[jonathanjong]

On a more positive note, I'm going to put The Mountain Goats forward as a candidate. He's not a Christian artist by any stretch of the imagination, and I'm not sure if he considers himself a Christian, but a lot of his songs have obvious Christian undertones and tackle some issues in...(I hesitate as I say this)...Christian ways. And not in the way Western culture deals with stuff in residual Christian ways. His latest album implies familiarity with the Bible, but I wouldn't necessarily read too much about that.

 

[mark2410]

Quote:

Originally Posted by elmer_42 /img/forum/go_quote.gif My sister and mother enjoy Ayiesha Woods very much. I used to enjoy Relient K a lot, my taste in music has changed recently, and now I don't really enjoy them as much as I used to. I must say, though, their song Deathbed is absolutely fantastic; it is an excellent combination of every style they have done.

yeah it was relient k that got me on that site, they are really one of my favs atm and i agree Deathbed is a fantastic song. well worth buying the CD for and having it shipped half way round the planet as could i find it in thu UK?

could i buggery

 

[DavidMorton]

At the behest of my wife, I re-listened to the latest David Crowder CD without comparing it to A Collision, which, IMHO, is his best work to date. It's a very good album. I have some serious issues with comparing artists against themselves. It often causes me to abandon an otherwise good artist after they've hit what I consider the apex of their artistry.

On another subject, Monday Morning Insight has a very sarcastic, but poignant, blog post on the current state of Christian music. It's actually pretty sad.

MondayMorningInsight - Leadership & Encouragement for Church Leaders

 

[TopPop]

"Christian music, originally called Jesus Music, once fearlessly sang clearly about the gospel. Now it yodels of a Christ-less, watered down, pabulum-based, positive alternative, aura-fluff, cream of wheat, mush-kind-of-syrupy, God-as-my-girlfriend kind of thing."

-Steve Camp, thesis 41, "A Call for Reformation in the Contemporary Christian Music Industry"

 

[DavidMorton]

@TopPop When I lived in Nashville, Steve Camp attended the same church as I did. I wholeheartedly agree with his "theses" he wrote. I admired him for his stalwart stability in what he believed on this front. Know he took alot of flack for it at the time.

That being said, there's nothing like seeing him play the piano. He hits the keys so hard you think his fingers are gonna bleed.

I knew others as well in the industry who disagreed with the whole concept of Christian music. One musician I knew didn't believe in Christian music, feeling the whole concept of the "industry" had ruined what was supposed to be a missional effort.

It's true, and it's a shame. Still, there are some good artists out there that sing about more than "feelings". Bands you can actually learn something about God from. Those are the ones I typically prefer.

 

[Azathoth]

Some of my favorite Christian metal artists/albums:

Mortification - Scrolls of the Megilloth

No other Christian metal album since has topped this classic from 1992 IMO. Seminal early '90s death metal that crushes with the best of their contemporaries during that era (Dismember, Grave, Entombed, Sinister, Malevolent Creation, etc).

Tourniquet - Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance

Progressive thrash with a dose of neo-classical stylings.

Antestor - The Forsaken

Very well-produced (un)black metal, with Hellhammer on drums!

Living Sacrifice - Living Sacrifice

Sounds like a lost Slayer album...killer riffs, leads and solos.

 

[elmer_42]

While we're on Christian Metal, Theocracy's Mirror of Souls is pretty good.

 

[catachresis]

You cats are forgetting about the classics of the genre:

@TopPop: God is my girlfriend.

 

[antiman]

i like 'thousand foot krutch's 'phenomenon' and 'the art of breaking' a lot. kind of like linkin park or limp bizkit, which i KNOW is a sound nobody wants to hear anymore, but those two albums (they have 5) are great. i especially like the bass player's work on them...well produced too.
and my fave christian album is going to be hard to find... it's 'iona' 'beyond these shores'... this one is 'arty'... very beautiful concept album about early vikings... female singer, kind of like a peter gabriel record... awesome fretless bass work on it. (yes i am a bass player) the bass player is (don't laugh) the guy from kaja goo goo and he is a great session bassist and chapman stick player now...



and MUSE is a christian band?!

antiman

 

[vcoheda]

i don't listen to christian music but there is a gospel/traditional album put out by mapleshade records that is just amazing - incredible sound quality and powerful voices. it is one of my favorite CDs.

Amazon.com: Walk with Me: Arc Choir: Music

 

[SweetAdeline]

Doug Burr- The Shawl
(folk)
I have no idea how I ended up with this album, but the guy is really good.

 

[ronnielee54]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eagle Eye /img/forum/go_quote.gif I know this will not go over well but I for one love the Southern Gospel sound. The harmonies of the voices are fantastic. Just listen to something by Gaither Vocal Band and you will hear the best voices I have ever heard. Of course I am partial to this type of music due to having performed it for so long myself. I have been to alot of live concerts and I always get a blessing from hearing these guys. Just my opinion.

I am with you on that one. If I am going to listen to rock, I want rock. When it comes to Christian, it has to be the old stuff.

 

[davidcotton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by antiman /img/forum/go_quote.gif and my fave christian album is going to be hard to find... it's 'iona' 'beyond these shores'... this one is 'arty'... very beautiful concept album about early vikings... female singer, kind of like a peter gabriel record... awesome fretless bass work on it. (yes i am a bass player) the bass player is (don't laugh) the guy from kaja goo goo and he is a great session bassist and chapman stick player now... n

Also Heaven's Bright Sun by Iona (live) is a good choice to start with as well. Theres some Iona up on Itunes btw.

 

[keezzzz]

Cantate Domino from the Label Proprius , very good audiopile cd

 

[1117]

Early Third Day (like first three albums) are not only good Christian music, but just good music overall.

It's not overly sappy.

The later stuff, like their Worship albums, is ok if you are in the mood for that, but it's not good ol' southern rockin like their first three. Not that they are bad, they are actually very well -recorded, but it's not something I'd recommend to the secular crowd. The first three are my favorites, so far. Well-recorded music, smart lyrics, just plain nice stuff.

If you want someting that is good ol rockin out but different from anything christian mainstream check out "Kanawormz" on cdbaby.com

Look for Volume One. I lpreviewed volume Two, but it just doesnt do it for me like Volume One does, which i did buy. Not the best-recorded, but wish it was. Damn smart lyrics, just how I like it.