Young Oceans has done a wonderful job of creating an ambient EP in Advent, taking old hymns and re-vitalizing them for the Sufjan Stevens/Iron and Wine crowd. While not as epic as a Sigur Ros album, this eclectic group of musicians take the slow building approach of setting a scene, before adding on to it, thickening their plots with each verse and chorus. The self-proclaimed “neo-alternative worship” band born out of New York City’s Trinity Grace Church succeeds with Advent, but it’s more of a meditative record; you probably wouldn’t put it on and listen to a couple singles. It does a much better job as personal worship and background music to set the mood.
Features
Forward Under a Dying Sun
Most of these days, the sun rises and sets on a world that feels like it's dying. Across the pond, where Employed to Serve calls home, they're learning how to support their latest record a year into its release. HM contributor Andrew Voigt recently sat down with Justine Jones to learn more about the band, marrying your bandmates, and their outside shot at touring with Rammstein.
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Hope Through the Loss
Idle Threat's latest EP, 'Nothing is Broken for Good,' paints a serendipitous picture of what comes from hope in the future: 'The record is definitely about loss and hope through that loss.'
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Becoming Comrades
The trio of Comrades – husband and wife Joe and Laura McElroy alongside drummer John Gaskil – is used to living in a van and touring the country. Now, their new normal has provided them with a moment to "be adults" for once. We recently sat down with the McElroys to talk more about the spiritual reality within life, how soon they'll be able to release new music, and how koalas are their new normal.
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HM Magazine Turns 35
In 1985, Doug Van Pelt photocopied a letter-sized sheets of paper, bound them together, and handed them out in person on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin. It's all digital now, but, along the way, Van Pelt stirred up quite a few waves, played some seriously heavy music, and made a few friends along the way. Here: A quick look back at the magazine's 35-year history with Van Pelt and new owner, David Stagg.
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