holy shit
Praising and denouncing Christian rock What should we make of the huge roster of Christian alternapop
bands? For the most part, Jesus rock is a boys-only zone - most
of them pretty cute, and some of them inarguably talented. Women
are just now edging away from the adult contemporary niche of
Christian music (lured there first by the success of Amy Grant
no doubt) and appearing in alternative bands as well. For a rating
system I've come up with a scale running from the profane to the
sacred. Caedmon's Call (Warner Alliance) Caedmon's Call is Christocentric in their lyrics, almost confrontational.
But the band boasts solid bass and guitar muscle beneath their
songs that even an atheist could enjoy. Still, Caedmon's Call
might not be right for listeners who don't want to be nailed to
the wall with Christian imagery. Free Flying Soul (Tattoo Records) The Choir has been around for a while but seems to be coming into
its own as the white-boy version of PM Dawn for the alternative
Christian music industry. "The Ocean" from Free Flying Soul is a phenomenal piece of musicianship - haunting, ethereal and
irresistible, with exquisite harmonies kept earthy in their simplicity. Jesus Freak (Forefront Communications Group) The blockbuster title track from this CD carried Christian rock
into the mainstream in 1995. Once squeaky-clean lads, DC Talk
have only gotten grungier. It's hard not to see this as a superficial
makeover campaign for this Green-Day-of-the-cross. The lack of
a follow-up to Jesus Freak bears this out. Sparkle (Warner Alliance) Jahn is poised to be Christian rock's peppier Sarah McLachlan.
Her debut, Sparkle, is bouncy and clever and above all, a joy to listen to. Sara
Jahn is perhaps the first Christian grrrl singer, only surpassed
by Plumb. Much Afraid (Essential Records) Jars of Clay remain the unquestioned earthly kings of pious alternapop.
Their new CD, Much Afraid, with a harder sound that's a blend of the best of R.E.M., U2
and Oasis, fulfills the promise of their first CD, promising an
even bigger splash for these lads. Pleasant to look at, pleasant
to listen to, they produce dependably tuneful songs that are accessible
to the sacred and secular listener. Plumb (Essential Records) With a dark, sensuous and aggressive voice carrying a distinctly
sexy "let's fuck" edge, lead singer Tiffany Arbuckle fronts a
sonic powerhouse of a band. It doesn't hurt that they're produced
by the Jars' Dan Hazeltine either. Say-So (Organic Records) Say-So is made up of Philadelphia natives Jim and Kim Thomas and
emphasizes the pop! in alternapop. A kind of Christian Cyndi Lauper,
Kim's voice also carries a distinct country twang to it, with
echoes of Dolly Parton in the vibrato. Bouncy, accessible, Say-So
produces melodies better than anything Mary Chapin-Carpenter's
churned out recently. The Waiting (The Sparrow Corporation) A boy-band whose sound owes more to the Gin Blossoms in its sweetly
packaged yearning. Edgier than the better-selling Jars of Clay,
they are equally adept at coupling meaty lyrics atop raucous,
even quirky and at times tender melodies on their latest, eponymous
CD. - Robert Drake Robert Drake is a Quaker living in Philadelphia.
Pop Goes the Savior
Sorry, no room at the inn for this holy mess. Almost a miracle Resurrection time. Hallelujah! Buy it now. Caedmon's Call The Choir DC Talk Sara Jahn Jars of Clay Plumb Say-So The Waiting