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January 5, 2004
Essential Reading - Travis Carter
In a society saturated with choices, sometimes it’s nice to
receive some knowledgeable recommendations.
Before you get uneasy and think
this column is about to proclaim the greatness of sweaty sport chants and CDs
with songs announcing “we are the champions” or “we’re not gonna take it any
more” or some other such bravado, I would encourage you to look deeper. Some
guys enjoy moments when you’re pumped because of a great success and you just
need to point to the sky and yell, “Yeah!” at the top of your lungs. Some guys
feel like they want to tell the world what they’re feeling without having to
dress in a shirt and tie that was picked out by their significant other. There
are moments when a choir song just isn’t right for the occasion and women just
don’t understand. In fact, they may not be able to understand the words at
first, and that’s okay.
Sometimes you just want to
react to music and not feel obligated to move your body in harmony with, well,
anything. There are times when you just need to feel the music in your chest. If
you’re a guy that just wants to put on your jeans and T-shirt and go unshaven
for a day or two, then this collection of essentials just may be for you.
P.O.D.—Satellite
One of the best hard rock
albums I have experienced. This foursome from San Diego takes no prisoners.
The musical diversity on this album takes you from slammin’ straight-up hard
rock to reggae-influenced hardcore. Every song stands out as a statement for
the world around them. P.O.D. addresses the plight of today’s youth and goes on
to proclaim that without Jah (God) we are nothing. The opening track, “Set It
Off” says, “Rise, let your spirit fly / Rise, Stand up for yourself / Rise, Hold
your head up high / Our time has come / Set it off.” As you pull up to the
light, roll the windows down, turn the volume to eleven and just smile at the
punks wanting to race you.
Switchfoot—The Beautiful
Letdown
An excellent,
top-40 rock album complemented by a solid overall mix. A few drum loops and ear
candy sweeten the overall sound, yet it maintains its honesty. Beautiful
Letdown tugs at your heart and makes you feel good again about modern music
and the message behind it. Songs like “Meant to Live” and “This Is Your Life”
ask the listener to reflect on life in a down-to-earth way. Non-preachy and
intriguing, Switchfoot simply asks, “This is your life, are you who you want to
be?” and states “We were meant to live for so much more. We want more than this
world’s got to offer.” This one played in my car for a long time. I kept
finding another excuse just to listen one more time. It felt good to hear it on
mainstream radio, too. Radio hits with thought-provoking lyrics—nice!
Ashley Cleveland—You Are
There
Live, gritty
vocals, and a smokin’ blues band make this a classic. What is a woman doing in
the “Essential Testosterone” category? Get over it! This woman has guts. She
rips through songs without apology and leaves you wanting at least one more.
Raw blues rock found its home when Ashley Cleveland came to town. Classic B3
organ, solid drumming, and a mean guitar player with a slide round out what this
album offers musically. It’s all jeans and a T-shirt from here on in. (In
fact, there’s probably a Harley waitin’ out back for the ride home.) I’d love
to hear this outside, underneath a tent in June. Cleveland gives some solo
renderings that make your heart ache. She is up-front about her faith in the
soulful tune “He Is.” Lyrics say, “He is the God of Abraham, the Lion of Judah
and the perfect Lamb / He is the Saviour of all mankind / He is.” Yeah!
Everything is clear in the mix and you can hear every hit just like it should
be. Glad this one made it out of Nashville alive! It still feels natural.
Bebo Norman—Myself When I Am
Real
Guys have hearts and feel emotion. Norman brings you in without forcing you to
listen. Overall, an intimate, smooth-sounding album that is well-produced. You
can picture this guy sitting in a cafe or maybe on the couch with his guitar,
just thinking about what that girl might be like, or reflecting on the glory of
a friend called God. This guy touched my heart. The tone of his voice makes
you feel as if he’s a close friend or maybe he’s you. The songs resonate in a
certain intimate way, like when you pull in the driveway and, instead of going
in the house right away, you sit and just listen for awhile. This is an album
that elicits strength and vulnerability, reflecting the way some guys think
about life when they’re alone.
Pillar—Fireproof
Ever feel like
you’ve had enough of the whiners? Need music to pick you up and give you a
spiritual kick? Enjoy declaring that you, in fact, do trust in God? This album
will take you to the next level. Up-front lyrics about God, hard-hitting rock
mixed with rap and some mean guitar riffs explain the band known as Pillar.
These guys demand an answer from hypocrites in “Behind Closed Doors,” proclaim
their confidence in the Almighty in “Fireproof,” and exclaim loyalty to God in
the patriotic “Indivisible.” There’s nothing like jumping with Pillar at a live
show and yelling with 5,000 other people, “In God we trust! In God we trust!”
There are two versions of this CD. I found the original mix of Fireproof to be
stronger and less “produced for radio.” The newer, major label release has the
lead singer on the front with arms stretched out wide as he flexes his vocal
chords. A great album to drive a long distance with, and you can sing along
without feeling pretty.
Five Iron Frenzy—All the
Hype that Money Can Buy
and Electric Boogaloo
If you don’t get
jokes or take hints easily, then you probably will miss the joy that is Five
Iron Frenzy (FIF), which is all about tight musicianship and tongue-in-cheek
song writing. Maybe that is why I relate. FIF says it all, and if you’re not
careful, you might just think it’s simply fun music. I’ll admit, I had to grow
up a little to appreciate all this band offers, but, once I got it, I was
hooked. The band’s ability to use horns, rock, punk, ska, and anything else
handy speaks highly of their bravery and skill in avoiding the
“trend-of-the-day” sound forced upon many a Christian listener. Check out
“Fahrenheit,” an in-your-face commentary about bigotry and hypocrisy within
America and the church. Also, the band unashamedly talks about their faith in
God, injustice to Native-Americans, and a music industry that sells false images
instead of real people. The light-hearted side of FIF sings about breaking up
with girlfriends before you ever go out with them in “Pre-Ex-Girlfriend,”
sticking up for the geeks in the class, and how uncool it really is to have a
mullet. This band gives 110 percent at every show and never ceases to make you
wonder how they got where they did without hurting themselves. They are
hilariously honest on stage and always make you feel as if you’re hangin’ out
with some crazy friends.
ninetyandnine.com
© 2004, Travis Carter
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Travis Carter
enjoys talking about Christian bands and often wonders what it will take for
Apostolics to admit there is more to music than what is heard on Sunday at
church. Travis also enjoys having as much fun as possible on stage, while
playing drums with
PLAN:BE. His day job is as a NYC public high school teacher.
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