oh, just heard of:) name recognition is all i was wondering about. and 38th parallel (the only one you didn't check as knowing) is a hardcore rock kinda band, maybe more local to my area since they're from here, but they got some play on mtv.
but since you ask, which of these bands have you actually heard?
Jars of Clay played a more or less impromptu show at the coffeehouse at Luther when I was there. somebody told me that they had rented a house in Decorah to chill and write songs or something. I dunno, I didn't really pay attention.
Though I'm not so much a fan of most Christian music, I rather like Jars of Clay. Quality stuff. I heard Reliant K at Rock the Universe and quite enjoyed them, though I never went and bought an album or anything. Also, have you heard of Burlap to Cashmere, Delirious?, or Petra? Burlap to Cashmere rocks my socks; they're awesome. Delirious? is pretty good, more rock-y in concert than on their cds, but I recommend the two cd set "Deeper" -- lots of good bouncy stuff. Hmm, now I think I'll listen to them today; it's been ages! Thanks for making me think of them. :)
jars of clay's debut album--wow. one of my very favorite cds. amazing. i was more lukewarm on the following ones, but maybe i just didn't give them enough of a chance...
relient k puts on a good show, eh?:) they're funny. again, their latest cd i'm not as into as their first two, but they're still good stuff.
i looooove burlap to cashmere:) i wish they'd put out more before they broke up. delirious? i'm ok with, but i don't think they're totally my taste. maybe if i saw them in concert i'd fall in love:) that's how i am with the band bleach. they're AWESOME in concert, and because of that, i like their cds, but i might not so much otherwise. petra:) i really enjoy petra circa 1988. they've had a lot of people in their band changing over the years, so they're pretty different now. i like the "this means war" era:)
I totally don't understand the theory behind calling a genre "Christian" music. Does it sound different, does it??
The only reason I've heard most of those bands is that there's a big annual festival for Christian music here in NZ every year called "Parachute" that I think the majority of those bands have played at...
yeah, that's one of the things that really bugs me about people talking about christian music. it's not a genre like rock, or r&b, or jazz or something. instead, it's a genre, grouped as so because of lyrics and/or even band biography. not all "christian rock bands" sing all their songs about jesus, either, prime examples being pedro the lion, mxpx, the juliana theory, and p.o.d. then there are bands like lifehouse, creed, and evenescence (sp?) who have to keep yelling at the christian music community that they AREN'T christian rock bands, just bands with christian lyrics sometimes. lots of bands puts out the occasional song about God, for example the smoking popes or van morrison. *sigh* maybe i'll just get out all my ranting on the comments here and a post won't be necessary after all...
One thing I've observed here is bands that are Christian when it suits them. The punk scene tends to turn on Christian bands, so they say they aren't, remove that from their bios, et cetera. But then when the big Christian music festival rolls around, they all sign up.
yeah:) my guess would be that they know that if they're too overtly christian, they'll get broken bottles thrown at them while on stage. i've heard some pretty crazy stories about christian punk bands being "too christian" on, say, the warped tour.
it's a fine line a band walks if they're trying to be evangelical (which not all christian bands are). it depends on whether they're a band first or christians first, if you get my meaning. if they're a band first, it doesn't surprise me that they drop the christian thing cause being christian is part of who they are, not all they are. if they're christian first, a lot of punk bands look at playing mainstream as talking to the people they really umm... need to be talking to. even if it's not "JESUS DIED FOR YOU! YEAH! PRAISE HIM!" there's something to be said for being low-key and just offering music that's not really negative and hopeless.
the way you phrase that raises another point. you're right in that the christian music market is a niche market (of course) and that some bands choose to limit their subject matter so they can get in that way, build up a fan-base, then break free once they start getting mainstream exposure. and some bands stick with just christian music. i can't speak to all these bands, but i would bet most of them wouldn't consider themselves to be limited their subject-matter. i think oftentimes, the bands who are singing just christian music have such totally different mindsets about what they're doing and why they're doing it that it's hard to compare them to other bands.
that being said, there are christian bands who sing about love and broken hearts and parties and stuff too: mxpx, p.o.d., the juliana theory, pedro the lion... it's that there are some bands who happen to be christians, and some christians who happen to be bands, if you get my meaning.
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but since you ask, which of these bands have you actually heard?
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relient k puts on a good show, eh?:) they're funny. again, their latest cd i'm not as into as their first two, but they're still good stuff.
i looooove burlap to cashmere:) i wish they'd put out more before they broke up. delirious? i'm ok with, but i don't think they're totally my taste. maybe if i saw them in concert i'd fall in love:) that's how i am with the band bleach. they're AWESOME in concert, and because of that, i like their cds, but i might not so much otherwise. petra:) i really enjoy petra circa 1988. they've had a lot of people in their band changing over the years, so they're pretty different now. i like the "this means war" era:)
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The only reason I've heard most of those bands is that there's a big annual festival for Christian music here in NZ every year called "Parachute" that I think the majority of those bands have played at...
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Odd.
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it's a fine line a band walks if they're trying to be evangelical (which not all christian bands are). it depends on whether they're a band first or christians first, if you get my meaning. if they're a band first, it doesn't surprise me that they drop the christian thing cause being christian is part of who they are, not all they are. if they're christian first, a lot of punk bands look at playing mainstream as talking to the people they really umm... need to be talking to. even if it's not "JESUS DIED FOR YOU! YEAH! PRAISE HIM!" there's something to be said for being low-key and just offering music that's not really negative and hopeless.
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that being said, there are christian bands who sing about love and broken hearts and parties and stuff too: mxpx, p.o.d., the juliana theory, pedro the lion... it's that there are some bands who happen to be christians, and some christians who happen to be bands, if you get my meaning.
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