Album titles

I recently bought The Temper Trap's second album entitled, confusingly and disappointingly 'The Temper Trap'.
I find it disappointing because it's just unimaginative and uncreative.  I find it confusing because now, if someone refers to 'The Temper Trap', it is unclear if they are talking about the band in general or the album specifically.
Other bands that I like who have committed this crime include Casting Crowns, Franz Ferdinand, Jars of Clay, The Kissaway Trail, The Libertines, Lifehouse, Sixpence None the Richer, Sonicflood, and Stellastarr*.  British Sea Power almost did it, with 'The Decline of British Sea Power', as did The Rock'n'Roll Worship Circus, with 'Welcome to the Rock'n'roll Worship Circus'
The most disappointing of these was Lifehouse's third album.  After the wonderfully named No Name Face (greatest album ever) and equally wonderfully named Stanley Climbfall (not too far behind), Lifehouse (the third album, not the band) was not of the same standard and also had a disappointing and confusing name.  Insult to injury.

Phatfish - In the beginning

I quite like Phatfish.  They've written some really good stuff and are decent live performers.  I've listened to their music for over a decade.  A few weeks ago I saw them at Spring Harvest.  It was mostly a good gig, but one song in particular drove me up the wall.  It's called In The Beginning.

I can't find the lyrics online but as far as I can tell they go like this:

You’ve got Dawkins standing on a pedestal

Shouting at the creatures God is dead

You’ve got people thinking that they’re scientists

All agree the notion God’s not there

But please tell me in this theory

Explain how life ever first began

Could such genius precise details

Just appear without a master plan?

In the beginning God

In the beginning God created

Life exploded

In the beginning

You’ve got people telling us the science deal

Answering the questions, hows and whys

You’ve got mockers scoffing at the Bible

Thinking they are smart and faith is blind

But the leap is so much greater

To think chance is alone responsible

When I’m faced with love and beauty

There’s just one explanation plausible

In the beginning God

In the beginning God created

Life exploded

In the beginning

Right at the start there was the word

And the word was with God

Right at the start the word was God

Yes the word was with God

And through him everything was made

Nothing made without him

In him was life and that’s the life

That’s the life I’m wanting

This song makes me angry.  Not just because I disagree that science and Christianity are as opposed as the song suggests.  Not just because the lyrics suggest that you can't believe the Bible and agree with evolution.  Not just because the song is critical of scientists like myself.  Though these reasons alone would wind me up.

It's because it's by Phatfish.  One of the longest-standing Christian bands we have in Britain, and one of the most popular.  They should know better than to write a song about such a divisive issue from such an extreme standpoint.  Not only could this song alienate Christians who accept evolution, like myself.  Not only could it confirm the fears of well-meaning but confused Christians who don't know enough about evolution but suspect it might be against Christianity (it isn't, but the way).

Songs like this could alienate other people from even giving faith a chance.  This song presents Christians as paranoid fundamentalists who feel threatened by evil scientists.  Some research has suggested that one of the most significant things that prevents young people from becoming Christians is the perceived dichotomy between science and Christianity.  Regardless of the personal views of Phatfish on evolution, they should know better than to write a song that could present an extreme viewpoint as a middle-of-the-road one.

Encores

Does anyone else get a bit annoyed with encores?  They're just so contrived.  The band go off, the lights stay low, no-one moves, people shout and clap, and the band come back on to play songs that everyone knew they were going to play, because they include the bands biggest hit, and the band planned them into the setlist before the gig.
I wish we could have real encores.  Where the band play their whole set as planned and then they go off and the lights come up.  If it has been a particularly impressive show, or if the crowd are particularly partisan, they shout for more and the band reappear and play a song that they've already played because they hadn't planned an encore.

Olympic Sports

I've been saying for a while now that the only sports allowed at the Olympics should be those sports for which the highest honour or achievement is the Olympic Gold medal.  Therefore sports such as athletics, swimming, judo, canoeing, gymnastics should be Olympic Sports.  Sports such as football and tennis should not.  In football, the World Cup is the highest achievement.  In tennis, it is the four majors of Wimbledon, French Open, US Open and Australian Open.
Steve Cram wrote about this today.  I share his concerns.