Oh! Gravity

On December 26 of this year, Switchfoot will release a new album - a short 15 months after the last album, "Nothing is Sound." Entitled, "Oh! Gravity," they seem set to bring us another amazing experience through music.

I have long loved Switchfoot as my favorite band - ever since before "The Legend of Chin" even arrived on the market and no one knew their name. I have met the guys and talked quite a bit with them. Never have I known a band to be so real and seem so personable. They are entirely honest in their music and never mince words or ignore their faith. In one interview, Jon tells of how their Christianity is part of who they are, as is their music. There is no separating those from each other.

With a newly designed site for the album, Switchfoot.com, talks about "Oh! Gravity," and how it came to be made. In Jon's own words:

And so this past summer when we set out to record a new record, we tried to put all pressures and expectations aside and focus on the music. We wanted to make a record that was honest. A record that didn't trip on itself. A record that represented everything that we first fell in love with about music. We tried to forget about theory and pitch and timing and focus on feeling. As a result, I think that Oh! Gravity is the most honest thing we've ever done. I am so proud of these tunes and hope that they resonate with you like they do for us.

And go back to the reason you loved music to begin with. We took a chance on this record, not to sound selfish, but to make something for ourselves. What other people think can't change our minds about these songs. And that's a good feeling. Because either you believe in it or you don't.

I am certainly always excited about a new Switchfoot record, but these guys always make me more excited about the newest one than any of the previous ones. And the biggest reason for that is their commitment to Christ and being Roaring Lambs.

Offense = PG?

I just found out about a movie today that is in theaters, but I've never heard about it. I wouldn't care, except I really want to see it, but it's an independent film, so it's not in my area. Bummer! The movie is Facing the Giants.

More importantly (because I can watch it on DVD), I'm annoyed by the MPAA and them giving it a rating of PG. I'm putting aside the fact that it's a Christian movie and that I want to support it for that reason, especially considering that it seems like a GOOD movie. According to this article, the rating comes because they're concerned that the Christian story will offend people of other religions. That may very well be the case, but that doesn't mean it should constitute a PG warning, especially considering the definition of a PG film:

The theme of a PG-rated film may itself call for parental guidance. There may be some profanity in these films. There may be some violence or brief nudity. ... The PG rating, suggesting parental guidance, is thus an alert for examination of a film by parents before deciding on its viewing by their children. Obviously such a line is difficult to draw.

So, if I'm offended that Mufasa dies in The Lion King, should it be rated PG? Offense hardly seems an adequate justification for such a thing. But maybe that's just me.