For the Record

Author: Melissa Marshall

Since man first banged those two stones together to create sound, music has been an integral part of praising something greater than one's self. Since then, rock music has evolved quite a bit from its humble beginnings, but it is still somewhat surprising to witness the adverse reaction people have to a song when they find out that the lyrics contain Christian connotations. Why the stigma associated with the stigmata?

I must confess that I am also guilty of "hipster hypochondria" - the irrational fear that endorsing any music that has affiliation with "the man" (whether he be corporate or consecrated) will undoubtedly infect the rest of your music collection, and one day you'll wake-up wearing Dockers listening to Nickelback on repeat in your Ford Focus. Why is it that liking Christian rock is almost as blasphemous as declaring Good News for People Who Like Bad News your favorite Modest Mouse album? Granted there is a certain level of awkwardness attached to praising the Virgin Mary while partying with Mary Jane, but even the whole bad-boy image associated with rock n' roll is giving way to the more conservative, skinny, white boy who wears thick-rimmed glasses more as spectacle than spectacles. However, a few lambs snuck in amongst the Wolf Parade, and these artists may even convert the firmest doubting Thomas into the most devout disciple.

God said, "Let there be light, "and there appeared Hello, Dear Wind, Baltimore-based Page France's second full-length album. Hello, Dear Wind is truly a breath of fresh air and a beacon of light in the indie-rock scene. Its one-word song-titles are indicative of the simplicity of the tracks which rely on the tambourine and steady drum beats, creating a sense of peace usually reserved for cloudless days in March. However, it is only upon a closer listen that one can distinguish the Christian references through Michael Nau's geeky vocals. Still, the band has been branded "Christian" mostly due to the kingpin of pretension, Pitchfork Media's, review of the album, a "review" which focused almost exclusively on the songs' religious imagery. However, Nau countered, "The 'Christian band' inquiry wears me out, to be honest. As for the Christian symbols in my writing - sometimes I don't even realize that they exist until someone points them out to me. There's really no reason; it just rolled out that way." So just let it roll. Actually, let in spin - in the car, in your room, on your walk to class - for any way you put it, Hello, Dear Wind is transcendental.

Although The Wailin' Jennys' sophomore release may be more whispers than bangs, Firecracker is hauntingly nostalgic and surprisingly powerful. A mixture of hope and reflection, this Canadian Trio has released a folk album that is Christian but not evangelical. For even though there are definite theological tones in the tracks, especially with regard to the afterlife, the intertwining of string arrangements, aching guitar chords, and pure vocals create a sense of divinity that is completely non-denominational.

And this finally brings us to the head of the Holy Trinity of discreet Christian rock: Sufjan Stevens. This indie darling born from the Midwest folk scene filled critics with awe and wonder with his ambitious plan to make an album for each of the fifty states. And his first two attempts - Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lakes State (2003) and Illinois (2005) both seem driven by something ethereal. Although his 2004 release, Seven Swans, is perhaps the most powerful in terms of religious undertones, all of his work seems to give props to the man upstairs upon closer inspection. In an interview with the aforementioned music site, Pitchfork Media, he commented on the less-than-tolerant attitude many music aficionados have towards Christian artists. "I think an enlightened person is capable, on some level, of making the distinction between the institution of the culture and the culture itself. The institution of Christianity, the way that it's set up, it's institutionalized and commodified, and anytime that happens, anytime it's incorporated, it leads to disaster."

Getting a Christian artist onto your playlist shouldn't be like trying to fit a camel through the eye of a needle. Even if you aren't a believer, good music is universal.