Yesterday and today have been combined. Not only are Mondays
particularly busy for me; my husband is also sick, so I figured my time was
better spent doing anything BUT blogging. Besides—I don’t know what a “Tumblr” is, and as I am currently
inundated by social media, I have no desire to learn. I’m currently on a
semi-break from Facebook and Twitter (why can people NOT understand this?!?!?
My Twitter and Instagram feeds directly to my Facebook. So, I was barely on
Facebook for a few days, but I was tweeting, and people were like, “I thought
you said you were off of Facebook?” DUH. Look at the source—everything says it’s
from Twitter! SO, because people can be clueless, I’ve stopped tweeting, too. I
just need a break; if I hadn’t committed to this blog, I wouldn’t be doing it,
either.). I figure if it’s that important, people have my cell phone number.
I don’t have a “favorite Tumblr.” ‘Nuff said.
As far as mainstream music goes, I don’t have much of an
opinion. There’s not much to have an opinion on (at risk of sounding like my
parents). I do love the trend of the “return of the musician.” Bands like
Mumford & Sons, OAR, Of Mice & Men, or The Lumineers—these are bands that
feature true talent, rather than the auto-tuned pop crap that we’ve all been
subject to for the past few decades. I can appreciate their sound…Don’t get me
wrong; there is a time and a place for synthesized hot messes. I just have no idea
what that time and place is (then again, I’ve never been on drugs, so maybe
that’s the answer? Maybe techno actually
sounds good when you’re stoned? I have no idea.).
I love that every few years, the exact same sound in music
comes back around, only THIS time, it has a new name…like “dubstep.” (Now I
REALLY sound like my parents. Or perhaps, like the two grumpy old men Muppets….)
Dubstep is nothing more than dance music with a better bass and more
computerized accents. To me, “dance,” “techno,” and “club” are the exact same
thing, at different speeds. “Pop” could be anything. “Metal” is just…well, it
has been/is/will remain total crap, as will anything with “metal” in the title.
I have too many headaches to deal with that stuff.
Again, I know that I sound about 30 years older than I am. I
really, really like folk music…music that features a story, well-played
instruments, and very little post-production nonsense. I like a skilled
musician…I’m a sucker for a good acoustic guitar player. I will always, always
love Billy Joel—he may be the only piano player I could listen to, for hours.
Jason Mraz makes my heart smile. I surprisingly like Phillip Phillips, and I do
NOT like American Idol, so that was a lovely find. If I’m going to listen to
pop, I like Mika—he’s like lyrical sunshine, politics aside.
I suppose I should give a section of this article to Christian
music. I can spend more time telling you what I don’t like, than what I do
like, which is sad. It seems like CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) has
sounded the EXACT SAME for the past 25 years. Nothing (and I mean, NOTHING) has
changed. Even the bands I grew up with—Rather than find fresh, new talent, they
simply went back and picked other singers from other bands that were popular in
the ‘90’s. I think that’s kind of selfish.
There is other talent out there, guys. There is no need to
be a 50 year-old rapper, and it hurts my heart to say that, because I was and
am such a huge fan…Take a break, and raise up the next generation.
Christian musicians are being taken away by secular bands
who recognize their talent. The world is stealing our kids, folks, because
Christian record labels ARE NOT GIVING THEM AN OUTLET!!! It’s time for CCM magazines to STOP telling
us what Christian bands “sound like” secular musicians. Why aren’t WE the
forerunners?
We’ve got the market on praise music, sure…and that’s great.
But let’s be truthful: Most of us are not sitting in our offices listening to
Maranatha. We need music that gets us up and running. CCM artists tend to
provide CCM radio stations with a blander version of their songs, just to get
airplay (because, God forbid, CCM radio stations NOT SUCK!); we’re stuck with
boring versions of songs that are played on heavy rotation (I swear, I
seriously heard “Who Am I” like, 4 times in one day), and we’re sick of them!
When you land on an internet-based Christian station like NGEN that plays
upbeat, fun Christian music, you almost want to cry in desperation—it’s like
water in the desert.
There are Christian artists that are pushing the envelope.
Andy Mineo (rap) is amazing. Lecrae has been doing this forever; he, and
artists like Tedashii, are making waves in all markets of rap music. But I don’t
know where the artists are that can buck the trends. I like the Pistol Annies.
Can we get a female Christian artist that doesn’t sound like a doormat? Where are the musical Rahabs and
Deborahs?
When I found NGEN radio, I about blew up my local library—I’d
write down the artists, and check out the CD. I found some amazing artists that
I’d never heard of in St. Louis. Our radio market has one of the largest
Christian radio stations in the country (Joy FM), yet it’s hardly the kind of
music that is going to find its way into popular music. It’s boring and it’s
overplayed. Any port in a storm—I do listen to it. And I know I sound like such
a jerk—there is a POWERFUL ministry there. I realize that I’m among the
overchurched spoiled brats who just want to be impressed. I know. I get so
caught up in my own sarcasm that I forget about the lives that stations like
Joy FM, or The Bridge have touched. It’s touched my life more than I
realize.
But there’s more out there.
Christian music has got to spread its’ wings, musically, and
socially. There is more to Christian music than CCM, but very little means to
publicize it, which is where the church MUST step up. We have to fund it; we
have to run it; we have to produce it. We have to stick our necks out there,
physically and financially. Some of us aren’t in a place where we can; others
are in a place of abundance. We need to give when/where we can.
Music has a way to reach people across every level. It
breaks through borders and language barriers; financial separations and
logistical nightmares. Music affects us all, and as Christians, we need to make
it our very strongest weapon (outside of prayer). The walls of Jericho fell through obedience,
prayer, and through MUSIC—worshipping God. Imagine what WE could do with the
same methods?
So, my views on mainstream music are a little bit more than
just an opinion on bands. They’re a philosophy. And that’s it.
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