Zombies, Wine, and Christian Music

[Folrig]

I recently read a blog written by a Christian music artist where he discusses...well... several ideas, but the primary point is about how most of the Christian Top 40 is very disingenuous. It is a long, albeit interesting blog so settle in if you're going to read it. I found it fascinating, but that may be because I am a Christian and I have been frustrated with Christian music for a long time.

Now for those of you who are not familiar with the "genre" of Christian music (the idea of it being it's own genre is a whole other bazaar topic), it can be broken down into several sub-genres. The largest sub-genres are Gospel, Worship, and...Christian. This Christian sub-Christian genre is from where most of the Top 40 come.

Early on he writes about how he finds mainstream (non-Christian) artists being more believable with a "whispery sexy voice...singing about sex...than the voice that copies that style of singing while putting lyrics in about being in the arms of Jesus." I didn't catch on to this as accutely as he did, but I'm also not an avid musician. What I did notice was that, while I liked most of the lyrics I heard, many of these songs felt very cookie cutter (or maybe "off" is a better word). I'm sure some of this can be attributed to radio murdering songs, but only some. The rest of the credit would have to go to this weird attempt to make Christian songs relevant by making them sound like "mainstream" songs.

Anyway, I bring my thoughts and the blog author's thoughts to this forum, because I'm curious. I realize that most of the population of this community is not Christian, and will likely have a unique-to-me view of the idea of disingenuous music. I don't listen to much "non-Christian" music, so I was wondering if this was a problem elsewhere. Or is this a Christian music Top 40 phenomenon?

Finally, I really do suggest reading the blog. If only because of the weird connection I made with the author and many of the power users of this forum. Mainly the idea of a person who pushes against the established way of doing and seeing things.

[thekyz]

Never heard of that before (the Christian subgenre I mean, i've heard about Gospel & such). Is it like rock worship music ? :p

[SterlingRed]

Walking a fine line here with a religious topic, just be careful to keep things under control here and in topic. These kids if discussions can quickly get out of hand.
I don't listen to much mainstream "Christian" music as it's all largely the same and not instrumentally interesting. It gives a very 40 year old women vibe. (no offense to those who fall into that, it just doesn't interest me) I listen to bands that usually fall under the genre of "alternative." They usually refrain from the feel good lyrics while being instrumentally diverse and not full of language and sex. I have nothing against the songs that do have that, I just like the variety alternative bands provide to the mainstream top hits radio music.

[Folrig]

Never heard of that before (the Christian subgenre I mean, i've heard about Gospel & such). Is it like rock worship music ? :p

You might call it rock. But most often it will be called Christian rock or Christian pop

Walking a fine line here with a religious topic, just be careful to keep things under control here and in topic. These kids if discussions can quickly get out of hand.
I don't listen to much mainstream "Christian" music as it's all largely the same and not instrumentally interesting. It gives a very 40 year old women vibe. (no offense to those who fall into that, it just doesn't interest me) I listen to bands that usually fall under the genre of "alternative." They usually refrain from the feel good lyrics while being instrumentally diverse and not full of language and sex. I have nothing against the songs that do have that, I just like the variety alternative bands provide to the mainstream top hits radio music.

I get that. My dad has always been into music, but when he became a Christian he was very into Christian music...until he started playing the guitar. Then one day he said to me, "most of this is just musically boring. Like they aren't trying very hard." Good music in the Christian genre is, unfortunately, few and far between. Which is how I bece aware of the blog's author, Michael Gungor.

[BinoAl]

You know whats funny awesome?
These guys are a Christian band :)

[Ferrus.Manus]

I never think of Cristian music as a genre, it's a theme for lyrics. You can have rock music with Christian lyrics, you can have metal music with Christian lyrics, you can have blues music with Cristian lyrics.

I don't like most Christian music (well I'm atheist so that's more or less given), but really love old blues as well as some country (like Cash) who often have very religious lyrics.

[Flesh_Engine]

I thought this was about Linux...

guess not :)

[Urian]

You know whats funny awesome?
These guys are a Christian band :)

Aye, white metal :)

[Folrig]

I never think of Cristian music as a genre, it's a theme for lyrics. You can have rock music with Christian lyrics, you can have metal music with Christian lyrics, you can have blues music with Cristian lyrics.

I don't like most Christian music (well I'm atheist so that's more or less given), but really love old blues as well as some country (like Cash) who often have very religious lyrics.

That's kind of what the author talks about. At one point he mentions an old hymn with some very intimate lyrics that had been adapted to a screamo. Although, I do agree about Christian lyrics versus genre, but that just isn't how the industry sees it.

I thought this was about Linux...

guess not :)

What do you mean? We are talking about Linux.