What is your favorite The Innocence Mission album?

[Tom]

we've all been fawning over Over the Rhine of late; but i thought maybe we should start a thread about my personal favorite husband / wife duo.

honestly it is nearly an excercise in futility for me to pick a favorite album by them, but i'm going to go with "Befriended."

now i know i'm not the only one here who digs some Innocence Mission.

this is the thread to discuss them.

[Tom]

ok. obviously i know nothing about starting a poll because it looks all whacked up. what did i do wrong?

Vlad, you're the one with the answers right? Help please.

[Brenden]

I've only heard their version of It Is Well, but I'm planning on looking into them more.

[Josh]

(Fixed the poll!)

For its thematic cohesion and its rich, beautiful poetry, my favorite has always been Birds of My Neighborhood.

[Tom]

thanks Josh. you're the man.

[Tom]

i think what keeps drawing me back to them is their sheer lack of pretense. their band name is also a good description for them. Innocence is something very hard to capture, and they do it with grace. also noteworthy is the fact that you can literally FEEL their love of God in every note, yet they never sound preachy or didactic.

Karen has one of the purest voices i've ever heard. and Don(among others) has been an inspiration on my own guitar playing.

for those unfamiliar, i'd say "Glow" is a great place to start. it has their most familiar song, "Bright As Yellow." and the rest of that album is just as good or better than the single.

some personal favorite songs from each album:

S/T: Black Sheep Wall, Surreal, Mercy

Umbrella: And Hiding Away, Every Hour Here, Beginning the World

Glow: Keeping Awake, Bright As Yellow, Brave, That Was Another Country, Speak Our Minds, Happy The End

Birds of My Neighborhood: Where Does the Time Go?, Snow, The Lakes of Canada, I Haven't Seen This Day Before (and the John Denver cover is perfect)

Christ Is My Hope: It Is Well With My Soul, 500 Miles, Were You There?, Beautiful Saviour

Small Planes: Rooftop, Too Early To Say, Today, Oh Do Not Fly Away, Small Planes

Befriended: Tomorrow on the Runway, When Mac Was Swimming, Beautiful Change, Martha Avenue Love Song, One For Sorrow Two For Joy, Sweep Down Early, Look For Me As You Go By (i'd have listed I Never Knew You From The Sun, but that song is so sad i can't listen to it much)

Now the Day is Over: Stay Awake, Over the Rainbow, Moon River (possibly the best cover song i've ever heard), Edelweiss

anybody else have some fav IM songs they want to share?

[murlough23]

For its thematic cohesion and its rich, beautiful poetry, my favorite has always been Birds of My Neighborhood.

I'll vote for that one as well, though I really need to give the others a more careful listen.

NP: "Just Like We Do", Eisley

[DvChWi]

(Fixed the poll!)

For its thematic cohesion and its rich, beautiful poetry, my favorite has always been Birds of My Neighborhood.

I've been really wanting to hear that album. However, since it is out of print, used copies are extremely expensive.  I've found one place that sells it for $8.00, but they rarely have it in stock.  I have them e-mail me as soon they get a copy, but by the time I get the notification(and I've received two while actually at the computer), it's already gone.  I-Tunes also has the album, but I would really prefer a CD copy for quality purposes.  Anyways, my vote went to Glow, since it's the only one I've heard.

[Josh]

By the way, Tom, you really nailed the album highlights from Umbrella... much of that album sounds monotonous and blase to my ears, but those three songs, and the title cut, ensure that it continues to find a place in my CD rotation.

[Tom]

you want an official "Birds Of..." DvChWi?

well here you go my friend:

http://www.theinnocencemission.com/birds.htm

[DvChWi]

you want an official "Birds Of..." DvChWi?

well here you go my friend:

http://www.theinnocencemission.com/birds.htm

Thanks!  I would prefer a full version with album art and all, but that sure beats buying it off iTunes.

[Josh]

you want an official "Birds Of..." DvChWi?

well here you go my friend:

http://www.theinnocencemission.com/birds.htm

Thanks!  I would prefer a full version with album art and all, but that sure beats buying it off iTunes.

Well, it sounds like a re-release is scheduled for later this year, which will surely have album art and all the other goodies. (Though it may be slightly altered from the origina).

[Tom]

Josh said: "By the way, Tom, you really nailed the album highlights from Umbrella... much of that album sounds monotonous and blase to my ears, but those three songs, and the title cut, ensure that it continues to find a place in my CD rotation."

hmmm. when i first got Umbrella i shared your sentiments fully. it was actually after owning it for about 6 months that i really began to appreciate it as much as it deserves. what did the trick was sitting down with it, finding a quiet spot and reading the lyrics as i listened.

that made all the difference. now i find that Umbrella stands proudly alongside their best work.

[Guest]

hey Josh, maybe you or someone else can help me out. do you know what the lyrics are the Innocence Mission B-Side called "The Way You Know?" they had it for free on their website a while back, but that is the only place it was released to my knowledge.
Karen kind of muffles her words sometimes, and while it sounds enchanting it makes it hard to figure out exactly what she's saying sometimes.

thanks to anyone who answers this.

[Tom]

forgot to log in. that's me up there asking for lyrics.