(If you just wanna hear about some great bands, feel free to
skip my intro)
If you have at least one working
ear and have been to a Sunday church service in the last ten years, you have
probably noticed something. Much of the music you hear (primarily coming from
Hillsong, Jesus Culture, and the like) sounds remarkably like U2 or Coldplay.
Which is a kinda funny, because they pioneered a sound that most modern worship
bands can’t get enough of. That vague, atmospheric guitar solo that doesn’t
really have many single definite notes combined with ten million layers of
synthesizer running behind it? Yep. U2, Coldplay, and certainly others I’m
forgetting about, did it DECADES ago. Don’t believe me? Go check out “Where the
Streets Have No Name” by U2, off of their Joshua Tree album, which came out in 1987.
Sounds like the intro to a worship song eh? Well, for perspective, Chris Tomlin
was 14 when that album dropped. He’s even done a cover of “Where the Streets
Have No Name,” but let’s be real, there can only be one Bono.
Hear me on one thing before we
proceed any further. I appreciate that Chris Tomlin, Hillsong, and the gang
have written worship songs that have changed people’s lives. In fact, the name
of my old blog was inspired by a moment that occurred while I saw Chris Tomlin
playing at the Gorge. However, the reality is that so little variety is
happening within the Christian music scene, I used to get angry about it
approximately once a week. However, I am also very fortunate to have a found
some gems over the last few years, and even a few really great ones just this
year in 2014, that are giving me hope for Christian music.
If God is infinitely big, like the
Church says he is and I believe he is, then shouldn’t the Church’s music reflect
that reality? (I have some more developed thoughts on this that you can readabout here) Why, then, have we relegated ourselves to formulas? U2 and
Coldplay had, and still have, great sounds. Making music inspired by theirs is
great too. BUT we should be running a veritable buffet of musical goodness not
exclusively dishing up Coldplay’s-Coldcut sandwiches. I’m over it!
Ok. Enough with the soapbox. This
is my attempt to do something about it. Here’s the list, in order of bands that
you are LEAST likely to have heard of first based on the (admittedly, fairly
arbitrary scale of) number of likes their band page has on Facebook.
1.
Arthur Wachnik: I was blown away at first listen
when it came to this guy. He spent some time hanging out with Romanian gypsy
refugees and playing worship with them and the influence undoubtedly shows. The
first song “Let Us Run” off his album of the same name sounds delightfully like
Radiohead. The song’s first lyrics kick off the album perfectly: “Don’t ask me
to settle down, I got a preacher’s fire, a gypsy’s song. I can’t keep trouble
away, but if it wasn’t so, I’d be doing wrong.” This album is just about pure
gold from top to bottom. My personal favorite is “Hold me Close,” a beautiful,
desperate cry for God to come close. A close second is “Shield,” featuring a
chorus of nearly militant voices chillingly claiming God as their protector.
Best of all? His album is STILL free on Noisetrade.com
2.
Renee Swick: This lady has been a part of the
great big musical Jesus party hosted by Enter the Worship Circle as well
as being musical collaborators with Tim Coons (we’ll get to him next). Her
piano driven style and sincere vocals make for a lovely combination. Unafraid
to be a bit musically haunting on her album, I imagine her music will hook you
pretty quick. In particular, I love the opening to her “Skin and Bones” album
“Where is home where is home?”
3.
Tim Coons: Tim Coons has done a lot of things I
love. I first heard him on Enter the Worship Circle’s Chair and Microphone vol.
4 album, which his song “Jaw” opened. To this day, it’s still my favorite Tim
Coons song as his you can hear his desperate voice reaching out requesting
“Arise Lord deliver me, oh my God, strike all of my enemies on the jaw.” A
beautiful rendition of some of the Psalms that we are so often uncomfortable
with. His most recent album Potomac is an album full of medleys that mix
traditional hymns with some of his own songs and the songs of other Enter the
Worship Circle artists. In particular his medley of “Trouble So Hard” with
Aaron Strumpel’s “Twenty Three” has brought me to tears more than once. Guess
what? This album is also free on Noisetrade.com
4.
The Whistles and The Bells: Facemelting, gutsy,
bluesy, bluegrass. Bryan Simpson, formerly of Cadillac Sky, left said band when
he found Jesus. Many expected a fade into obscurity, instead he dropped this
absolute gem of an album. My one sentence description of this music is,
“imagine Jack White as a Christian, and a bluegrass monster,” though that
description doesn’t do it justice as he brings far more to the table than even
that. He even got some of his old bandmates to play on the album, with Matt
Menefee’s banjo solos being particularly stellar. The second track off his self-titled album “Transistor Resistor” details a great story of finding God in an
unexpected place while providing banjo that will just about stop your heart
over some ferocious drumming. On the opposite end of the spectrum “Last Night
God Sang me a Song” is one of the sweetest off the album showing the
impossibility of containing God with such fantastic lyrics as “It’s not the
path it’s the transformation, that leads us out of the dark.” Also, thisalbum is STILL free on Noisetrade.com
5.
Liz Vice: As someone who grew up on
predominantly blues and old school soul, Liz Vice’s solo album scratched an
itch that had been getting at me for some time. You can feel the influence in
the first few seconds of even the first song. I first heard her voice on The
Followers’ “Wounded Healer” album where she ripped up a song entitled “Enfold
Me,” and after hearing that for the first time, I was praying for a solo album
from her. (The Followers are also an absolutely phenomenal group.) In
particular, from her solo album, the song “Enclosed by You” which is driven by
just her voice, a Rhodes piano, and a sweet bass drum and snaps beat will bring
you into sweet, soulful, worshipful bliss. She is a part of the “Deeper Well”
collective based out of Door of Hope church in Portland, OR. By the way, Deeper
Well gives away all their music, which means you can also get this little gem for free online on Noisetrade.com.
6.
Aaron Strumpel: The third artist on my list from
Enter the Worship Circle (hope that fives you a hint). The first song of his I
heard was “Twenty Three” and it is a song I’ve played over and over in my
personal worship time and it has torn me up on multiple occasions. Strumpel’s
other material seems out there at times but so poignant and with plenty of
musical genius worked in as well. His music is just about impossible to
categorize by style. Start with “Blow out the Wick” off of his “Elephants”
album and you’ll see what I mean. Likewise, “Grandma” off of his “Birds” album
his a personal favorite for the rather tribal feel it ends with.
7.
Valley Maker: When I found out Austin Crane had
moved to Seattle back in January, I was positively thrilled. Austin Crane put
out a pair of albums under his own name before recording under the name Valley
Maker. His first album, the culmination of an undergraduate honor’s project, features
all music inspired by the book of Genesis. In particular the song “Abraham and Isaac,” a beautiful song about sacrifice, has brought me to tears on many
occasions. His new album “Yes I Know I’ve Loved This World” is a rather
different offering but no less wonderful. “The Mission” is a particular
favorite off of that latter album. (Sadly, his music isn't presently on his site, but check back, you won't regret it)
8.
The Oh Hello’s: A delightful rowdy band offering
up some really great folk music and a personal favorite band of more than a few
of my friends. The opening song “The Valley” sets the tone for their “Through
the Deep, Dark Valley” album perfectly. Their sound is somewhat The Head and
The Heart-esque but totally original and full of musical gold nuggets that just
about any person will enjoy. Honest lyrics are what really set them apart,
alongside the fact that this is great road trip music. Yet again this is free on Noisetrade.com!
9.
Josh Garrels: I considered not including Josh
Garrels on this list for the sheer fact that most folks have already heard of
him and I am trying to help out some of the more fringe bands of the CCM world.
However, on the off chance one person who reads this hasn’t heard of him, I
figure one more person listening to Josh Garrels is a great thing. His music
draws heavily from both folk and hip-hop and yet is quite unlike either. Seeing
him alive is a memory I shall undoubtedly retain forever and his music has
helped me through some of the heaviest moments of my life including depression
and deep anger at God. Josh Garrels is also a part of the Deeper Well music
collective and I hope that gives you another hint of where to find some great
tunes.
10. listener:
listener makes “talk music,” which is certainly not for everyone. Yet Dan Smith
has written the only lyrics I have ever seriously considered getting tattooed
on my body and I feel like that is definitely saying something. I don’t even
know where to begin with listener other than to say that they are one of my all
time favorite bands and I hope they never cease to exist. With bold, honest
lyrical statements like “our church is all made of shipwrecks from every hull
these rocks have claimed but we pick ourselves up and try to grow better
through these changes” you know that this man sees something deeper. I cannot
recommend listener highly enough and I would encourage you, even if you don’t
dig the style, give it a few listens and let listener’s lyrics sink in deep. In
particular, the song “Wooden Heart” could seriously change your life.
