i thought i said this but maybe not

Well it's a little late now, I thought I posted that I was going camping for a month- 14 National Parks in the Rocky Mountain region and then moving across the country and that is the reason I have been absent and haven't shared any musical excitement recently. So anyway, I just spent a month in a tent and driving a lot and therefore listening to a lot of music. This segues nicely because one of the happy surprises of Lifest was how much I enjoyed Switchfoot.

I really enjoyed their songs on the Walk to Remember soundtrack (never saw the movie but LOVED the soundtrack) and then when they "resurfaced" a few years ago I remember my friend Kate being like, "now is this the same Switchfoot that was that Christian band?!" I think I just shrugged. So I was looking forward to seeing them in concert and Anne really wanted to get over to see lead singer Jon Foreman play some of his solo stuff.

I think I was most impressed by how authentic they seemed despite being a band that has seen it's share of hype, in a sense. So when my friend Emily (companion of the epic camping trip) showed up with Jon Foreman's EPs to listen to while we drove I expected good. But it was really REALLY good. These songs are SO scriptural! I found myself on the verge of giggling because he does such a great job of artistically interpreting the scriptures he focuses on and giving them extra emotional tension. I like a lot of them and could listen to these EPs over and over (and have!) but the one that I latched on to immediately, turned up every time it came on and after listening to once told Emily I plan on listening to everyday for the rest of my life was the Amos inspired "Instead of a Show."

The verses he draws from haunt me often when I'm gathered with others to pray and sing so this reminder is really gutsy, I think, an indictment of guilt for all of us. But beautiful, beautiful, I genuinely wish every worship leader would open with this song.