College Rock: Paul Brill's New Pagan Love Song

I slapped the Paul Brill bumper sticker on my car, no hesitation, even though I’m sure someone’s going to wonder why a pastor of Christian church has a sticker on his car promoting an album called New Pagan Love Song. The title track of Brill’s album is an indie singer/songwriter treat, while also actually sounding a lot like an Old Testament prophet trying to refocus the attention of the Israelites on the true God (see SongDevotion).

“New Pagan Love Song” starts with the chord progression of “Dream a Little Dream,” a sweet sing-along pop song done in indie sparseness which talks about some of Christ’s teachings—loving one another, loving your enemies, etc. The chorus breaks into a more earnest rock pose, a call to set aside those other kinds of ways of appeasing the gods—killing virgins, volcano sacrifices, etc. There’s no reason for a Christian pastor to run away from this song; there’s so much spiritual depth here. And there’s no reason for a music fan to shut down this song; this is pop craft mined to the mother lode.

Much can be said for the rest of the album. Placing Paul Brill in the College Rock section is both a reference to Brill’s multiple dimensions and his similarity to others in this section of the Spectrum, such as Sufjan Stevens and Half-handed Cloud. The album begins with the overture-like “Trindade,” which like Stevens comes from some cloudy, airy space, laid back but not slow, slowing the minutes while rushing you forward to face life. Later on the album, such as the title track, move with more straight-forward rock tempo, but that all emanates from Brill’s floating candle music.

The second track, “Weekday Bender,” actually kicks up the dust around the cloud-watching meadow. Finding an American Band Rock sound a little like Jonathan Rundman, you’re ready to throw off all entanglements to go on that bender with Brill. However, could it be that Brill’s also added in a conscience to this “turn-the-ignition” road song?

Quirky bumps keep everything off kilter on “Everything I Believe In” and “Lay Down Your Weary Head.” Here Brill’s inflection and phrasing comes closest to Half-handed Cloud.

Brill’s music is well-developed through the help of the musicians who joined him for this project. Jenny Scheinman especially makes a mark through her violin, lending a distinct Camper van Beethoven sound to the songs.

Thanks to Paul Brill and the Scarlet Shame Records for the review copy.

Get Your Bumper Sticker on the Pastor’s Car
By the way, the Paul Brill bumper sticker is one of 68 on my 1995 Pontiac Grand Am. As my car wears and ages, I decided to try to celebrate it by having 95 stickers on it to commemorate its birth year. If you would like to contribute a sticker or two, please send them to the address on the contact page. Your help would be greatly appreciated as those 68 stickers become 95, spilling out from bumper to back to window to rear side fenders and beyond.