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Just borrowed their album from the library and am loving it! Positive lyrics, hard rocking music; it makes me feel good just listening. Anyone else like this group?
Posts: 3141 | Registered: Apr 2000
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I love AA. I have all of their CDs. I have been to several of their concerts and they are a GREAT live band.
Posts: 90 | Registered: Apr 2006
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Picky picky. They actually have some ... waddya wanna call em ... "positive" songs that aren't specifically Christian. Regardless, they are a good group, especially in concert. I really like em.
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Glad you like em, I'm just saying that that's something you might want to mention when recommending a group. Some people (like me) very much don't enjoy christian rock, and its not always clear (as it is with Audio Adrenaline) that that's what a group is. It can be a fairly nasty surprise to be listening to what you've been told is good rock music to suddenly find a song thats basically preaching christianity. Not fun. So yeah, just make sure to mention that when recommending.
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I don't really understand that point of view, Alcon. I listen to all kinds of music where the lyrics contain messages I don't agree with. Lyrics can be political, anti-government, anti-religion. They can spread messages about secularized cultural points of view or religious points of view. If the music is good, how does the message decrease the musical value? If I am for the war, should I stop enjoying a cleverly made protest song because the group feels differently about life than I do?
I think an inability to enjoy a song who's writers may disagree with you shows an overblown sensitivity to the message, whatever type of message it may be. If you dislike Audio Adrenaline's music, as I do, then that is one thing. If you like the music until you figure out they are Christians, that's another.
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prolixshore just made my point for me. How could we be expected to provide every possible disclaimer about a band? No matter what Alcon says about who is his favorite (or a band that he likes), it would not be very hard to find trivial element that he left out, but might possibly offend someone else.
Posts: 90 | Registered: Apr 2006
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Christian Pop Music used to often be inferior copies of whatever was on the radio at the time. That has changed, thank (if I may) God.
Glad you like AA, Jenny. I don't know them well enough to make other recs based on them, though I am recommending Jars of Clay's second CD, "Much Afraid" (circa '97) to everyone I can. I really love that one.
Posts: 3846 | Registered: Apr 2004
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When it comes to Christian music, I'm incredibly picky. Mostly because my BIGGEST pet peeve is when a band that's very, very Christian breaks into the mainstream market and suddenly claims, "Oh, psh, we're not Christian. We're spiritual." No, dude. If you have ANY aspirations to the mainstream, structure your music in such a way that it CAN be interpreted religiously, but it doesn't HAVE to be. Make it so that religion isn't an issue when it comes to that sort of thing. Don't be like Miss Britney "I'm a virgin!" Spears.
I think it is safe to say that Jenny isn't a Christian - we've talked about it, and I think we have very similar spiritual worldviews. Pretty accepting, generally.
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Gah. That whole transition just makes me sick. I pray I never have to work with one of those groups. Otherwise, someone's going to get a tongue-lashing about sticking to core values.
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King's X's situation may have been more a result of the Christian audience's responce to Doug Pinnick's coming out of the closet.
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I have been a King's X fan since 1989. They went progressive long before Pinnick came out. My interested in King's X has waned not because of Pinnick being gay but because the group's music and lyrics have become less interesting.
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pH, I have POD's latest CD. I see no evidence that they have strayed from their core values in the least.
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I don't see anything particularly different between their 3rd and 4th releases, myself (the only one's I'm really familiar with). I quit following them because, despite moments of brilliance ("Prisoner" is awesome) I just didn't care for most of what they did stylistically.
And I'm pretty sure Pinnick came out shortly after "Dogman".
Anyhow, sorry for the derail. Evanescence... well, then again, look at how Jars of Clay disappeared after everyone figured out they were Christian, despite having (as noted above) an awesome 2nd release and you begin to see why artists recant.
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quote:If you dislike Audio Adrenaline's music, as I do, then that is one thing. If you like the music until you figure out they are Christians, that's another.
I'm sympathetic to Alcon on this one. It can be really annoying to be preached at, especially when you're expecting something else.
I can't speak to Audio Adrenaline specifically, but I have had unpleasant experiences with a couple songs that I thought sounded good, but ended up having a message of, "Heathen! Come to the light!" Then again there are songs that merely talk about the singer's experiences with the divine that I like a lot. The former category, though, has happened often enough to make me wary.
quote:I listen to all kinds of music where the lyrics contain messages I don't agree with. Lyrics can be political, anti-government, anti-religion. They can spread messages about secularized cultural points of view or religious points of view. If the music is good, how does the message decrease the musical value?
I really love hip hop, but I don't really listen to mainstream rap anymore because I tired of the message. Even with songs I thought had good beats, or MCs that had a pretty good flow, it was just tiring to hear, "make money money," over and over, with glorified violence and misogynism thrown in to spice it up. If that example doesn't work for you I have more, but won't post them right now for fear of invoking Godwin's law.
Posts: 2907 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Its not so much the message as just explicit refences to any particular religion. I like a couple of other bands that might be called religious because they don't make explicit references so I can hear rock rather than having to listen to something about religion.
It has nothing to do with the message. I listen to all kinds of rock that has messages that I don't agree with. It has everything to do with the fact that when a song makes explicit religious references it feels like I'm being preached at. And I do not like that.
quote:Evanescence
?? Evanescence was christian? I suppose they do have some vaguely chrisitan themes (but then, there are a lot of human themes that also exist in christianity), but I don't hear that when I listen to them. ...Unless that's why you don't like them...?
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Their first CD was distributed to Christian stores by their label and "Bring Me to Life" has distinctly Christian overtones, though, as you say, they are largely human ones.
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Eh, see as long as it ain't explicit I'm fine with it: cause I can mentally edit it out and just listen to the human themes present Posts: 3295 | Registered: Jun 2004
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On the subject of Evanescence, I think "My God, my tourniquet / Return to me, salvation" is pretty overt.
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quote:On the subject of Evanescence, I think "My God, my tourniquet / Return to me, salvation" is pretty overt.
I would need context clues, as I can just as easily see those lyrics in a Tool song, and then they would mean something COMPLETELY different.
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I can't, and I say that as someone who owns almost every Tool record (including the one that came out today). Maynard uses religious language, sure -- Prison Sex is an obvious example -- but I certainly can't see him using that line. I think that line is pretty unambiguous in its meaning.
Added:
quote:Originally posted by Alcon: That would be from a song I don't have... it also happens to be a cover
I didn't know that, but regardless, it's on their first major-label album (which I own and don't mind).
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I think I recall Amy Lee explaining in an interview that Evanescence itself isn't a "Christian band", but that one of its members (Ben Moody, I think, so really a former member) is a very strong Christian, so that came across in the songs that he wrote.
And "Tourniquet" is a cover? O.o In the liner notes it says it was written by Ben Moody.
I'm not particularly religious, but I actually enjoy catching religious references in music, so long as it isn't preachy, which I don't really think Evanescence is. They're working on a new album sans Moody, btw, which makes me happy.
I'm not familiar enough with the other bands mentioned to have an opinion on their preachiness or lack thereof, but Creed is one that occasionally got borderline too blatant for my taste.
Posts: 952 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Both Evanescence and P.O.D. began as very, very Christian bands. P.O.D., when they first started out, used to send out Bible verses on their email lists. Evanescence are actually from around here, I think.
Anyways. Chevelle are Christians who are in a band. Their songs can be interpreted religiously, but there are plenty of OMGZ I HAET CRISCHUNS people who love their songs too and who will swear up and down that the band is not Christian in the least.
I don't have a problem with Christian music. But I don't think you should, in essence, deny your faith so that you can get on the Billboard charts. If you want to go mainstream, or if you MIGHT want to go mainstream, don't start out totally in-your-face WE ARE SO CHRISTIAN WE ARE THE MOST CHRISTIANEST PEOPLE EVAR!!11!1one and then change to this vague "spiritual" label later on. It pisses me off.
quote:Originally posted by Nell Gwyn: I think I recall Amy Lee explaining in an interview that Evanescence itself isn't a "Christian band", but that one of its members (Ben Moody, I think, so really a former member) is a very strong Christian, so that came across in the songs that he wrote.
That's the thing. She said that AFTER they broke mainstream and every skinny pale goth chick who hates God started buying their albums and being like, "WAIT! IS THIS ABOUT CHRISTIANITY?! NO! BRAINWASHING!"
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Chevelle and Lifehouse (not rock per se, but good music anyways) come to mind as successful bands who have pulled off being comprised of Christians who by appearances stay true to their faith while managing to remain appealing to secular audiences. I'm sure there are others, but those are the one's that I really really enjoy listening to.
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quote:And "Tourniquet" is a cover? O.o In the liner notes it says it was written by Ben Moody.
Huh.
From their website:
quote:Is "Tourniquet" a cover version? The song was originally released as "My Tourniquet" by Soul Embraced, a band featuring future Evanescence drummer Rocky Gray. The version on FALLEN is an adaptation of that original song.
Well even if they were a "christian" band originally, there aren't many blatant references now, on website or in lyrics. That's good enough for me.
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Chevelle are a very good example, despite my feelings about them as human beings. And although they have fans who are decidedly Christian-phobic,they don't try to placate them by coming out and saying they aren't Christian...they just don't really address the issue in a blatant, in-your-face manner.
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Alcon - On looking again, the liner notes actually say "Track 6 [Tourniquet] written by B. Moody / A. Lee / D. Hodges / R. Gray", so you're right. Sorry, I was skimming earlier.
pH - Yeah, that sort of backpedaling would irritate me too if it were a group I'd been familiar with before they changed their position. But since I never heard of Evanescence before they were mainstream, I will remain blithely unconcerned. Posts: 952 | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Originally posted by pH: P.O.D., when they first started out, used to send out Bible verses on their email lists. Evanescence are actually from around here, I think.
I used to be on that mailing list. I didn't really pay attention to that aspect of the emails from the band, but it was definitely there. Then, one day, it stopped. All of the emails were about shows and calling up TRL to request the videos. The difference was very noticable. I unsubscribed pretty much right away. I, too, have a problem when someone denies their beliefs for monetary gain.
As to someone who even knows who King's X is, I'm amazed. I thought I was the only person left in the universe who still gets teary-eyed listening to the live version of Over My Head.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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Exactly, PC. That's my real problem. It's not an issue with Christian music or secular music or anything. It's an issue with cashing in on the rather lucrative Christian market, then deciding to go mainstream and essentially dropping the Christian aspect altogether.
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pH, it's cool when we agree. I really can't stand soul-sellers either. Personally, I can't stand the vast majority of the 'crossovers' or 'bands composed of Christians, but not Christian Bands.' POD. Evanescence. Creed. Aargh.
I feel like Relient K is slowly slipping mainstream. They haven't sold their souls, but they seem to have fewer overt songs per CD as time goes on. They're also doing fewer humorous ones... and more of the edgy angsty stuff that's annoying.
Audio A is totally awesome though - as a band, and as individuals. And yeah, they don't hide their faith. When I get down, their songs lift me up. Posts: 1069 | Registered: Feb 2005
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Well, I'd like AA more if they hadn't told a guitarist I was friends with for awhile that he couldn't be in the band because he was overweight. That kind of thing really makes one dislike a band.
Kwea - It's a change from "it's our job to spread the word, we will not be silenced" to "yeah, we have positive, spiritual-sounding lyrics." It's enough to make lots of people feel that they've turned their backs. Money tends to do that.
Furthermore, I take it from your tone that the existence of bands who "announce it in peoples face" might offend you?
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I had the good fortune to open for Pillar once, with a guy named Jimmy King substituting on guitar. They were great guys and put on a freakin' amazing show.
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I'm just coming across the band in one of my eclectic music exposure jaunts to the library. While some of their lyrics are indeed Christian, they're not overly preachy. As a pagan, I can enjoy them, too. I didn't know Evanescence was Christian!!
How cool is it that Christian music doesn't have to be boring anymore!
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