Should Mormons make money off spirituality? Could LDS music possibly be elevated to the same level as hymns?  Complicated questions with complicated answers.  A few weeks ago, in response to a series I have been writing called The Top 10 LDS Musicians You’ve Never Heard Of, someone told me that I needed to look up JP Haynie, and I’m very glad I did. Upon first listen, the arrangements will seem vaguely familiar, but they also have a definite ring of their own. Listeners will find the songs literate, sparse, and harmonic, with a touch of bliss and melancholy. I sent a few interview questions to Jordan Haynie and asked him about his music, his upcoming album called The Sand, Deseret Book music, and the scene in Salt Lake, and he responded graciously and honestly. Great interview, and highly recommended from Linescratchers. Read the rest of this entry »

Kirby Heyborne – The Elm Tree

Recommended if you like: Polished and elegant pop music, cute boys with cute guitars

Recommended Tracks: “Honest Ground”, “We Fall Back”, “Courage”, “Sunset”, “Give Up On Me”, “Mistakes and Stowaways”

Kirby Heyborne’s specializes in music that can be summed up with one word: Elegant. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s hard to believe that someone as laid-back and cheerful as Kirby Heyborne could incite any sort of controversy whatsoever, but being an LDS celebrity comes with a price.  Many know Kirby as an actor, from LDS-themed films such as The R.M., Sons of Provo, and The Singles Ward, but he’s also a heartfelt, passionate, and sincere musician.  Kirby’s acoustic-based folk is touchingly simple, yet texturally complex, and the strength of his lyrics are in their honesty.  In this interview, Kirby talks about the pressures of being a celebrity and the motivation necessary to succeed in music.
Read the rest of this entry »

Earl Kramer, hailing from Berkeley, CA, got together a few years ago with a friend and some acoustic guitars.  Since then their light-hearted but still complex folk has expanded into a full band, with an edge of rock infused with wit and charm.  Lime Colony released a long EP entitled The Advantage Of Getting There First, and is now busy recording another one.  Earl speaks in his interview about his conversion, the history of the band, and the songwriting process.

Read the rest of this entry »

ACOUSTIC/FOLK

For those of you who are interested in seeing Nick and Shane Barnwell perform, well, you might have to wait a bit. Nick will be in Chile till October 2010, serving a mission. Before he left, however, Nick and his brother, from Bozeman, Montana, wrote music together. Shane recently contacted Linescratchers, sending several of his laid-back, organic tunes, and this was the result of the ensuing interview. You may have already heard them, they were featured in our last (July 4th) podcast.

Read the rest of this entry »

ROCK/POP

Most conversations about popular LDS musicians in the West nowadays seem to always land on Cary Judd.  Originally from Southern California but now living in the wilderness of Wyoming, Cary’s cerebral yet always accessible tunes satisfy the prog fan and pop fan alike.  His newest album is Goodnight Human, but to really experience Cary Judd, you need to see a live show.  For those deep in the Mission Field, he’s also released a live (free) downloadable album from his MySpace.  His website is www.caryjudd.com, and you might take notice that he’s worked with Linescratcher Scot Alexander from Dishwalla.

To find Cary Judd on iTunes, click here.

Read the rest of this entry »

FOLK/JAZZ/ACOUSTIC

Linescratchers’ second interview from over the oceans, the articulate, passionate KaRyn Daley is a breath of fresh air in the acoustic scene. The folk/jazz/acoustic scene can be so over-saturated with blandness, and trapped in its own laziness, that when you find a musician like KaRyn, something truly fresh and unique, it’s almost jarring. Her lyrics are amazingly honest. Her melodies are perfectly simple, but are ornately decorated with her stellar but raw vocals. KaRyn has a rapturous, sometimes subtle but controlled vibrato, a dark, soothing tone, but believe it or not, she’s a soprano. She is currently teaching music in Seoul, but she has taken time from her schedule to fill out this interview. Find out more about her music at http://www.myspace.com/karynmusic.

Read the rest of this entry »

ACOUSTIC/VIOLIN/FOLK

Roxy Rawson’s music will strike you immediately as music like you’ve never heard before (in a good way). Her songs are delightfully eccentric, with jumping melody lines, colorful lyrics, and unorthodox rhythms. These kinds of musical isolates are rare these days. Try the song “Riddle It” on for size. Roxy agreed to be interviewed for Linescratchers and now adds an amazing amount of color to the blog.

Click find Roxy Rawson on iTunes, click here.

Read the rest of this entry »

CLASSICAL/WORLD/RAP/FOLK

Update, April 10th, 2010: Douglas Stambler just informed me that he, sadly, has left the LDS Church. He still believes in the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, however he feels that he has been called a prophet, seer, and revelator and has therefore left the Church to pursue his own spiritual journey. – Syphax

East Idaho musician Douglas Stambler, who joined the LDS Church in 2005 after growing up Jewish and later converting to Christianity, has an amazing and beautiful story to go with his music. His music amuses, entertains, uplifts, soothes, and impresses upon the heart. Douglas learned early that music could heal the soul and bring comfort and perspective to life. He speaks openly of the sexual abuse he had to overcome as a child, about the healing properties of music, and his ideas about making money with music. If you want your heart to completely melt with pure, searing pathos, listen to “I Lost My Horses to the Moon.” He makes his music available for free at www.reverbnation.com/dglas.

Read the rest of this entry »