal by Of Monsters & Men.
18) Mexico EP by The Staves.
Frank and I discovered The Staves earlier this year when they opened for The Civil Wars. In my experience, it is a rare opening band that gets a standing ovation! Their vocals are absolutely perfect; their harmonies are scary good! I only wish it was possible to capture this kind of vocal magic on a record. 
17) Delta Spirit by Delta Spirit.
16) Mirage Rock by Band of Horses.
When I first heard this album, I was really disappointed. I had been expecting another Infinite Arms or Cease to Begin. This album is not that! Once I got over that, though, I realized that this album is good in its own way--even if I miss Band of Horses of years past.
15) Red by Taylor Swift.
14) Break It Yourself by Andrew Bird.
This album will always put a smile on my face. Frank asked me to marry him right after seeing Andrew Bird in concert!
13) Gossamer by Passion Pit.
12) Lights by Ellie Goulding.
11) Vows by Kimbra.
10) Every Kingdom by Ben Howard.
I am generally not drawn to "singer/songwriter" as a genre, but Ben Howard represents the best of the best of it. He passionate plays that guitar and sings with a beautiful realism. I'm into it.
9) Pool Party by Ponderosa.
8) Little Broken Hearts by Norah Jones.
I can't tell you how many times I listened to this album after it came out. Norah Jones definitely took a new direction with this album, but she grooves like nobody's business.  
7) Making Mirrors by Gotye.
6) Born to Die by Lana Del Rey.

5) Bloom by Beach House
If I had to describe this album in one word, it would be "dreamy." This moderately chillwave album is just a gem, and Beach House has really begun to cement themselves as indie royalty.

4) Walk the Moon by Walk the Moon
Walk the Moon is not a band I would typically love, but this indie pop (and heavy on the pop) band just made me a happy camper. On nights where I spent hours upon hours doing paperwork in my office at work, this album helped me power through. 

3) Leonard the Lonely Astronaut by Andrew Osenga
I have loved Andrew Osenga for years now. His lyrics are so personal and relatable--he writes music for thinking people. This album is his latest, and is a beautiful bang of an existential crisis set to music. I should mention that it is an album in the truest sense of the word: Make sure to listen to it from start to finish.
 

2) Within and Without by Washed Out
One of my favorite memories of 2012 was seeing this band at an outdoor venue during a severe thunderstorm with my best friend. I don't use this word lightly: Epic. I didn't realize how much I loved this album until I discovered that it was far and away my most listened to album of the year! Washed Out creates the best background music in the world--they are the absolute best for studying. I couldn't have made it through my last year of grad school without this album.

1) Babel by Mumford & Sons
I knew the first time I listened to this album that it was my favorite album of the year. It is so unbelievably good! This album has a certain kind of driving momentum that is just a joy to listen to. You can just feel how much fun it must have been for these guys to play this music. And just when you feel like all of their songs are running together, they throw in tracks so dissonant that it is jarring and beautiful. Seriously, this album is a masterpiece. You should go listen to it right now.

There you have it--my favorite albums of the year! What are yours?

Cheers,
Caroline

if 2012 were a mix cd.

I have really enjoyed making all of these year end lists (and so appreciate those of you who stick with me through all of them!). So far, we've covered movies and books, both fiction and nonfiction--which, of course, brings us to MUSIC! In this entry, I will be covering the songs that will forever remind me of 2012, all building up to my final year-end list (the one that started it all!), albums of the year. I linked up to any of the songs I have posted on my Tumblr throughout the year so you can listen to them easily instead of tracking them down.

Here are some of my favorite songs. What could you just not get out of your head this year?

20) "National Anthem" by Lana del Rey from Born to Die.
Lana del Rey is such a weirdo, but her music is amazing. 
19) "Dirty Paws" by Of Monsters and Men from My Head Is An Animal.
18) "State of Grace" by Taylor Swift from Red.
Every T. Swift song I love falls into one of two categories: songs I like in spite of my musical taste ("I Knew You Were Trouble" and "We Are Never Ever Ever Ever Ever Ever Getting Back Together" come to mind) or songs I legitimately love and actually and seriously think are really good. "State of Grace" falls into the second category (along with her Civil Wars collaboration "Safe and Sound," so good!).
17) "How Country Feels" by Randy Houser from How Country Feels.
You can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl. This song just feels like small town Texas.
16) "Say Goodbye" by Norah Jones from Little Broken Hearts.
15) "Runaways" by The Killers from Battle Born.
14) "Dust Bowl III" by Other Lives from Tamer Animals.
Every now and then you hear a song that is so painfully stunning it makes you just stand still. This is one of those songs.
13) "It's Real" by Real Estate from Days.
This breezy song feels like what love should be when it's right: simple, honest, warm, and clear.
12) "At Home" by Crystal Fighters from Star of Love.
11) "Next in Line" by Walk the Moon from Walk the Moon.
For some reason this song reminds me of the excitement you feel at the beginning of a new relationship--and it feels oddly nostalgic, too.
10) "Dancing On My Own" by Robyn from Body Talk.
9) "Blood" by The Middle East from The Recordings of the Middle East.
This is a driving-in-your-car-while-having-a-realization song. If you've ever had a realization while driving in a car, you know what I mean.
8) "Hallelujah" by Bethany Dillon from So Far...Acoustic Sessions.
7) "Feel It All Around" by Washed Out from Life of Leisure EP.
Thanks, Portlandia!  
6) "Take Care" by Beach House from Teen Dream.
One of the sweetest, most heartfelt songs I have heard in a long time.

5) "I Will Wait" by Mumford & Sons from Babel.
What can I say about Mumford & Sons? They are amazing, they make amazing music. This song is one of many near-perfect tunes off of their near-perfect new album.

4) "Warrior" by Kimbra from Vows.
This song, co-produced by Mark Foster of Foster the People, has been my JAM this year. Try to listen to this and not get absolutely pumped up. 

3) "Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye feat. Kimbra from Making Mirrors.
This song was EVERYWHERE this year. Starting off as a little indie hit played predominately on local stations, Gotye's breakup anthem took off and became one of the most popular songs of the year. In spite of how sick I got of this song after it played non-stop on the radio, it will always remind me of good times in 2012.

2) "Young Blood" by The Naked & Famous from Passive Me, Aggressive You.
I had this song in my iTunes library for about a year before I really developed an appreciation for it. After seeing The Naked & Famous perform it live on Jimmy Kimmel, though, I put it on my current loves playlist where it stayed for most of the year. It is catchy, sweet, a little sad, but a heck of a lot of fun to sing along.

1) "Take a Walk" by Passion Pit from Gossamer.
I love me some Passion Pit, and this song is no exception. The lyrics are solid and take the band in a new direction--discussing existential concerns and trying to find meaning in popular societal norms and values. And, it is just too darn catchy and fun. I put this song on repeat many times this year, and loved every minute.


There's my list. What have you been listening to this year?

Cheers,
Caroline

top nonfiction books of 2012.

I am generally much more of a nonfiction person than a fiction person, so the competition for top ten nonfiction books of the year was incredibly stiff. I read some AMAZING nonfiction books this year that I am very excited to share with you!

Top Ten Nonfiction Books

10) Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredibly Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff
"I used to want to fix people. Now I just want to be with them." What a powerful beginning to a lovely book! Excusing the ultra-cheesy subtitle, Love Does is a great read for any Donald Miller (etc.) fan. A collection of stories and essays about finding God-given meaning and adventure in every part of life, I read this book with a big fat smile on my face. Here is one of my favorite passages from the book.

9) Becoming the Answer to our Prayers: Prayer for Ordinary Radicals by Shane Claiborne & Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
If you follow me on Tumblr, you can easily figure out when I am reading a book by Shane Claiborne due to the influx of quotes I post. (In fact, I am reading a new book written by Claiborne with Tony Campolo now!) I love Shane Claiborne not because we agree on everything (we don't), but because he challenges me to take the gospel seriously--especially in how I serve and love others.

8) A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson
A Walk in the Woods is a really engaging story of the author's experiences hiking the Appalachian Trail, a trail extending from north Georgia up to the tip of Maine. What really stuck with me was the immensity and diversity of America--after hiking for months, the author and his hiking buddy only make it about a third of the way up the trail (which is still considerably more than most hikers ever make it!). In a world that seems to be shrinking everyday as new technology develops, this book is a much needed reminder of just how small we are in comparison to this big, beautiful planet we call home.

7) All But My Life by Gerda Weissmann Klein
I couldn't put down this heartbreaking and brutal Holocaust memoir (even though sometimes I wanted to close the book, close my eyes, and pretend this level of evil was impossible). Klein tells the difficult story of everything she lost during the Holocaust with a preternatural strength and resilience. In spite of the depth of her loss, she still find meaning in her suffering--love. In a beautiful explanation of her quiet philosophy, she says, "Love is great, love is the foundation of nobility, it conquers obstacles and is a deep well of truth and strength." Love is the solution, the answer, the remedy, even (or especially) in times of horrific hate.

6) Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (And How to Reverse It) by Robert Lupton
I read several books this year critiquing the ways we go about serving others, and this one was definitely my favorite. I found it compelling and valuable because Robert Lupton is no detached critic, but rather a community developer who has been working on the ground with those in need for most of his life. He is someone who's opinion is informed by decades of experience. Also, he not only critiques some of the ways we engage in charitable work but also provides practical insight into what works--and what works most is empowering the poor, not demeaning or belittling them through our well-meaning efforts. I highly recommend this book to those who are already engaged in serving the poor and want to be more effective in their efforts (and certainly not for people who just want more reasons to not engage with those in need!).

5) A Thousand Lives: The Untold Story of Hope, Deception, and Survival at Jonestown by Julia Scheeres
This book (like Under the Banner of Heaven...more on that later) is WILD. It details the history of the People's Temple, a religious group led by the manic depressive Jim Jones that ended in tragedy after a commanded mass exodus to South America. This whole story is a fascinating study of the way in which mob mentality and fear can make otherwise normal and loving people do crazy, inhumane things--and is a stark reminder to be wise, vigilant, and brave in the face of what we know to be wrong.

4) The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy by Thomas J. Stanley & William D. Danko
I think that everyone in their 20s (or anyone who is just starting off financially) should have to read this book. It may seem like a dry topic, but Stanley & Danko's brilliant study of the habits of millionaires is a great reminder that financial security is gained through hard work, simple living, and appropriate priorities--and those who feel the need to "keep up with the Joneses"or live an elaborate lifestyle are rarely as wealthy as they appear. (For instance, do you know what the most commonly purchased car by millionaires is? A used Ford F-150!) In the end, the book brings in to sharp focus our ubiquitous American desire to find our meaning in the stuff we own and the image we project to those around us--and points out just how fruitless and shallow this worldview ends up being in the end.
 

3) Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer
This is another one of those stories that is just absolutely wild and unbelievable. I started it early one Saturday morning and couldn't get out of bed until I finished it; it was that good! Krakauer (a really great investigative journalist) dives into the world of the FLDS church and polygamy--and it looks nothing like Sister Wives on TLC. I highly recommend this fascinating read.

2) Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
Zeitoun tells the true story of an Arab American man caught up in the chaos that was New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. Arrested without cause and being told later that he was being held for being a member of Al Qaeda, this book details egregious human rights violations that exist in the unlikeliest of places--here on American soil. This incredible book, though slow at first, is completely engrossing once you get going.

1) The Working Poor: Invisible in America by David K. Shipler
I reread this book in 2012 (something I rarely do), and it was just as powerful the second time around as it was the first. I honestly think this should be required reading for every high school student; as a middle class Caucasian American it is hard to believe and understand that poverty really exists in this nation I call home. This book is unbelievably fair, pointing out how personal and societal failure build on themselves to create disempowering cycles of poverty, and that once caught in this spiral it is extremely difficult to get out without some sort of outside interference. One of the most important aspects of this book is the description of the poor: They are not welfare queens who sit on the behinds all day expecting for the government to take care of them. They work in low-paying jobs (and often more than one) most of us would consider beneath us--and often for more hours than you or I would! The prolific stereotype of the lazy poor doesn't hold water to the realities of poverty in America. I could go on and on about this, but I will end with this: Read this book. You will be challenged. You will be heartbroken. But you will also walk away wiser for it.

What were your favorite books that you read this year? I am always looking for recommendations!

Cheers,
Caroline

top fiction books of 2012.

This year, I accomplished a goal that I have been wanting to do for a long time: I read 100 books! I tried to do this in 2011 but could only get through 87 (which is still a lot of books, trust me!). This year, though, I powered through and finished strong. I tried to limit my list to a top ten, but it just didn't work--so instead, I made a list for favorite fiction books and favorite nonfiction books. Let's begin with my favorite fiction of the year!

Top Ten Fiction 
 

10) The Last Beholder by M.E. Wyatt & B. Wynn
A friend of mine wrote this fantastic read, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. It certainly didn't disappoint me. This is one of those books that just feels good to read and has so many layers of beautiful symbolism and allegory. If you are into The Chronicles of Narnia, etc., you will probably enjoy this sweet book. 

 9) The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
Of course, J.K. Rowling's post-Potter novel is no Harry Potter. However, Rowling does what she does best in The Casual Vacancy: create compelling characters that you emotionally invest in. And also, break hearts of readers everywhere.

8) The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Yes, it took me until I was 25 to read this perfect little book. I don't know what I can say about this story that hasn't been said before, so I will just say that it is great and you should read it too.

7) Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
This is seriously an amazing (and incredibly important) book about the realities of slavery and the varying degrees of moral responsibility for those benefiting from a system that privileges one group of people to the detriment of others. Read it.

6) Divergent & Insurgent by Veronica Roth
I was looking for a good YA novel series to get into earlier this year (hoping for something to hook me in the way that Hunger Games did last year) and I fortunately discovered this new series. It's a trilogy, and I can't wait for the third book to come out sometime this year!

5) The Color Purple by Alice Walker
This is another great book that I've been meaning to read for a while. More happens to the main character in the first page of the novel than does in most books. This heartbreaking and hopeful novel is a thing of beauty.

4) A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
 I have been very slowly working my way through the Game of Thrones series. Very slowly. This year, I read the second book in the series, and it was unsurprisingly awesome. Maybe I will read the next book this year (and hopefully before the third season begins!).

3) The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson
 So, this certainly isn't a newsflash, but these books are awesome. I read The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo last year and found it thoroughly enjoyable. It wasn't until I read the second book that I realized how amazing this series was. Lizbeth Salander is one of my favorite crazy protagonists ever.

2) The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini
I must say that I began reading the first book somewhat ironically, and quickly became hooked. I would always try to hide the very embarrassing covers with dragons on them while reading them in public. If you are into YA fiction or fantasy or anything like that and you have some time to spare, I would definitely recommend this series to you.

1) The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Kazuo Ishiguro is an absolutely amazing writer. This book is such a controlled burn; you barely realize what is going on until BAM. It hits you like a ton of bricks. This story is a beautiful existential treatise that sticks with you well after you have finished the book. It starts off slow, so trust me and stick with it until the end. (Also, if you enjoy this book, also try Never Let Me Go, a strange but intriguing sci-fi novel).





What were your favorite books this year?

Cheers,
Caroline

top ten movies of 2012.

It's my favorite time of the year--the time where I get to spend way too much time trying to remember every movie I've seen over the past year and arguing with myself as to which ones I liked best. I didn't see quite as many movies as I normally do this year (long distance relationships will do that to you), but I saw quite a few that I absolutely adored. Also, Frank wanted me to make sure to mention that I didn't see Argo, and that if I had my list would look a little different. Well, you can't see them all! Here are my favorite movies of the year:

10) Brave. Y'all, I am a sucker for a strong female lead. I was extremely excited to see Disney/Pixar create a kick-butt female character who had more important things to do than to worry about finding a man. She is a Disney princess I would be happy for my hypothetical future daughters to want to emulate.

9) Life of Pi. I was nervous and excited when I heard one of my favorite books was being made into a movie--and I was curious to see how the story of a boy in a boat with a tiger would translate to screen. Ang Lee did such an excellent job with this faithful adaption, and the movie was as visually stunning and it was spiritually challenging.

8) The Hobbit. I am totally into this movie. Although it is a fair criticism that Peter Jackson in straying from the whimsical (and brief!) nature of this story by positioning it as an epic three-part prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I am very excited to be able to dive head-long back into Middle Earth.

7) Moonrise Kingdom. I have a soft spot in my heart for Wes Anderson--and I think this precious little movie has even more heart than most of his work.

6) Les Miserables. Les Miserables is my favorite musical, and I was TERRIFIED of being disappointed when I found out they were making a movie adaptation. But, no worries guys! It's pretty darn awesome! I was impressed with the acting chops of the cast and really appreciated how stunningly beautiful the film was. Great work all around.

5) Django Unchained. This movie is awesome, shocking, ridiculous, and perfectly Tarantino. I appreciate any movie where the good guy gets the bad guys, and Jamie Foxx's Django is unbelievably incredible. 

4) Cabin in the Woods. Joss Whedon has had quite the year! This movie was nothing like what I expected, but was the perfect combination of humor, thrills, and smart movie-making. It is the horror movies of horror movies, in a really good, funny way.

3) Celeste and Jesse Forever. To be honest, I want Rashida Jones to be my BFF. I am mildly obsessed with her. I am also a sucker for stories about why sometimes two people just can't be together. This movie had me doing the awkward dance of crying and laughing the whole way through.

2) Safety Not Guaranteed. Speaking of the stars of Parks & Recreation, I loved Aubrey Plaza at her sarcastic best in this heartfelt indie film. At times absurd, this precious movie gave a message of hope for even the characters who seemed the most lost. I will always love that.

1) Bernie. This is without question my favorite movie of the year. Heck, it is one of my favorite movies of all time. This movie, a tragicomic true crime about a murder in a small East Texas town based on a feature story in Texas Monthly, is so spot on. It is an extremely accurate portrayal of life "where I come from," and is gut-bustingly funny as well. Not convinced? Here's my favorite scene.






Honorable mentions include: The Dark Knight Rises, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Sinister, Skyfall, and Anna Karenina. What were your favorite movies of 2012?

Cheers,
Caroline

currently listening:

Howdy, y'all! Here's what I've been listening to lately:

Red by Taylor Swift. This isn't the first time I have recommended a Taylor Swift album on the blog, and I'm not ashamed of that. I love Taylor Swift like I love Kelly Clarkson: I listen to her tracks really loudly when I am by myself in my car driving long distances and sing along unabashedly. Red, Taylor's latest offering, is sometimes super melodramatic ("Loving him is like driving a new Maserati down a dead end street"), sometimes super cliché, but always super fun. She even threw in a little dub-step/country mix up EXPLOSION for those of you who like your songs about what a terrible boyfriend John Mayer must have been with a little less country twang. My favorite track on the album, though, is "State of Grace"--a song that I was surprised to find I legitimately like, not just shamefully or secretly like. If you're skeptical, give that one a shot and go from there.

Paradise by Lana del Rey. Let's be honest here: I just don't "get" Lana del Rey. She's really weird. She's really dark. She's really awkward. She really dated Axl Rose. But, I consistently LOVE her music. Her newest album, Paradise, is no exception (but rather, a lovely follow up to this year's Born to Die). It is so dark and rich and often just a thing of beauty. She perfectly balances a powerful sense of nostalgia with a new sound that is all her own--at times referencing the pop ballads of the fifties and sixties or the female-fronted indie-goth bands of the late nineties. Any way you look at it, she is one powerful woman with a powerfully beautiful voice who isn't afraid to do her own thing or be her own person. And the result? Sheer magic.

Vows by Kimbra. Kimbra hit the (American) music scene in a big way when she was sang alongside Gotye in what just may be the most popular song of 2012, the ever-present "Somebody That I Used To Know." I must admit, I have had her album, Vows, sitting in my iTunes for quite some time now, gathering digital dust. I would listen to it a little bit every now and then but just never got into it. I saw her live at ACL about a month ago, and my opinion of her completely changed. Y'all, this girl is TALENTED. All it took was about forty five minutes to go from unimpressed to somewhat obsessed. That helped me to listen to this album with fresh ears, and I love what I hear! She packs the pop (and vocal!) power of Katy Perry with the creativity and courage of Regina Spektor. This girl is unafraid to do her own thing--and you can really tell she has a good time doing it. Unconvinced? Start of with her collaboration with Foster the People's Mark Foster, "Warrior," and play it on repeat. You'll come around.

 A Day of Glory (Songs for Christmas) by Austin Stone Worship. It may only be mid-November, but this Christmas album is definitely worth the listen now. Last Christmas season was such a special time for those of us at the Austin Stone (my church here in Austin), and I am so excited that we are able to share that with everyone through this album. This album is a way to hear these traditional songs in a new, fresh way. It is a reminder that Christmas isn't just about carols or gifts or Christmas specials on TV. Christmas is about the gospel--that while we were still sinners, still messed up, broken people, unable to save ourselves, Jesus Christ came to us! And that gospel leads us to celebrate, to worship. So, maybe I am a bit biased, but this album is such a great and beautiful reminder for me to worship this Christmas season, to focus my attention on the One who came to me, for me.

What have you been listening to lately?

Cheers,
Caroline