Friday, June 16, 2006

Wikipedia on CCM

According to the Wikipedia there are 4 types of CCM. These four types are different and we can pretty much classify most "Christian" albums in one of these categories. I love that our culture creates genres as soon as it can. We love to classify everything. From our Religion to personality types. We think that it helps us to understand ourselves and the world around us. Lately I have been re-thinking this whole compartmentalizing and will post soon on it. For now, what do you think of these four categories and for what categories do you feel the strongest. Do you think there is a need for these kind of assessments? Do you think that is good for us to know which category we fall under. How would you categorize Five Cent Stand's music pertaining to these categories. I am seriously interested in your thoughts. Amber and I have some decision to make in the next few months and some of our decisions will be contigent on how we fit into these categories or if we do, so opions and suggestions are appreiciated.

Category 1. The purists position
In this view, Christians should use music as a tool of spreading the gospel of Christ to others. The views of the Purist can be summed up with the words of Martin Luther. "I am not of the opinion that all arts are to be cast down and destroyed on account of the Gospel, as some fanatics protest. On the other hand, I would gladly see all arts, especially music, in the service of Him who has given and created them. I therefore pray that every pious Christian would be pleased with this [the use of music in the service of the gospel] and lend his help if God has given him like or greater gifts. As it is, the world is too lax and indifferent about teaching and training the young for us to abet this trend. God grant us his grace. Amen."


Category 2. "The 'spiritually reflective' position"
This position states that Christians should embrace pop and rock music more as an art form than a preaching tool. T-Bone Burnett, a Christian musician and producer, summed up this view well when he said that "You can sing about the Light, or you can sing about what you see because of the Light. I prefer the latter" [6]. Musicians known to hold this position include MxPx, Danielson Famile, and Sufjan Stevens. Many artists who hold this view experience frustrations with the CCM industry for a lack of originality, creativity, and depth; in fact, some have cut ties with the industry altogether (e.g. Sam (Leslie) Phillips), questioning the need for a separate Christian music "ghetto".


Category 3. The incidental position
This position holds that the artists' intent is irrelevant. In other words, Christians can find beauty and truth in certain music, regardless of the author's intent or spiritual stance. An example of this is Jeff Buckley's cover version of "Hallelujah" (originally written and recorded by Jewish singer Leonard Cohen), a song that resonates with many Christians but was sung by an artist not normally associated with the CCM industry. Eakins explains that music of this sort "is allied to no spiritual or Christian tradition and may form its inspiration from any source. Where as the purist or spiritually reflective positions have inspiration in God, any Christian music produced from the incidental position is precisely that, incidentally created." (my note)- Also, it might interest some that the Jackey Valesquez song "I get On My Knees" Was written by an orthodox Jew and never mentions the name of Jesus. It might fall under this category


Category 4.The separatist's position
This position states that Christians should not be listening to or making pop/rock music at all. Many that embrace this argument trace rock's roots to Satanism, and claim that any association with it is wrong. (my note)-uh huh...

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, Thinker! Great stuff to consider! And since I have played the album over and over this week, I feel that I am in a pretty fair position to consider right along with you! I would say, after a good minute or so of contemplation, that Five Cent Stand's music, in large, falls under the spiritually reflective catgory. I think of the pictures you paint (Charlie and Lucy), the stories you tell (Mother Theresa), and the characters you create (songs 2 and 3 on the album), and how they make sense "because of the Light." Your songs are like the stained glass that He shines through- beautiful, allegorical and glorifying. I hear what you do musically and cannot compare it to anything that I know- you two are such artists! Keep up the non-conformity!

FancyPants said...

Kel! You're here! Wow! If you could see me, I'm smiling real big.

I'm immensely delighted that you are joining us here at The Stand. I would say which number I think we fall into, but I'd rather wait to hear if anyone else has a comment about that. Regarding your comment , thanks so much for listening and giving such thoughtful and encouraging feedback. It's good to hear from listeners for an outside perspective, and yours is very dear to us, for sure.

FancyPants said...

I've been wondering about the CCM world for some time now. It seems that the separation of CCM hinders the genre. All Christian music has to be marketed to the same type of people because it has become it's own style, so it doesn't allow for alot of artistic freedom. But, at the same time, if one does desire to have the freedom to write openly about Christ, in America, the genre is forced to be separate. By open, I mean speaking the name of Christ in a worshipful manner. So where does that leave the artist that wants to write simply what comes out? Sometimes it will be blatantly Christian, sometimes it will not. Where do they go?

Do we look at Switchfoot for an example? It's just that, I wonder, if they write a song praising the name of Jesus, does their label say, Well, I know you're doing the Christian/secular crossover bit, but this is still too Christian.

Anonymous said...

Okay, this is a friend from WAY BACK WHEN. Seth, April gave me your blog and I've been up reading it, seriously amazed. Aren't you the guy who procrastinated every time there was a paper due? And look at you now! You could turn these entries into a book!
I have to get in on this CCM talk.
Amber, I love what you said about the genre being forced to be separate, therefore the margins narrowed. I don't know you, but I want to!
I am a geniune "Praise all the time" girl. I could be praising God in the middle of a discoteque ~ and I have! So what category am I? I am definitely a Jesus Freak, and I am simply ready for the music of today to get out of the gutter. Talk about trees; talk about boogers, whatever. Just stop talking about booty.
Is Five Cent Stand your band? Where do I send a check to get some of your music?

Seth Ward said...

Great jumpin Jehosphat. Is that Sarah Tanehill hyphen Cutler???

Yes it is true my old friend that I had serious problems handing in papers on time but at least I didn't come to music theory wearing my PAJAMAS!!!

Anywho, so when are we going to hear a duet album from you and that vocal-powerhouse-of-a-husband?

Anyway, I agree, I would much rather hear a song about boogers and trees than booty.

how bout something like this:

"In the tree, in the tree
I was drinkin me some tea
in that tea was a peice of sugar
oh no wait, that was justa' sweet booger... "

Baca's Head said...

ya'lls music probably falls into the "spiritually reflective" zone, but it seems to me that your individual hearts are in the "purist" zone: it seems that you do all of this so that people would know more of Him.

but I say screw all the categories. Don't even think about them! Do what is in you to do, don't be a catagory. Anyway, my two cents, but ya'll have five! ha ha!

FancyPants said...

Ahhhh HA HA! We've got five! That's a good one, baca. Good one.

I very much like your two cents. And right on! Screw all the categories! But...truthfully and seriously, is this really possible? To forget about these classifications and just write what you want? Or is that ideal?

Sarah - I've heard about that turd song. I opted out of that one at our wedding. I've also heard about this amazing singer you have for a husband, and I can't wait to hear him! I'm glad you're blogging with us, Sarah! Oh, and you can buy the CD at our website, if you don't mind paying with CC through Pay Pal. www.fivecentstand.com

Seth - your song reminds me of The Hobbit's song that he sings to taunt the spiders while he's invisible. Except minus the booger part. Oh, I HATE typing that word! (I also hate typing that "t" word above.) Gross.

Seth Ward said...

Well, it's a long involved story. You see, Amber is actually from Russia. She was starving over their in a Siberian prison camp. She bravely stole a laptop from one of the cruel female guards and emailed me randomly asking for help. Seeing how beautiful she was I seized my oppurtunity to offer her my hand in marraige. I then used my influence with by fishing buddy, Pres. W. and got her on the first plane to Texas. She had second thoughts when she saw me but after a few charming songs on the Guitar and a couple of funny impersonations, she was mine forever.

Chaotic Hammer said...

Seth - Sorry, I'll have to come back for this a little later.

I've got too many thoughts and comments on this subject. I must learn to be more succinct with my blog replies.

I had to delete my first couple of attempts, they were all over the place...

Must... use... fewer... words.
Must... use... fewer...
Must.

Seth Ward said...

oh now, don't be so hard on yourself! I have been known to leave my share of long comments myself. Long comments are not bad. Long comments good. BTW, Shuan responded to Joey that he thinks we sound like Postal Service. agree? disagree?

I have no feelings on the matter, just curious. I had not heard them before he suggested that.

Chaotic Hammer said...

Seth - I don't particularly agree with Shaun's assessment.

Maybe some of your stuff sounds a little bit like The Postal Service, but it's mostly just a passing coincidence on a few songs.

If I had to describe all TPS music (they have a wide variety of different-sounding stuff), I think I'd use the word "quirky". It's a vibe that is throughout all their stuff. It's light and careless, and has sort of a detached sensibility to it.

Some of their stuff has a bit of a "techno mixed with acoustic" sound, with a lot of blended textures overlaid by male and female vocals -- I think that's what Shaun is referring to.

But again, that's just a passing similarity in some of the mixes -- the whole "feel" of Five Cent Stand is quite different from TPS.

The biggest difference would be vocals -- I don't believe there's any real similarity between you and TPS. Both you and Amber have rich, full vocals that sound great with or without effects, and can blend well together or solo. TPS, because they are going for that quirky feel, have no emphasis on classicly-trained vocal styles, or use of the voice as an instrument like you do. They are more like a strange conversation in a Starbucks at an odd hour -- does that make sense?

Of course, this little comment of mine doesn't even touch the original post and subject here. But at least I tried to answer your question. :-)

Seth Ward said...

Hey C-Hammer- Thanks for answering!

Yeah I pretty much agree with you. After listening, I do like TPS but I am not sure how similar our sounds are. But hey, I guess he heard something he liked. Although I think that he was responding to Joey's "they don't really sound like anything" comment.

It doesn't matter much to me, as long as people get something out of it. It is quite impossible to NOT sound like SOMETHING. There have been a few people in history to acheive this and sometimes they don't sound very good. The important thing is- are you saying something in a fresh way. You can use old techniques and styles but are YOU saying it that way or are you saying that way because you want to say it just like someone else is saying it because you are afraid of your own voice?

anyway, thanks for checking it out!