All I Need Is Everything
This…from ImageUpdate (a bi-weekly newsletter I get in my e-mail inbox)–a new (and somewhat personal) way to get your fans to invest in you!
I was intrigued, probably because I’ve loved Over the Rhine’s music for a long time. I’ll let ImageUpdate explain:
Over the Rhine and Joe Henry to Make a Record–With Your Help
“Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist of Over the Rhine have created some twenty original and live records over the past two decades–songs of love, faith, and sorrow, both intimate and epic, whimsical and heart- rending. They write songs to live with–to cry to, sing along to, walk down the aisle to. They make great music. But as Detweiler says, part of their creative process is ‘a hunger and belief in possibility: the possibility that the ‘best’ Over the Rhine record hasn’t been made yet. The possibility that our best work is still out there waiting for us.’ They are about to venture out into this realm of possibility. Detweiler and Bergquist recently announced another fortunate musical alliance: with Grammy-winning musician Joe Henry, who has signed on to produce their first album of all-new material since 2007’s The Trumpet Child. A musician’s musician whose low profile belies his astounding talent, Henry has produced albums from the likes of Elvis Costello, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, and Loudon Wainwright III. Of Henry’s own music, essayist Leonce Gaiter says: ‘His song-craft skills are unsurpassed and he can cement melody to lyrics for songs strong enough to hit you like bricks. [His music] is beauty and loneliness, love and want… this is music for the fully human. It’s good enough to hurt.’ This dream team combination of Joe Henry and Over the Rhine promises to be full of extraordinary possibility; but the collaboration isn’t over with them. Your help is needed for the record to be made. Rather than looking to a record company to front the money, Over the Rhine is appealing directly to the people who care about their music to help fund the project up front. For $15, you can help them ‘blow the seams out of the songs’ with Joe Henry, and ensure that you’ll receive your copy of the resulting record a month in advance. If you’re able to give more, well, you might find Karin Bergquist singing you ‘Happy Birthday’ at your next party–anything is possible.
“To read more about the new record, click here; and if you’re as sold on the project as we are, click here to buy in.” [Update 1.9.11: The second link is dead, because their CD The Long Surrender is already out. You can buy it here. It’s fab. I promise.]
I confess. They sold me. I contributed and received a selection of mp3s in advance. There’s something about supporting a fellow artist…[When I start my rock band, I’m definitely trying this. Becky, you with me? Oh yeah, but first we have to learn to play the guitar, right? Wasn’t that the hitch in our get-up?]
And for those of you who’ve never been introduced to Over the Rhine, please…allow me. Start with this song.
* * *
“All I Need Is Everything”
words and music: Detweiler and Bergquist
recording: Good Dog Bad Dog
Slow down. Hold still.
It’s not as if it’s a matter of will.
Someone’s circling. Someone’s moving
a little lower than the angels.
And it’s got nothing to do with me.
The wind blows through the trees,
but if I look for it, it won’t come.
I tense up. My mind goes numb.
There’s nothing harder than learning how to receive.
Calm down. Be still.
We’ve got plenty of time to kill.
No hand writing on the wall:
just the voice that’s in us all.
And you’re whispering to me,
time to get up off my hands and knees,
’cause if I beg for it, it won’t come.
I find nothing but table crumbs.
My hands are empty. God, I’ve been naive.
All I need is everything.
Inside, outside, feel new skin.
All I need is everything.
Feel the slip and the grip of grace again.
Slow down. Hold still.
It’s not as if it’s a matter of will.
Someone’s circling. Someone’s moving
a little lower than the angels.
This voice calling me to you:
it’s just barely coming through.
Still, I clearly hear my name.
I’ve been fingering the flame
like tomorrow’s martyr.
It gets harder to believe.
All I need is everything.
Inside, outside, feel new skin.
All I need is everything.
Feel the slip and the grip of grace again.
So from now till kingdom come,
taste the words on the tip of my tongue.
‘Cause we can’t run truth out of town,
only force it underground.
The roots grow deeper
in ways we can’t conceive.
All I need is everything.
Inside, outside feel new skin.
All I need is everything.
Feel the slip and the grip of grace again.
All I need is all I need.
* * *
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
[Post image: Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist of Over the Rhine]