Audible Sigh

I enjoy the music of Athens, GA based Bill Mallonee (aka Vigilantes of Love and VOL). One of our family favorites is Audible Sigh from 2000. While I love it musically (and vocally), I really love the lyrics. An especially interesting song lyrically is "Resplendent" (which also includes some amazing backup vocals from Emmylou Harris). It's about the dust bowl days and one guy's hard luck (or is it?). The first verse ends this way: "in desperate times you know everybody's part / it's your own lines you're like to forget / 'til what you were meets what you've now become / grins and says "hey, haven't we met." It's really a pretty heavy song that explores huge issues like the imago Dei, the yet future dimensions of redemption, God's sovereignty, and the problem of evil. The final verse and chorus go this way:

• honey we're all resplendent
  yeah honey we are all thrift store
  like a wino with a twenty dollar bill
  i'm forever and eternally yours
  and i can make you promises
  if you don't expect too much
  yes and i will run the distance
  if you'll please, please excuse my crutch
  
  how much of this was meant to be
  how much the work of the devil
  how far can one man's eyes really see
  in these days of toil and trouble
  how much of this is failing flesh
  how much the course of retribution
  my my how loudly we plead our innocence
  long after we've made our contribution

That's a fave for an old philosophy grad, but there are also a bunch of upbeat songs that the boys used as theme music to jump on our bed in days past! I don't know who George Graham is, but here's his review of the album. Mr. Mallonee is probably a Bulldog fan, but his music is well worth a listen!