You can't say enough about Skillet: dynamic songwriting, well-blended vocals, intricate musical arrangements, and, most importantly, a kick-you-in-the-face sound that leaves you wanting more every time. Yet, for all the things that can be said of Skillet, it saddens me sometimes that some of their best work goes largely unrecognized. Case in point? The song "Under My Skin" from the album "Collide."
Now, Skillet's sound is unmistakable: thick, often crushing guitars typically teamed with violin and cello, and the occasional keyboard or piano. They usually take you for a ride right from the get go and keep you at full speed until the end. So it's something to note when John Cooper, Skillet's frontman and lead songwriter, starts us out with an acoustic guitar on "Under My Skin:" something important is going to be said, and we need to pay special attention to what's coming.
The message behind "Under My Skin" is simple enough: even when everything on the outside (and even the things on the inside) seem chaotic and out of control, the peace that comes from God's presence inside completely overtakes the pain, and as we draw close to Him, everything else just fades away. A powerful message, yes, but the thing that makes this song extra special is the way that message is communicated.
The first words that the listener gets to hear: "When I feel You close to me, it's easy to believe." That's an extremely profound statement. At the time, the listener may not feel like God is anywhere near them, but John Cooper helps us understand that God is near, and we need only allow Him to come in. "You calm the ache, I come awake when you are everything you are." Yes, God is a God that is able to heal us in times of hurt and pain. What a wonderful truth.
Now, in terms of their normal sound, Skillet doesn't disappoint; "Under My Skin" still kicks in with a heavily driven chorus. The lyrics here serve to neatly sum up the message: "When I hurt, when I bleed, You're holding me, feel you scratching at the surface under my skin." Yes, that just about sums it up. But there's one more part of this song that makes it extra special, and it's one of the reasons why I feel this song is one of Skillet's best: the bridge.
After a mild guitar solo and several hits, we arrive at the point of refreshment: we're given a moment of severe calm, of simple piano with some mild synth. And then, the poem starts:
Could I be lost, could I disappear?
Could I be lost, would You find me here?
Could I be lost in a secret place?
Could I rest in the shadow of Your face?
and, to compliment, a beautiful descant part:
Oh, the sweet serenity, beautifully a part of me
And you're left feeling, "Wow, God actually cares about me that much." Yes, He does, and that's the point.
And yes, we get a big ending with some fantastic emphasis hits on the final chorus, but it's the bridge of "Under My Skin" that makes it a song that deeply affects the listener for the better. That's what makes it a song that really sticks with you.
You can listen to "Under My Skin" on the YouTube video below:
I hope you enjoyed this selection. Remember, we always welcome feedback and suggestions on great finds, new and old.
As always, thanks for checking out Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian Music.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
"Falling In Love" - Falling Up
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a special day for me; I'm about to tell you about one of the biggest influences behind my starting Christian Music Discovery: Falling Up's powerful worship offering, "Falling In Love," from their debut album, "Crashings." This story takes a little time:
I remember being in the offices of my church just after having started college, and the girl that was interning for the youth minister and I were discussing the "Crashings" album. "Broken Heart" was a huge radio success, and Falling Up was quickly establishing itself as a new force in Christian music. As we were talking, she said to me, "Have you listened to track ten yet?" I replied, "No, I haven't." She insisted that I do so as soon as possible.
I am eternally grateful that she did.
As I sat and listened to the song, I was immediately drawn in by the intricate opening set up by the guitar and drums (BTW, Josh is one of the best drummers in Christian music, hands down.) And then, the lyrics came: "You are my one true love." Is there any better way to describe God?
As I continued to listen, and the music continued to draw me in, almost into a worshipful trance, the chorus came, and I was launched into the words "All of my dreams and my passions are in your hands." This was the point at which "Falling In Love" began to change me.
You see, at the time, due to some certain circumstances, I was having trouble understanding what God's will for my life was in the long run. I had so many things that I wanted to do, but I didn't know which of them were God's plans and which of them were mine. This song gave me such a peace about letting go, and letting God. It took me back to what Paul said in 2 Timothy 1:12 - " . . . I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day." I could place all my plans and dreams in His hands, and know that he would hold them for the appointed time.
At the time, it astounded me that such a masterpiece of Christian music was so widely unheard of; I kept waiting for them to release it as a single, so that others could partake of the powerful ministry given through this song, but it never happened, and so came Falling Up's next album. This contributed to my eventually starting Christian Music Discovery: I wanted to make sure that people knew that songs like "Falling in Love" were out there, waiting to be heard.
I'm thankful that, after several years now, "Falling In Love" has become one of Falling Up's most popular songs (it's one of the bestsellers on their greatest hits album according to iTunes, and the most popular YouTube video of theirs by far,) but I wanted to go ahead and share this song with you anyway, because I really feel that as many people as possible need to hear and know this work.
Now, I could go on and on about the intricacies of the music, the dynamic shifts in rythym and progression, the power of the lyrics, and the emotional evocation that the whole song brings, but when all is said and done, the only thing that can really do justice to "Falling In Love" is to say this: it is absolutely Falling Up's best track ever, and one of the greatest and most under-appreciated peices of Christian music of all time. You need only hear it to know.
That being said, you can listen to "Falling In Love" on the YouTube video below:
I hope you enjoy "Falling In Love," and stay tuned for more great music from Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian music.
I remember being in the offices of my church just after having started college, and the girl that was interning for the youth minister and I were discussing the "Crashings" album. "Broken Heart" was a huge radio success, and Falling Up was quickly establishing itself as a new force in Christian music. As we were talking, she said to me, "Have you listened to track ten yet?" I replied, "No, I haven't." She insisted that I do so as soon as possible.
I am eternally grateful that she did.
As I sat and listened to the song, I was immediately drawn in by the intricate opening set up by the guitar and drums (BTW, Josh is one of the best drummers in Christian music, hands down.) And then, the lyrics came: "You are my one true love." Is there any better way to describe God?
As I continued to listen, and the music continued to draw me in, almost into a worshipful trance, the chorus came, and I was launched into the words "All of my dreams and my passions are in your hands." This was the point at which "Falling In Love" began to change me.
You see, at the time, due to some certain circumstances, I was having trouble understanding what God's will for my life was in the long run. I had so many things that I wanted to do, but I didn't know which of them were God's plans and which of them were mine. This song gave me such a peace about letting go, and letting God. It took me back to what Paul said in 2 Timothy 1:12 - " . . . I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day." I could place all my plans and dreams in His hands, and know that he would hold them for the appointed time.
At the time, it astounded me that such a masterpiece of Christian music was so widely unheard of; I kept waiting for them to release it as a single, so that others could partake of the powerful ministry given through this song, but it never happened, and so came Falling Up's next album. This contributed to my eventually starting Christian Music Discovery: I wanted to make sure that people knew that songs like "Falling in Love" were out there, waiting to be heard.
I'm thankful that, after several years now, "Falling In Love" has become one of Falling Up's most popular songs (it's one of the bestsellers on their greatest hits album according to iTunes, and the most popular YouTube video of theirs by far,) but I wanted to go ahead and share this song with you anyway, because I really feel that as many people as possible need to hear and know this work.
Now, I could go on and on about the intricacies of the music, the dynamic shifts in rythym and progression, the power of the lyrics, and the emotional evocation that the whole song brings, but when all is said and done, the only thing that can really do justice to "Falling In Love" is to say this: it is absolutely Falling Up's best track ever, and one of the greatest and most under-appreciated peices of Christian music of all time. You need only hear it to know.
That being said, you can listen to "Falling In Love" on the YouTube video below:
I hope you enjoy "Falling In Love," and stay tuned for more great music from Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian music.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Artist Response Alert!
Yes, it's true: artists do stop by from time to time to read our reviews. We just got a response from Merlon Devine on Twitter the other day:
@MerlonDevine Merlon Devine
@proofofpower thank you sir! I don't get to share that when I minister "Change". Those are my exact sentiments though! Bless you!
Well, it's always nice to have positive feedback. Thanks, Merlon.
You can follow Merlon Devine on Twitter, @MerlonDevine.
You can also follow me on Twitter, @proofofpower.
As always, thanks for stopping by, and stay tuned for more from Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian music.
Monday, April 18, 2011
"Less Like Scars" - Sara Groves
Did you ever notice how much difference the right perspective can make? Well, if you've never thought about it, then let me say this: sometimes, taking the time to see things the way God sees them can make all the difference. This is message behind the Sara Groves song "Less Like Scars."
Now, Sara Groves tends to have that eclectic folk sound to her music, but, on this album, she pumps just enough juice into "Less Like Scars" to give the album "All Right Here" a great start, and to put the necessary energy behind the message, which is all about taking the things that life throws at us and seeing them as opportunities, not setbacks.
Now, she deceives us a little bit with a simple acoustic intro, and the lyrics "it's been a hard year." You don't get the sense that there's a big shot of optimism coming your way, until it does, and Sara begins to help us to understand how things are when we, in terms of perspective, choose to step out of the darkness and look at things in the light of day. "Less like tearing, more like building," she says. That's quite a difference, isn't it? And so, the song serves as a reminder that we must consistently renew our minds to the fact that we have to see things the way God sees them. This transforms the seemingly unbearable things of life into opportunities to grow both more like God and closer to Him.
When we get to the chorus, the gentle distortion of the electric guitar perfectly emphasizes and underscores the message, that God is faithful and able to see us through anything, which brings us to the key line: "In your hands, the pain and the hurt feel less like scars and more like character." Sara's soft but insightful voice helps to bring the point straight to the heart of the listener; it's not shot through like an arrow, but rather gently offered, leaving the listener comforted.
In the bridge, we start to have a little fun: Sara starts to testify about her own struggles with perspective. She does this by using one of my favorite tools: singing the story. I love it! And as she brings us back around, and ultimately home, the listener isn't left feeling overwhelmed or completely catapulted, but gently lifted up and over, sitting on the sunny side of the clouds rather than the dark side. We're left refreshed, even by the build at the end of the final chorus: it's not too much - it just reassures us that, yeah, we are a lot better off than we thought. It kinda makes you wanna say, "Thank you, Sara Groves, for that gentle reminder."
You can listen to "Less Like Scars" on the YouTube video below:
I hope you enjoyed today's selection. As always, keep checking back for more great finds.
If you have any suggestions, please let us know, and thanks for stopping by Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian Music.
Now, Sara Groves tends to have that eclectic folk sound to her music, but, on this album, she pumps just enough juice into "Less Like Scars" to give the album "All Right Here" a great start, and to put the necessary energy behind the message, which is all about taking the things that life throws at us and seeing them as opportunities, not setbacks.
Now, she deceives us a little bit with a simple acoustic intro, and the lyrics "it's been a hard year." You don't get the sense that there's a big shot of optimism coming your way, until it does, and Sara begins to help us to understand how things are when we, in terms of perspective, choose to step out of the darkness and look at things in the light of day. "Less like tearing, more like building," she says. That's quite a difference, isn't it? And so, the song serves as a reminder that we must consistently renew our minds to the fact that we have to see things the way God sees them. This transforms the seemingly unbearable things of life into opportunities to grow both more like God and closer to Him.
When we get to the chorus, the gentle distortion of the electric guitar perfectly emphasizes and underscores the message, that God is faithful and able to see us through anything, which brings us to the key line: "In your hands, the pain and the hurt feel less like scars and more like character." Sara's soft but insightful voice helps to bring the point straight to the heart of the listener; it's not shot through like an arrow, but rather gently offered, leaving the listener comforted.
In the bridge, we start to have a little fun: Sara starts to testify about her own struggles with perspective. She does this by using one of my favorite tools: singing the story. I love it! And as she brings us back around, and ultimately home, the listener isn't left feeling overwhelmed or completely catapulted, but gently lifted up and over, sitting on the sunny side of the clouds rather than the dark side. We're left refreshed, even by the build at the end of the final chorus: it's not too much - it just reassures us that, yeah, we are a lot better off than we thought. It kinda makes you wanna say, "Thank you, Sara Groves, for that gentle reminder."
You can listen to "Less Like Scars" on the YouTube video below:
I hope you enjoyed today's selection. As always, keep checking back for more great finds.
If you have any suggestions, please let us know, and thanks for stopping by Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian Music.
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