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The Wilderness Voice - EP 1

by Benjamin Jay Thomas

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Ed Thomas
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neverstopplayingyourmusic
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richandjess
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Brian D. McLaren
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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    You will also receive a download of lyrics, chords charts and scripture readings for each of the four songs.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $5 USD  or more

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Super simple. A 4-song Compact Disc in a blank sleeve. Rock it like it's 2002.

    I'll ship it out to you so it arrives on or before release date.

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Wilderness Voice - EP 1 via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 2 days

      $7 USD or more 

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    24
    releases

    Get all 24 Benjamin Jay Thomas releases available on Bandcamp and save 50%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Mantrasongs for Starting Over, Oh Mycelia (Mantrasong 053), I Belong (Mantrasong 052), Give Up The War, Seas and Trees and Mythical Creatures (Demos from an RV), The Wilderness Voice EP - Advent Journey Edition, The Way Up, The Way Up (Full Album + Meditations), and 16 more. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      $66.50 USD or more (50% OFF)

     

1.
The Unraveling 04:43
lyrics
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Israel cried patient through her pain “Let your face shine and let us be saved. Tear the heavens wide and stream Glory to our eyes” All we claim to know and All the ways we try to define God are being unraveled …Are being unraveled A prophecy, a sign coming to life Fig trees bloom with life in mid-July Temple walls will crack and cave Opening our eyes All we claim to know and All the ways we try to define God are being unraveled …Are being unraveled Welcome the foreigners Break down the walls A child will be born bring hope to us all All we claim to know and All the words we write to define God are being unraveled …Are being unraveled
2.
A Voice In The Wilderness 03:53
lyrics
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A voice, a voice, A voice calling in the wilderness “Pave the way For something new Rising up around here “ A voice, a voice, A voice calling in the wilderness “Lift your voice Lift it up There is nothing to fear” And did you hear that Righteousness and peace Are kissing in the shadows of the law? And out of them A child will enter in And level out the ground beneath us all A voice, a voice, A voice calling in the wilderness "Walk away from all your politics And open your ears" A shout, an exclamation coming from the wildernesss "Dead religion never gives life It only breeds fear" And Did you hear that Righteousness and peace Are kissing in the shadows of the law? And out of them A child will enter in And level out the ground beneath us all The turning of our hearts and of our minds Will lead to the evolving of our lives Among us now A child will enter in Baptizing us with Spirit and with life Rejoice Emmanuel!
Rejoice Emmanuel!
3.
Justice Will Sprout From The Ground 02:52
lyrics
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The Spirit, Eternal, put all this songs inside my bones To tell you, the broken, captive and lonely That all your sorrows and tears Will spill over And justice will sprout from the ground I am the Eternal Trading your ashes for crowns I give you your freedom: Life undivided Let all your wreckage and pain spill on over So Justice will sprout from the ground The Spirit, Eternal, So magnified by my soul, Saw me, the lowly and lifted my head So that all your sorrow and tears will spill over And Justice will sprout from this ground Justice will sprout from this ground
4.
Reverse In Power 04:20
lyrics
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Prepare for an act of God A turning of the tides that hold you down Descendent of David’s throne A warrior, a King who does no wrong …Who does no wrong Call it an act of God, A falling of the powerful and rich And all of the empires that squash us and that stomp us down …That stomp us down Anybody hungry? 
Prepare to be fed Anybody captive? Break off those chains Anybody kicked out? Welcome home Welcome home Reverse in power God in us Us in God God in us Nothing is impossible now

about

Watch the trailer for "The Wilderness Voice - EP 1" here youtu.be/CyM4qTKfn1w

Subscribe to The Ben Thomas Podcast at benthomaspodcast.podbean.com to listen to weekly meditations on the songs from this release.

10 years ago (WAIT... WHAT?!? 10 FREAKING YEARS AGO???) I released an Advent/Christmas-themed record called The Bewildering Light. The entire album was written, recorded, mixed and released in less than a month. At the time, it was intended to be a quick little recording for my friends and family to enjoy. It went on to sell more copies than all of my other records combined, and became the only album of mine to officially “sell out” of physical copies. All of this, teaching me in no subtle way that God most certainly dwells in the least expected places.
10 years later I still find myself mysteriously drawn to the stories surrounding the birth of Jesus. These are stories that speak to our humanity and the common desire we all share for hope and redemption. Stories about waiting with hope for rescue from oppression. Stories about the reversal of power - where those on society’s fringes are awakened to the Divine within them and among them, empowering them to live out a radical and subversive kind of love. These are stories set with a backdrop of political tension, racism, and hatred that seem difficult not to draw comparison to our present day cultural climate.

Regardless of what you believe about who Jesus was and what Christians say about Him, the whole thing is a crazy, messy and beautiful story. And crazy, messy, beautiful stories need soundtracks. That's my goal with The Wilderness Voice.

The songs themselves will be inspired by readings from the Revised Common Lectionary, which covers a broad and diverse range of Old and New Testament passages for the season. Advent is four weeks long and each song will speak to the readings from each week. Since the lectionary cycle takes place over the course of three years, I plan on writing and releasing songs to go with each week over the next three years as three separate EPs.

If all that sounds like jibberish to you I’ll translate: 4 weeks each year. 1 song for each week. 12 songs released over the course of 3 years.

In addition, I'll be recording and posting some contemplative experiences to go along with each song (subscribe at benthomasonline.com) Each recording will be around 10 minutes long, will guide you through reflections on the readings, and will offer a way for you to more fully engage with the season of Advent through the songs. An Advent Podcast of sorts. Stay tuned for more info!

My hope is that these songs provide a soundtrack for your Advent and a way for you to allow the stories surrounding Jesus’ birth to draw you mysteriously inward this season… awakening you to a love that breaks down walls, heals the broken, includes the outcast and transforms our pain.

Peace,
Ben
Nov 2017

credits

released November 24, 2017

All songs written and performed by Ben Thomas.

Additional performances:
Jonathan Lee - Cello on track 1
Andrew Vogt - Upright Bass on track 3
Lucy Thomas - Vocals on track 3

Mixed by Alex Oh and Ben Thomas at STUDIO3 in Santa Ana, CA
Artwork by Nick Neumann (instagram.com/cosmic_nick)

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Benjamin Jay Thomas Leavenworth, Washington

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