Check out the new Athlete album - Tourist - it's a real step up from Vehicles and Animals. They're shaping up to be a tidy outfit, full of good tunes and intriguing lyrics.
They were given a bit of hard time in the Guardian last week. The journalist was wondering why they are not more overtly Christian. he asked the same about the Beddingfields. You could ask about U2 (though their recent album is pretty overt if you're paying attention).
The trouble is that if bands are overtly Christian, they get panned for being holier than thou. Religion isn't very rock and roll.
Still I'm enjoying it. Wires is the best song I've heard so far this year. Chances and Modern Mafia come close.
While you're in the record shop, pay attention to Mercury rev's The Secret Migration. It's lovely...
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3 comments:
I totally agree about the new Athlete album... sublime!
being overtly christian is something a band like U2 can be, they have the fan base to support whatever they produce! Athlete, the bedingfields etc.... dont have the fan base to over overt about their beliefs (i think because the general public see this as wrong to buy rock n roll from christians, U2 had this whole christian band against rock band around the time of October, if they had gone christian band, they probably wouldnt be here now), look what happended to Delirious,(i helped delirious at gig in liverpool in october and was talking to the door on stage door and he was like it was great when they said they were a rock n roll band, but was gutted when i heard they were christian, i did then battle for christian rock music, to give it a chance, he was reluctant, so is the general public, they think maybe if they listen they will grow to know god [not a bad thing] but they see it that way!) the "biggest/ widenest known" christian band in the country as soon as they go for commercial success they are panned, despite the tunes being good! I think athlete kick some serious behind and give it maybe 5 years and a couple more albums and you would see a more overtly christian album (if you know where to look!)
Tim, found yours off of miz's blog
Great Blog... Came to it via Lev.
I am very unsure about what it means to be 'overtly Christian'. I don't like the whole debate that it seems to stir up. It to me conjures up the idea that credible bands sit around and work out a strategy as to how they are going to promote themselves (mybe they do an I am naive)and its does not account for them expressing their faith and humanity, their solidness and their struggles together. What is being overtly Christian? Is being Un Rock and Roll... actually very rock and roll?
I agree that Athlete and U2 are both great new albums and also more in their than often first meets the eye/ear!
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