As a Christian in a post-rock band (think Slint more than crescendos), what are some ways that I can express a message of hope and the glory of God without coming across as preachy?
I think Sufjan is an interesting example of someone who obviously has Christian faith but still manages to attract people outside of that single demographic, which is what I want to do. Nihilistic lyrics are cool and all, but I want to offer a message of hope along with what I believe is fantastic instrumentation.
Thoughts?
bumpin real fast before I head off to work
Low
late Talk Talk / Mark Hollis
Al Green
>>60904306
If you show that you question it you'll avoid being preachy at all.
>>60904438
Show that I question my faith and God per se?
>>60904487
Yeah so that you're not mindlessly shoving your faith in my face if your catching my drift.
Art comes from struggle and conflict and also from truth. If you write about your genuine experience dealing with life's bullshit the audience won't care if you are Christian or not. This is as an atheist and listener who really likes Soofy
>>60904513
Gotcha, makes sense
Honestly Christianity is inherently philistine if you really think about it, christianity and art don't go together. Also catholicism is real christianity so all the traditional western imagery is inherently heretical to true christianity, which I would say at the logical end is calvinism
>>60904487
Healthy level of doubt was something that I always talked about employing when I was still a Christian.
Proclaiming glory is boring without remembering that everyone is human and capable of some dumb shit in lieu of their faith. That's why i always hated praise/worship/Christian contemporary music. Hopelessly empty praises that I felt less and less capable of getting behind.
Now, post-rock is especially strange a genre to work hopefulness of Christianity into, but there are ways.
>>60904634
isnt*
>>60904634
Le fishhook
>>60904634
Sorry but you're slightly misguided, Orthodox Christianity predates Catholicism
Also >who is Bach
>>60904634
>christianity and art don't go together
You almost baited me there pal, so close.
Read Kierkegaard first.
Im not trolling btw, that's a real advice.
>>60904702
Kierkegaard's themes would go really well with post-rock atmospheres, so definitely do this
>>60904646
>while I was still a Christian
I imagine said questioning might have something to do with your change of mind, right?
>>60904690
Christianity is about praising god and accepting that all humans are inherently depraved and evil. Artistic expression is inherently self indulgent
It's not quite post-rock anon, but you might be interested in DC Mills, he runs a solo atmospheric black metal project with christian lyrics that've never come across as blind and preachy, to me at least.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ma2rRXJJYE
http://www.darklyrics.com/v/vialsofwrath.html
>>60904306
are you in Pillar or I prevail?
[spoiler] I liked your blank space cover [/spoiler]
>>60904634
Tell that to Caravaggio
>>60904757
>accepting that all humans are inherently depraved and evil
No
also, a huge amount of the most respected art in history is "Christian art" like the Sistine Chapel
>>60904306
Just write about it no more then like 2 or 3 songs in the album and make it sound meaningful. When Sufjan brings it up, it sounds like he's just talking about something thats really personal to him. Its not like most christian rock where to me it just sounds like they're just endlessly preaching. Basically don't try to come off as a christian musician, but a musician who's christian.
>>60904828
this. Especially >don't try to come off as a christian musician, but a musician who's christian
Don't mindlessly do generic songs that have no meaning past the face value. Make it personal, and inclusive instead
I wouldn't go the lyrical route, instead I'd think it'd be better to do instrumentals themed off of biblical stories. (like instrumental enactments of a parable or story, conveying the message through the instrumentation idk how to really put it) Would be too difficult to make passable Christian themed lyrics in post-rock unless you plan to go spoken word or something. But that's not because I'm not a Christian, it's because I personally prefer lyric-less post-rock. lol
U2 manages to have songs of faith without being preachy. I'd suggest giving them a listen.
>>60904757
>accepting that all humans are inherently depraved and evil.
not the concept at all. Humans are born with sin in Christianity, but are forgiven through baptism and redemption. Art doesn't immediately mean self-indulgence, art can be made in praise of god. Any art can be swung as being in praise of god.
Monk John Marler - Faith
Big Star - Jesus Christ
Al Green
Spacemen 3
mewithoutyou has a lot of religious overtones but the lyricism is so well thought out
mewithoutYou is pretty good at doing this, especially pic related. He does a good job of not so much preaching as it is biblical references and personal anecdotes, along with paralleling that with verses remnant of those found in religious texts.
>>60904306
Thoughts about the quality of his music aside, Jon foreman has always been a good example of this as well as being outspoken about the need for Christian artists not explicitly making Christian music. I would say if you want to be hopeful, talk about the joys of life in general, and draw it back to the idea of a loving creator. Or you could reiterate the fact that the love you have in you due to your faith inspires you to be a better person.
Good topic anon, this is something I have also often wondered about
Creed
/thread
Write in major key instead of minor.
Thrice
>>60904306
The Mountain Goats
Nick Cave
listen to Bach you fuck
>>60905712
>without being preachy
>>60905712
Well thought out argument there, I'm glad you brought that wisdom to this thread
>>60904306
Try doing exactly what you said; expressing instead of preaching. Sing to God and not to people, if you direct your lyrics to other people it's going to inherently sound preachy. You have reasons for your faith in God, so sing about them. Your feelings towards God are obviously meaningful, so seek to express them with your music. Looking at the album Carrie and Lowell, Sufjan does not come across as preachy because he never preaches; he talks to God, and not the audience. Anyone with half a brain can then see Sufjan's faith in a way that he sees it. You don't need to make an argument for the sake of Christianity, but rather just be honest
A good Christian lyrical influence for you would probably be Gungor. Some of their stuff is pretty preachy, but a lot of Michael Gungor's lyrics are done through an imperfect human perspective instead of trying to sound all churchy. Just write about your day to day struggles and how you have good days and bad days. Not every day is going to be a happy praise God kind of day, but it's also not always a faith doubting kind of day. The best Christian lyrics show both the good and bad days
