Practice session sound thwarts goal

It is unfortunate that the world is not ready for the Ylvisakers, but it is even more unfortunate that the Ylvisakers are not ready for the world.  Their concert sounded less like a paid performance than a practice session which had started with, "We'll have to work on this for seventeen more years before we can give it in front of an audience, but let's run through it once without stopping, to see how long it takes."

Ylvisaker explained that the concert would be a worship service, but he read his parts like a Southern senator's rendition of the telephone book in the closing hours of a filibuster.  His helper looked like he was trying to read dramatically, but he never succeeded.

Amanda Ylvisaker played the organ very loudly and fairly well, but she looked like she was hating every minute of it.  The organ often drowned out the words.

There were awkward pauses while the musicians regrouped for another attack.  During much of the concert the best thing they had going was their sixteen-year-old drummer.

If John Ylvisaker wants to wage a holy war against traditionalism ("I'll get nodules on my vocal cords before I let the church become a place to visit."), he'll have to spend quite a bit more time in basic training.

His cause, though, is a worthy one.  The supposed differences between sacred and secular music do not survive examination.  Once you have granted that, you become bound to accept a great deal in the church that now seems shocking. The "Thanksgiving" to the tune of "Windy" can be worshipful.

If that seems impossible, it's because of a cultural orientation, an orientation that most people don't share, and which has become a barrier to the church's relevance.  The emotions of praise do not differ qualitatively from the exuberance of some rock songs--it's only the direction that's different, and the new words to "Windy" can point those emotions straight up.

The "rock mass" could have been effective, if Ylvisaker had put out a little and if he hadn't broken in with unnecessary explanations and snide comments.  He chose the songs well, and wisely used very few that he had written himself.

But the concert was much less impressive than last year's.  Maybe, with a lot more practice and a little help from his friends, he'll start knocking down barriers.