Veiled in darkness Judah lay,
Waiting for the promised day,
While across the shadowy night
Streamed a flood of glorious light,
Heav’nly voices chanting then,
“Peace on earth, good will to men.”
Heav’nly voices chanting then,
“Peace on earth, good will to men.”

Still the earth in darkness lies.
Up from death’s dark vale arise
Voices of a world in grief,
Prayers of men who seek relief:
Now our darkness pierce again,
“Peace on earth, good will to men.”
Now our darkness pierce again,
“Peace on earth, good will to men.”

Light of light, we humbly pray,
Shine upon Thy world today;
Break the gloom of our dark night,
Fill our souls with love and light,
Send Thy blessèd Word again,
“Peace on earth, good will to men.”
Send Thy blessèd Word again,
“Peace on earth, good will to men.”

(words: Douglas L. Rights, 1915 — melody: “Aberystwyth”, Joseph Parry, 1879)

Finally got around to downloading this last night. I’m digging it.
(I’m actually using this cover art in iTunes, but the above is the “official” one.)

(HT: Travis)

(Hey, the cover art matches my blog’s color scheme!)

(In other words, Derek Webb has re-joined Caedmon’s Call for their latest album, Overdressed. Also, Caedmon’s has escaped CCM black hole Essential Records for INO Records. Excitement abounds.)

We might not have cool enough to have been featured in Columbus Monthly‘s recent article on “Columbus’ Hipster Parents” (unlike some people I know), but I think we’re doing alright as we try to raise a little cultural missionary.

[Now if I can only get her to quit enjoying that commercial radio crap her mommy occasionally enjoys. ]

*: The rare exceptions to this are when she asks for The Human League’s Don’t You Want Me.

(Audio clip here – and no, that’s not me singing.)

Hark, the voice of love and mercy,
Sounds aloud from Calvary!
See, it rends the rocks asunder,
Shakes the earth and veils the sky!
“It is finished, it is finished,”
Hear the dying Savior cry.
“It is finished, it is finished,”
Hear the dying Savior cry.

“It is finished,” O what pleasure,
Do these charming words afford.
Heavenly blessings, without measure,
Flow to us from Christ the Lord.
“It is finished, it is finished,”
Saints the dying words record.
“It is finished, it is finished,”
Saints the dying words record.

Finished all the types and shadows,
Of the ceremonial law;
Finished all that God had promised;
Death and hell no more shall awe.
“It is finished, it is finished,”
Saints from hence your comfort draw.
“It is finished, it is finished,”
Saints from hence your comfort draw.

Tune your harps anew, ye seraphs;
Join to sing the pleasing theme;
Saints on earth and all in heaven,
Join to praise Immanuel’s name.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Glory to the bleeding lamb!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Glory to the bleeding lamb!

[It is Finished - Part II (Hark, The Voice of Love and Mercy) - © 2006 Red Mountain Music]

Derek Webb’s new studio album is set for release on May 1, but there’s no good reason to wait until then to hear it. Head over to TheRingingBell.com and stream the whole thing. Better yet, pre-order the album for an immediate digital download, and get a 96-page graphic novel based on the album when it’s released (and the physical disc, of course).

This is good stuff, folks. May be Derek’s best work yet. A little more “accessible” than I See Things Upside-Down and Mockingbird, so a little bit of the shiny indie cred has worn off, but still . . . great musicianship and great songwriting.

(And yes, seven bucks may be a little steep for shipping, it’s true. Order with the Amazon link above or at a show if you only want the album when it’s released. Just remember: there’s a time for free shipping and there’s a time for exorbitant shipping charges; and this, too, shall be made right.)

Brian, Clint, and their friends do good work.

1) These Friends of Mine, Rosie Thomas
2) Help My Unbelief, Red Mountain Church
3) I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass, Yo La Tengo
4) Songs For Christmas, Volumes I-V, Sufjan Stevens
5) Fox Confessor Brings The Flood, Neko Case
6) Ys, Joanna Newsom
7) Broken Boy Soldiers, The Raconteurs FutureSex/LoveSounds, Justin Timberlake (Shut up, all of you. It’s a good album.)

The Yo La Tengo album also gets the one-time-only distinction of “Best Album Title In All Of History – Past, Present, or Future (So Everyone Else Can Give Up Now)”. Congrats, YLT!

Any thoughts? What on this list sucks? (Saying “number eight” doesn’t count . . . too easy, and most people who’d knee-jerk and say that probably haven’t listened to it.) What else belongs here?