I love religious music from the 19th century and earlier. However, most of modern Christian music leaves me cold. Is there any good Christian music being made these days?
Well, I like Indigo Girls, and believe that they have a strong Christian base in their music. However, it’s not the only message that repeats in their music, and it’s not marketed as Christian music.
So, I don’t know whether that meets your definition of Christian music, or not.
I’m fond of Reliant K, though, while they have some songs that play strongly on their faith, some of their best stuff is less religious in nature.
As Hank Hill says, “Christian rock doesn’t help Christianity and it hurts rock 'n roll.”
I’ve never considered the Indigo Girls Christian Music. However, I love their music and will happily listen to them any time. Still, this sounds exactly what I’m looking for. Liberal Christianity with a positive message of hope.
The problem with modern Christian music is that it’s put out by evangelicals who just ape what’s popular so that folks’ll be willing to listen to them talk about how great Jesus[sup]TM[/sup] is. The best work comes from folks who are primarily interested in making good music and not so much in spreading the word.
Megadeth is at times accused of being too Christian, and their place as thrash legends is well-established. Trouble, who are as qualified to claim the crown of Black Sabbath as anyone out there, definitely had Christian leanings. And even Black Sabbath did record “After Forever”.
There are others who can talk with more expertise about other Christian metal acts. I’m pretty impressed by Crimson Moonlight, but while they’re good at what they do, it’s not for everyone.
No thread about Christian music is complete without the inclusion of Living Sacrifice, and you can throw in Soul Embraced and Zao while at it. Gotta love Christian Death Metal.
Evanescence do a cover of a Soul Embraced song on Fallen (“Tourniquet”), and have acknowledged being Christians, but at the same time were sure to point out that they’re “not a Christian band.”
Personally, I find a few DC Talk, Jars of Clay, and Newsboys songs to be all right, but that might be because they were the first contemporary Christian singers I was exposed to and have a bit of nostalgia factor going for them.
Reliant K…meh. My brother listened to it nonstop for a while. A few of them are clever, but after a while it does wear.
I did not know that. It’s a brilliant song, so I’m going to look into the original.
Well, it’s not “these days” exactly, but Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit In The Sky” sports a groove that I’d sell my soul to Satan for.
I love the band The Echoing Green and I’m not even a Christian. Their music is less religious now than it has been in the past, but the quality overall has been pretty fabulous. I recommend downloading the song “The Story of Our Lives”, available for free right here on Amazon. It’s a really upbeat dance song with a strong melody and great lyrics.
Johnny Cash.
It might help us give you what you want if you told us what modern music you like, dalej42.
Since you haven’t, I’ll just take this opportunity to plug my favorite Christian band, and possibly my favorite band, period: Daniel Amos. (I tried unsuccessfully to link to their www.allmusic.com entry, but you can look 'em up there.)
Also used to great effect in the movie ‘Miami Blues’.
As a non-believer, my other rock/R&B favorites are:
- “The Second Sitting for the Last Supper” (10CC)
- “Amazing Grace” (the instrumental version by The Mighty Groundhogs that is to Christian music what Jimi Hendrix’s rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner is to patriotic music. In any context, maybe the greatest hymn ever.
- “Jesus He Knows Me” (Genesis)
- “Happy In The Lord” (Stackridge)
- “People Get Ready” (Curtis Mayfield’s song, but I like the Jeff Beck version).
- “Time Has Come Today” (The Chambers Brothers - long version):
*"The rules have changed today (Hey)
I have no place to stay (Hey)
I’m thinking about the subway (Hey)
My love has flown away (Hey)
My tears have come and gone (Hey)
Oh my Lord, I have to roam (Hey)
I have no home (Hey)
I have no home (Hey)
Now the time has come (Time)
There’s no place to run (Time)
I might get burned up by the sun (Time)
But I had my fun (Time)
I’ve been loved and put aside (Time)
I’ve been crushed by the tumbling tide (Time)
And my soul’s been psychedelicized (Time)"*
I think Jars of Clay can be pretty good, and the Newsboys have some good older stuff. I like a few DC Talk bands.
But the one band that I would say is truely good is:
Burlap to Cashmere
Here’s the AMG listing: http://tinyurl.com/cmbte
Yeah, AMG only gave the album three stars, but don’t let that scare you away. Plus, they have lyrics that are better than most christian music lyrics. Look up the lyrics for their song “Divorce”. That one must have caused some controversy among christians.
Also look up the lyrics for “Scenes”. That one has weird lyrics.
Oh my. Yes with the Daniel Amos.
DA held first place on the now lost “10 Christian albums every Satanist should hear” web page. It was very well written, and judging from only an artistic view.
DA’s Alarma! four-album set is one of the biggest achievements in the “Christian” market. No one has ever accused Terry Taylor of being trite or unambitious. Silly, weird, attacking, yes, but not the others.
DA played Biola when I was there, and they made sure to play “Hide the Beer, the Pastor’s Here” from their alter-ego band The Swirling Eddies. Rather than remember the entire list of Christian universities on the recording, Terry just repeated “Biola!” whenever it fit. That, and the fact that the bass player was wearing something like a skirt made the letters fly in the school paper. We radio station types were amused.
I corresponded with the author of the Dallas Music web page article, but he said that the bulk of the article had been lost. DA has posted the part about them here: http://www.danielamos.com/articles/spotlight.html
Note the other albums mentioned on the page. I also want to mention Undercover’s “Branded” album.
Hmmm… other bands. This is by no means a comprehensive list, and I’ve been out of touch for a while, so a lot of this is old stuff.
Delirious - worship rock that doesn’t sound like the worship albums you buy, except that some of their songs have been covered on those albums.
Violet Burning - One of the GREAT overlooked talents in the market. If Mike Pritzl weren’t writing the lyrics he does, I’m convinced he would be selling songs all over the music industry, or having his own band he can make an actual living with. “Faith and Devotions of a Satellite Heart” is something anyone would be immensely proud to have produced.
MXPX has made major inroads into the larger market, and is on the Warped Tour again this year.
Rock and Roll Worship Circus does the glamrock worship thing pretty well.
I still really like my old Crucified albums, particularly the offical ones: Crucified and Pillars of Humanity. You have to like the cross streets of punk and metal, though.
Mark Heard gets major props even while dead.
The Choir hits the atmospheric softer side of REM pretty well.
The 77s do the blues rock pretty well. Some of their earlier stuff was more eclectic, but that’s where they seem to sit now.
The Lost Dogs are the singers and songwriters from Daniel Amos, 77s, and the Choir. Their 4th member Gene Eugene, who led the band Adam Again, died in the past few years.
Old Resurrection Band albums still hold up pretty well for the Zep-type fans. They did go more 80s in the 80s, which makes some sense.
Altar Boys have the rock-punk thing going. Put on the ripped jeans and motorcycle jacket! Not performing any more, though.
Extreme has definite Christian leanings. Try really listening to III Sides to Every Story.
The Huntingtons really, really want to be the Ramones.
Johnny Cash is one of the most real-sounding and respected Christian men, let alone artists, I’ve ever heard. Ask around, no one can dis Johnny.
Michael Knott has his Lifesavers thing, his Mike Knott thing, and his LSU thing. He can really hit the target when he tries. I know his Poplife and A Kiss of Life Lifesavers albums are really on. Shaded Pain and Wakin’ Up the Dead really score from LSU.
Los Lonely Boys had a recent big video hit, and they’re Christians. They do the Mexican blues thang.
The Prolcaimers have very definate Christian leanings, and they’re really good. I saw them a while ago, and I really enjoyed it.
I have to mention an obscure favorite: Sass O’ Frass Tunic - only had the one album, but the songs are all good, and the singer can really go. I knew the guitarist, and saw them a number of times live, and Fred could really sing like that on the spot live. I don’t know where to find a copy of that any more.
I found the list.
#10. The Lost Dogs Gift Horse (BEC, 2000)
#9. Robert Deeble Earthside Down(Liberation/Jackson Rubio, 1998)
#8. Scaterd-few Sin Disease (Alarma, 1990)
#7. The Choir Speckled Bird (R.E.X., 1994)
#6. Adam Again Perfecta (BAI, 1995)
#5. Kemper Crabb The Vigil (Star Song/Joyeuse Garde, 1982)
#4. The 77’s Drowning With Land in Sight (Myrrh, 1994)
#3. Undercover 3-28-87 (Broken, 1988)
#2. Steve Taylor I Predict 1990 (Myrrh, 1987)
#1. Daniel Amos Alarma! Chronicles Book Set (M8, 2000)
I wouldn’t call it Christian music per se, but Nick Cave tends to have Christian themes in a number of his songs.
For the record, Relient K is spelled with two e’s and zero a’s.
And my favorite Christian band is Switchfoot, who have been brilliant for years and are finally receiving recognition for Meant to Live and Dare You to Move, thanks to heavy radio play and use by shows like “The OC.” Oddly enough, those are two of my least favorite tracks by them.
For good acoustic-driven stuff try Caedmon’s Call.
And for non-Christian music put out by apparent Christians try Eisley, especially Telescope Eyes.
Switchfoot’s first two albums were truly excellent, but I’m not a fan of their newer stuff. The new record, in particular, is all overprocessed guitars and studio-perfected vocals, a far cry from the jazzy alt-rock sound of <I>Legend of Chin</I>.