"The 'what-ifs?' increase exponentially when your heart is walking around outside of your body wearing Buzz Lightyear light up shoes."
- BlestWithSons
Sunday, February 22, 2009
I have to confess some prejuduices so that the reason I'm posting this is more clear.
First, my favorite musicians include Metallica, Megadeth, Tourniquet and Rich Mullins.
Second, I've always been prejuduiced against female rockers. Though there have been exceptions (I love "Barracuda"), it just seems that women can't rock. I remember when "Rachel, Rachel" came out in the mid-90's, an all girl Christian Rock band, and I heard their cover of Kansas' "Carry on my wayward son", and I thought, "Man, I've never heard a girl do a guitar solo like that. Maybe I need to rethink my assumptions." Then I read the album credits and found out that Dan Huff did the guitar work on that song. So much for my hopes that women could rock.
Then I discovered Barlow Girl. I love their music. I know that their bio sounds like something Disney would promote, three sisters and all that... But it's good stuff. There's a few songs that really rock, and their thoughtful songs are actually thoughtful. Their songs lift me up. I find myself reflecting on my own relationship with God or even worshipping when I listen.
I want your suggestions and thoughts. I've only got one album "Another Journal Entry". Do they have any other good albums? Are there any albums I should avoid? Am I the only one that really appreciates them? Does liking them make me weird, on the level of someone who likes Biz Markie? Are there any other Christian bands with a similar sound and quality?
I just want to test myself. I think I finally found some women who can rock, and are musically and lyrically awesome, but I don't trust my own music judgement. But hey, I really like 'em. (I guess this post is kind of a confession too. :)
And an award: Congratulations to BarlowGirl to being the only females in Phil's ipod. I should send them a certificate. :)
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Comments on "BarlowGirl":
2. Bill
- 02/22/2009 5:03 pm CST
Just to preempt, though, I have no doubt that there are a lot of people who read our blog who think they are awful, Christian music in general is awful, they are yet another example of horrible art, save-us-from-all-the-soccer-moms-taking-down-Christendom-by-listening-to-this-tripe, their music isn't "authentic to the entire spectrum of spiritual tension of blah blah blah", they are worse than Thomas Kinkaide, etc., etc., ad foreverium.
Just to let you know, that's probably coming.
I think they rock.
3. Pigwotflies
- 02/22/2009 5:11 pm CST
I've only ever heard one Barlow Girl song, but that was last night at a friend's dance show. The programme was a mixture of tap, jazz dance and lyrical dance, to a mixture of cheesy and/or suggestive pop songs. In such a bubblegum setting, the Barlow Girl song - Never Alone, stood out, as did the dance, which was a well choreographed piece of lyrical dance involving around 20 dancers, which was actually meaningful in relation to the song's lyrics as well as having good dance content. I've no idea whether the person who picked the song and/or choreographed the dance is a Christian (though I suspect she's probably American, I don't think many people have heard of Barlow Girl here. I only have via Thinklings) but something about that combination of music and dance made it stand out for me.
5. Quaid
- 02/22/2009 5:59 pm CST
Biz Markie . . .
Yes. Hilarious.
Sorry, Phil, I don't own any of their music, but I don't think you're weird for listening to them or liking them - I think they have decent musical chops and I think they write their own stuff which puts them a step up, in my book. Let us know if they respond to your certificate . . .
6. beth
- 02/22/2009 8:11 pm CST
I have all their albums - they're all every bit as good as Another Journal Entry. In fact, their most recent, IMO, is much better - they've matured, their sound has matured (in a good way). If you like AJE, you're likely to like the others.
7. Crossbow
- 02/23/2009 9:26 am CST
Hey, did Dave Mustaine remain a believer after he converted? Did it change his music at all, lyrically I guess?
I haven't heard for sure. Some say his lyrics did change, others say they didn't. He always sung about political stuff, so I think he still is. Their bass player said that he started having a better filter on what he wrote because of it, but didn't necessary go all CCM. Of course, said bass player himself is also a Christan and has played in some bands that were more blatantly Christian.
8. Crossbow
- 02/23/2009 9:51 am CST
Listening to Barlow Girl on MySpace (the whole album mentioned is up there). First two songs rocked, even if they were a like too Evanesence-like (not a huge fan of that sound). After that, starting at track 3, too much of that generic CCM sound just crept in there. Despite what some think, those of us that don't like CCM actually DO listen to it. Thanks to MySpace, YouTube, etc, etc, etc - it is pretty easy to hear what CCM radio plays out there. It is getting better, but still mediocre to me. I get tired of people trying to guilt me into listening to it, because I am being close-minded, judgmental, blah, blah, blah, ad foreverium. It's just the fact that the production is usually tto sanitized, the riffs are too generic, the guitar and piano sounds are too generic, the melodies are too borrowed, etc. For the record, I feel the same about most of the stuff played on non-Christian radio stations, to. Corporate radio rock music, CCM or otherwise, is just too cheesy for my tastes.
Every time I hear some one tell me that such-and-such band actually is good, that they aren't just made for soccer moms, etc.... I do go check out that band. And I usually still end up thinking said band is mediocre at best. Sorry.
For what it is worth, about 99.9% of what I buy and listen to is made by Christian artists... just non-CCM artists. That other 0.01% is a Hindu rock band that I happen to like (Kula Shaker).
Okay, track 7 has some crunch, good riff, CCM-ish verse, emotional chorus, and some pointless record scratching. Track 8 starts off weird, has some crunch, really odd beat. Won't be listening to that one again. Rest of the album has that CCM sound I'm not into (track 10 - No One Like You - was CCM punk sounding - never like that either).
I've even had friends that swear that I wouldn't be able to tell CCM bands from non-CCM bands if I didn't know what I was listening to. They find a whole bunch of CCM bands I have never heard, mix it with some non-CCM bands I have never heard, mix them u, and... then their jaw hits the floor when I name the CCM bands with 100% accuracy. "How could you tell? They are just as good and sound just the same!" Well, sorry - they didn't sound the same, and I just picked the songs that blew chunks. Sorry.
I would say check out The Halo Friendlies for Christian, non-CCM all girl punk band that rocks. They no longer exist, they were definitely lo-fi, but I liked them.
9. Shrode
- 02/23/2009 10:29 am CST
Thank you everyone for your feedback (and validation. :) I'm putting their other albums in my amazon wish list.
Bird, Yes, there has been a difference in Mustaine. I think it's cool and I think it's genuine. No, he didn't go all "Stephen Baldwin", nor did he go "Christian" in his music like Kerry Livgren, John Elefante or Charlie Daniels. BUt there's a difference in his music and life.
Some examples, he refused to allow an openly Satanic metal band to play at one of the metal festivals he headlined. In response to the outcry, he said something like, "What's the point (of Christianity) if it doesn't change you?"
There are also some clear Christian themes in some of his songs now. One of his recent songs is instrumental, with someone reciting the 23rd Psalm. His stuff is still pretty heavy politically though. And it's still "Megadeth" complete with skulls in the artwork.
There are some good articles online about it.
From Wikipedia -
It was during this period that Mustaine became a Christian. He expressed his intent to withdraw from a show in Greece that had Rotting Christ opening for Megadeth.[7][8]
In response to their forced cancellation, Sakis of Rotting Christ said:
"I didn't expect something like that from Dave Mustaine, because, you know, he's supposed to be metal — you know, 'metal band,' all metal ... I just feel sorry for him and for every new Christian with new ideas, because we think Christianity is the worst thing to happen in human history. This is a well-organized trick in order to control society, so when I see someone that's very much Christian, that's full of the system, I feel very sorry for him because he's not free." [9]
Mustaine responded on the official Megadeth website, saying "Yes, I did say I would prefer not to play on concerts with Satanic bands," he said. "That doesn't mean I won't, it doesn't mean I would not talk with the bands either...But to make a life-altering change and then not have some kind of effect would not have been a change at all, would it? It's not much different from staying away from booze if you have made a decision to be sober."
He added, "If I don't feel it is right for me to do something, then (I) would just respectfully decline. I would not ask that anyone be taken off if they were already confirmed...I have to draw the line and stand for my beliefs or they aren't beliefs at all, are they?"[10]
At the same time, Mustaine's personal life once again underwent problems. During the tour of Gigantour 2005, Mustaine brought with him a "spiritual counselor" to help him avoid the demons that almost cost him his life due to his prior drug addictions. This was noted recently by The Dillinger Escape Plan frontman Greg Puciato, who explained his experience with Mustaine on Gigantour: "He had a pastor walking around with him on tour and riding on his bus, I think to help keep him on the straight and narrow path."[11]
Cool, huh? :gmetalheadshrode:
10. Shrode
- 02/23/2009 10:33 am CST
Quaid,
Thanks dude! I agree about artists who write their own music. In fact, I have a general rule that I don't listen to people who don't write their own stuff. But since I don't listen to pop or country, that's not a hard rule to stick with. :)
I don't have much use for pretty voices/faces that sing other people's stuff. (With my childhood love, Olivia Newton John excepted of course. :)
11. Shrode
- 02/23/2009 10:44 am CST
Bird, if you're still interested, this interview gives a pretty good idea of where Dave's at.
He still cusses, but he's still (in my mind) trying to follow Jesus. Check it out. He says some cool things there.
A taste:
I've never believed in singing about Satan and thinking he's cool, because he's not. When I was 15, I got into witchcraft and black magic, so I've known for over 30 years the power of the dark side, and it took me forever to break those chains. There's no cool way to sing about Satan — you look like a punk.
As far as me playing with bands like that, I started thinking, "You know what, Dave? You're a headliner. If you don't wanna play with people that make you uncomfortable, you don't have to." Especially if they're singing about the confessed enemy of someone you believe in… I mean, what idiot gets onstage with their confessed enemy? That'd be like two hip-hop guys who wanna kill each other going out together.
12. Brian
- 02/23/2009 10:50 am CST
Don't own any Barlow Girl CDs but I've liked the sound of the couple of songs I've heard on the radio. They're in my "might consider buying them but need to hear some more" category.
One band both my wife and I really liked was Chasing Furies. I'd classify it as "alternative" rock. A friend was working at Sparrow at the time and gave us a pre-release copy or we would have never heard of them. They only release one CD. The band consists of two sisters and a brother and one of the sisters does most of the lead vocals.
A couple of samples here and here.
13. Bill
- 02/23/2009 12:23 pm CST
Brian
I sampled some Chasing Furies before - extremely talented band, I though. Even worked up their song Thicker and played it in the student worship services a few times, way back in the day.
Crossbow, I'm not sure if some of what you wrote was a reaction to my comment, but I can assure you that I have absolutely no desire to guilt you into listening to CCM and I don't care that you don't. Art is completely subjective, so if you don't like CCM (or Barlow girl, for that matter) that's perfectly fine with me.
In other words, please don't misunderstand what I was trying to say.
14. nhe
- 02/23/2009 3:59 pm CST
Never Alone is an all-time favorite song of mine - wonderfully honest. My daughter sung this solo at her high school graduation baccalaureate service - a proud moment.
This may be nit-picky - my daughters have 2 or 3 Barlow Girl albums and I like their sound a lot - BUT they don't really ever mention Jesus - a lot of "generic God" stuff - I don't hear a lot of gospel references or imagery coming thru.....maybe I'm missing it.
15. TheCalvinator
- 02/23/2009 6:36 pm CST
First, my favorite musicians include Metallica, Megadeth, Tourniquet and Rich Mullins.
This list made me chuckle. Makes me think of the old Sesame Street bit: "One of these things is not like the others. One of these things just doesn't belong."
16. Bill
- 02/23/2009 7:07 pm CST
"This may be nit-picky - my daughters have 2 or 3 Barlow Girl albums and I like their sound a lot - BUT they don't really ever mention Jesus - a lot of "generic God" stuff - I don't hear a lot of gospel references or imagery coming thru.....maybe I'm missing it."
Not nit-picky - I do think Barlow Girl tends too much (at least in the stuff I've heard) toward the "God is my boyfriend" genre.
But someone help me out here: I am completely confused by criticisms of Christian Musicians these days: they are criticized for not saying anything about Jesus. At the same time, those "Musicians who just happen to be Christians" are lionized for making all this great music (that usually keeps Jesus behind a pretty thick veil).
I'm not challenging or trying to start a debate. But I've heard the CCM-haters, besides just thinking the music stinks, bewail the fact that CCM music is "too Christian" (in other words, it is too focused on one subject and isn't real enough to take in the broad spectrum of life's experiences, etc). Then CCM musicians are criticized for not being overt enough.
I'm so glad I'm not a CCM musician. You're beat about the head by both sides.
17. nhe
- 02/23/2009 7:55 pm CST
Its an interesting question Bill. I would say that there are some U2 songs - "Grace" for example and the new "White As Snow" and "Magnificent" that don't mention Jesus, but have lyrics including the the "Perfect Lamb", the "Pearl", "Glorify until we die" - to me much more gospel centered lyrics then I hear from a lot of Barlow Girl tunes.
I think you can be overt with shallow poppy sentiments like "Jesus take the Wheel" and still not really communicate much gospel truth - not that those lyrics aren't good.
I think Rich Mullins gets a lot of love here because you can kind of tell by his lyrics that he wrote songs from a depth of intimacy with Christ......his songs are mostly overt - but even when they're not like "If I stand" which doesn't mention God or Jesus directly - you can hear gospel truth there.
So for me, I guess its more about gospel imagery and something in the lyrics that I can connect with at a gospel-centric level (which I can't easily define - unless I read Jared's blog :))......its not an exact science, but I think you know it when you hear it maybe?.......I don't know.
18. Bill
- 02/23/2009 8:28 pm CST
I know what you're saying. Isn't it true, though, that most U2 songs aren't really that Gospel-centric? **
In other words, is BG held to a different standard?
Not to quibble too much, but that's kind of my point. For every nhe saying that BG doesn't have enough gospel in their music, there are others complaining that their music is too "christian".
In other words, CCM artists can't win.
** I hope this statement doesn't get me stoned. I'm not saying U2 doesn't write songs that contain the Gospel. I'm saying that most U2 songs are either really, really veiled or are just about something else (like Beautiful Day).
19. nhe
- 02/23/2009 9:08 pm CST
Beautiful Day is about the old Testament year of jubilee and is suggesting that we should forgive 3rd world debt much like debt was forgiven in the year of jubilee - that would be a "beautiful day" - its actually a pretty gospel-centric song (though a tad utopian in what it suggests).......I'm not saying all of U2's songs are like that at all though - I guess I think they're just generally better written. IMO I guess good songs are good songs, regardless of whether they're CCM or not......I like Barlow Girl though - they have great things to say to teenage girls in particular - their ministry is legit.
20. Bill
- 02/23/2009 9:50 pm CST
"Beautiful Day is about the old Testament year of jubilee and is suggesting that we should forgive 3rd world debt much like debt was forgiven in the year of jubilee"
I've read the lyrics of BD (and I guess I was kind of being tricky when I mentioned it, since I knew a U2 fan would come back and claim the gospel-centricity of it :-)
I can only assume U2 or a U2 fansite has said it was about the year of Jubilee as you would never get that from reading the lyrics.
22. Randy
- 02/28/2009 11:09 am CST
Brian and Bill mentioned Chasing Furies. Lead singer Sarah McIntosh has a new CD produced by husband Jonathan (Luna Halo). Her voice is simply incredible.
The whole CCM debate is endless. I think there is an objective quality to beauty, but our perceptions are subjective. Obviously U2 is big around here, but just a few days ago I was on a site where someone got slammed with a comment to the effect of, "Wuss! You probably listen to U2!" I've heard other Christian artists slam BarlowGirl, but I've also taken a young teen (whose parents just split up) to a BG concert with my daughter, and heard later that she told her mom, "This was the best day of my life!" That's got to be worth something. Oh, and they rocked harder live than some all-male bands I've seen. Skillet still wins the "at least 50% chick" rocker title, but Lauren can really pound the drums.
You want "authentic" Christian rock? Get the Resurrection Band box set.
23. Bill
- 02/28/2009 11:17 am CST
Thanks Randy. I may have to check that CD out.
Sarah McIntosh's voice rivals that of Ann Wilson (of Heart). And that's saying an awful lot. The review sounds like it's great, although, as with all reviews of Christian music, he couldn't resist slamming CCM worship music. I think there's a rule or something about that. :-)
25. Bill
- 02/28/2009 11:24 am CST
Oh, dang it. Randy, I just realized the reviewer is you. And I just slammed you in a comment.
My apologies.
On the internet everyone can be both a bully and a coward. I was both. Sorry!
26. Randy
- 02/28/2009 10:16 pm CST
Bill, no problem. I wasn't slamming all worship music, and I didn't feel slammed by you. My point was that this was a worship album that was not mush. Some is, some isn't. I happen to like bands like Delirious? and David Crowder*Band in the worship genre. Darlene Zschech seemed pretty authentic when I met her, although I'm not really into the Hillsong-type stuff.
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I don't own any of their music (I don't own much music at all, been years since I bought a CD for myself . . . long story) but I really like Barlow Girl.
Back when I was equipping student worship bands we did a song or two from them.
And I think that their faith and walk is very legit as well.
Great band.