Music to Hear

"A central aspect of this task of being a thinking Christian . . . is a willingness to take seriously the prevalence of theological talk in our society, not the least of which is the theological discourse that is both overt and lying beneath the surface of pop culture expressions. Taking this theological discourse seriously involves learning how to perceive its presence, evaluate it, and respond to it constructively in a distinctively Christian manner . . . The media — television, movies, pop music, etc. — have become the most prevalent voices articulating the language that is constructing the world of contemporary North Americans." — Stanley Grenz

Contemporary Christian music is not the only place to find music made by followers of Christ. Many Christians are taking their faith and creativity to secular audiences in an attempt to be in the world, but not of it. Following are some examples that we recommend to you.

Johnny Cash
God
Cash's brutal honesty and brokenness ring true with a generation looking for authenticity. Self-righteousness is absent from Cash's songs, which speak from the perspective of the one who has come to an end of himself: "Lord have mercy on me, was the kneeling drunkard's plea/And as he knelt there on the ground, I know that God in heaven looked down." This album is a mix of "gospels, spirituals and songs of praise" which Cash recorded over the years. Bono describes Cash well: "Big John sings like the thief who was crucified beside Christ, whose humble entreaties had Jesus promising that night he would see paradise." — Bob O'Bannon

John Davis
(self-titled)
Davis has been the leader of a punk-pop alternative band called Superdrag, but recorded his first solo album in 2005 after converting to Christianity. The self-titled album is a diverse collection of blues, Gospel, Beatlesque and Beach Boys-inspired pop, with repeated affirmations of his faith in Christ: "There's no way known to man to even calculate/how to build the kind of heart that wouldn't hesitate/to take all of the wrong that would ever be/and swallow it all up in victory/That's what Jesus did for you, and he did it for me/so unselfishly, and so gracefully..." The power-pop of "Nothing Gets Me Down" is worth the price of the CD. — Bob O'Bannon

Iris DeMent
Lifeline
Iris is a folk singer who released three wonderful albums in the 1990s, only to disappear from the scene. She has released no original music since 1996, but in the meantime, she did release this album of Gospel music. Not sure what Iris believes, but her twangy, warbling voice and sparse arrangements lend great empathy and power to standards like "Sweet Hour of Prayer," "Blessed Assurance" and "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms." — Bob O'Bannon

Duvall
Volume and Density
Josh Caterer used to front the punk band Smoking Popes but then converted to Christianity and started Duvall. It has been reported that Morrissey has claimed Duvall as the best band in the United States. Caterer's smooth, melodic singing is a nice contrast to the band's thick, driving guitars. The subject matter ranges from the irresistible love song "Racine" to explicit expressions of faith, such as "Jesus Never Leaves Me" and "All in Your Hands" – "I wanna be dressed in white/I wanna shine like stars at night/But I'm still light years from the goal/I don't have self-control/I don't have what it takes to make it happen/I need you, I need you..." — Bob O'Bannon

Pedro the Lion
It's Hard to Find  &  Control
This band is basically the work of pastor's son David Bazan, who has now disposed of the Pedro moniker and records solo. These are Pedro's two best albums, both of which feature Bazan's characteristic slow, deadpan vocal delivery and sparse, plodding instrumentation. Friend is the quieter, more acoustic album, while Control is full of heavy, droning guitars. This music is dark, but Bazan's faith comes out subtly and in metaphor – Control, for instance, is a concept album that makes adultery seem positively despicable. — Bob O'Bannon

P.O.D.
Testify
This is P.O.D.'s latest and most diverse release. The heavy stuff is still heavy and the passion is still there. The project has heavy rock, a rap song, a reggae song, and some things in between. These guys are humble and they keep it real for the glory of God. They are a diamond in the rough. — Tony Guinn

Sufjan Stevens
Seven Swans
Sufjan (pronounced "soof-yawn") is one of music critics' most beloved artists right now, and rightfully so. Secular Web sites and music magazines regularly rate his albums among the best of the year. This might not seem surprising, except that Sufjan is a professed believer in Christ. Neither does he downplay his faith, as songs like "The Transfiguration" and "Abraham" attest – "Abraham, put off on your son/Take instead the ram, until Jesus comes." Sufjan has done what most artists long for – the creation of a sound that seems beyond categorization. He plays some kind of a repetitive folk/jazz/nursery rhyme hybrid, with frequent use of banjo, horns, and dissonance. An acquired taste indeed, but his music will stand the test of time. — Bob O'Bannon

Sufjan Stevens
Michigan  &  Illinoise
Sufjan has set about the ambitious task of recording a separate album for every state in the union. Two are in the can, and they are both rich and inventive musical explorations that reward with repeated listens and patience. Perhaps his best song thus far is "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." (from the Illinoise album), which is one of most compelling depictions of total depravity: "And in my best behavior, I am really just like him/Look beneath the floorboards, for the secrets I have hid." — Bob O'Bannon