The state of contemporary christian music

[hectorberlioz]

Everyone one here rightly knows me as a classical music lover, but believe it or not, I know a thing or two about other music as well. And one of the things I'm sad to say that I know is contemporary christian music.

If we look back, we have Keith Green, Rich Mullins, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, who came to fame beyond just the christian audience. I'm not saying everyone should try to be them, but these contemporary groups don't even try!
"Jesus Loves Me" (Yes, I know...) is their constant message. They never try to find/write about anything deeper than that. It's a mirror of the pop world.

gotta finish later!

[rohirrim TR]

yeah, I miss Rich Mullins what an amazing artist.

not all the new guys are bad, Jeremy Camp has had a few lyrically thoughtful songs.

[Nurvingiel]

It would be interesting to hear deeper Christian messages explored in song.

Aretha Franklin is still around isn't she? (I like her music regardless.)
What about Jars of Clay? Are they still around?

Even if those two artists are no longer making records, I think they still count as current.

[rohirrim TR]

yeah, Jars of Clay are still around but I disliked their latest album.

[hectorberlioz]

I don't know if Van Morrison was christian, but his songs deal a lot with God. Very good most of them.

Anyways, to continue my rant. If you turn to any christian Radio station, the music is blather re-blathered. It's like when one bad band dies, they recycle the sound of it for the next bad band. EVERY song has electric guitar and has lyrics that say how good Jesus is (which isn't bad in itself, but really!)

It's descended the the level where a song called "Cartoons praise the Lord" was brought into the world...it's a REALLY scary song. I don't think I've ever heard anything like it before or after. Elmer Fudd, Bugs etc...its extremely irreverent, besides just plain bad.

Christian artists should really think about the lyrics the write or have written, and not just accept and sing below-mediocre songs about loving or bieng loved by Jesus (above I said it wasn't bad in itself, but now that I remember: some of these songs have Jesus as their "coolade, buddy, bandaid"...).

Secondly, why the raspy, desperate, I'm-so-going-to-die-'cause-I'm-so-affected voice? Whoever the singer is, they have it...well, Elmer Fudd doesn't.

Thirdly, while I'll agree to let there be electric guitar in christian music, why must it all sound alike? Every song they have the Electric Guitar wailing in this certain way, and that "rap" beat (putt putt PUTT, putt putt PUTT etc) playing and it drives your sanity into the ground.

[rohirrim TR]

you gotta point with the predictable-electric-guitar, but i've heard secular songs that have that problem too. Really makes one wish Rich Mullins and his dulcimers and acoustics were still around.

a lot of christian songs have bad way of having the percussion/drums rhthym identical on every song, almost like they don't even have a drummer but just a recording.

[Mercutio]

Originally Posted by rohirrim TR

yeah, Jars of Clay are still around but I disliked their latest album.

Hmm...I like there latest album

I also like some of Third Day's music.

And Jeremy Camp, yes, and Casting Crowns.

Over the Rhine is good but they aren't particularly my favorite.

[rohirrim TR]

ahh yes Third Day, they were a great band except for their last couple albums, when they started out they had original music, lyrics everything, and now they're falling into the stereo-types (no pun inteded) that Hector has been mentioning.

[inked]

Que pasa?????????????

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.../nchrist27.xml

thought you all would be interested.

[Rosie Gamgee]

Hector: I agree with you TOTALLY about contemporary Christian music. Personally, I hate just about all of it, except for Newsboys. It's all second rate music, that same song with different notes and words, same singer, same beat, same instruments... It's really crappy music, too; most of it. Just second-rate crap. It bugs me to DEATH! I hate the fact that I don't listen to Christian music; but personally, I can sing better God singing the words of some pop songs than I can of CCM.

I met this once, and we were exchanging ideas and thoughts, and she said, "What music do you like?" I said, "Folk." And because she looked completely lost, I named off a few artists. (I don't blame her much for that; most people look at me funny when I say I like folk music.) Then I asked what kind of music she liked. She said, "Pop." I was kind of surprised, because her family is very conservative and I would have thought she'd say something like gregorian chants. So, because I like some pop, I said, "Oh, really, what artists?" She started naming off a bunch of CCM singers; Rachel Lampa, Steven Curtis Champman, etc. I was like, "Oh, you mean Christian pop." She was looking at me like I had two heads as I said this, but then the look on my face probably wasn't much better.
I HATE how this little Christian sub-culture has popped up, it seems. It's not that I'm against Christians being identified as Christians, heck no, I'm all for that. But I hate how we accept medioctrity simply because it has the word 'Christian' in front of it. You know it's a music industry joke that if you can't make it in the real scene, try alternative or Christian markets. That is so sick and degrading and mediocre it's pathetic.

Can you tell this is a pet-peeve of mine?

Sorry about the ranting. I'm done (for now).

[hectorberlioz]

Originally Posted by rohirrim TR

you gotta point with the predictable-electric-guitar, but i've heard secular songs that have that problem too. Really makes one wish Rich Mullins and his dulcimers and acoustics were still around.

a lot of christian songs have bad way of having the percussion/drums rhthym identical on every song, almost like they don't even have a drummer but just a recording.

Yes! rich Mullins was always inventive with his instrumentation.
You know, I wouldn't be surprised if they DID have just one recording for the background music.

I met this once, and we were exchanging ideas and thoughts, and she said, "What music do you like?" I said, "Folk." And because she looked completely lost, I named off a few artists. (I don't blame her much for that; most people look at me funny when I say I like folk music.) Then I asked what kind of music she liked. She said, "Pop." I was kind of surprised, because her family is very conservative and I would have thought she'd say something like gregorian chants. So, because I like some pop, I said, "Oh, really, what artists?" She started naming off a bunch of CCM singers; Rachel Lampa, Steven Curtis Champman, etc. I was like, "Oh, you mean Christian pop." She was looking at me like I had two heads as I said this, but then the look on my face probably wasn't much better.
I HATE how this little Christian sub-culture has popped up, it seems. It's not that I'm against Christians being identified as Christians, heck no, I'm all for that. But I hate how we accept medioctrity simply because it has the word 'Christian' in front of it. You know it's a music industry joke that if you can't make it in the real scene, try alternative or Christian markets. That is so sick and degrading and mediocre it's pathetic.

Well said Rosie.
That's how I feel when I tell people that I like classical (which is something I try to avoid nowadays). They look as if they'd just seen alien antennas pop up from out of my head.
Actually, DON'T be surprised that she liked pop. I WOULD have been surprised to learn that she liked Gregorian Chant (which is wonderful stuff).
You're right about the sub-culture thing. Because some things have the word christian in front of them, a lot of christians seem to think they're obliged to like them. For instance, there is such a thing as a christian DateDotCom.
It's not that I don't encourage christians to do their own thing, I'm all for that. The Narnia film is the highest example of a christian company (Walden Media) doing something good, not just christian and cheesy to boot.

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

contemporary christian music i hear you say?

well, then, let us mention POD (Payable on Death), I enjoy their song 'Alive' - a metal band that is made up completely of christians...that'll do thee, ah say

[crickhollow]

true point, LCoU, POD does have some good songs. But I don't think that they necessarily fall into the CCM. Christian Alternative, maybe? which is another category that is riddled with mediocrity.

i don't blame real musicians who are christians from distancing themselves from the christian music industry in order to gain some credibility with their peers.

on the other hand, pop music in general isn't more creative/better quality than christian pop, IMO.

[rohirrim TR]

Originally Posted by Last Child of Ungoliant

contemporary christian music i hear you say?

well, then, let us mention POD (Payable on Death), I enjoy their song 'Alive' - a metal band that is made up completely of christians...that'll do thee, ah say

POD is the best, I just don't really consider them "contemporary christian" which is why I didn't mention them.

[Curubethion]

Currently, CCM is in a fairly strong state. On the one hand, you have awesome groups like POD, etc. that are just amazing all around. There's also an emerging urban face that's a lot better than the cliche "gangsta rap" that permeates today's music. There's mainstream involvement, but I'm kind of torn about this, particularly when you have bands like Switchfoot and Relient K that try to tread the fine line found in crossovers. Unfortunately, this leads sometimes to cliches that shouldn't be found in music.
Then, of course, you've got the pop, etc., but I don't pay much attention to that-so I won't judge.
One of the nicer trends I'm noticing is that of younger artists appearing, e.g. Krystal Meyers and Bethany Dillon. They provide excellent role models.
So, in general, I think that CCM is strong, but it could use work for sure.

[crickhollow]

you know, I read an interview a long time ago with Michael Card. He said that he wrote a song about contemplating suicide, once, and wanted to record it. The folks from the record label would only agree if he wrote another song about hope to immediately follow it. It has to follow the Christian formula, right?

[hectorberlioz]

Originally Posted by crickhollow

true point, LCoU, POD does have some good songs. But I don't think that they necessarily fall into the CCM. Christian Alternative, maybe? which is another category that is riddled with mediocrity.

i don't blame real musicians who are christians from distancing themselves from the christian music industry in order to gain some credibility with their peers.

on the other hand, pop music in general isn't more creative/better quality than christian pop, IMO.

They (ccm) actually seem to follow the pop trend. I think thats half the reason there for the mediocrity.

I think these are fair suggestions for all christian artists:


1) don't write lyrics that rhyme all the thyme (ach! ).
Rhyming lyrics is something I'm divided on. Bob Dyla, who is considered a master songwriter, overdid it in one song...and I didn't see why I myself could'nt come up with those lyrics. They were just too commonplace, too much rhyming.

2)Try out different intrumentation.
Hard Rock Electric Guitar can be very tiresome after two or three songs on the radio that use it.
Ins...grr!
I'll finish later!!!

[Curubethion]

There's a lot more to CCM than you're giving them credit for...tobyMac, Thousand Foot Krutch, MXPX, GRITS, Switchfoot, Hawk Nelson, Relient K, John Reuben, Underoath, Shawn Groves, Steven Curtis Chapman, Pillar, David Crowder...and they're all incredibly different.
CCM has as much diversity as its mainstream counterparts. You've got all sorts of music: punk, rap, hip-hop, hardcore, heavy rock, metal, pop, worship...As for instrumentation...you can hear tons of instruments besides heavy rock guitar. Look at Jars of Clay for starters. They use just about every type of alternative instrument you can find: dobro, accordian, 12-string guitar...It's true, some Christian radio stations might make it sound like every CCM song is the same, but that's not being fair to CCM. There's more than the radio.

[Nurvingiel]

Yeah, CCM, mediocre!? Is this the same CCM that I know and love? I'm with you Curubethion, I love those guys!

Well, everyone's entitled to their own opinion. But mediocrity is something you can sort of measure, and I certainly wouldn't equate that with CCM.

Why do you think they're mediocre Hector?

[Rían]

My son likes Jeremy Camp, Thousand Foot Krutch, Switchfoot, Relient K.

I like Switchfoot, and I really love a guy named Chris Rice - his music is fine but not great, but his lyrics are so totally random! Very imaginative lyrics.