Tag: song of the day

I suppose that the first time you hear a band forever affects the way you think or feel about them. Although Undercover already had a long history behind them when I first heard them in 1990, I was completely unaware of it. I didn’t know the huge impact they’d made in the Christian alternative and punk scene in SoCal through Calvary Chapel, Ministry Resource Center, etc. through groundbreaking albums like God Rules and Branded. They had already morphed from a bubblegum-punk/new wave sound to darker, post-punk tones across the span of 4 albums.… Continued →

Keeping it more current because I’m known to wallow in 90’s and early 00’s nostalgia. It is time to step forward in time a little. Does 2012 count as more current? I mean it is only 8 years ago, right? Well Wolves At The Gate have been making quality music for more than a decade and have released 4 nearly perfect full length albums (+ several eps and a covers ep) in their careers with Solid State Records. The band has churned out one solid hit after another and yet go somewhat unnoticed by the mainstream crowd which is perfectly fine with me.… Continued →

This wasn’t the typical Further Seems Forever song of unbridled aggression, melodies intertwined into some sort of cosmic explosion of pure joy and instant approval by even your most jaded friend. This song was somewhat of a departure although still incorporating that classic “emo” sound they’d been pegged with for years. Something about this song evokes passion and unrelenting “worship”. Maybe it was intentional or possibly an unintentional after thought but this song leads one into contemplation and self-analyzing, directing you into a heaven’s gaze. Jon Bunch despite any shortcomings he may have had in the eyes of vicious teens and young adults who had blood thirsty claws out for the throat of this “new” vocalist, captured the attention of generations of different music fans despite genre.… Continued →

In the late 80s/early 90s I was a straight-up metalhead. Thrash was my favorite variety, but I dipped into other stuff as well. But I had started developing a taste for punk too. The pace and beat of hardcore punk was actually very similar to thrash, but with different guitar tones. Bands like Nobody Special, The Lead, The Crucified, and even Breakfast with Amy opened me up to new possibilities in edgy music. Then along came the album Poplife by the Lifesavers. I’d only been into Christian rock since ’88, so I knew nothing of Michael Knott’s history (or the many other incarnations and alter-egoes of his various projects).… Continued →

By the time Give us Barrabbas came out (the band’s 7th album), The Blamed had already gone through at least 4 different genres: punk rock, crossover thrash, hardcore punk, and punk metal. Now they were dabbling in experimental post-hardcore, which, for my money was their most successful rendering of noise to date. “1200 Stares” starts off with a punishing, repetitive riff, and then we welcome some gang shouts: “We won’t stop what we start!” There’s an urgency in the cry that beseeches one to pay attention.… Continued →

Another great example of early Christian punk/post-punk/new wave from the UK is Writz. They released one album in 1979 that would rival anything from the early CBGB’s scene, or even the stuff coming out of London or Manchester at the time. The band would later morph into the alter-egos of Techno Twins, The Techno Orchestra and the Technos, all of which pursued a sophisticated synth-pop sound. For my money though, Writz is where it’s at. Check out “Night Nurse” here. The song can often be found on 7″ for a reasonable price via online sales venues.… Continued →

I was listening to this Unashamed song the other day through one of those Daily Mix Spotify Playlists that they so graciously create for me each day and I was brought back to a different time in my youth. So much anger, rage, and hope all in one song. It’s amazing to think that an artist can channel such aggression while at the same time harnessing a profound sense of love and hope derived from a Faith in God that is bigger than oneself. “Everlasting Father” appeared on the band’s 2nd full length release, “Reflection”, released in 1996 on Tooth & Nail Records.… Continued →

If you asked me to name the most beautiful song I’ve ever heard, there would be a lot of contenders, but this one would certainly be up there. Haunting melodies (courtesy of Karen Peris), cryptic lyrics that hint at familial pain of some sort, topped off with Don Peris’s intricate acoustic guitar work and some incredible harmonies as well. It’s hard not to be moved by music this gorgeous. Check out the original version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izewuu3rX8k The band reworked the song last year. Listen to that version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPbWVCGt_eM… Continued →

I listen to metal rather sparingly, but I love this song. When 1:10 kicks in, I feel like I’ve been transported to medieval times, and it makes me feel freaking epic. The drums sound like horses trotting while they pull their chariots, and the guitars bring to mind knights battling under a glow of flames. Rumor has it that drummer David Husvik recorded his parts without using a click track (but don’t quote me on that). While Extol’s most recent album was released in 2013, members of the band have been involved in other projects like Azusa, Fleshkiller, and Mantric.… Continued →

Mexico City’s Meekness have a new track out for digital download. The extreme noise genre (and all its ridiculously named subgenres: harsh noise wall, power electronics, noisecore, gorenoise, etc.) is a tough genre to get into. It’s even arguable whether it could be called music. While we won’t debate that here, suffice it to say that Meekness definitely offer something fresh and original to the genre. As impossible as it sounds they mix influences from synth-driven new wave, hip-hop beats, 80s industrial, grindcore and noise to form something entirely unique.… Continued →

I feel a supernova swooping over you and your uh / Sit and wait a minute man, seldom into sentimental propaganda / Elements of enemy headed for the pedigree / Deader than the beat or the feet of a centipede recipe / Better go retreat hypothetically… Continued →

Here’s the thing . . . Sufjan is incredible. Whether or not you like his music, one has to acknowledge the astounding amount of talent the guy has. To me, he is the musical equivalent to the literary Tolkien. What I mean is this: somewhere in the deep recesses of their brains, the creative impetus for all those ideas already existed. For Tolkien it was a myriad of languages, races and lands–each with their own histories and storylines. For Stevens, it’s his complex musical compositions alternately cloaked in folk, electronica, and baroque hues.… Continued →

Long before the Christian music industry had become familiar with industrial music via the likes of Deitiphobia, Mortal or Circle of Dust, indie stalwarts Blackhouse already had 9-10 albums out. Most of them were only available as imports or through independent mailorder, and many were on secular labels. Case in point is “We Will Fight Back,” with its provocative album cover. The crucified rabbit was done by the label without artist consent, or so the story goes. Never one to be pigeonholed, Blackhouse experimented with noise, hip-hop, electronica and more, but all functioning out of the foundation of industrial.… Continued →

Soul-Junk are one of those bands that are immensely difficult to keep up with. Incredibly prolific, they’ve released at least a dozen albums, and roughly 14 EPs. All of them are named after numbers, presumably years (mostly in the 1930s-1950s), but they don’t follow any logical sequential order. To make matters even more perplexing, often the LP releases have altogether different tracks or sequences from the CD versions of the same album. This is not to mention the way they float through styles and genres as if distinctions didn’t exist.… Continued →

Folk really has to have something special if it’s going to catch my attention. Sure, there are a lot of great artists out there, but there are so many that it’s hard to stand out. A unique vocal, guitar prowess, or lyrics that hit that spot right in your gut that makes you either want to cry out at top of your lungs, or just really and truly live. Harrod and Funck managed all of that (their Mark Heard-produced full-length Dreams of the Color Blind is worth checking out in full if you like this style).… Continued →

I don’t know what it is but maybe today’s dark and stormy skies along with a heavy downpour elicits a moody yet introspective response to music. A song such as “Handshake” really makes you stop and think. I still believe after all these years that the band Black Eyed Sceva (and later known as ‘Model Engine’) were brilliant songwriters, Jeremy Post in particular. There was something magical in their music and the way they conveyed these emotions through song. They may not have been widely known or celebrated as “Rock stars” but their music was incredibly important to me.… Continued →

Featuring ex-members of Jeremiah’s Grotto and pre-members of Rookie of the Year, emo band Farewell to Fashion disappeared just as quickly as they sprung up. They released one split EP with Inez called The Price of Fame (highly recommended), and then a full-length. Both were on Future Destination Records (Neutral Agreement, Hotshot Freight Train). “Morning Grey” highlights all that was great about third wave emo–raw, melodic, punkish, and at times sloppy, but always full of emotion. Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q36TfdhF6UI… Continued →

I’m a sucker for this style of hardcore–really fast, short songs, with equal parts melody and anger thrown in for good measure. For some reason, this subgenre didn’t have nearly as much of a following in Christian circles as their secular counterparts, making Hit the Deck stand out even more. They released one full-length on Facedown imprint Strike First Records, and had a couple of demos as well, all of which can be found as digital downloads if you know where to look.… Continued →

Paramaecium. Legendary. Heavy as a concrete slab, and slower than a slug. The band’s debut, Exhumed of the Earth, shocked metal fans everywhere with slow, heavy riffs, string parts, and death metal vocals that were juxtaposed with occasional operatic female vocals added in for good measure. Their sophomore album Within the Ancient Forest changed styles somewhat by cranking up the folk and classical elements and adding a technical flair. But by the time A Time to Mourn came out, the band had shifted styles again–still within the doom metal category, of course–by adding a touch of groove and including Seventh Angel/Ashen Mortality frontman Ian Arkley (later of My Silent Wake).… Continued →

Bloomsday’s debut “The Day the Colors Died” was brilliant, if a little disjointed. The trio ambitiously covered indie rock, shoegaze, jangle pop, slow-core, lo-fi, and emo all in the span of 10 songs. Amazingly, 20+ years later it still holds up. But it was their second release, this time an EP, that really caught listener’s ears and held them in a death grip. It was much more focused this time around–emotionally charged indie rock that somehow managed to merge emo and shoegaze into a singular, cohesive unit that was both of those things and yet neither of them entirely.… Continued →

It’s been awhile since I last posted a song of the day. But this week while I was compiling my new releases list I stumbled across this excellent folk song by Amanda Opelt that I wanted to share with you. It’s called “Song to My Heart” and can find the lyrics and the inspiration behind the song in this blog post. Enjoy! Listen on: Apple Music | Amazon Music | Spotify… Continued →

You might say that Mineral was “almost a Christian band.” Vocalist/guitarist Chris Simpson stated in an interview with NPR last year: “I have no qualms about being a seeker, as it were. But as I have grown into myself, I’ve realized that I’m definitely not a Christian, which is where I felt like I was in the Mineral era.” Beyond the label, the band has some incredible emotional rock music to their name. “I just want to be something more than the mud in your eyes” recalls the story of Jesus healing the blind man in John 9.… Continued →

To commemorate the deluxe vinyl re-issue of Starflyer 59’s legendary sophomore album, Gold, our Song of the Day has to be a pick from that timeless release. The first time I heard this song was also my first time catching the band live. It was the very first Tooth & Nail Weekend at the Where-House in Bartlesville, OK. Also on the bill was Focused, Unashamed, locals Mr Bishop’s Fist (if you know, you know), Wish for Eden (whose van broke down en route so they were unable to join, unfortunately), Chatterbox, and Plankeye.… Continued →

Last week, over at the IVM discussion group on Facebook, a conversation ensued about indie labels within the Christian music scene. Mono vs. Stereo was mentioned, and I commented about their impressive 2005 compilation, The Revolution Will Begin in the Blink of an Eye Vol. 2. One of the artists I enjoyed most on this CD was A Farewell to Arms, who later went by his personal name, Corey Crowder. Currently, it looks like Crowder is more involved in the country music scene as a producer/songwriter, rather than focusing on his work as a solo artist.… Continued →

Over the past 2-3 years, I’ve been discovering a bunch of old Christian punk, post-punk, and new wave that I didn’t know existed. One of the best examples is a short-lived band from the south coast of England called Crowd Control. I only know of one track they recorded, which can be found on the excellent “Shots in the Dark” compilation. The album features other UK-based punk, new wave, and ska tracks. “There are Houses” is brilliant. It’s dark, brooding, true post-punk with enough keyboards to keep things interesting.… Continued →

Mars ILL’s “Inside Out” is one of the most convicting songs I’ve ever heard. Backbreakanomics (2003) is a classic album as a whole, but Dust’s production on this song is what really sets it apart, with its haunting samples and DJ scratches. Manchild uses the occasion to tell a story which focuses on social inequality, spiritual transformation, and justice. Blames the system that built jails instead of schools / Blames religion as a set of useless rules / Blames his father that he never even knew / Looks in the mirror.… Continued →

Where are my hip-hop heads at? Lightheaded is/was a collaborative project between Ozay Moore (FKA Othello), Braille, and Ohmega Watts. Each of these MCs have had significant solo careers on their own. This track brings the three of them back together after a long hiatus. Super-cool stuff! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wk8aWiY0PQ… Continued →

Norma Jean’s upcoming record, All Hail, releases next week on October 25. Truth be told, I only listened through O’ God, the Aftermath (2005) for the first time this year, and was very impressed by its balance of chaos and complexity. As we anticipate All Hail, here is a classic song from one of 2005’s metalcore masterpieces.… Continued →

Lo-fi indie rock never made a huge impact in the Christian scene. To be fair, it was a niche market even in mainstream circles. Beck and R.E.M. were the only 2 artists to break out of the underground, and both of those bands more or less ditched their lo-fi roots to do so (Beck only temporarily). I can only think of a handful of Christian-themed lo-fi bands: Jetenderpaul, Danielson Famile, Pedro the Lion (early stuff), Sappo, Joe Christmas, and some early Damien Jurado projects. Enter Jupiter James.… Continued →

Some music videos deserve to be shared, even if they’re only 144p. “Falling Further” by Spoken tells a story of prodigality, placing emphasis on feelings of regret and the rejection of God’s love. While the band has a lot of great songs, I always thought the chorus for “Falling Further” was particularly strong in its emotional communication.… Continued →