Christian Music That Isn't: 2009

--posted by Brandon

Here's a confession: I don't like most contemporary Christian music. More often than not, I find it to be theologically shallow and self-centered, and musically unimaginative. (I had a friend remark that contemporary Christian music was always about 15 years behind the times: "I hear a new song and think, "Wow, that would have been a great grunge song back in 1992.") I find that the music that wrestles most deeply with issues of faith is from artists that you'd never hear on contemporary Christian radio. I'm much more likely to be moved by the theology layered into a song by Steve Earle or Tom Waits than one by Third Day or Michael W. Smith.

But I'm always looking for ways in which Christian themes pop up in surprising places. So with that in mind, here's a list of my favorite albums of the year (so far) that wrestle with questions of faith, or come at things from a Christian perspective. In no particular order:

1) Richard Shindell - "Not Far Now." The first album of original songs from this singer-songwriter in five years. It lacks the overt theological musings of some of his previous songs, like the truck-driver seeking God's presence on "Next Best Western" or God telling Christ why he has to be sent into the world on "Before You Go," but the album quietly speaks to a deep and abiding faith. The album closer, "Balloon Man," describes an unkempt man, probably mentally ill, who sells balloons in the park. In the transcendant chorus, it becomes clear that the speaker is addressing a distant loved one: "And you're so far away, on the other side of the world. I just thought you should know that balloon man lives in it, too." Somehow, the world is made a better place by the simple presence of this man. It's a beautiful tribute to the ways in which all of us are special creations, without ever descending to cliches.

2) M. Ward - "Hold Time." The buzz around M. Ward seems to grow with each album. He's a strange blend of acoustic music, often filtered through static or other effects, rockabilly, and country, tied together by his gravelly, whispered ghost of a voice. Often, he writes about typical pop song themes of love, loss, and regret, but every now and then he takes a stab at theology. In "Epistemology," he talks about finding God by living in this world, rather than thinking about it: "Finally I found you, without ever learning how to, I just put the right foot in front of the left. And after that, it's anybody's guess."

3) Antje Duvekot - "The Near Demise of the High Wire Dancer." This East German-born songwriter re-records some of her earlier songs and adds a few new ones. Theology is never too far from the surface. Her song "Merry-Go-Round" was featured in a Bank of America ad awhile back, so it might sound familiar. It's a catchy melody with lyrics that fly by, but subtly talks about the ways in which things move toward an equilibrium in God's time. More moving is the aching ballad "Reasonland," about a king who has everything, but still feels an emptiness. ("There's a songbird who will not sing for me.") His turning to God is paralleled by the character of a preacher's wife, who has lived the life of faith but feels unrewarded. Both seek God in the same way, both ask for deliverance.

4) Antony and the Johnsons - "The Crying Light." There's no other music that sounds like Antony and the Johnsons, and this album is their most powerful statement yet. Antony usually sings in a quavering, broken falsetto, which sounds like nothing more than a soul being bared. The accompaniment is usually more chamber music than rock band. And Antony's lyrics are always swinging for the fences, taking on deep issues of identity and faith. God plays the biggest part in the glorious "One Dove:" "One dove, to bring me some peace. In starlight you came from the other side, to offer me mercy." It's the sound of a person living deeply into his true self.

5) Iron and Wine - "Around the Well." This is a bit of a cheat, since this double-disc set gathers B-sides, compliation tracks, and sountrack songs from 2000-2007. It starts off with Iron and Wine's earliest songs, nothing but Sam Beam, his guitars, and some double-tracked harmony vocals recorded at home on a 4-track. By the end of the album, Iron and Wine has morphed into a more experimental outfit, using layered percussion a la Tom Waits, looped keyboards, and all sorts of non-traditional sounds, while still remaining grounded in the singer-songwriter genre. Sam Beam considers himself an agnostic, but he grew up in a Southern Christian home and knows his scripture better than most of us. His songs have tackled Jezebel and our need to scapegoat, the trust asked of Mary in letting her son face the world alone, and the Cain and Abel story. But nothing he's done has gone as deep as "The Trapeze Swinger," the final song on this compilation. (Originally from the film "Company of Men.") It's an epic song, clocking in at almost 9 and a half minutes, looking back on a relationship. As the song progresses, it becomes apparent that the core issue was how easily belief came to her, and what a struggle it has been for him. This comes to the forefront at a circus performance, watching the trapeze swinger "swing as high as any savior." She was enthralled, while he could only offer cynicism. In his final wish, he hopes that, when he reaches the pearly gates, he'll be able to offer her a drawing of God and all that he sees in heaven. It's one of the most moving theological explorations I've ever heard, and a true testimony to the dialectic between faith and doubt.

That's what I've heard so far this year - I've got some more albums to listen to soon, so hopefully I'll be able to keep adding to this list. And if I keep feeling inspired, I'll go back and survey some of my favorites from years past - artists like Sufjan Stevens, Rosie Thomas, Patty Griffin, and more. Who are you listening to that deals with some of these issues? What strange places have you found Christianity hiding in?