Superman is my personal Lord and Savior

I just accepted him (Him?) into my heart at the local movie theatre.

Superman-Jesus comparisons and their respective puns are rampant: Jesus Christ Superman, The ‘Savior’ Returns, and Superman Returns as Jesus are three of the many a simple Google search reveals.

Sitting in the theatre, it was evident early on that Christ imagery would abound in the film, but when Superman said to Lois, “You said the world doesn’t need a savior, but I hear people crying for one every day,” there was no looking back. Craig Detweiler at HollywoodJesus says:

Much has been written about the Christ imagery soaring through Superman Returns. Director Bryan Singer connects this thrilling update to 1978’s esteemed Superman: The Movie by incorporating footage and voiceover of Marlon Brando as Jor-El. He advises his son, “Even though you’ve been raised as a human being, you’re not one of them. They can be a great people, Kal-El. They wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all—their capacity for good—I have sent them you…my only son.”

The parallels to the Christ story are striking. Singer and his crack screenwriting partners, Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris, push the analogies even further with Superman’s physical suffering. A slight trace of the song, “He’s got the whole world in his hands,” becomes a lived reality. Superman carries much more than the Daily Planet on his back. As he summons all his strength to save humanity, Superman falls to earth, arms outstretched, a living sacrifice for us all.

If you’re still interested, check out The Incredible Biblical Connections of the 1978 Superman, an extensive, illustrated overview.

I could point out many more blatant Christ references - as I was doing in the theatre - but I won’t. And for all of the youth pastors out there, in this interview director Bryan Singer says “I grew up as a relatively secular Jewish kid in a Catholic neighborhood. I went to a Christian youth club as a kid, ’cause I liked the sports.’”

A deluge of new music

I have posted several times recently about new and future music releases, and the more I think about it, the more I get excited. The following is a list of bands that are working on or have finished a new album and the respective names and release dates if available.

1. David Crowder Band, B Collision: The Eschatology of Bluegrass¹, due out June 27
2. John Mayer, Continuum, due out September 12
3. Matt Wertz, Everything In Between, due out around September. “The Way I Feel” is available on iTunes.
4. Gavin DeGraw, unknown, due out late 2006/early 2007.
5. Maroon 5, unknown, due out late 2006/early 2007.
6. Dave Matthews Band, unknown, due out late 2006/early 2007.
7. Bebo Norman, Between the Dreaming and the Coming True, due out September 19
8. Radiant*, We Hope You Win, unknown. Apparently the album has completely finished since late last year, but for some reason they can’t release it yet.
9. Damien Rice, unknown, unknown

Bands I haven’t looked into yet but have a gut feeling about: Jars of Clay, Marc Broussard, Stephen Speaks, Ten Shekel Shirt, Wilco, Gabe Dixon Band

Feel free to comment to add to the list, or if you have any more information regarding the ones I have posted. It’s going to be a good 2nd half of the year.

1. A seven track B-sides album, with a couple of tracks featuring Shane & Shane. Check it out at Amazon. ↩

• For all you Matt Wertz fans out there, the song “The Way I Feel” from his to-be-named forthcoming album is available for download on iTunes. So good. 06/25/2006
• Acoustic Guitar magazine and the Martin Guitar Company have teamed up to give you a chance to win a Special Edition OMJM John Mayer Martin guitar (retail price $3,999) and 12 sets of Martin phosphor-bronze light-gauge Eric Clapton signature strings (retail price $165). His new single, “Waiting on the World to Change”, will hit the radio on July 10, and iTunes Music Store on July 11. 06/24/2006

Rouse and Rosebud

Being back in Parmelee was amazing. Much of the journey was blogged on MyUnderground, and Brandon posted several times throughout the week as well on his personal blog. Once we get all of the pictures from the week together, we’re going to put together a video, and I’ll upload it to YouTube once it’s finished. A sincere “thank you” to all those who were praying for us.

I didn’t listen to much music during the week, but when I did, it was Josh Rouse’s new album, Subtitulo. I wrote about Rouse in the first Music of the Month post last September, and when I heard he had released a new album, I got it immediately. It is amazing. It’s so good that I was compelled to write a review of it on Amazon.com, the first I have written for the website. Here’s what it says:

Josh Rouse, I believe, is one of the best unknown singer-songwriters out there today. Subtitulo, while both mellow and upbeat, is a culmination of everything he has done to date. As I listen to this album, I constantly find myself astonished how seamlessly he has integrated sounds he honed on 1972 and Nashville into a distinctly Spanish setting.

Every song is a gem, my favorites are the cool “Summertime”, the catchy and familiar “It Looks Like Love,” and the almost Egyptian-sounding “Wonderful”. This album is a must-have.

Subtitulo is, I believe, my first official album of the summer.

• Japanese scientists have discovered a new disease: neophilia. “Neophiliacs are people who love everything new or novel. While most people have some element of this trait in their personality, there are some folks who have an almost unstoppable draw to every whizzy new electronic gizmo.” 06/22/2006

Blogging Rosebud

I’m posting from Valentine, Nebraska, just south of Rosebud Indian Reservation. I will be posting often throughout the week over at MyUnderground, and I’ve already posted about the eventful journey here.

I’ll also be taking tons of pictures and uploading them as I go to my Flickr page.

I’m off to a meeting.

• The wait is finally almost over. John Mayer’s new album, Continuum, is scheduled for release on September 12, 2006. Head over to JohnMayer.com and listen to the groovy new single, “Waiting on the World to Change”. 06/16/2006

Back to Rosebud

I’d like to begin this post with a joke Tom told me:

Tom: You know how we know the indians were here first?
Jake: How?
Tom: They had reservations.

Kind of makes me miss the podcast (although there are talks of a summer episode).

On a serious note, I am heading back to Rosebud Indian Reservation for the fourth time in the last year on Saturday. I am going with four other leaders and fifteen high school students to the town of Parmeleee for a week.

The trip will be very much like last year, except this time we have fewer students and we’re not sleeping in a high school gymnasium.

When I think of the extremely poor state of the reservation and the horrible living conditions, it makes me sick. I just pray that our time there positively affects the community and that we bring a feeling of love and compassion.

• One of my pictures has been blogged on Make Mine Mosaic, a blog dedicated to mosaics around the world. 06/10/2006

Baseball theology

Our church is going on another baseball trip this year, this time to Chicago for a Cubs/Cards game(!) followed by a White Sox/Twins game. The other night I was at Brandon’s house watching a televised Cubs game when I suggested that we make signs for the game we will attend that say “Jesus was a Cubs fan.” He was quick to correct my simple, yet profoundly theologically significant error: “Jesus is a Cubs fan.”

Well, I suppose if we’re really aiming for theological accuracy it should probably be “Jesus was, is, and always will be a Cubs fan.” (e.g., Revelation 4:8)

• Ten flagrant grammar mistakes that make you look stupid. Grammatical mistakes are my #1 pet peeve of all time. 06/07/2006

Show at Java G’s on Friday

As the image says, I am playing a show this Friday evening at Java G’s in Clive (directions) from 7:00 to 9:00pm. It will be the live debut of several songs, including If You Return (I’ll Take It). There will be EPs available for $5.

Make sure to come a little early, as it’s sure to be packed!

Whatever happened to Dying Stars?

Since last December, I have been talking lots about my CD, Dying Stars. I initially hoped it would be done by January (ha) and then pushed it back to the end of May. It started out as a 5 song EP and then became an 11 track full-length album, and is now back to a 7 song EP. The good news is that I should have tangible CDs by mid-to-late-summer.

Last night Eric and I touched up a few songs and recorded If You Return (I’ll Take It). The following tracks will be on the album, and it will cost $8, $10 with shipping. There is also a chance it will be available for download online (cross your fingers).

1. Stuck In My Heart
2. If You Return (I’ll Take It)
3. Last Time
4. A Nail
5. Leave the Light On
6. 98 Miles
7. Dying Stars

Speaking of dying stars, here’s what they actually look like.

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