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Christian Rock
Qingu
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Does anyone here listen to Christian Rock?
I don't. But I just started listening to it on Pandora. It's very interesting! Interesting things deserve discussion, right?
I think there is something here, something to study. Music genres are simply a collection of subcultures. I bet you could actually document, on a big Venn diagram, exactly how all these subcultures are related to each other. (Hard Rock + Punk = New Wave of British Heavy Metal). But Christian subculture, in many ways, is really separate from all these traditional rock subcultures. In a way, it seems like Christian rock ought to be more flexible in its sound. It might combine things in different ways than any given traditional rock group would, because it has a unique way of "picking and choosing."
Another common thread I've noticed in all these songs is how exciting they are. They're always like running away from sin or some shadow behind them, and then they get rescued. It's like an action scene where your'e running away from this exploding monster or something, but as the fireball explodes around you you jump into the arms of this gay bearded Judean in a robe and it's a happy ending.
Note: I feel like starting this thread while high on Christmas Eve is appropriate.
I don't. But I just started listening to it on Pandora. It's very interesting! Interesting things deserve discussion, right?
I think there is something here, something to study. Music genres are simply a collection of subcultures. I bet you could actually document, on a big Venn diagram, exactly how all these subcultures are related to each other. (Hard Rock + Punk = New Wave of British Heavy Metal). But Christian subculture, in many ways, is really separate from all these traditional rock subcultures. In a way, it seems like Christian rock ought to be more flexible in its sound. It might combine things in different ways than any given traditional rock group would, because it has a unique way of "picking and choosing."
Another common thread I've noticed in all these songs is how exciting they are. They're always like running away from sin or some shadow behind them, and then they get rescued. It's like an action scene where your'e running away from this exploding monster or something, but as the fireball explodes around you you jump into the arms of this gay bearded Judean in a robe and it's a happy ending.
Note: I feel like starting this thread while high on Christmas Eve is appropriate.
Qingu on
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Sometimes it's good.
Living Sacrafice
Some examples of what I'd consider "good" Christian rock (though it's not all actual rock):
Argyle Park: Dark Wave/Techno/Industrial. First heard this when I was 16, and still one of my favorite electronic groups.
Joy Electric: I guess the best comparison would be to someone like Freezepop, but Ronnie Martin (essentially JE is a one-man group) has been doing this for longer I believe. Weirdly catchy and fun, though I can acknowledge his voice is an issue for some people.
The Brothers Martin: Can't find a clip of just the music, but it's essentially Joy Electric + Ronnie's brother, who is the frontman for Starflyer 59, a Christian alt/indie/whatever the hell you want to label them. Their self-titled debut was my favorite album in '07----better than any Joy Electric album.
Morella's Forest: General alternative rock---their quality has gone up and down over the years but I think they've been consistently good to great. Tiny Lights of Heaven, their newest album, is actually really good I think.
Dakoda Motor Co.: Most easily described as surf rock (though it doesn't really show here). Haven't done anything in years, but at the time their first two albums came out I was in love with them. A lot more explicitly Christian in lyrics than the other bands I have listed here. Notably, Peter King, one of their vocalists and a guitarist, was on MTV for awhile.
I also really loved this Star Wars tribute band named Twin Sister made from the members of the Christian metal band Sometime Sunday, though their content is obviously very little to do with Christianity, ultimately. That concert was still one of my favorites just because it was so bizarre.
I'm not up on the current scene though, honestly (no longer being religious does that). Anberlin seems pretty decent, P.O.D. is and always was terrible, and I don't know much about the other popular Christian bands like Underoath.
But there is some good Christian music. As someone who listens to both normal and Christian music, I find you've got to really dig for the good stuff. A lot has taken a cue from U2's sound, with heavy delay and reverb, tube-driven distortion, etc.
I'm interested in this more as an anthropologist than as a potential listener.
*although, ok, you can sneer at Creed and their clones all you want...
Oh wait, that's not so much Christian Rock as it is 'Scott Stapp has a God complex' rock.
And I don't love them at all.
Huh.
For some reason I like this song.
It's not very good though.
And I would have been sad
But he would have gone to Jesus
And everything would have been okay
That's creepy as fuck! Especially in combination with the totally non-melancholy melody.
Also, most people use CCM as shorthand for Contemporary Christian Music, which just means any mainstream Christian music (mostly referring to contemporary).
Another thing you should watch for when listening to Christian music is the way in which they try to shoehorn Biblical passages and Christian dogma into music, which tends to make it bad. Good Christian music that deals with Biblical themes explicitly tend to do it with metaphor or in more artful ways.
I wouldn't say that I listen to Christian Rock, but I figure that I have some interest in bands that are religious. King's X is the only thing that springs to mind and there's some discussion about whether they'd fall into that category or not.
Has anyone tried applying this to other songs? I figure it works as well as adding '.....in bed' to fortune cookies.
I've never really paid a great deal of attention to the lyrics in music. I have no idea how many of the bands I listen could technically be classed as "Christian Rock".
I still enjoy their song "Flood" when i'm in a bad mood, cause it reminds me of my best friend in HS.
But that's about it.
Democrats Abroad! || Vote From Abroad
Evanescence is Christian rock??
I was unaware
Enlist in Star Citizen! Citizenship must be earned!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=katq8ojOTG8
Their first album, at any rate. They went downhill pretty badly afterwards. I believe they were on Tooth & Nail.
Ain't No Safe Way
Evanescence, POD and Flyleaf are the three mainstream bands I'm aware of that are Christian.
Seriously, wth?
Oh, they're definately Christian. Look at the lyrics for Tourniquette sometimes.
Work (the video is kind of weird)
Sad Clown (pretty dissimilar to Work)
I also like Audio Adrenaline, especially:
Some Kind of Zombie
I'll be fine, just give me a minute, a man's got a limit, I can't get a life if my heart's not in it.
Just looked them up. Definitely Christian. Definitely terrible.
Still, christian rock is no worse ideologically than other types of music with the same "repent! our dogma will save your soul!" message from artists like M.I.A or the Sex Pistols or John Lennon etc. All of which I find equally repellent.
They're in that blurry area where they're both Christian and their songs are (mostly) about 'spiritual' things. Is their faith influencing or infusing their music? That's the question. However, I personally don't care about the answer because they're just not that interesting.
Anathallo and Sufjan Stevens.
Both are amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j962_A0fxYU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQvYbN6O_Do
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyI-Ox68egM
I'm not overly religious myself, but it's nice to see bands trying to spread an optimistic message from time to time, no matter what their beliefs are.
I also respect that Christian bands take on all kinds of genres, even hardcore, which is usually dominated by the other side of the spectrum.
Living Sacrifice - Killers
Also, Five Iron Frenzy are incredible live. Seen them twice, own two of their live albums.
And of course the evil Eve is trying to tempt the Abstinent Adam.
Mastodon is alright too.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
Switchfoot is a guilty pleasure... That's all I know of.
I'll be fine, just give me a minute, a man's got a limit, I can't get a life if my heart's not in it.
Mastodon is Christian?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhtcaRRngcw
hear the trumpets, hear the pipers...
Ooh, if you ask most Christian stores or music stations and such, it would be a resounding no. There was some silly controversy over it for a while. Alot of their earlier stuff is overtly spiritual, but I don't think Evanescence considers themselves christian.
I've always been a fan of Showbread, ever since I was introduced to their music. Matthias replaces Judas and George Romero will be at our Wedding are both pretty good.
Because I wouldn't say a group like Evanescence really counts, since as I understand it, they've gone out of their way to distance themselves from the entire "Christian rock" community.