Modern Christian Music Anyone?


Michael Stuart Kelly

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Modern Christian Music Anyone?

Sometimes there is a Christian song or music that gets it right. But because of philosophy or religion, we don't listen to it or share it. 

Even on hymns, some the most beautiful hymns I ever heard are the ones the Jehovah's Witnesses use. Just gorgeous. But nobody knows them except the JV crowd.

Maybe I'll post some later if I can find any.

 

For now, Kurt Keefner posted a modern Christian song on Facebook and it caught my ear. I also posted a response with another song. Rather than do a write-up, I'll just quote the posts, but without the truncated quote function.

Incidentally, Kurt also provided the Psalm and some chords, but if you are interested, go see his Facebook thread.

QUOTE FROM KURT

Help!  I have been delving into contemporary Christian music lately. Some of it is really good! Derivative perhaps, but then most music is derivative. This setting of a psalm features a really crunchy/fuzzy guitar and vocals mixed to the back (rare in Christian music, where the words are usually everything). It reminds me of some genre that I can't put my finger on. Maybe acid rock? If anyone would like to help me identify it, I would be grateful! Text and chords in the first comment.

END QUOTE

 

QUOTE FROM ME

I like it. I mean, I don't like music where you can't hear the words no matter who else does it or likes it, and I know there is a market for it. The Rolling Stones popularized this form of mix during a time. That said, now to the good part. This song gets a hypnotic thing going that I don't find often in Christian music. The feel of this, to my ear, is a trudging struggle kind of state. You can get lost in it. So I'm bookmarking this one.

Note, I'm not into comparisons with others when a song or piece gets the right feel to it. I listen with the ears of a former producer and composer.

I often find a song I resonate with where the rest of the artist's output is different--totally different--and I don't care for it. (A couple of quick examples that have nothing to do with Christian music are "For Your Eyes Only" sung by Sheena Easton and "You're the Voice" sung by John Farnham. There are others, too.)

I heard a Christian song a couple of years ago like this. By accident, but it made me come to a screeching stop. It also provides a hypnotic state--a floating one. It's performed at the beginning of a sermon. I don't remember the names of the performers, but I looked them up at the time. I should look them up again. However, the rest of their music I found back then went from so-so to not to my liking.

This song, however, did it for me. I'm kind of a sucker for ninths and they put that sound in the right emphasis points as the background floated along. All in perfect simple balance. For me, it's easy to get lost in that world of sound.

I wish the sound quality were better on YouTube. I tried to find a studio version. But when I looked up "Have Your Way" to see, I found a gazillion different songs with that title. I couldn't find the song and none of the other ones I auditioned did it for me. So this one it is. The strumming starts at about 30 second mark and the Pastor only says a few words before the song kicks in.

btw - If you don't resonate, I'm cool with that. Maybe you will see what I see. Ditto for hear. Or maybe not. It's all copacetic.

I'm sharing this, though, because I had filed the link away last July and had not heard this song since then. I'm very happy you posted the Psalm 113 song above as it prompted me to dig out this one. Your link is now joining it as I will be listening at times to that one, too.

Here is "Have Your Way":

END QUOTE

 

If you have any contemporary Christian songs that move you and you want to share them, now you have a place to do it.

And if not, well... not.

But I hope you do...

:) 

Michael

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15 minutes ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said:

If you have any contemporary Christian songs that move you and you want to share them, now you have a place to do it.

I'm a sucker for these two: "Jesus Christ Superstar" (the whole movie, actually) and Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit In the Sky" (the latter being part of the "Jesus Rock" genre...
 

 

 

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Speaking of "Jesus Rock", I can't leave out The Doobie Brothers's "Jesus Is Just Alright". But instead of posting the song, here's a "first reaction" by a couple of popular YouTube reactors, Andy and Alex. It's a trip to see these, getting to experience our favorite songs for the "first time" again, vicariously through, fresh ears...
 

 

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Funeral Canticle (1996)  -  By John Tavener

 

"Funeral Canticle was written in loving memory of my father. Such was his love of life and people that he constantly surprised us by rallying round when he was thought to be at the point of death. So I wrote this work during the last year of my father's life, in preparation for the interdenominational funeral service that was his wish.


My father's funeral was celebrated by Archbishop Gregorios of Thayateira and Great Britain, Archimandrite Father Ephrem and Arch-priest Father Michael Fortunatto, as well as three Pastors from the United Reformed Church, which was the Church of my father's baptism. It was a moving ceremony, with ikons and candles lighting up the church, and, I believe it would have delighted the man who lay in the coffin. Eternal memory - Kenneth."

John Tavener 

 

I submit that written in 1996 this qualifies as modern...   :)

 

 

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