So I feel a bit stupid now. I've been driving a library delivery route for well over a year, and it didn't dawn on me until two weeks ago that I might be able to find Christian music on CD at one of my delivery stops. I feel somewhat like I'm guilty of a disloyal act, but I applied for a library card at my neighboring library system. I only did it because the branch at which I stop has a fairly decent selection of Christian music, and my library system doesn't.The First Three
When I got home, I took a browse of Mid-Continent Public Library's catalog. I got the drool wiped of the keyboard after a few minutes of browsing (just kidding, alright?), then discovered how easy it is to place reserves. On my next visit, I looked more closely at the selection at the Oak Grove, MO, branch, where I stop on my route. I picked out three CDs, listened to them, then, on my next stop, returned them and checked out 5 more. At the time of this writing, the reserves hadn't come in yet. Anyway, the reason I'm writing now is that if I wait until mid-February for the "normal" Update, I'll be way behind. I've got eight bands for you in this article. Don't worry, I'll try to be brief. I'll be honest, too: I only liked some of them.
- Extol: I guessed at the sound by the cover, and a vague recollection of something I'd read in --yes-- The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music, by Mark Allan Powell. The cover was dark and mysterious-looking, or just what one would expect from a death-metal CD. One thing good about Christian death-metal bands is that they don't try to hide their Christian motives at all. Like most death-metal, Extol featured machine-gun drums and guitar, with the hokey un-natural sounding growled vocals. Extol did, however, have some patchy musically-interesting places. They're not on my buy-list, but if you're into death-metal, you'll probably love 'em!
- Michael Sweet: If you've heard Stryper, you've heard Michael Sweet. I thought he might have stepped out of his '80s music, but he's still '80s arena rock. Michael Sweet has a somewhat high nasal voice, quite typical of his genre. He sounds a bit like DeGarmo and Key, Petra, and Styx. The band did some really interesting stuff, and Michael Sweet might be worth the buy if only for the band. Like with Extol and death metal, if you're into that '80s sound, you'll like Sweet.
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