Favorite Thile Album

[NCFan4Ever]

OK everyone, what's your favorite Chris Thile solo album? I mean, I know they're all AWESOME, but I think my personal favorite would have to be the new one, Not All Who Wander Are Lost. But I love Stealing Second and Leading Off, too! What a hard decision!

[Thilefan]

You are absolutely correct, they are all very good. However, his older ones have a completely different sound than his new one. When I first got his new album, I was dissapointed at the type of music on it. I really like the cleaness potrayed on Chris' first and second (although I prefer his first) albums, they have such a distinct beauty that no other mandolin player can give. However, after listening to Thile's new album for the last 6 months...or more...I can't remember...anyway, since then, as I have been attempting to learn his new material, I have realized just how much work went into writing and recording each song (each one being so complicated). Now, I must say, his new album is far supperior to his others as far as tecnique goes and I am begining to like his new material more than the old. However, his new and old albums are simply different; therefore, very hard to compare. I like it all.

Robin

[NCFan4Ever]

Yes, I agree. His first two albums are definately a LOT different than the third one. In the first one it sounds more like a carefree, innocent kid, but in the third one it seems a lot more complex and like there's much more than meets the eye....

I still can't decide which one i like best![noise]

[nitejule]

i feel like a bad thile fan, lol. i don't have the other albums other than the NAWWAL, lol you guys know what that is, lol, didn't feel like typing it :p where can i get his earlier stuff??

[NCFan4Ever]

I bought mine at Merlefest....but since there won't be another one of those for a year...I'm pretty sure they sell them on the website..at least last time I checked they did! You should definately get them...they're both awesome!

[sarah]

not to be mean but the 2 older ones are MUCH better than his newer one. the songs blend very well together and there are only 2 songs on his new cd i can listen to. the rest are too long and full of what sounds like random notes bunched together. i listen to the first minute of the songs and then get sick of it.

[Thilefan]

Agreed Sarah,

But, that was the theme of the cd...that is, to wander, and yet to come back. I said the same thing when I first got his cd. However, I believe that Thile is forging new ground on mandolin. I also believe that his next solo album will settle down a little bit.

Robin

[nitejule]

i have to sooo disagree with ya there. i love the new album its sooo fun and very entertaining!!

[sarah]

LOL i actually think most of the songs on his 3rd solo cd are annoying.

[nitejule]

well i like the album its just fun to me. but all of us have an opinion on it and thats kewl!!!

[mandoBob]

annoying? I guess I can see why you might think they're annoying, but if I may, you may come to appreciate them in time. IMO they're very, uh, artistic I guess, and a lot of art like this doesnt have wide appeal. not too much 3 minute poppy stuff here (Sean's album is full of 3 minute songs, and I feel a tad ripped off even tho I love it...any time a CD is less than 40 minutes I dont feel like I've been given my money's worth, but ANYway).
Riddles in the Dark is very tough to listen to casually, but if you can hang in for a while, you may appreciate it as a very cool and intricate piece of work. Much like Bela Fleck (who plays that song with him) Chris is pushing lots of boundaries and it's a challenge to go there with him as a listener. But it's great at the same time. Since he's such a young master, many seem to believe he'll change the world of mandolin, and I venture to guess he'll annoy a lot of his NC fans with some of his challenging stuff, yet being such a seemingly fun-loving, humble and smart person, he wont alienate folks too much. This is complete conjecture on my part.
I for one am VERY excited to see where he'll take us, and I'm glad he's willing to stick his neck out and make some somewhat hard-to-listen-to stuff.

[Thilefan]

Well,

Sarah, I know you don't like listening to a lot of the 3rd cd tunes, but you have learned a LOT off of that cd...Big Sam Thompson, and many others...

Just something to think about. His idea was to influence people with new style, which is what I think he has done quite succesfully.

However, there are songs on there that I can't appreciate that much...such as that saxaphone one. It is really streching out too far in my opinnion.

Robin

[NCFan4Ever]

I think that the third album is more appreciated by people who are actual musicians. I, for instance, have no musical talent whatsoever, and therefore, I know I'm not getting all that I could be getting out of NOWWAL...however, I still love the music! But I think you can get into it alot more if you play an instrument and can fully appreciate all the complicated patterns of his third album.

Okay, when I got the third album, I didn't think much of Riddles in the Dark at all. Then, I saw Chris and Bela Fleck at Mountain Stage and Chris explained that that song was inspired by the scene in THe Hobbit where Bilbo is trying to escape from Gollum, and I TOTALLY fell in love with the song! Now I think it's my favorite on the album.

On a totally unrelated note, I read all of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and the Hobbit after I found out that Chris loved JRR Tolkeinn....OMG! They are the best books I have ever read! Now I love In the House of Tom Bombadil so much more after I read the books than before, not that I didn't love it before.

Chris Thile Rocks!

[nitejule]

yeah i must admit being a musician helps to really like it more, i am a musician myself and it just blows me away really. i read tolkien b4 i knew chris was into it. tolkien has been one of my favorite authors of all time. hes really great. i am in the process of reading the tolkien books now. there are 22 books that relate to lord of the rings and i am reading all of them....it sure is takin a while though.

[NCFan4Ever]

yeah, when I said I had read all of them, I meant that I have read the main trilogy and the Hobbit....I doubt if I'll ever get through all of them!

[nitejule]

yeah well i needed to do some reading so i am takin up readin the tolkien books. i like them and i just read them when i can. its just fun stuff!!

[NCFan4Ever]

Did you see the LOTR movie? I was so mad, I wanted to read the books first and missed seeing the movie in theatres by 2 days!

[creekster_anna]

I know the subject has changed some here but I just wanted to share my opinoin on the Chris albums.

I wouldn't really call myself a musician, although I am learning to play the fiddle, but I really appreciate the creativity on Not All Who Wander. As far as listening to it goes I do have to be in the mood to listen to most of the songs on this one. For those who don't enjoy listening to them at all, I would suggest just trying to listen to them some more and maybe you will eventually get more used to the different sound. I know with me I appreciate the songs more with each listen. That is what I think is so great about Chris' music, you don't get tired of it easily. I think the Club G.R.O.S.S. song is great but I guess it is just a personal preferance thing. Also, I think that people who read Calvin and Hobbs and can make that connection can appreciate that song more than those who don't.

I also have the other two albums and I agree that they are easier to listen to but I also think that they are not as creative as the new one. I think it is really hard to compare them to the new one b/c he is older now and has more musical experience and is more adventerous musically.

[NCFan4Ever]

I agree, anna....NOWWAL is definately more creative than the other two albums....I like them all alot, but I think my fav is NOWWAL just because I don't get all of it! When I listen to it, I want to know the stories behind all of the songs and I want to hear all the little parts...the music is so complicated I always feel like there is so much more to it than meets the ear and I want so bad to be able to give people music like that!

[NCFan4Ever]

OH, and I forgot......I think that EUREKA is the best song out of any of the Thile albums! I just love it!!

[mandoBob]

ok anyone else see the humor in the title of the not all who wander title, considering the sinai to canaan stuff?
sure, it's a reference to tolkein, and a reference to the wandering of his music, but in reference to the old testiment, not all who wander are lost.....some who wander are being punished for 40 years!!! ha!!! ok, 40 years of punishment isn't THAT funny, but still...coincidence? I think not!
I know I know, very obscure kind of humor...

[lruthie]

Mandobob, I thought the same thing when I bought the album and listened to it the first time. I was reading all of the descriptions to the songs and got to the 'sinai to canaan' one. Automatically, my mind went to desert, God's people, wandering. Hmmmm, what's the title of this again? Ahh, 'Not All Who Wander Are Lost'. I thought it was pretty cool.

Ruth

[NCFan4Ever]

Originally posted by mandoBob
not all who wander are lost.....some who wander are being punished for 40 years!!! ha!!!

that is pretty funny!

[creekster_anna]

Cool. I never thought of it that way before. [think]

[honortheking]

quite the old post, but good point, nonetheless!!


my favorite Thile album is Stealing Second. it's so nostalgic and innocent.

Bittersweet Reel and Hop the Fence, along with Leaves Fall are my all-time faves from that disc.

soo good. hope this isn't too old for anyone else to respond

[thebiglargeness]

my fav is deceiver, i think it was very risky of him to go in the direction he went, but it payed off big

this is not to say that his other 3 arent amazing, cause they are

[e-rock2]

I would have to agree with Deceiver as my choice. It's extremely adventurous and I think his vocals are completely awesome too.

[jonraz]

I will agree that its definitely easier to listen to Thile (especially NOWWAL) if you are a musician or have an ear to hear certain instruments.
I would also like to challenge the listeners out there who maybe only have limited musical knowledge.
On NOWWAL, there is so much going on in certain songs that you almost can't really hear everything going on. If you can recognize the sound of a bass, dobro, banjo, fiddle, guitar (easy one) and mando (obvious), then next time try to concentrate on just one instrument at a time. Instead of listening to the song as a whole focus on listening to what the guitar does or the banjo, fiddle. Then when you hear all of the instruments playing together you really appreciate the beauty of the CD.
NOWWAL is one of my favorite CD's of all time and its definitely my favorite Thile CD.
My favorite song from it is Raining at Sunset. Not only do I love that the song is over 7 min long, but there are so many high, low, loud, quiet, points in the song. In one moment there is a crescendo of all the instruments, or just a blazing guitar or mando solo.
If you can appreciate Classical music. I think you can really appreciate this CD. I think some of the songs are arranged almost in a Classical meets Newgrass mode!!!

mandobob,
I like what you said about the Israelites with the Siniaa to Canaan song. Thats what I thought of too when I heard the title of the song. I think Part 1 is the wandering and Part 2 is the arriving.
I hope NC does more of these songs in concert. Although its kind of hard when there is no dobro or banjo player.

[Meghan Narser]

Originally posted by jonraz
I hope NC does more of these songs in concert. Although its kind of hard when there is no dobro or banjo player.

I've never touched either of these instruments before in my life. But I'd be willing to wing it if they needed an extra player ;)

[jonraz]

Nice one Meghan!! You could just stand there and look cool!!! :cool: :D

I'd be more than willing to hop on in with them (notice I didn't say replace Sean). I would just love to play with them!!!

[honortheking]

you make an amazing musical point!


musically NAWWAL IS the best!! it's incredible. and i love every song on there.

but just for me, my personaly favorite Thile cd will have to be Stealing Second. such good FAST picking. it's incredible. and beautiful.

there is so much innocence to it. and it brings out thoughts for me and i think about when i was 16 and what i would have been thinking about if i had written those songs.

a ton of nostalgia for me, personally. but again NAWWAL is thee BEST cd musically. it's just not my favorite. is that understandable? i mean seriously, is it an understandable situation i'm in?

[jonraz]

i mean seriously, is it an understandable situation i'm in?

Of course it is. You can definitely say that one piece of work by an artist is their greatest, but it might not necessarily be your favorite. There may be some things with your favorite CD that you can relate to more than others.

I really need to purchase Stealing Second now. Would you reccomend that one over Leading Off?? For Chris solo CD's I have his last 3, but I tend to listen to Into the Cauldron the least out of the 3 of them. Deceiver takes place before that one.

[fwoompf]

I only own Not All Who Wander, and I think it's fabulous, but I'm also really really fond of his work on Mark O'Connor's 30 Year Retrospective 2 Disc set.

Mark O'Connor, Chris Thile, Bryan Sutton and Byron house RIP it up for 70+ minutes on each disk. Live too! Absolutely fabulous.

[honortheking]

yea i'd definitely go with Stealing Second over Leading Off.

in Leading Off, he's definitely amazing, i just don't think it's near as pretty as Stealing Second. i kinda have to force myself to listen to some stuff from Leading Off. it's not BAD at all... just not near as good as SS.

[matt the fiddler]

nawwal is probably the best cd i own, next to one or two miles davis recordings and a the Mahler #1 by Pierre and the CSO

period

no other opinions are allowed ha ha

j/k

[kmiller1610]

Originally posted by honortheking
Hop the Fence,

Though Nawaal is my favorite album: Hop the Fence is my favorite thing Chris has ever done.

It is joyful and uplifting, moreso than anything I own.

Stealing Second is a real close second to Nawwal....

[kmiller1610]

Hey, why not put the Thile Discography in order of preference?

1) NAWWAL
2) Stealing Second
3) Retrospective
4) Nickel Creek
5) WSTFD
6) Leading Off
7) Into the Cauldron
8) Deceiver
9) This Side

A few notes. If into the Cauldron was recorded clean, it would move up to #5 and in fact, the Thile/Marshall woodsongs concert would rank #4 if they made a record of it ( Gator Strut is AMAZING ). Leading off is rough in spots, but the compositions are great. The Thile/Watkins mando duet is very fine.

The only album on this list where I have to skip half the cuts is This Side and it has some really excellent stuff on it.

[honortheking]

1. Stealing Second
2. NAWWAL
3. Into The Cauldron
4. Nickel Creek
5. WSTFD
6. Deceiver
7. Retrospective (it might possibly be better than a #7 slot, i just don't listen to it enough...)
8. This Side
9. MAS
10. Leading Off

[honortheking]

i agree though about ITC, if it were as clean as say Jessemyn's Reel(i LOVE the recording and quality of that freaking song so much)... i would pee my pants at how amazing it is!!

i almost pee anyway, it's just never actually happens...yet

[jonraz]

jessamyn's reel is Money!!:D
I've learned how to play most of the melody line without the chords from Waltz for Dewayne Pomeroy. Its such a beautiful song!! Really fun to play too!!!

[honortheking]

dang... you kids suck!! i don't have a mando... and i've touched some and can't play a lick! well...i can play a lick, but not many.


Eureka! is an amaaaaazing song. but i let my friend, who has forever LOVED NAWWAL, borrow Stealing Second... and he has declared Stealing Second his favorite Thile Album as well.

he like me finds it just completely awesome. he said every song is soo catchy and it's so joyful. and that's exactly what i think. perfect.

[Jmal]

Deceiver definitely and I'm sure they are only going to get better.

[Ikkin1018]

I only own NAWWAL, Deceiver, and Into the Cauldron. It's hard for me to decide which one is better, because they're all so different. It's like choosing which is your favorite child. If I HAD to pick I'd probably say Deceiver because it's amazing, just too short...
In nawwal, my favorites would definitely have to be Raining at Sunset, Sinai to Canaan pt II (though pr I has that amazingly crazy solo bit in there that's great to listen to.) and Big Sam. I love Eureka, too. For some reason whenever I listen to that one I think of an old farmer guy in overalls with a hayfork in his hand, jumping up and down on a pile of straw screaming, I've got it! I've got it! Strange imagry... I love nawwal because of all the complex things happening musically, you could tell that the musicians were having so much fun recording it, and because it's long enough that you don't feel it's over before it even got going. I like what jonraz said about listening to each instrument and trying to figure out what it's doing and how it plays into the whole thing. I do that all the time.
Deciever is great because it's cutting edge, just enough electricity, just enough drums, but not so much so it drowns out the beautiful mandolin that's happening in it. On Ice and I'm Nowhere and You're Everything are definitely the best tracks on that one. Also, there are vocals, which is different from his other solos.
Into the Cauldron is great simply because it's MANDORIFIC! (A word that I made up to describe the splendour and simple beauty of this tiny instrument.) It's the mandolin being pushed to it's limits, and in a way that doesn't make it seem like it's being pushed. In that one it's fun to listen and try to see if you can determine whether Chris or MIke is playing a certain part, just from what you recognize about their styles. Favorite tracks: Desvairada, Stranded in Kodiak, and What a Blast!
Ok, this post is long enough.

[oink42]

Originally posted by honortheking
but i let my friend, who has forever LOVED NAWWAL, borrow Stealing Second...

he said every song is soo catchy and it's so joyful. and that's exactly what i think. perfect.

Got to agree with this. Joyous is a word that can sum up Stealing Second perfectly. Youthful exuberance at it's most wonderful! I could listen to Bittersweet Reel all day long and never tire of it.

Having said that, NAWWAL is most definitely my favourite Thile album, infact probably my favourite ever album - it is just musical perfection to me - and Stealing Second is not far behind.

Leading Off can be hard work to listen to. Nothing wrong with it musically speaking, but with the exception of the fiddle tune medley, it just doesn't work for me. I couldn't tell you why.

[Pulpfree21]

yeah, I definetly like NAWWAL THe best by far. I like Just instrumental music Because it forces your to create the lyrics out of music in way.... so Thile definetly expressed quite a bit of emotion into it with out the help of lyrics... pluss its just nice listening to it

[thedownsideband]

Okay, now come on guys. We all know that whatever Chris does is cool, except for one thing. cussing in songs. Now, I love the whole Deceiver album, (I'm Nowhere And You're Everything is awesome) and I love the vocals. But I hate it when on ANY song ANYWHERE cusses, because I'm in the middle of singing it, and then that one little word comes along, and I have to make up another word, or line to say instead, because I don't cuss. Like on On Ice, that song is so awesome! But then he ruins it with that word. And plus, it would have been so much cooler if he said So sick of my CRAP,... It would have added more character... Anywho, I love Deceiver! And I love all of the other albums. And I thought it was funny when everyone thought NAWWAL was so different. Then comes Deceiver and everyone shuts up. Anyway, I love all Chris's music, and this is a really unfair question to be answered. It's kind of like Do you like your Mom or Dad better?

[kmiller1610]

This is kind of a hot issue with me. When I left college (an Evangelical college) I felt my calling was to be in the world but not of it and to be a light to the world but I have always felt this does NOT mean being obviously and outwardly Christian. I know that may seem like a contradiction to some, but as soon as they see you coming, it's like the lyrics to Deceiver.. I know everything he said, cause a friend told me... You are put in a box. Most folks retreat to their comfortable little communities and end up relating just to each other.

Now I'm not saying Chris needs to cuss to be a witness and a lot of folks are still going to box him in as a Deceiver. but the witness is in the love he shows to his fellow man and the quality and depth of his art. It is attractive and compelling. It makes people say, wow, what is it about this guy? I think Chris and the other members of NC are trying to be real, not other worldly or disconnected from their own feelings and experiences and humanity.

Now, it's tricky to be in the world and not of it. Jesus hung out with a whore (Mary of Magdala) and the members of his religious community hated him for that and other things he did which did not seem proper to them.

But that's the razor's edge. I have always related to CT's journey and how he can be such an out there guy and a man of tested faith who does not play it safe....

[Red Zep]

I don't see what the big deal is about cuss words that get some people all riled up. I just look at them as words that express strong emotion. When you're so fed up theres nothing more satisfying (at least at the moment) then saying a cuss word at loud volumes. These words have nothing to do with Christianity or religion in general. Some people think that in order to be hardcore religious, you have to not cuss. But these words have been around a long time. They are part of our language, so I say we utilize them.

Don't get me wrong, when people cuss a lot it and incorporate them into mundane situations, it just makes those people sound dumb. I'm not advocating that we should cuss all the time. I just feel that its perfectly okay and sometimes could be quite necessary.

[honortheking]

but the thing is, Paul urges us to rid ourselves of profane language to throw off all malice. as a Christian, not that we're perfect, but we're called to deal with our anger and grief in a different way than the rest of the world. does it make us bad if we stumble and do the things the world does?? ...maybe slightly... but we're human.

but being human isn't an excuse to let our guard down. Be perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect. yikes, that's pretty challenging to me.

anyway... i actually cuss here and there sometimes, too. and i don't think it's so awful if someone does. i just try to see things from both sides.

i don't need to cuss to release my frustration. although i do sometimes, i don't have to. i can simply pray for a calm spirit, set my eyes on Christ, and move on. and that's what He wants us to do.

but whatever. we fail. Chris is amazing. and i can't wait to ask him to play When Mandolins Dream and/or Kneel Before Him when i see them

[kmiller1610]

It's a tricky balance. I think if American Evangelicals had better training in depravity ( all have fallen short ) then the Pharisee Factor wouldn't be such a problem. But all it takes is one or two haughty, self righteous, prominent Evangelical Leaders and most non-believers have a trigger reaction that is really hard to penetrate. We all get branded for their silliness.

You get religion and it gives you power, personal power and you have to be aware of how prone you are to pride and to thinking that somewhere in the back of your mind, you are better than others because you are saved.

But you're not. You are as messed up and depraved as the drug dealer and the hooker and the crooked politician. You are just forgiven, not better.

Spiritual pride is MUCH more dangerous than cussing........

[jonraz]

Great thoughts honor and Kmiller.
I hope I'm always at the place where I can remember that I was and still am dust and never to be haughty or prideful and that my Christianity wouldn't be something that turns people away, but rather towards Christ.

This discussion kind of reminds me of that bumper sticker that I'm sure most of you have seen before, Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven.

Have a good night everyone.

[Pulpfree21]

Chris is being honest. Thats what I like about him and the rest of the band. I am a christian but that doesn't mean that I am religious. I hate the word religion because it automaticly makes you think of rules and regulations. God set down some pretty definite rules with the ten commandments but basing an entire belief around these ten rules is a misconseption, Becuase christianity is not a religion but a relationship with God. And I would say the way to get a deep relationship is to be honest. And I do agree that you dont have to cuss to get you point across but I think that, comming from my own personal expirence, to use that language is apprpriate, not nessecarily right

[Red Zep]

Originally posted by jonraz
Great thoughts honor and Kmiller.
I hope I'm always at the place where I can remember that I was and still am dust and never to be haughty or prideful and that my Christianity wouldn't be something that turns people away, but rather towards Christ.

This discussion kind of reminds me of that bumper sticker that I'm sure most of you have seen before, Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven.

Have a good night everyone.

Well I feel a little outnumbered here. lol Good job guys, you get an A, while Red Zep's thoughts get overlooked or ignored. I believe I make a pretty valid argument seeing as though I am one of the most open minded persons you will ever meet. Oh Well, anyway...

Honortheking said, [QUOTE] but the thing is, Paul urges us to rid ourselves of profane language to throw off all malice. as a Christian, not that we're perfect, but we're called to deal with our anger and grief in a different way than the rest of the world. does it make us bad if we stumble and do the things the world does?? ...maybe slightly... but we're human.

but being human isn't an excuse to let our guard down. Be perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect. yikes, that's pretty challenging to me. [QUOTE]

You have to remember that the bible has been rewritten a thousand times over and it was numerously edited to the liking of the scribe who was editing it at the time. Also much was lost due to poor translation. SO you can't take everything word for word. I mean thats fine if you do, but remember it wasnt what was intended originally.

Thats awesome that you have high standards for yourself, but lets face it, no one here is gonna be perfect.

Suppose you took it word for word and got up there and God was like Crap those stupid scribes had to change what was supposed to be written. You effed up. But its not your fault. I forgive you I think your good either way, as long as you get the bulk idea of what the bible is trying to get across. Know what I'm saying?

Sorry, I'm sure God doesnt speak that way, but yeah you know what I mean.

[thedownsideband]

Yah, all of you guys are right. Cussing is a way to show strong emotion, and it makes other people think (kmiller1610 said) wow, what is it about this guy?, and it's a good way to show your feelings. But still, you don't have to use profane language to get your point across! Don't sin just to get attention! Put the lyrics in a different way!

[Adyn]

We all know that whatever Chris does is cool, except for one thing. cussing in songs

We don't all have the same feelings on this, obviously. We as a board are not, first of all, all Christians. It's not a requirement for being a fan or certainly not one of being on this board. Secondly, not all Christians agree!!! LOL (as this threads turn clearly states)... so before anyone gets their feelins hurt for not being agreed with, keep that in mind.

I, myself... do NOT get the opposition to swearing in music. Ok, so I get not approving of swearing and the desire to keep it out of ones life... but it's an album, written by someone else. It's Chris's personal statement, made the best way he felt he could in that moment. If it bothers you... don't listen!!! If you feel that strongly about swearing in music, stand behind that conviction and don't buy it, and don't listen. Don't expect Chris (or anyone, for that matter) to conform to YOUR personal decisions. DO stand by your own convictions.

This conversation keeps coming up, sadly LOL. I say sadly because there is so much more to the album than a few curse words.

I would have the utmost respect for anyone who said they would not listen to or buy this album because it has swearing in it, and they feel strongly that is wrong.

But I have said it repeatedly before... Chris is an adult. Going through difficult adult emotions and trials; expressing those in his own personal way.

Good job, Chris ;)

[butler23]

Thank you Heather. You said exactly what I wanted to but much more nicely.......I think that Chris swears very little in his music compared to most mainstream music......and when he does you know he is making a point unlike someone who swears every other word...

[Red Zep]

Bravo Adyn!!!

[Pulpfree21]

I agree full heartedly, Its Chris thats swearing not you and you dont have to sing along if you dont want to swear...

by the way I am totally new here and I love it so far...

[thedownsideband]

I didn't mean that everyone else thinks the same as me. I just meant that he changed A LOT through his 3rd and 4th album. He went from thanking God to singing and cussing in his songs. I love his voice, it's awesome. But, it's just so annoying when I get into him, and he's a Christian on his albums, Deceiver comes out and changes everything. I love Deceiver, and I'm NOT saying that everything that Chris IS now is stupid. I just don't like weak faith. Do you like it? To me it just doesn't make sense. Sorry if I offended any of you.

[Paul2000]

I only have Deciver and Wander, but i cant decide which one i like the best...........Wander and Deciver are very different. Guess it depends on what mood im in! :)

[kmiller1610]

Originally posted by thedownsideband I just don't like weak faith.

This is a very interesting point of view. And to really answer it, I think you have to grasp the impact of personality types. I personally think it isn't just a matter of strong vs weak faith. Some people are, deep inside, strongly disposed to invest themselves in a really tightly defined, very structured theology and set of rules to live by. This makes them comfortable and provides them with a vehicle for what they want.

But the CT pattern is to first master something at a basic level, then seek its edges, to expand, bend, extend, seek frontiers, variations, improvisations. A careful reading of Psalms shows the writers struggling, questioning, even railing against God in some cases, so Chris is not alone in this way of expression. It makes sense that Chris would have some part of his Art reflect questioning, bending, pressing the edges of both the rules and his faith as well.

[thedownsideband]

Can I be used to help others find truth, when I'm scared I'll find proof that it's a lie? -Chris Thile

[Red Zep]

Everyone needs to question. Its quite alright.

[somewherenorth]

i think you could say though that a weak faith would never question...faith requires knowledge, diligent study, etc...during this diligent study, don't you think some questioning is going to be involved??? (note - by you, i'm not talking to anyone in particular, just using a writing form (and this applies for the whole post)) when i study the bible, i don't read a passage through once and say, ok, i got it, no problems here!...(don't i wish!!! :D)

as far as the whole chris swearing thing, i'd have to agree with heather....

if it's a really big deal to you, don't buy the cd....and if it's a stinkin' huge deal to you, go become a hermit - i'm betting you don't know chris personally, so his swearing shouldn't really affect you more than any of the other gazillion people you hear swearing in your life....

and no, i don't swear....

[oink42]

Nickel Creek clearly have a desire to be honest about what they consider to be weakness in their faith. In Sean's latest diary entry he says, I'm so sick of sugar-coated songs from the christian perspective. One of the most comforting and inspiring lines to me is from the last chorus of Come THou Fount where it says prone to wander, Lord i feel it, prone to leave the God i love. Not many unwatered down songs make it through the filter of the Christian music industry mafia these days.

There is no shame to sharing your doubts and question what you believe in from time to time. I am not religious yet Doubting Thomas is one of my favourite songs because I have the upmost respect for Chris' honesty. This weak faith is actually a sign of strength and courage to me. Not many people are brave enough to speak so openly of their faith in this day and age. If your faith is not strong enough to be questioned then it can't be that strong at all.

[kmiller1610]

Originally posted by oink42 This weak faith is actually a sign of strength and courage to me.

Me too. Only God can judge faith. I have no idea how strong or weak anyone's faith is. My Christian experience is full of people who talk the talk, but wouldn't know a testing of their faith if it was right in front of them. That's the whole point of being in the world, but not of it. By putting yourself in that uncomfortable place (like trying to make Music that is not automatically rejected by the world because it's so obviously evangelical ), you test and stretch what you have. Chris can be a sideman to Dolly Parton, play background music while Charlie Daniels reads the 23rd Pslam and co-write songs with edgy alt-rock/pop composers, because he has not limited his brand and or made it easy on himself.

To me, that's what the song Deceiver is all about .........

Good Luck Pal, cause you're gonna need it .........

[jonraz]

Can I be used to help others find truth, when I'm scared I'll find proof that it's a lie? -Chris Thile

Doubting Thomas is a song of progression, kind of similar to This Side.
It starts with a fear of something, then stepping out in faith and realizing that its not the most comfortable place to be in the 2nd chorus, but still taking that giant leap into the unknown. The 3rd chorus is fining comfort in this new place and calling it your home.
ie: This Side - There's no place to hide, but I DON'T think I'm scared.
Doubting Thomas-I'll TAKE your promise. Oh me of little faith.
Its honest and its what CT and NC are all about.

[honortheking]

how does cussing make someone have weak faith??!!

i know I'VE felt that way before.... but honestly... why would we think that?

like i've said previously, though. the Bible does tell us to rid ourselves of filthy language. but we fail.

should we, then, go ahead and use filthy language since we KNOW we're gonna fail?? no. by no means. (a nathanism of what paul says).

plus i think Chris has stated in many places that he is about going against the grain. and you guys have said a few times that he's all about shocking people.

as a Christian, i don't necessarily agree with that. we are not our own, we were bought at a price. therefore, Chris has no RIGHTS to act the way he wants to. but again... we all do, anyway. PLUS... he's a growing Christian. if he IS a Christian, he won't be completely perfect until That Day! same goes for the rest of us...

so try to be a mature Christian and don't look down on someone you might think have a weak faith just because they don't have the same convictions you have.

like Adyn said, if you have that strong of convictions about music, and cussing and the like... STICK TO THEM! God has made us all different. not everyone is going to have the same convictions. but the ONE thing we as Christians must all have is a unified picture and desire of and for Christ!

that's what Paul wants us to be likeminded in. our love and passion to know Christ.

†

[thedownsideband]

honertheking -try to be a mature Christian and don't look down on someone you might think have a weak faith just because they don't have the same convictions you have.-


I know what you mean, and that's a very good way of saying what I want to hear. Don't judge someone when they don't think the same things as you. Nice. And I love Doubting Thomas, but I don't know if you took that line the same way I took it- Truth meaning God.- This is a very hard subject to talk about, both sides having good arguements. How about we find a clincher for it?

[seanonabutton]

if i had sit down having never heard any of the albums and listened to them all in a row NAWWAL would come out on top by far. However, every time i listenin to deciever i find something new that i like about it whereas i feel like once i have heard NAWWAL theres nothing more to be heard. It's hard choice but for me it would have to be deciever

[Adyn]

Seanonabutton gets a gold star for bringing this back round to the original topic... proving not all threads who wander are lost... [lolol]

I'll add a twist here... make it more agonizing than picking an album... if you had to pick just one song, which would it be?

Theoretical question LOL, but what if you could only keep on Thile song in your collection? Or you had the chance to have Chris play you just one song for your personal enjoyment LOL whatever... you gotta pick one and it's...?

I think mine is still Stranded in Kodiak. That song just does somthin' to me. Mighty powerful stuff!

[kmiller1610]

Hop the fence from Stealing Second

2nd place would be Bridal Veil Falls from NAWWAL

3rd place would be Gator Strut from the woodsongs concert with Mike Marshall

But you only wanted one ......

[Red Zep]

Mine would definitely be an instrumental. Ode to a Butterfly perhaps.

[jonraz]

Mine would definitely be Raining at Sunset. Especially since I personally requested for Chris to play it and he told me, Good choice.
I freakin love that song!!! :D

[oink42]

Hmmm, if you'd asked a few months back I would have said Raining At Sunset, without any hesistation. But now it'd be Bridal Veil Falls. But it would have to be the full instrumentation if it were played live to me. Bela's banjo at the start just kills me, who'd have thought a banjo could sound so beautiful?

Honourable mentions go to Laurie De'Tullins and Bittersweet Reel. And Temperance Reel as performed with David Grier, and Big Sciota from the same concert. And Lament For Dwayne Pomeroy (live version with Mike Marshall on mandocello). Oh and....oh, you said choose just one. I don't think I could do that :D

[Adyn]

Originally posted by kmiller1610
3rd place would be Gator Strut from the woodsongs concert with Mike Marshall


Ooooh good choice. I don't know if a recording exisits of the show, but I saw them at the Little Fox in Redwood City and while the whole show was great... Chris just NAILED Gator Strut. I would say, at least from memory haha... that that was my favorite solo I've ever heard Chris do. It was NUTS... (Mike agreed hahah)

So, until a mystery recording surfaces (unlikely in that crowd of less than 200 LOL) it will live on as a legend in my head... one day I'll be telling my grandkids about it [lolol] Back when I was a young'un, I heard this mandolin solo that was so amazing...

[lolol]

[kmiller1610]

Originally posted by Adyn


Ooooh good choice. I don't know if a recording exisits of the show [/i]

[lolol]

http://www.woodsongs.com

archives, show #287

[Red Zep]

Originally posted by kmiller1610


http://www.woodsongs.com

archives, show #287

Also, show #165 is Nickel Creek. But I couldn't play any of them! wtf mate

[kmiller1610]

Originally posted by Red Zep


Also, show #165 is Nickel Creek. But I couldn't play any of them! wtf mate

and #199 is Thile / Sutton with the AMAZING 25 minute Medley.

Why can't you play em mate?

[JeffLester]

Originally posted by kmiller1610


http://www.woodsongs.com

archives, show #287 She was talking about a show in Redwood City, not the Woodsongs show.

[honortheking]

i have that Woodsongs, but when do they ever play Gator Strut? i have never heard it?!!??!?! am i insane?

[kmiller1610]

Originally posted by honortheking
i have that Woodsongs, but when do they ever play Gator Strut? i have never heard it?!!??!?! am i insane?

The program starts with originals from Chris and Mike, then covers almost all the songs on their album, then the extra material: The D cross pick on hey ho, a love song from Chris, then one or two others, then Gator Strut. It's past the normal broadcast hour. In fact, the total concert runs 2:54. Gator Strut is at 2:21.

When you watch the whole program under windows, windows stores the whole file in the cache. You can copy it to another spot on your hard drive and watch it at your leisure.

[JeffLester]

Originally posted by kmiller1610
When you watch the whole program under windows, windows stores the whole file in the cache. You can copy it to another spot on your hard drive and watch it at your leisure. You can just right-click Save Target As any of the files there.

[SFJEDI]

Deceiver is such an amazing album. I listened to it over and over as I flew from NY to San Fran the week it came out and I was blown away. It still floors me every time I listen to it.

[JeffLester]

Originally posted by kmiller1610
The program starts with originals from Chris and Mike, then covers almost all the songs on their album, then the extra material: The D cross pick on hey ho, a love song from Chris, then one or two others, then Gator Strut. It's past the normal broadcast hour. In fact, the total concert runs 2:54. Gator Strut is at 2:21.Here's the setlist I came up with after editing out all the extraneous Michael Johnathon stuff (and without identifying the tunes in the encore jam improvisation):

Chris Thile and Mike Marshall 12/15/2003(?)
Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour #287
Kentucky Theatre, Lexington KY

WMV download > TMPGEnc > MPG-1 > VCD

VCD#1:
1. Odeon (Mike)
Lament for Dewayne Pomeroy (Chris)
talking
What a Blast
talking
Desvairada
2. Letter and Ode to a Butterfly (Chris)
talking
Bach Variations
talking
Scrapple from the Apple
Fisher’s Hornpipe
3. TV promo
4. Chris draws for the banjo

VCD#2:
Bm song
Byron House song
Stranded in Kodiak
Harvest Time
Carpathian Mountain Breakdown
In Which Jessie Goes to Hualalai and Meets a Sea Urchin
Untitled
Chris’ 50’s Love Song
Gator Strut
The D-Crosspick Thingy -> Hey Ho
25/16 Bulgarian Song
Encore: improvising

[Adyn]

Thanks, Jeff ;) Yeah... that's what I was referring to (Redwood City). Though I love the woodsongs show for sure... that night (Redwood city) was the first stop of that tour & maybe there was just sumthin special about it... Or, I am blowing it up in my mind hahahaha.

Great stuff. Gotta love quality live recordings!

[honortheking]

can you only hear that stuff if you download the VIDEO??

im totally confused

[JeffLester]

Originally posted by honortheking
can you only hear that stuff if you download the VIDEO??Yes.
im totally confused The audio (.wma files) are only the 1-hour long radio show as broadcast. The video (.wmv) includes extra stuff. In this case, 80 more minutes of music from Chris and Mike! The 300K .wma does have better sound than the .wmv though.

More info:
http://www.woodsongs.com/webcast.htm

I'm looking forward to Alison Brown being on in a few weeks.

[Lorelai17]

my two favorite albums are nawwar and deceiver. yeah, they are a lot different, but that just shows his diversity. not all who wander are lost shows his talent and brilliance, and yet deceiver shows a deeper side that can abstractly think about different things. and the fact that he may cuss on his albums is not a demonstration of weak faith. he is a lot older now than he was when he did his first too albums, and has the ability to think about things from more than one angle. just because he may be christian doesn't mean he has to think like a stereotypical christian. diversity is what makes this world interesting. and deceiver is really awesome. it may not be melodic, but after listening a few times, you get hooked. let's face it, he is good at everything he does, and all his albums are awesome.

[Lorelai17]

okay, sorry that was a really delayed response, but my computer didn't show me all the posts. well, the opinion is still the same. oh, and I wondered...how can I get thile/nc songs that aren't on cds? I can't really download music. is there a good site to go to?

[Tinuviel Girl]

HOpe this hasn't already been mentioned here, haven't had time to look through this thread. Just curious if Leading Off, and Stealing Second were all instrumentals? I haven't bought them yet, but I do intend to!

[kmiller1610]

Yes, both of CT's early albums are all instrumental and nearly all the cuts are original compositions. Many of the songs are more complex and nuanced than typical bluegrass instrumentals. I consider both albums must haves for anyone who looks forward to the instrumental cuts on Nickel Creek albums.

[Tinuviel Girl]

I haven't really been able to find Stealing Second anywhere. But they do seem to have Leading Off at Barnes ... hmmm

[kmiller1610]

You can get it on Amazon......

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000000F5I/qid=1131310737/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/102-0395006-2990504?v=glance&s=music

[honortheking]

stealing second is SO BOSS!!

[thedownsideband]

My favorite song is probably Smoothie Song. They're live version is the coolest thing I've ever seen. But ofcourse it's really hard to say your favorite song, because then you go No wait, I like this song better! and then you go crazy. Smoothie Song. Or maybe it's...

[NCkitty]

I hate on ice! the first time i heard him say that word I felt like suing chris (yeah right), i hate cusses! it makes me feel upset especially with younger kids buying the cd. i'm not buying deceiver.

not all who wander is his best cd.

[fwoompf]

I am fully expecting Live Duets with Mike Marshall to be one of the best CDs I will own for a long time.

Anyone else excited to see what they do on it? :)

[Lorelai17]

of course. who wouldn't be? i'm so psyched to go see their concert, and am saving money so i can buy the cd when it comes out. Oh, by the way, i got leading off, stealing second, and into the cauldron for christmas. they are amazing! my collection is now complete!

[honortheking]

congratulations!!

i cannot wait for the addition of the Live Duets to my collection.

do any of you own the The Nickel Creek Band cd, though?

that's the only one i don't have. and i'm not sure if i really want to spend the money just to have a 100% complete collection.

[jonraz]

honor, do you mean their self titled album??

[kmiller1610]

Live Duets will be great. Although I like Into the Cauldron the way it is recorded creates a bit of distance. I acutally prefer the Woodsongs Thile/Marshall concert because of the personal warmth that comes through and I'm guessing that with the new songs and the live ambience, it should be great! More Bach too!

Here's the song list (from Amazon):


1. Shoulda Seen It Comin'
2. Byron's
3. Carpathian Mt. Breakdown
4. I'd Go Back If I Could
5. Only Way Out
6. Hualalai
7. J.S. Bach DM Gigue {From Solo Violin Partita #2}
8. Joy Ride in a Toy Car/Hey Ho
9. 'Til Dawn
10. Sedi Donka
11. Tanja

[Tinuviel Girl]

NCKitty, surely you can't base a judgement of the album after only hearing one song. Deceiver is an incredible album. It is truly amazing. And, not to mention there are more things to take offense to on that album than swear words for some people. It is a very opinionated album, and the swear wrods are not the reason not to buy the album.

[NCkitty]

Originally posted by Tinuviel Girl
NCKitty, surely you can't base a judgement of the album after only hearing one song. Deceiver is an incredible album. It is truly amazing. And, not to mention there are more things to take offense to on that album than swear words for some people. It is a very opinionated album, and the swear wrods are not the reason not to buy the album.

oh man.... I just look back on meh last post... i'm soooo sorry for being so rude :o
but, my parents will kill me if I buy an album with that word in it (over-protective parents -_-)' but still.... i don't like the chris-swearing.

[NCkitty]

though i guess it is jerky of me to say that. i should try the album. :) i'm sorry

[honortheking]

the cd they made when they were 10.

it's on Amazon. for like $13.00 or whatever

it's got songs like Im an old Cowhand and stuff like that.

i don't think i'd ever really listen to it.

sara does most of the singing i think.

i'm sure you all have seen it.

[buttermuffin4]

Does anyone know if Chris plays the banjo on his albums?

[Red Zep]

He did on Deceiver.

[mandogirl]

I don't have leading off because I'm worried it might scare me. I considered it ok for me not to be as good as he was when he made leading off as he'd been playing longer than me but leading off was a little too close to home and I thought it would make me depressed. So noone tell me how good it is please!!! I love all three of his other ones though, but I could never chose a favourite as they're all so different. I'm obsessed with deceiver though!

[kmiller1610]

How good is Chris on leading off?

Maybe 10% slower, maybe 10% less precise, perhaps just as creative in songwriting and variety of interests. In other words, already better than nearly all the other players on the planet and yes, at the age of 13.

River of Faith (violin by Stuart Duncan) is all you need to hear to know this is a must have album. The mandolin duet (For all it's worth) with Sean Watkins is another reason that Nickel Creek enthusiasts would want this album.

If there is anything wrong with Leading Off is that sometimes the other players can't keep up and there are a few marginal sections where you could say: you need Tony Rice here .........

[jonraz]

honor,
I know which one you're talking about now. The little cowpoke one. I have a feeling if I got it, I would listen to it once, say that's cute and probably never listen to it again. I would say don't bother with it personally.

[honortheking]

right.

Leading Off IS a must have.

Stealing Second, again, is my all time favorite though.

i just wish i could go back in time and see him play that stuff at bluegrass fests and stuff. gosh, that'd be spectacular.

every time i get to talking about Stealing Second, i get so nostalgic. it's so freaking awesome.

[iamblt]

His only albums that I own are the second two, but of which are pheonominal. I'd have to say out of the two Deceiver is my favorite, though they're totally different from each other. I bought Deceiver first and thought that it was what his other albums would be like, but when I got NAWWAL, I was pleasantly surprised to heard that they were all instrumental. I'm definately deeply in love with Laurie De'Tullins, Song for a Young Queen, and Raining at Sunset.

I may buy Leading Off and Stealing Second eventually..right now I'm barely scraping up enough to buy my concert tickets for him and MM..

[Lorelai17]

is it just me, or do some of chris' instrumentals just want to make you cry cuz they are so beautiful? faith river is one of those. i completely agree with kmiller on that one. i love stealing second though. leaves fall and the game is afoot are definitely my favorites on that one...well, maybe not. they are all so good. i just know that when i put in leading off, and listened to him play as a 13 year old, I felt like a piece of crap. lol. I had to think what was i that good at when i was 13? wait, what am i that good at now? but i guess we can't all compare ourselves to chris thile, because then we would definitely feel inferior. At least that motivates me to produce something great that will inspire others. hats off to chris

[kmiller1610]

Lor,

I think our framework for comparison is shaped by media. Chris and NC can't come to our house and play for our families.

But you can have your own social circle that you play with and find your own path of improvement.

You keep on playing that thang ......

... Mike Marshall

[iamblt]

Originally posted by thedownsideband
I love Deceiver, and I'm NOT saying that everything that Chris IS now is stupid. I just don't like weak faith.

ehhh, I see what you mean, but at the same time, it's not our place nor our business to judge something as personal as faith. That is between Chris and God.

I found nearly all of the songs on Deceiver quite brilliant, and was particularly haunted by ''This is All Real''. The words on that song...man, they go deep, lol.

[iamblt]

Sorry to be double posting, I just saw what Adyn wrote and wanted to contribute.

Originally posted by Adyn
I'll add a twist here... make it more agonizing than picking an album... if you had to pick just one song, which would it be?

1..actually, allof my favorite songs of his touch me the same amount...my top 5 songs are

This is All Real
On Ice
Laurie De'Tullins
Song for a Young Queen
Raining at Sunset

All of them slay me, haha. I can't listen to any of them without just like passing out on the couch or spacing out for a long period of time.

[Lorelai17]

kmiller, thanks for your comment. i know that i shouldn't compare myself to anyone like that. and i am planning to form a group of sorts when i'm in college to play. but, just like any artist, it is good to have someone to inspire you and motivate you. for some people it may be van gogh, or beethoven, but for me it's chris thile. i don't think less of myself, i am just in awe.