Christian Rock : The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
11-27-07, 04:35 AM
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Christian Rock : The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
I am having trouble comprehending this genre anymore. Lifehouse used to be considered a Christian band once, but not anymore (though so many of their songs are laced with all sorts of religious imagery, still!) and Creed was obviously a Christian rock band.
I think the genre has given us some quality stuff, for what its worth.
For example, the first Jars of Clay album is undeniably good, whether you're Christian or not.
Can someone list some good Christian rock acts to get into, albums to get, and whom to totally avoid?
I think the genre has given us some quality stuff, for what its worth.
For example, the first Jars of Clay album is undeniably good, whether you're Christian or not.
Can someone list some good Christian rock acts to get into, albums to get, and whom to totally avoid?
11-27-07, 04:40 AM
#2
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Flyleaf
<embed width="425" height="355"src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tdDJ6wp-MSQ&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" </embed>
lead singer said that the song is directly about the lord. I really like this album (and i am far far far from religious)
Norma Jean
<embed width="425" height="355"src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UMXbpF4miUU&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" </embed>
If you can get into screamo christian metal.
<embed width="425" height="355"src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tdDJ6wp-MSQ&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" </embed>
lead singer said that the song is directly about the lord. I really like this album (and i am far far far from religious)
Norma Jean
<embed width="425" height="355"src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UMXbpF4miUU&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" </embed>
If you can get into screamo christian metal.
11-27-07, 04:43 AM
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Is Christian Metal a whole other genre or would that classify as a subsect of Christian Rock (albeit more 'loud' rock). Also, something that sounds like Sepultera or Panthera isn't exactly something I'd wanna check out....
11-27-07, 04:46 AM
#4
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Originally Posted by Buckleyesque
Is Christian Metal a whole other genre or would that classify as a subsect of Christian Rock (albeit more 'loud' rock). Also, something that sounds like Sepultera or Panthera isn't exactly something I'd wanna check out....
11-27-07, 09:56 AM
#6
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Neal Morse is progressive rock dealing with religion. It is some of my favorite music even though I am not a religious person. Testimony is my favorite album of all time.
11-27-07, 10:23 AM
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Day of Fire. I saw them open for Daughtry, and they were very good. I didn't even realize they were CR at first, until I started really listening to the lyrics. But they really rock.
11-27-07, 11:37 AM
#9
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I really despise the whole "Christian music" thing... it shouldn't be a seperate genre imo. I find just as much, if not more religous themes and symbolism in the "secular" artists I listen to. That said artists (who happen to be Christian) that I enjoy are Demon Hunter, Project 86, some Blindside and P.O.D....and the rest seem to have broken up...Stavesacre, Living Sacrifice, Julianna Theory.
More alternative styles - Pedro the Lion, Derek Webb, Starflyer 59.
More alternative styles - Pedro the Lion, Derek Webb, Starflyer 59.
11-27-07, 11:43 AM
#10
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
When it comes to the Christian "genre", mostly I listen to hip-hop (Pigeon John is great). Admittedly, I'm not too up on the current Christian rock scene.
I do like Thrice singer Dustin Kensrue's EP Please Come Home, but it is more of an acoustic singer/songwriter type of thing.
I'm also digging the new project by former Sixpence None the Richer singer Leigh Nash and electronic act Delerium - Fauxliage. (Her solo album is pretty good, too)
I didn't get into it until about a year ago (and I don't listen to the radio, so wasn't burned out by it), but I like Evanescence's Fallen. Haven't listened to their recent follow-up, though.
Derek Webb's Mockingbird is great. He got some heat from it because it is a bit critical of "the church" (but we need that from time to time). Haven't heard his most recent album, either.
Oh, and that Sufjan Stevens fella.
If you want to read up on the subject, I recommend a book that I read earlier this year:
Body Piercing Saved My Life: Inside the Phenomenon of Christian Rock by Andrew Beaujon
He's a writer for Spin and an agnostic, so it's an outsider's look in. The book's super cheap at Amazon Marketplace (where I got my copy).
I do like Thrice singer Dustin Kensrue's EP Please Come Home, but it is more of an acoustic singer/songwriter type of thing.
I'm also digging the new project by former Sixpence None the Richer singer Leigh Nash and electronic act Delerium - Fauxliage. (Her solo album is pretty good, too)
I didn't get into it until about a year ago (and I don't listen to the radio, so wasn't burned out by it), but I like Evanescence's Fallen. Haven't listened to their recent follow-up, though.
Derek Webb's Mockingbird is great. He got some heat from it because it is a bit critical of "the church" (but we need that from time to time). Haven't heard his most recent album, either.
Oh, and that Sufjan Stevens fella.
If you want to read up on the subject, I recommend a book that I read earlier this year:
Body Piercing Saved My Life: Inside the Phenomenon of Christian Rock by Andrew Beaujon
He's a writer for Spin and an agnostic, so it's an outsider's look in. The book's super cheap at Amazon Marketplace (where I got my copy).
Last edited by DJLinus; 11-27-07 at 11:46 AM.
11-27-07, 12:46 PM
#12
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Admittedly, I don't know too much about their background. I didn't think they were a self-professed "Christian rock band", but more of a "band with Christians in it" (like U2). Didn't they at one time somehow diss the Christian part of their fanbase and have their album pulled from Christian book stores? Seems like I heard about that somewhere.
Just wonder how they got the label in the first place.
Just wonder how they got the label in the first place.
11-27-07, 11:05 PM
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Originally Posted by DJLinus
I didn't think they were a self-professed "Christian rock band", but more of a "band with Christians in it" (like U2). Didn't they at one time somehow diss the Christian part of their fanbase and have their album pulled from Christian book stores?
Sounds a bit like King's X story. People were saying they were a Christian band but it was more of an individual band member thing. From Wiki...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_X#Christian_rock.3F
Originally Posted by Wiki
Christian rock?
Whether the band's name was intended as a Christian reference or not, the band members themselves have resisted being identified as a Christian metal or Christian rock band.[4][1] Although many of their early lyrics have a clear spiritual influence, generally this came from the individual faith of the members rather than an explicit attempt to tap into the contemporary Christian music market in the way groups such as Petra did.[1] While members would speak openly about their faith, and the Faith Hope Love CD insert contained an entire chapter of the Bible, the band rejected the association as a Christian band.[1] While some of their albums were marketed through Christian book stores, most removed their albums from sale after Pinnick's announcement in 1998 of his homosexuality.[5] This caused the band to lose some Christian fans, but did not significantly affect the band's core following.[6]
Whether the band's name was intended as a Christian reference or not, the band members themselves have resisted being identified as a Christian metal or Christian rock band.[4][1] Although many of their early lyrics have a clear spiritual influence, generally this came from the individual faith of the members rather than an explicit attempt to tap into the contemporary Christian music market in the way groups such as Petra did.[1] While members would speak openly about their faith, and the Faith Hope Love CD insert contained an entire chapter of the Bible, the band rejected the association as a Christian band.[1] While some of their albums were marketed through Christian book stores, most removed their albums from sale after Pinnick's announcement in 1998 of his homosexuality.[5] This caused the band to lose some Christian fans, but did not significantly affect the band's core following.[6]
Last edited by Giantrobo; 11-27-07 at 11:07 PM.
11-28-07, 07:41 AM
#15
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I second Pedro the Lion...though he now releases albums using his real name, David Bazan. He's great at blending really dark imagery with cynically tongue-in-cheek lyrics.
11-28-07, 10:35 AM
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mewithoutYou. (Tooth and Nails) And there were some interviews with Amy Lee (not sure if that is her name) when Origin was released where she basically said that it was the bands goal to show the love of God or something like that. I think that is where the Christian Band label began with Ev.
12-02-07, 04:00 AM
#19
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has the first evanesance album ever been officially released? i remeber reading that it had demos of songs from fallen (including a more synth heavy version of Bring Me To Life, and it doesn't have the dude from 12 stone on vocals.
12-02-07, 08:49 AM
#20
Originally Posted by Artman
I really despise the whole "Christian music" thing... it shouldn't be a seperate genre imo. I find just as much, if not more religous themes and symbolism in the "secular" artists I listen to...
12-02-07, 11:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Rypro 525
has the first evanesance album ever been officially released? i remeber reading that it had demos of songs from fallen (including a more synth heavy version of Bring Me To Life, and it doesn't have the dude from 12 stone on vocals.
No such "album" ever existed. Probably a bootleg full of demos.
12-03-07, 09:29 AM
#22
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I enjoy As I Lay Dying who is Christian metal core... of course, I'm not a big fan of theirs lyrically, but hell I can barely decipher any of them as it is.
12-03-07, 12:11 PM
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Originally Posted by DaveWadding
No such "album" ever existed. Probably a bootleg full of demos.
12-03-07, 12:53 PM
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I'm just getting into the whole Christian rock thing... So far I'm into Skillet, my friend let me borrow a couple of Storyside: B disks and I'm really liking them as well. I was in a C28 store this weekend and listened to an Adie CD which I may pull off of iTunes... though they don't list her as Christian. I also have a Moi album (for the more emo people) mainly because they played at our old church from time-to-time, but I do enjoy it when that mood hits. I also got "In the Name of Love: Artists United for Africa" which is christian bands covering U2 songs.
12-03-07, 03:28 PM
#25
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Originally Posted by orangecrush18
Incorrect. I purchased it from Bigwig Records for $15 (have since sold on ebay for $190ish dollars) when I was in college. They pressed 2500 copies.
I know THAT existed. but there was never an album before their first one with Bring Me to Life on it.