0013. Ten Best "Christian" Albums Ever
Submitted by lbangs on Tue, 02/20/2001 - 10:25
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- 1. Satellite Sky - Mark Heard: Mark Heard was easily one of the four or five greatest songwriters ever, and this album, released shortly after his death, shows why. Remarkable songs dealing with the darkness of doubt, death, and weariness, this is a musical and lyrical masterpiece, spiced by Heard's electric mandolin.
- 2. Dig - Adam Again: Blistering, scorching, brilliant. This album explores divorce and disillusionment with metaphors a listener can never forget.One of the finest alternative albums ever, bar none. You think all this music is sterile? Try singing a brutally honest song about the anger created by marital strife alongside your seperated wife some time.
- 3. Rocket and a Bomb - Michael Knott: Using a poet's language and a journalist's attention to detail, Knott blends grunge and folk to create this startling album about the down-and-out in California. Not easy to hear, but honest and cathartic.
- 4. Kalhoun - da: Taking a blowtorch to televangelists and charlatans while exploring the hidden regions of the heart, da has never sounded better or more passionate.
- 5. Killing Floor - Vigilantes of Love: The dark side of southern sin and redemption with only a few glimpses of grace, this folk/punk disc is a lo-fi pit you'll struggle to get out of.
- 6. The Turning - Leslie Phillips: Before she was Sam, Ms. Phillips created this innovative and fresh study of faith in the modern world, admitting that "Answers Don't Come Easy," but somehow finding hope inside the questions themselves.
- 7. Sticks and Stones - 77s: Who would have guessed? A collection of this band's throwaways ends up being their greatest album.
- 8. Return to Paradise - Randy Stonehill: Produced by Mark Heard, Stonehill has never been sharper, more melodic, or more serious. Weight of the Sky is a classic.
- 9. Romeo Unchained - Tonio K.: A bit dated, perhaps, but a great collection of love songs for a generation trying to define the word.
- 10. Circle Slide - The Choir: Murky, dense, and slightly off-kilter, this album represents The Choir's peak.
Author Comments:
I don't believe an album can be Christian, hence the quotes in my title. These are all albums released on various "Christian" labels in the 80s and 90s, and, unlike The Newsboys, DC Talk, or Jars of Clay, all these albums are excellent and well worth hearing, whatever your religious beliefs may be.
Let me know if I left out any.
check out "only visiting this planet" and "in another land" - Larry Norman (or any of his other stuff)
Great albums, and along with Upon this Rock, each were considered for this list. While they did not end up here, I certainly agree that they would not be out of place here. I bought Only Visiting This Planet when I was 14, and I've never forgotten it.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
lbangs, I'm going to start tracking down these albums and many more in an epic quest to find artistically significant CCM albums. Can you recommend other CCM artists that play a step above most uber-derivative CCM?
Also, have you heard Starflyer 59 or mewithoutyou?
For you, I think I'd recommend some mid-period Daniel Amos (you might especially enjoy Darn Floor Big Bite), late-80s-early-90s Jeff Johnson, or some of Michael Knott/LSU's seminal work (especially the latter's Shaded Pain and The Grape Prophet or the former's first two albums, Screaming Brittle Siren or Rocket & A Bomb.
Those aren't necessarily my favorites, but I think you might enjoy them.
I like Starflyer 59, though not quite as much as most of their fans do. I fear you will find them too derivitive of other artists.
Honestly, I don't think I am acquainted with mewithoutyou. Sorry!
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
I've heard all the Sam Phillips albums, which are some of the finest alternative pop albums of the last decade, but I've never heard any of these other nine albums. Are they really worth my trouble, and will they convince me I'm going straight to hell? No doubt I am, and I'm not sure I haven't spent some time there before, but I don't need some dork to remind me of that.
The Heard and Adam Again albums have sparked my interest. I noticed Johnny also liked the Knott album. Maybe I'll track one of these three down. I bet a friend of mine has at least one of them.
I'm surprised to see you so up on this genre, but I shan't pry.
Zeep! Zeep! Zeep!
The Sam Phillips albums are terrific, aren't they?
Yes, I believe these discs are still worth your effort, and I seriously doubt you'll find them too evangelical. These are artists here, not preachers.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Wonderful list. I'd seen this one weeks ago, but I just re-discovered it.
This is great. Takes me back to the days of hitting the local Christian bookstore to rummage through their five-dollar alternative bin. I found some fun underground stuff that way.
Vigilantes of Love are still great, although they've lightened considerably. And that is an excellent album you've chosen.
Are you familiar with Mike Knott's "Strip Cycle"? Wonderfully and sardonically played acoustic rock 'n' roll with a few stream-of-unconsciousness ballads thrown in.
anyway.
Thank you!
I'm not really a big fan of Strip Cycle (it wasn't bad, but with the exception of one song (the one the doctor sings - can't remember title), it didn't really light my fire, and frankly, with the exception of the terrific songs Skin, Welcome to Struggleville, and 5 Miles Outside of Monroe, I did't care for the post-Killing Floor Vigilantes very much either.
To be honest, though, I haven't heard every single album the Vigilantes released over the past five years, but I've heard several. With the exception of the title tune, I especially disliked Struggleville, which is really too bad, since I heard him perform many of those songs live before the album was released, and they cooked much hotter live...
Have you heard any Mark Heard or Adam Again? Wonderful artists, now both sadly gone.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Forgive me, I was confused regard Mr. Knott. When you said Strip-Cycle, I thought Fluid, which I really didn't like. Yeah, I actually did like Strip Cycle quite a bit, especially, ESPECIALLY Tattoo, one of Knott's best songs, along with LSU's Grace Shaker's Double.
Boy, that Aunt Bettys' debut though... Phew!
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
hee. I own the self-titled Aunt Bettys record. Mr. Knott seemed hell-bent on roughening up his image. It surely didn't feel like he was abandoning anything, given his earlier work, but I thought he was emphasizing the grotesquerie of people. I could be way off-base here.
I recall reading "Heaven's Metal" magazine and reading reviews of his solo concerts. The reviewer would always give thanks that he changed the expletive-filled choruses.
I caught LSU live one time. The band came out wearing huge masks (one member had a Cookie Monster one), for the song "The Bomb" they threw out a huge inflated ball with a lit sparkler sticking out of it, Knott somehow ended up wearing a couple of cans of pork and beans, and he ruined a mike so bad the promoters were steamed. Oh, and he sang one song dressed up as a clown complete with makeup. It was wild. i loved every second of it.
shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs