Welcome! It’s that time of year again – the time when we get to look back on the past year and reflect on which parts of it were most meaningful to us. One of my favorite ways to do this is by listing the five music albums, five books, and five movies that were most impactful and inspiring to me during the past year. I hope this list will both encourage you to check out some great works of art and challenge you to create your own favorites lists. So, without further ado, here we go!
Music Albums
Total listened to: 55
Honorable Mention: Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend, Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent by Lewis Capaldi, The Ghost of Tom Joad by Bruce Springsteen, Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder
5. The Wild Swan by Foy Vance – Which is more noteworthy: this album (a soulful, groovy, and wonderfully oddball blend of Irish folk and American roots music) or Foy Vance’s mustache? You be the judge.
4. The Mantis & the Moon by Son of Laughter – Not only is Chris Slaten’s voice easy on the ears, but the stories he tells strike a perfect balance between skillful poetry and heart-tugging insight. Producer Ben Shive’s orchestrations are a perfect complement to Slaten’s songs, creating a lush landscape of sound that reveals more intricacy with every listen.
3. The Land of Canaan by J Lind – When was the last time you heard an album of music that made you uncomfortable in a good way? In the follow-up to his brilliant album For What It’s Worth (which was my favorite album of 2020), J Lind leads listeners into the wilderness, exploring universal experiences of doubt, disillusionment, and despair through the eyes of Old Testament characters. Dodging simplistic answers, Lind challenges us to face up to feelings that we all too easily refuse to acknowledge. Along the way, he invites us to glimpse Christ with us on our journeys, sharing our full humanity in all its messiness, struggle, and glory.
2. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys – If, like I once did, you hear the name “Beach Boys” and think of cheesy ballads about cars, girls, and surfing, then you need to check out Pet Sounds. I gave it a listen after learning that many consider it to be the greatest album of music ever made, and I’ve been re-listening ever since. Brian Wilson is one of the great musical geniuses of our time, and Pet Sounds was his first attempt to share his heart with the world through song. The story of the album’s creation is a fascinating account of mental illness, musical experimentation, and artistic collaboration. If you’re interested in digging into it, I’d recommend checking out the 2014 biopic Love & Mercy or the 2021 documentary Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road.
1. Father of the Bride by Vampire Weekend – My favorite musical discovery of the past year, Vampire Weekend’s highly anticipated and Grammy-winning fourth album is the band’s best work to date. Where Modern Vampires of the City was grim in it’s honest confrontation with mortality and spiritual angst, Father of the Bride feels like a rebirth – a coming-to-terms with the mystery, struggle, and resilient beauty of ordinary life. Weaving lyrics about personal heartache with reflections on global issues, imbuing these lyrics with Biblical imagery (listen for all the references to gardens, weddings, and new creation), and setting them to jubilant, danceable rhythms, Vampire Weekend creates an unforgettable listening experience that awakens our longing to put broken things to rights.
Books
Total read: 9
Honorable Mention: Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan
5. Dune by Frank Herbert – Like many others this year, I read the book in preparation for the movie (which turned out to be exhilarating, superbly-crafted sci-fi cinema). The book has its problems – underdeveloped and unrelatable characters, a hurried second half, and abstruse prose that all too often keeps the reader at arm’s length. However, it’s still a suspenseful, immersive, and visionary achievement in fantasy worldbuilding.
4. Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis – While I couldn’t follow all the British colloquialisms and literary allusions that C.S. Lewis packs his autobiography with, I still found it a witty and fascinating account of his conversion from atheism to Christianity. Lewis’s descriptions of the “inconsolable longing” that led him to God have had a deep influence on my own faith.
3. Through a Screen Darkly by Jeffrey Overstreet – Jeffrey Overstreet is one of my literary heroes. I’m a huge fan of his thoughtful movie reviews (which you can check out at his blog: Looking Closer with Jeffrey Overstreet), and it was delightful to read a book about movies and moviemaking that both celebrates Christian faith and challenges Christians to dig deeper into the artistic quality and craft of movies (which is frequently neglected or ignored by mainstream Christian film reviews). If you’re a movie buff like me, then you’ll love this book!
2. Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund – Outside of the Bible, this is the best theological book that I’ve ever read. Drawing inspiration from Scripture and Puritan writings, Ortlund handles the truth of God’s radical love for sinners and sufferers like a multifaceted gem, exploring it with great care from multiple angles. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on the idea of grace, Ortlund shines a flashlight on the cobwebby corners of your soul, exposing the doubts and defenses that taint your perspective on Christ’s heart and inviting you to reexamine that heart with fresh eyes.
1. Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen – I admired Bruce Springsteen’s music after discovering his landmark album Born to Run, but this book (which shares the same title) is what made me a die-hard fan. One of America’s greatest troubadours, the man millions know as “The Boss” brings the same lyricism, candor, and ripped-from-the-guts enthusiasm to his autobiography that he does to his songwriting. I burned through this 528-page tome and found it a joy from start to finish. If you’re interested in learning more about Springsteen, or if you’ve never checked him out, this book is a great place to start.
Movies & TV Shows
Total seen: 39
Honorable Mention: Springsteen on Broadway, Infinity Chamber, A Man for All Seasons
5. News of the World – This tale of an orphaned girl raised by Native Americans and adopted by a grizzled Civil War veteran could have been so easily cheapened and sentimentalized. Thank goodness, it is filmed with remarkable understatement, patience, and attentiveness to detail. Tom Hanks is great as usual, but it is Paul Greengrass’s prowess as a director that pushes this film into my favorites of the year.
4. Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia – In the same category as other recent animated series like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Gravity Falls, or Over the Garden Wall, this Netflix original series by director Guillermo del Toro is a wildly enjoyable fantasy ride punctuated here and there by moments of greatness. I appreciated the time given for characters and plot threads to develop, which enabled the storyline to suck me in and keep me invested.
3. Under African Skies – Paul Simon’s legendary Graceland album is still one of the most awe-inspiring things I’ve ever listened to, and this documentary about its controversial production and enduring legacy is no less fascinating. Tracing Simon’s decision to defy the United Nations and record with black musicians in Apartheid-era South Africa, Under African Skies is a stirring testament to the cross-cultural, boundary-breaking power of song.
2. Nomadland – Right up until December, I was confident that this movie about the wandering folk of contemporary America would top my year-end favorites list. Director Chloe Zhao is a student of Terrence Malick, and it shows in Nomadland’s vivid, meditative cinematography. She’s also a fantastic storyteller in her own right, and the directing awards she received (along with those won by lead actress Frances McDormand) were well-deserved. Straddling the line between particular and universal, Nomadland is a profound examination of humanity’s restless search for belonging. You can read a more in-depth review in my blog post: “Joy on the Journey: Chasing Sehnsucht in Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland.”
1. Calvary – Is John Michael McDonagh’s dark comedy about an Irish Catholic priest threatened with murder a Christmas movie? I’d argue so, and I’ll make that case in an upcoming blog post. In the meantime, I’ll say that Calvary was the most moving and surprising artistic discovery that I made during the past year. Presented in the style of a whodunnit detective story and bolstered by brilliant acting and scriptwriting, Calvary tackles exceedingly difficult subject matter with an astonishing amount of grace. The last 15 minutes of the film are immensely powerful. Be forewarned, the film is gritty and delves into painful issues like sexual abuse and suicide. However, it’s an honest, thought-provoking, and ultimately redemptive tale.
Words for Wayfarers 