The Christian Music Thread Genre • Page 19

I've definitely broken down to a couple of songs on Broken Voice due to how relevant the lyrics were to me at that point of life. Garden in particular. One of my most played songs on iTunes.

 

Anybody heard the new Lecrae?

 

No, is it good? I like Lecrae but as I'm not the biggest hiphop fan I usually stick with Propaganda and Beautiful Eulogy!

 

I haven't heard it either lol. I'm not big on hiphop either, so I was just wondering if anybody had heard it yet. Seems like that's a no haha.

 

anyone else dig into “Cora” from Cool Hand Luke yet?
definitely gonna need some more time with it, but his lyrics are as great as ever.

 

Wuss disss?

 

Yes, I preordered through Kickstarter so had it for a while. To be honest, I've not quite got into it yet. There are some great bits but it's not one I've kept going back to. Lyrically great though, as you mentioned. I was expecting it to hit me like Of Man which was probably an unfair expectation.

'Cora' is kind of a comeback album. It's the project of Mark Nicks but used to be a full band. Kind of rock, spiritual lyrics, indie vibe. Piano and guitar driven although this has more electronic elements. Him and a friend recorded it all themselves. The album is worth checking out but really I'd say check out 'Of Man' which was meant to be the final album several years back. I'd say it's the best musical depiction of Christ's final week on earth. Very moving, particularly 'His Eyes'. Incredible album, one of my favourites ever.

 

I'm interested to see where it charts. His last album (not including the Church Clothes 3 Mixtape) hit number one which was impressive. There seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding his more mainstream direction.

 

Yeah definitely. I had a friend mentioned he went secular with this one, but honestly I didn't understand what he was trying to say by that haha. I know he's broken more into mainstream, is he under a different label?

 

Still the same label (Reach Records).

There are featured artists that aren't associated with CCM or aren't Christians (ie. Ty Dolla $ign being one that has attracted a bit of attention) but really I cannot stand labelled things 'secular'. It suggests there's a divide which I firmly believe doesn't exist. I think that's demonstrated in Jesus' life and Paul's writings. Christ in all things.

It's an age old debate but I think it's too simple to call an album 'secular' because it doesn't mention Jesus as much as previous albums or criticise it because it tackles real issues. I'd rather him talk about what's important to him than just rapping theology for the sake of it. There's a place for that, but you've got to be true to yourself. From what I gather, Lecrae hasn't moved to the mainstream for money but because he wants to bring light into that area and feels like he's got something to say. His target audience may have changed, but my perspective (from the UK!) is that it's very important for black Americans to be communicating their experience of living in the US at this time. A black Christian perspective that challenges the white Christian/American perspective is valuable and important.

I hope people don't dismiss it but allow it to make them feel uncomfortable. That's what I've loved about Propaganda's new record. It challenges me. It educates me. It helps me to understand. Just because it doesn't talk about Jesus every other line doesn't mean that it isn't a spiritual experience that Christ is present in.

Same with John Mark McMillan but in a totally different topic area (doubt, loss, frustration etc.) - doesn't have a classic Church worship song but it is intensely spiritual.

A few thoughts! People try and put things in simple boxes (secular/sacred) but they miss out on the richness of life. Not meaning to criticise your friend who may have meant something else and might not have meant it in a negative way, but it is all very interesting!

 

Haven't really been into My Epic since their first few albums, but something is just clicking for me today. Really powerful stuff.

 

I'M DIVING IN I'M GOING DEEP HEAD UNDER THE WATER I WANNA BE CAUGHT IN THE RUSH TOSSED IN THE FLOW IN OVER MY HEAD I WANNA GO THE RIVER'S DEEP THE RIVER'S WIDE THE RIVER'S WATER IS ALIVE IN SO SINK OR SWIM I'M DIVING IN

 

Sorry, it was the first thing that came to mind when I saw the thread title.

 

This is what I had to Google. Haha, very stupid error.

 

Lol no worries

We would sink that at least three times a day at church camp when I was a kid. Had a dance and everything. It was one of my favorite camp songs. We'd perform it at church when we got back from camp and when we had youth-led worship Sundays.

One of my few good church memories lol

 

I definitely enjoy Cora and think it's going to end up on my year end list. It's very subtle, but it's creeping in quickly.

I second the Of Man hype though. As the years have gone by, I'd say that album would be a top 10 album of all time for me. It's one of the most incredible pieces of unabashedly Christian art I've ever heard.

 

Love this.

 

"Brother Micah feared the seeds he'd sown.
And he prayed for mercy
for crops he knew would surely grow,
but there's no way to hide the shame we plant at night.
They may lie dormant but blooms will always find the light.
If there was only justice in this world he'd be alone
with his heart still left in parts that he could never whole.
But now I ask you of his bride,
friend, do you see that rose?
She is the loveliest crop failure he will ever know."

I'm teary eyed just typing that.

 

Ah I see. I looked at the tracked list and saw Ty Dolla and I thought to myself I don't think that guy is Christian. That's interesting what he's doing and I say go for it. I agree with everything you said and ohhh man JMM is gonna be in my top ten this year. He really takes you on a spiritual journey and every time I get to Nothing Stands Between Us I'm filled with joy.

 

I feel like if you lived in the UK we'd be friends! Or at least be able to talk about Christian music all day.

 

This. This. This. It basically parallels my story. Although I wasn't married when I first heard it. Fun story: my wife is a florist. She is a real rose! Couldn't have fit the song any better.

 

Yeah I think friends would be an accurate statement!

 

Break down those lyrics y'all posted! Is it basically saying the man should have no chance for love, but he's blessed anyways with a beautiful bride who's flawed as him

 

It makes more sense in the context of the whole song, but look up "Garden" and read along with the lyrics. The entire song is talking about how so often we plant faulty seeds and fear the repercussions, but God in His power grows something there anyway. I guess you could boil it down to the song just being about the mystery of grace.

 

Yes, it's definitely about God's grace and him using all these bad situations and our mistakes.

For me...

I think it's an actual specific story but I find it relatable. I don't know if Micah is his actual brother or a 'Christian brother' kind of thing but I interpreted it as there's this guy who is scared of how he's acted (the seeds he's sown) around women and feels shame. I don't know if the "shame we plant at night" is to do with something like porn or whether he was sleeping around. For me, I messed around a lot of girls, treated them badly and took them for granted. I interpret it as these actions with women are seeds planted and unfortunately those seeds, even if they lie dormant, will eventually find the light. They come to the surface. You have to confront it. It's painful. You realise you're not worthy of these beautiful daughters. You realise you've given your heart away to so many people and it was just foolish. ("hearts in part")

So from that place, if there was any justice in the world we'd be alone because we messed it up with so many people and hurt them. But then it turns out that he's met someone, he has a bride and she is a rose. I love the metaphor in the final line: "she is the loveliest crop failure he will ever know". Crop failure because he sowed all these seeds in the wrong places, he made so many mistakes, but somehow at the end of it a beautiful rose (their relationship) has grown. And after meeting my wife Kath I feel like from my mistakes and my poor attempt at gardening (ha!) something beautiful has somehow grown.

They are my thoughts but other people might relate to it in different ways.

When I first heard it I was at the point where I'd hurt a lot of girls even though I didn't want to I kept taking them for granted and trying to satisfy my own needs (mainly looking for a girl who would affirm who I am because I lacked confidence and belief in myself so if a girl was attracted to me I felt good about myself).