After posting about the new "Codes and Keys" album by Death Cab for Cutie, I've done a great deal of thinking about music and more specifically the "Christian" music industry. (Whether or not it should be defined as such is a conversation for another day.) This industry is one in which I very much have a love/hate relationship. I have three different reasons for this:
1) I feel like the majority of artists cater only a churched crowd and aren't doing a good job of reaching others with/through their music. 60 minutes of K-love radio will show you that "Christian" music today caters to a specific demographic, indeed.
2) I also believe that the majority of "Christian" music today is limited in lyrical and musical creativity. The same style is being used over and over and over again. Very few artists are trying anything new and distinct, and I firmly believe that followers of Jesus should be at the cutting edge of creativity.
3) There is a cultural stigma against "Christian" music (probably because of #'s 1 & 2). All throughout my childhood, my high school youth, my college years, and even into young adulthood I felt like I could always find some Christian music album/s that I could give to non-believing friends of mine and they would enjoy it. In fact, many times in the past when I gave friends copies of some of my favorite albums I receive responses like, "This is 'Christian'? No way!" Today, I find it much more of a challenge to do so.
These are the primary reasons I often avoid a great deal of "Christian" music these days. However, there are some artists out there who trump all of the above.
Concerning #1: This Fall, David Crowder*Band, Gungor, and John Mark McMillan are on tour together and are only playing secular clubs...no churches. If a church tried to book them on this tour, the answer is a definitive, "no". Those who know me well know I probably wouldn't attend a Crowder concert, but Gungor's and John Mark McMillan's newest "worship" albums are fantastic. (In fact, John Mark McMillan's "Skeleton Bones" is one of the greatest "worship" songs of our day.) These artists break the mold of the genre in every possible way. Not only is their music lyrically and musically creative, but Michael Gungor spends the majority of his time ministering directly to the poor and desolate. (What Crowder and McMillian do in their time I'm not sure, but the fact they've all agreed to hit secular clubs only speaks volumes to me.) While Switchfoot and a number of others fit this description as well, I'm most fascinated that even "worship" artists are catering to a much different demographic than the typical "churched" crowd. I love that.
Concerning #2: Gungor and John Mark McMillan are not the only "Christian" artists out there who are very creative in lyrics and instrumentation. The Violet Burning's newest box set "The Story of Our Lives" is one of, if not "the" most fascinating musical project I've heard in years. Mumford & Sons includes a great deal of biblical imagery and principles into their lyrics. Sleeping at Last (especially their Yearbook EP's) has also become a staple in my recent musical playlist. The Civil Wars, Matthew Perryman Jones, and even Derek Webb's newest "Feedback" album all show great amounts of creativity. In fact, I've even been listening to Lecrae's newest album. And while Hip/Hop-Rap isn't really my style, the fact that Crowder and Chris Tomlin both included Lecrae on recent "worship" music offerings during a Passion conference shows me that there are some who are willing to go outside the invisible boundaries surrounding "Christian" or "worship music". The list of artists I love could go on, but the point I want to make is, while "Codes and Keys" is a great album, I've come to realize these other artists musical offerings trump it in more ways than one.
Finally, concerning #3: Most of the artists listed above are having an impact outside of the "chuched" crowd. Few (if any) are truly represented by the K-Love crowd (outside of say, "How He Loves"), and all are creating music that breaks the norms of what music can or should be.
In summary, there are "Christian" artists out there who create fascinating music. Who opening practice what they preach. Who spend a great deal of time with others far from God. And while some of them are relative unknowns in the music industry and probably won't ever make the best-sellers list, they're doing what they do out of a love for God, others, and musical and artistic creativity.
Here's "Skeleton Bones" from John Mark McMillan. Enjoy!
Peel back our ribs again
And stand inside of our chest
We just want to love you
We just want to love you yeah
Peel back the veil a time
Let us see you with our naked eyes
We just want to love you
We just want to love you yeah
Skeleton bones stand at the sound
Of eternity on
The lips of the found
Grave stones roll
to the rhythm of the sound of you
Skeleton bones stand at the sound
Of eternity on
The lips of the found
Yeah so separate those doors
Let the sun of resurrection in
Oh let us
Adore the son of glory
Dressed in love
Open up your gates
Before him
Crown him
Stand him up
We want your blood to flow inside our body and
We want your wind inside our lungs
We just want to love you
We just want to love you yeah
Skeleton bones stand at the sound
Of eternity on
The lips of the found
Grave stones roll
to the rhythm of the sound of you
Skeleton bones stand at the sound
Of eternity on
The lips of the found
Yeah so separate those doors
Let the sun of resurrection in
Oh let us
Adore the son of glory
Dressed in love
Open up your gates
Before him
Crown him
Stand him up
Everything that Breaths
Yeah
