Folks New Fame

As a musician and an avid listener, I love experiencing new genres of music. In the last year I have been introduced to folk music and have fallen in love. New additions to my iPod include Mumford and Sons, Frightened Rabbit, Damien Rice, and The Civil Wars. It’s not every day you hear a duo that you can honestly say is dynamic. When Joy Williams, famous for her song “Hide” and three Christian music albums, and John Paul White came together to create The Civil Wars, they were an unlikely pair. Setting aside their own solo careers and stepping into the world of folk music was a daring step, but a step well taken. Their rookie album Barton Hollow did more than establish The Civil Wars in the folk community; it gave them two gold plated gramophones at the 2012 Grammy awards for Best Folk Album, and Best Country Performance for a Duo or Group. Not only that, but the album also earned the coveted #1 spot on iTunes. So what makes this group such a hit? Is it the intricate and haunting instrumentation? Is it the unmatched beauty of two voices placed in perfect blend? Or is it the relatable but thought-provoking lyrics of love lived and lost?

The Civil Wars’ lyrics deal a lot with the pleasures and pains of love. A specific example of this type of song is “Poison & Wine.” This was the first song that caught my attention on this album and it gave a great first impression. The song begins in a back and forth conversation between two lovers and then moves into a ballad of opposites as the two lovers try to reconcile their hearts between the “poison and wine” of trying not to love someone but also knowing that they always will. The melody behind the lyrics provides a repetitive call and response between the man and the woman. A tight and haunting minor harmony line in the second verse and chorus parts creates a beautiful, sad sound that matches the lyrics and compliments the melody. The song “Falling” also fits into the category with “Poison and Wine” with lyrics about love. The chorus of the song depicts a person that “can’t help falling out of love” with their partner, suggesting that the relationship is drifting to an end in a somewhat confusing manner.

As I continued listening to the album, I came to see that these haunting melodies and slow but sure climaxes characterize many of the songs. Just when you think there have been one too many quiet, brooding songs about guy-girl drama, the duo hits strikes back with something different. The Civil Wars show their versatility with the title track “Barton Hollow”. This song lifts the spirits and gets listeners in the folk music mood. The song starts off with a bang as with a big guitar strum and the two vocalists coming in with perfectly harmonized “oohs”. The lyrics of the song are a bit confusing but seem to deal with sin and the person’s inability to escape what they’ve done. The lyrics claim, “Devil gonna follow me e’er I go/ it won’t do me no good washing in the river” and later, in a reference to a child’s prayer exclaim, “If I die before I wake I know the Lord my soul won’t take” suggesting that the person believes their sin is unforgivable. The lax grammatical structure of the lyrics along with “Barton Hollow’s” twang-y and blues inspired vocals and instrumentation fit’s the duo nicely into the folk style and provide an easy-listening sound that is easy to sing along to. This song, along with the more upbeat, cheerful banjo tune “I’ve Got This Friend” and the strictly instrumental “The Violet Hour” provide a much-needed oasis from the seemingly melancholy spirit of many of the songs.

All in all, the Civil Wars’ rookie album does not disappoint. Barton Hollow provides a beautiful variety of gorgeous harmonies and intense vocals mixed with intricate guitar and violin instrumentals. Williams and Wright provide a kind of blend that is unmatched by a lot of artists. Put their pure vocals with incredible music talent together and you get an album like Barton Hollow. The songs have an authenticity and a musicality about them that makes them raw. There’s no element of clutter or spectacle and it’s not difficult to imagine the duo on stage performing each song almost identical to the recorded track and with a smile on their faces. The combination of relatable lyrics and intricate music make it a hit for both the musically literate and the average listener. This folk album has quickly become one of my favorite albums and I will definitely keep my eye out for what The Civil Wars will come out with next.

             

A Higher Calling For Today

What is the first word that comes to mind when you think about metal music? Is it “screaming”, “yelling”, “moshing”, “Satan”, “death”, or simply, “ouch”? All these things seem to indicate a negative conception of metal in the public today. All of these words in themselves describe the phenomena of metal music in some ways, but not in the ways that most people think. Christian metal artists today have put a great deal of effort into keeping the integrity of the metal genre by incorporating vigorous vocals, dense bass and drum sound, and distorted guitar riffs. The difference is that Christian artists are twisting these words to form a gospel message that is undeniable.  In a 2007 article in the New York Times, John Pareles says, “An arm pumped upward at a heavy metal show with a raised pinky and forefinger was the Devil’s horns, signifying real or mocking Satanism. No more. Some Christians love metal too” (CHRISTIAN METAL: A Different Endgame). For Today is one of those bands that openly admits to loving metal and loving Jesus. They have made a name for themselves by upholding the integrity of the unique genre they find themselves in while integrating their incredible faith and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and His purpose for this earth.

The two words most associated with metal music are screaming and yelling. For Today provides nothing short of these two words in their music, particularly in their album Portraits. Not only do they have killer guttural vocalists, but they are also mixed in with intense breakdowns and intricate, haunting guitar solos. For Today satisfies every expectation commonly accompanying any metal album, whether the band is Christian or not. The clear difference between this band and others is that their lyrics depict something completely different. In an online review on Indievision, Stephen M., music critic says, “Personally, this is the most lyrically powerful and moving CD. Every song is named according to someone from the Bible or an event from the Bible. The lyrics just make me melt and convict me in a way nothing else can.” (Indievision) This album has the cohesiveness and power to transform people’s thought process and views of religion. The fact that every song is named for a man of God in the Bible shows that For Today planned and discussed every detail of the album down to each song’s title in order to have the greatest impact on the listener and to create an experience that transcends musicality. Not only that, but the lyrics in each of the songs also transcend the traditional thought process of most metal music lyricists.

            Satanism and the devil have been two things that float over metal music. In Iron Maiden’s song “The Number of the Beast” the lyrics begin by saying “Woe to you, oh earth and sea/For the Devil sends the beast with wrath/Because he knows the time is short/Let him who hath understanding/Reckon the number of the beast/For it is a human number/Its number is six hundred and sixty six” (Iron Maiden). The talk of Satan and his wrath on the earth and the demand for respect for the Devil based on the despair he brings is just one example of the kinds of themes secular metal music deals with. Pareles provides an accurate depiction of the contrast between Christian metal and secular metal when he says, “Churning thrash-metal has always had death, sin, devastation and apocalypse on its mind; Christian metal does too, though it envisions a different final outcome” (Pareles). For Today paints a picture of this different outcome by twisting these themes to integrate their faith in a very successful way. They do talk about destruction and judgment coming to the earth, but they talk about it in a very biblical revelation way. Instead of the world ending in destruction, they talk about the hope of God restoring the earth and giving salvation if the people would only believe. They challenge America and individual lives to fall to the knees of Jesus and receive life. They speak of the urgency of their message and how it will change people’s lives and their eternities.

One of the songs that is a particular example of this message is “Joel (The Watchman)” on the For Today’s album Portraits. Portraits is For Today’s second album produced and has quickly become their best selling collection of songs. “Portraits is brutal, honest, full of catchy riffs, compiled with tons of brain-bashing breakdowns, and most importantly it is scriptural.” (M. Stephen) “Joel (The Watchman)” is a perfect example of a scriptural message. The song is about the coming revelation and the end of the earth. The lyrics say that “the almighty approaches” and urges people to “wake up” and “bear the mark of righteousness” (Lines 2, 4, & 8). In the bridge section it talks about America’s coming judgment from God but that if they “fall to their knees” there will be “life at the throne of God” (Lines 13-14). It promises restoration through Jesus. In the second verse section, the lyrics describe the battle of God that will be waged at the end and that on that day they will “know that there is one God and the Lord is his name”(Lines 26-27). These lyrics have powerful meaning in the Christian community. The comment about America’s sin also brings in our nations morality or lack there of, and its fall from God.

            Not only are the lyrics prophesying the coming of the Lord but the musical setting of this song also fits and aids the apocryphal message. Some of the lines in this song are in congruence with the melody but most of them are placed in juxtaposition. The music behind these lyrics is harsh and distorted, implying chaos. Bass, heavy drums, and distorted electric guitars generally characterize metal music and “Joel (The Watchman)” conforms to this. The song is played in the key of drop C. There is almost no melody in the vocals of the piece and it seems to be that there are 2 vocalists. One that does lower growls and a higher more screaming voice. The chords behind the growling are choppy and full of bass drum and the cymbals above it keep a steady beat. In the bridge section, the electric guitar has a haunting melody that goes above the harsh words about America’s judgment suggesting that America’s fate is lingering above them, waiting to pounce.

            The rhythm in this piece changes. The verses have a fast paced and energetic melody and then in the bridge section of the song, the drop beat leads way into a slower more defined beat. The development of this is interesting. There is no clearly defined structure in the traditional sense. The song is not broken up into verses or choruses and there are few repeated parts. It starts out with a type of pre-verse. Then goes into the fast paced, high-energy verse. As the drop beat comes in, a bridge is introduced which will be repeated later for emphasis.

            The musicality and the lyrics of this song, when analyzed and put together, are a great example of the hope we have, and the gospel of God being placed in a harsh environment but its truth being upheld. This could be representative of the earth. A harsh and distorted place but in the end, God’s truth will be upheld and will transcend like the vocals do above the music. I believe that this is one of the main messages that For Today wants to be received by their listeners. Any person, religious or not can not argue that the world is a sinful place. Not all would use that adjective but there are definitely undeniable aspects of the world that are “messed-up”. For Today is out to prove that God has defeated sin and will give it justice, but will also provide hope and restoration through His son Jesus to this harsh and unforgiving world. Mattie Montgomery, the lead vocalist for the band, describes the band as a response to a call.  “Before we are a band on a mission we can be separated as 5 guys on a mission, and us being a band is just a byproduct of what we have been called to do in the world” (Montgomery). These five guys really believe in what they are doing and how they are presenting the gospel. They believe that they have been called by God to do something they have always loved in order to bring glory to Him. All of the elements of this song, the music specifically, and the message that For Today brings, spark an interest to both the secular and the Christian metal communities. Thus this band becomes marketable on a wide scope, doing something they love, while preaching something they believe is much more important.

One very openly specific way that For Today makes their message clear is also on the album Portraits (2009). After nine killer metal tracks, “Talmidim (The Servants)” is the final statement that For Today leaves with the listener. This song is completely contrast to any other song but especially to “Joel (The Watchman). This song begins with a clean and defined melody by the electric guitar with voices behind it singing “Ah” to support the melody. Then a vocalist comes in and instead of growling or screaming he begins to sing “Lord of Glory make us worthy to possess your name” (Line 1). Then, as the drums and guitar build up, the vocalist sings “give us a new name, call us your people, God” (Lines 3-4) while another voice reads scripture from Ezekiel 36: 26-28 saying,  

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave to your forefathers; you will be my people and I will be your God." After talking of God’s judgment on the world, For Today goes into more detail about the peace and restoration that we will find at the end. Just as the album is ending, so is the gospel message, leaving us with a call to follow Christ and to do his will with the new life He has given us (Lines 6-11).

The song turns back to a more urgent descant of the first verse melody with harmony voices in the background. As the song flows into the chorus again, a desperate and passionate voice delivers what seems like a gospel sermon. Declaring that there is “nothing, no fear, no insecurity, no doubt, no hesitation that will ever, ever stop” (Lines 12-13) the sons of the living God. The speaker declares the confidence that we have in Christ Jesus and the power we have by speaking His name. He declares himself part of the army of God and as he says this, an army of voices sing behind him “Lord of glory, make us worthy to possess your name”. He declares that as part of the army of God, we have the power of God behind us. “When we speak life, life happens, when we speak healing, healing happens” and, “when we go and take what we have found to a dead world, we’ll see it come to life again”(Lines 18-19, 21-22). This is encouragement to the listener that faith is not stagnant. It’s living and moving and breathing and can provide healing for their lives. He talks about the love of Christ as something that is alive. Anyone who listens to this album all the way through will hear this song and the entire album becomes cohesive. In the midst of all the apocalypse and judgment and restoration, this song and the words it proclaims are the overarching themes of Portraits. The speaker says, “Our God is a God that loves unlike anything anyone has ever felt before” (Line 33). These are the truths of God that this band believes in. They believe themselves to be messengers of God and are taking full responsibility for being His hands and His feet “forever and ever” (Line 36) in a genre of music that does not often seek to save the lost.

Listening to metal music is one thing, but experiencing it in concert is another. The themes and the style of singing are not the only controversial aspects of metal music. The violence at metal concerts has been one of the most pressing issues that plague the genre. “Moshing” is a type of hardcore dancing that involves pushing and jumping and shoving that can lead to fights or people being trampled. Pareles says, “Thrash is functional music, intended to incite the physical catharsis of slam-dancing” (CHRISTIAN METAL: A Different Endgame). Because of the nature of the music, and that catharsis that is provided, For Today can’t get away from this type of concert activity, but, they have made it clear how they view their concerts. Montgomery says, “We won’t even go on to the stage until the God fills us up with Himself, because I think that I can speak for everyone in the band that we won’t have anything to offer any of these kids if not Jesus and so if he doesn’t fill us up with his spirit and send us onto the stage then it would be useless and everything we do would be empty” (Montgomery). In another interview, the drummer David Morrison makes it clear that they view what they do and the concerts they perform at as a form of worship. In their travels, David says that they have seen many forms and styles of praise and this in turn has given him a more pure view of what worship can be (Morrison).

            Just because a band has drop beats and double bass does not mean that is going to be successful in the heavy metal genre. Just because a band has incredible lyrics that speak the truth of God does not mean that it will be successful in the Christian community. When attempting to put the two together, success becomes even more difficult. There is a discourse between these two genres that has people fighting over its effectiveness.  The 1984 Christian metal band Stryper knows a lot about fighting this discourse. In a 1990 article in Christianity Today, J. Long describes the band’s tug-of-war between the Christian community and the secular radio and TV stations. In an attempt to reach a larger audience, the band cut out overtly Christian messages in their songs opting for a more subtle approach with indirect references to Christian ideas and moral statements. This was not taken well by Christian distributors, who concluded that they would no longer be selling Stryper’s albums because their overt message was gone. It seems that this band could not win though. Continuing to proclaim openly the name of Jesus meant being shut down by secular music stations and MTV. In the mind of the band, being unavailable to the secular public defeated their purpose, and eventually this discord and fight between the two genres caused the band to fizzle out in the metal community (Long).

            Is it possible to bridge the gap between these two disjointed genres? As I’ve pointed out, I believe that For Today has done this successfully, but there are other Christian bands that are succeeding in the metal community as well.  Underoath and The Devil Wears Prada are two bands that I have experienced in concert that have taken on Stryper’s mission of softening their lyrics to meet the secular audience and have been very successful in both communities. Their music is universal but their message as a band is clear. Christian writers are having an impact on the secular metal community as well.  In Jim Bessman’s article “Bridging Christian Music, Heavy Metal”, he discusses a Christian singer/songwriter Bob Halligan Jr., and his experience writing for the secular heavy metal group Judas Priest. Halligan, along with many others, characterize the “heavy metal ethos” (Paragraph 5) as demons death and destruction. When asked to write for this band he said, “That's not part of my life, so I wrote a song from God's perspective, saying to the listener, 'You can try to twist away from me, but you're stuck with me.' And Rob and anyone else who sings it can have their own interpretation” (Paragraph 5).  As he got into writing the piece he further explains his motives by saying, “any song can be construed as a transaction between any two or more entities: mother and daughter, husband and wife, father and son, God and created being. They're written to be inclusive and inviting for both the most devout and the most atheistic”(Bessman). Bob Halligan Jr. was successful in writing a hit single for Judas Priest’s album, therefore getting his message to the masses through an unlikely medium. I believe this proves that Christian metal goes beyond those like For Today who are openly declaring Jesus as king. Bands like For Today are needed in the metal genre, but we also see the value of writers and musicians that are on a mission to proclaim their message with a bit more subtlety.

For Today and many other Christian metal artists view what they do as a call from God to bring people to God by another medium. When interviewed, in response to a question about role models for youth today, Montgomery says, “You know love, money and social status and comfort and whatever you’re looking for its completely useless, but if we are talking about role models or people influencing our kids I definitely thing that the people who are seeking Jesus are the people that need to be holding the influence in the society.” (Montgomery) This man has a great point. Their style of reaching people is different than most, but they have the message of Jesus behind them and are living lives as testaments to His greatness, making them ideal role models in this day and age.

The questions and arguments surrounding metal music remind me of the conflict that has been in the Christian church for years about hymnal worship versus contemporary worship. The way I see it, these two genres or styles are worship are both ways that people give praise to God and therefore, one is not right and the other wrong. Christian metal-core music is no different. I believe fully that it is and can be a form of worship to God for the things He has done and the things He is going to do and For Today is a great example of this. This band is making a difference in its genre in a way that is extremely powerful and ground breaking. It has taken the successes and failures of other Christian metal artists and found a way to make what they do work in the large scale of things. If this continues and other bands follow suit, maybe one day there will be an alternative church that adopts this style of worship and integrates thrash metal into their services?

Works Cited

Bessman, Jim. "Bridging Christian Music, Heavy Metal." Billboard 113.10 (2001): 51. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Feb. 2012.

For Today. “Joel (The Watchman).” Portraits. Facedown Records, 2009. Compact disk.

For Today. “Talmidim (The Servants).” Portraits. Facedown Records, 2009. Compact disk.

Iron Maiden, “The Number of the Beast.” The Number of the Beast. Sanctuary/Metal-Is Records, 1982. Compact disk.

Long, J. "Stryper Too Heavy For Christian Distributor." Christianity Today 34.13 (1990): 49. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Feb. 2012.

Montgomery, Mattie. Interview. Interview by April Savoie. Rockstarweekly.com. Rockstar Weekly. Web. 14 Feb 2012.

Morrison, David, “For Today Interview.” Hmmagazine.com. The Hard Music Magazine. Web.  25 Feb. 2012.

M, Stephen. “For Today-Portraits”. Rev. of Portraits by For Today. Indievisionmusic.com. Indie Vision Music. Web. 25 Feb. 2012.

Pareles, John. “MUSIC REVIEW; Christian Metal: A Different Endgame.” Nytimes.com. New York Times, 14 Nov. 2007. Web. 14 Feb. 2012.

The Moment of Truth

It seemed like a long drive. After spending nearly 16 hours in an airplane, this should not have been my sentiment, and yet, as I took in building after building I could not help but watch, with intrigue, each drop of precipitation start with a smack on the window, swell to magnify the Irish world in its bubble, and then slide down to join the pool that preceded it. As we drove through the city I thought to myself, “I expected to feel different” as I watched the overcast sky cast a familiar light on townhomes and office buildings as if I had traveled twenty-one hours only to end up at home. “Too much like Washington” I lamented. Instead of looking at the new things, I was focused on the old things; things that I had looked at through the window of my kitchen from the time that I was barely tall enough to reach the sill to when I was tall enough to sit in it. The white homes with a tree out front, the nondescript office buildings with windows for no more than three stories, and a Starbucks with a little old couple drinking their morning cup of coffee. There were little signs, foreshadowing what would soon come, but I didn’t see it at the time. I was used to green but never this shade. Even as it blurred by, I could see the green. The healthy, native grass grew anywhere and everywhere that it was allowed to, springing up in cracks on the sidewalk, or between the opposing freeways. As we moved to downtown, things looked old, as if they had weathered the tests of time and the storms of advancement and modernization. “This is somewhat expected. Europe is supposed to be old.” I thought to myself.

Slowly, as the bus seemed to crawl forward, things began to change. It was right about then that I slipped the small buds into my ears, trying to find some piece of music that would fit how I was feeling.  The first song that my finger found was “Truth” by Balmorhea, from their album All is Wild, All is Silent. It was then that the soundtrack to one of the biggest “A-Ha” moments in my life began to play. The violin played the four full, rich, but simple notes that constructed the main melody. I’d listened to this song many times before but had never noticed that the cello and bass provided a thick support system for the melody. The music was pleasant, but in a haunting and hesitant manner, matching the feelings I was dealing with at the moment. The song went from simple to complex as I took in melody after melody. The melodies began to build upon themselves in layers that blended so well that it took much concentration to decipher each one from among the others. The electric guitar and drums began to pulse in my ear and then the complexity suddenly released, emptied out, and pulled back as the piano made its solo entrance as if to say, “there’s still more that needs to be said.” The music flowed into a non-traditional harmony as the independent melodies returned and blended together to create a resonant and active river of music. As the music ebbed back and forth in its development and transitioned between melodies, crescendos, and decrescendos, there was a small start of anticipation in me, but also a hesitation. Had I built this experience up in my mind for years only to have it disappointed? Was this the feeling I would fight off for the next month?

Then, it was as if I had been in a tunnel, holding my breath for no apparent reason. It was as if my ability to hold my breath for this long meant winning the game, but was really simply for the sake of normalcy and ritual.   And home was gone. But this departure of home was not scary or sad, but brought with it a feeling of accomplishment and relief. As I emerged from the tunnel, it was as if I finally released my breath only to have it taken away by what I saw.  The active piano and cello melody pulsed in my ear as the rhythm moved from slow and hesitant to pressing forward towards each note. As the song came to its climax, suddenly there were hills. Hills stretched across the expanse of the horizon, moving in a steady, rolling wave past where my eyes could decipher them. Each one filled with the same green that I saw snaking between the tracks of the metro, but multiplied. I had never seen so many shades of one color and yet it was the farthest thing from the monotonous green that, in my mind, infiltrated my own home. By then the music was progressing in my ears and growing stronger with each shade of green I noticed. My growing excitement was reflected in the accelerando in the music. As the violin cast its descant on the piece and the drums began their steady beat, I saw deep and rich hunter greens melted together with spring, olive, and fern and then slowly lightening to a bright lime that I had never seen in nature. It was then, in the full climax of the song, when all the instruments and all the melodies came together and peaked in a full and steady gallop, that I realized what I was about to embark on in the next month.

To this day, “Truth” is almost like a speech to me, blaring at me to listen. It begins with a hesitant introduction of the melody, given in terms that are easy to understand, but with creeping undertones that make the build-up inevitable. My journey to Europe with my sister began in the same way. It began as a hesitant introduction of the idea. A “wouldn’t it be fun if…” while riding a bicycle on a sunny Sunday afternoon. There were ebbs and flows as plans were thwarted and also placed into full motion. Each roadblock came with a new melody introduced and something new to get excited about. The sting of my parents saying no was a sudden emptying out of our plans, but just like that, a new opportunity presented itself and the idea surged forward with determination. Just like the song, as we began to elaborate upon our “melody” it became more set in stone and more pressing. This moment, as I stared out the window at God’s beautiful Irish countryside, was the climax. It was the start to the adventure that was to come and the reward for every piece that went into the journey, from the introduction of an idea, to its fulfillment.

Twenty-five days of experiences like this one. Traveling around to new countries with new colors and new sites mixed with old buildings and rich history. They say that the world is a book, and if you do not travel, you are only reading a page of the book. In this moment in Ireland, I found this to be true. The world seemed huge, but also much smaller. Huge because I knew that I could never go far enough. The number of countries I would visit would always be insufficient to meet the need that I had for the incredible feeling that I was blessed to experience.  Small, because God wrote the book of the world in such a way that it was all suddenly connected. What seems ordinary to some creates an encounter with Him for others that is immeasurable. I realized that what I viewed as monotonous or dull in my own home had possibility to take the breath of others. It was amazing to me that someone could live in these places and have a normal life with everything around them, but I realized how many people must say the same thing about where I live. My trip gave me a new appreciation, not only for new places, but also for my own home.

As the song slowed down to just the piano and the moment came to a close, I settled in to my seat and a sigh spread my lips as they formed into a smile. A smile that I believe said everything that was going through my head. A smile that said how incredibly joyful I was to be reading another page in God’s book. A book that was ambiguous to most, unreachable and difficult to read extensively.  A book that was ready to be analyzed, or in the least, read. A book that would never end but continue telling a story that captivates anyone who will take the leap and open it to find the truth.

Works Cited

Balmorhea. “Truth.” All is Silent, All is Wild. Western Vinyl, 2009. Compact Disc.