Hymns

Since I played "Come, Come Ye Saints" at my mission farewell all those haircuts ago, I've been asked if I was going to make an album of hymns the way I play them in sacrament meetings, that is, quiet and acoustic guitar-y. I am far from a Mormon Tabernacle Choir singer. I lack the power and the range. Still, I always wanted to make a hymns record the way I hear the hymns. Never did.

But, in the words of Dr. Leo Marvin, baby steps.

BABY STEP 1:
In the past few years, I've played a few hymn-ish songs on a couple of compilations of lullabyes that my friend/producer/guitarist/hip conscience Scott Wiley made. For all the music I make of my own, none of it touches the attention I'll suddenly get for the version of Edelweiss/Jesus Once Was A Little Child/Little Drummer Boy that somebody's baby goes to sleep to. "So, I was putting (child name) to bed the other night and there was this CD that apparently (spouse name) has been playing every night. And I'm like, 'Is that Paul? That's Paul!!!!'" Like, it totally is. It's flattering. It is. And a bit odd to know that I am just warm and inoffensive enough to send your kids off to the Sandman.

Still, those songs still didn't sound or feel like the hymns record in my head did.

BABY STEP 2:
This year, I got to record one of my all-time favorite hymns, "Lead, Kindly Light" and I got to do it without having to run it past a committee of pantsuits and people who might very well still believe that all folkies are communists and all guitars are strung by Satan. (Duh. Like he has time for that. What do you think minions are for?)

Of all of the hymns that I've recorded that are- and this is key- currently available, this one best represents what I feel like my take on hymns is. It's part of a great new compilation that Scott produced (and- with the exception of one sore thumb outlier- got to call the creative shots on) titled Nearer: A New Collection of Favorite Hymns.

It also features some inspiring artists (many of them friends):

• Dustin Christensen does a beautiful version of "It Is Well With My Soul" with one of my favorite outros in recent memory. I was lucky to get to sing harmony with the 'Lones.
• The great Sarah Sample gets a gorgeous string section on her soulful version of "I Need Thee Every Hour" (which Dustin and I got to sing on). Does Sarah do anything without soul? The answer is no.
• Dominic Moore, who hopefully needs no introduction around here, does a quiet, intimate take on "A Poor Wayfaring Man Of Grief." It honestly feels like he could be singing it inside prison walls. Yes, those prison walls. Stunning. Comforting. Amazing.
• Chris Merritt updates "How Great Thou Art" with all the soul and reverence it needs.
• Libbie Linton does her thing on "Come Come Ye Saints."
• Mindy Gledhill shines as usual on a chill-inspiring "Be Still, My Soul."
• Debra Fotheringham's perfect voice combines with my favorite drummer Pat Campbell for "More Holiness Give Me." If I were a crappy reviewer looking for a printable soundbite, I would say "More Pat & Debra Give Me is more like it!!!" Thank goodness I don't have dumb thoughts like that.
  
• Those are just some highlights. It is an incredible album that I think people like you will really feel. Give it a listen..

BABY STEP 3:
The biggest step.

We just spent 5 days in the studio with some of my favorite people/musicians (including nearly everyone above + Atherton, Ryan Tilby, Colin Botts, Darin LeSueur, Fictionist, The Mollies, Mark Smith, Branden Campbell, Nate Pyfer, George Brunt, Cherie Call, Micah Dahl, Shady Chapel, a family/friends choir, and the list goes on of great folks I'm forgetting.), recording hymns the way we have always hoped to do it. With so many great players/singers, every song has its own story and a slightly different tone than the last. It was a completely ego-less experience. People would show up for an hour and get thrown on a guitar or vocal. Then leave. And the songs would roll on with whoever was there.

It doesn't have an official name yet. Or release date. Or track listing. But we left with more than 30 great songs- from old hymns to Mormon standards to Hank Williams tunes. I felt lucky every second I got to spend in the studio with all of these amazing people, pouring it out for the sake of the songs and inspiring me left and right. So humbling.

Stay tuned. Please. I just couldn't keep from telling you.