Derek Webb,
singer-songwriter formerly of Caedmon’s Call, released an album titled Feedback on April 5, 2011. This is a
worship album unlike anything I have heard or, for that matter, seen. Derek
Webb collaborated with artist Scott Erickson and photographer Jeremy Cowart to
produce an audio-visual project communicating the meaning and depth of the
Lord’s Prayer.
Musically,
this is an instrumental album that has been described as both “electronic” and
“classical.” Though electronic instruments are used at times, there is a
variety of acoustic or stringed instruments heard in each track. The only
vocals heard are used for textural purposes, with the only exception being the
song “Amen.” The word “Amen” is the only text used throughout the entire album.
Personally, I find each track to be refreshing and distinct from the others. A
variety of styles are heard: folk, rock, ambient, electronic,
contemporary (pop), etc.
The tracks
are categorized into 3 movements (Each new line is an individual track, with
the exception being Movement 3):
Movement
1
Our Father
in Heaven
Hallowed is
Your Name
Your
Kingdom Come
Your Will
Be Done On Earth as in Heaven
Movement
2
Give Us
This Day Our Daily Bread
Forgive Us
Our Debts as We Forgive Our Debtors
Lead Us Not
Into Temptation but Deliver Us From Evil
Movement
3
For Thine
Is:
A) The
Kingdom
B) The
Power
C) The
Glory Forever and Ever
Amen
In order to
experience the meaning and depth of this album, the listener must be open-minded
to the artists’ interpretations (both in the music, paintings, and
photography). Each listener will view these interpretations differently and
obtain different insight because this project is so artistic and subjective. Most
worship albums use concrete, tangible lyrics to describe the nature of God, so
interpretation and intent is usually quite obvious. Feedback carries a certain conceptual nature that allows the
observer to contemplate and reflect on the Lord’s Prayer as portrayed through
music and visual art. Below are several quotes, videos, and links to more
information and art related to this album. I highly recommend using this album
to meditate and consider the power and meaning of the Lord’s Prayer.
Derek
Webb, Musician
“Worship is a complicated idea. Arguably, it’s
what we all do, 24 hours a day (regardless of what we’re worshipping). And I’m aware of a lot of ‘worship product’ in the marketplace I
sometimes occupy. So I was cautious when I first started receiving the
coordinates that would lead me to make ‘Feedback’. It was immediately
conceptual and ambitious, so much so that I genuinely wasn’t sure I could do
it. But this seemed to be the perfect posture in which to create
something worthy of being called a ‘worshipful’ piece of art. So I
studied, meditated, struggled and prayed my way through this creative process,
and it’s easily the most challenging thing I’ve done in my career.But I
believe it’s been worth it, even just for the ways it’s stretched both my
creative process and my faith as a follower of the Way.”
Scott Erickson, Painter
“For me, the layers of these paintings represent the history of
the Lord’s prayer itself. Just as we continue to build up and layer over the
foundations of our society, so has the journey of entering into the prayer of
God. It’s written throughout our history. Though it may at times seem covered
up, it’s still amidst all the glitter and decay... speaking to us, telling us
about something ancient yet resonating with our life today. The graffiti is
less about words (although there are meanings to all of them) and more about
the emotions and textures we find throughout our modern society. Just as we see
traces of creative life throughout our cities, so too we see symbols and signs
of the Lord ’s Prayer throughout our world. To me the music and the images
forged together in this project are a modern urban meditation on an ancient
contemplative pathway to the Almighty.”
Jeremy Cowart, Photographer
“One of my favorite things in the
world is when something becomes accidentally beautiful... like the shadows of a
junkyard, the remnants of a stripped billboard or the abstract pixels of a
non-functioning television. It’s in these moments that I’m reminded of God’s
beauty in all creation, both purposeful and accidental. ‘Feedback’ feels like
the audio equivalent of these visual accidents. In either scenario, I’m drawn
to pause and take notice. I’m drawn to listen. I’m drawn to worship.”