Album Release Day: It's Here!

COME AWAY FROM RUSH & HURRY is here.  

And I am so excited.  You can preview and download it at numerous online retailers but the most popular are:

Bandcamp

iTunes

Spotify

Amazon

Two Ways You Can Help

1. Share, share, share.  Spread the word.  Tell your friends.  Gift the album to folks who might enjoy it but aren't familiar with my music.  

2. Leave a review... whether you pick up the album from Amazon, iTunes, or Bandcamp, tell us what you think!  This helps others know whether or not they'd be interested in downloading the music.

Thank you!

Thanks for supporting my music, and this new project.  (I'm already thinking about the next project).  If you didn't listen to this music- I would still make music but- it would be no fun.  So, your engagement, kind words, support, feedback, makes this part of my vocation so fulfilling.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

JB

The story behind the album art for "Come Away From Rush and Hurry"

Saint Mary's Chapel (The "Lady Chapel"), 1950s

It was a gift to me to have permission to use archived photos of the Cathedral Church of St Luke - Orlando, FL as the artwork for my upcoming album.  The Cathedral is my home parish, my church family, the place I've served since 2015, and the place I was ordained as a Transitional Deacon, and then a Priest.  I love my church.

Cathedral Church of Saint Luke, Front, 1940s

It's also the place where I first heard many of the hymns that I recorded for Come Away From Rush and Hurry.  Despite having grown up in the church, singing hymns, I had never heard the likes of, "...and to their longing eyes restored, the Apostles saw their risen Lord..." a great 5th Century Latin text translated by J.M. Neale (a poet, musician, priest, and scholar).  I had never sung at a funeral, or any other service, "The strife is o'er, the battle done, the victory of Christ is won..."  Singing these hymns, directly from worn out hymns books, over the past few years, has been staggeringly awesome, in the true sense of the word.

Cathedral Church of Saint Luke, Inside, 1910s

So, it was very important and meaningful to me to get to utilize images of the Cathedral for the album's artwork.  The building is indelibly connected to the songs themselves, for me.  And, as I've mentioned elsewhere, I did much of the piano tracking inside the Cathedral, after work, when things got quiet. Those were very special recording sessions for me, in such a sacred place.

Get the album: "Come Away From Rush And Hurry"

Preview & Pre-order Josh's New Album

You can pre-order the album at Bandcamp right now, and check out a couple of songs while you're there.  And please help me spread the word by sharing this album on your favorite social media feed!

Dear Friends, I have been working on arranging and recording these hymns for the past two years and I can't wait to share them with you.  My vocation is a wonderful mix of husbanding, dadding, counseling, priesting, and music making.  So, most of the work on this album was done in between sermon-writing, potty-training, and therapy (my own and that of my clients).  Stealing away to work on this music brought life to me as a husband, priest, dad, and therapist.  This Fall I will be releasing these songs on all the familiar online retailers (Bandcamp, Amazon, iTunes, Spotify) and will be printing physical CDs to bring with me on tour.  Thanks for supporting my music!  You can preview and pre-order the album here.  - Josh Bales

New Album Coming Fall 2018!

A New Album!

Come Away From Rush & Hurry is Coming Fall 2018

Dear Friends,

I have been working on arranging and recording these hymns for the past two years and I can't wait to share them with you.  

As you might know, my vocation is a wonderful mix of husbanding, dadding, counseling, priesting, and music making... so much of the work on this album was done in between sermon-writing, potty-training, and therapy (my own and that of my clients).

Stealing away to work on this music brought life to me as a husband, priest, and therapist.

In that Fall I will be releasing these songs on all the familiar online retailers and will be printing physical CDs as well, to bring with me on tour.  

Thanks for supporting my music.  Stay tuned!

 - Josh Bales

Get this music: Chris Slaten A.K.A Son of Laughter's "No Story Is Over"

Chris Slaten, a friend of mine from Chattanooga, TN. who performs under the name Son of Laughter, has just released a new project called, "No Story Is Over."  I love Chris, his heart for Jesus, his way of thinking, and his music.  Over the years we have met for lunch or coffee in Chattanooga to talk about books, songwriting, theology, Church, vocation, and family.  Chris' music has been featured on the likes of Andrew Peterson's Rabbit Room site (http://rabbitroom.com).  You can get his new album, and find out more information about him at his website: https://son-of-laughter.com or https://store.rabbitroom.com/products/no-story-is-over-1?variant=46334246478.

Welcome To The New JoshBales.com!

I am excited to introduce you to my new website!  Please take some time to look around, listen, and watch.  

I always wrestle with finding the best platform to present my varied interests in a concise way, and this is my best shot!  This site will enable me to add new articles on counseling or liturgy, add fresh homilies and lectures, in addition to keeping you up to date on my music.  I've writing for a new album right now.

So please check back often for new content.  And keep in touch!
JB

Joy To The World: Music Video

When I recorded "Joy To The World," and made this video, I wanted to find a way to highlight the profound dissonance (for me, at least) of singing this carol in a broken world... JB

Listen to the rest of the album here: