Comments on: Cheezeball

By: corey

corey — Wed, 10 Aug 2005 01:10:14 +0000

This goes out to Max who says there are no good christian hardcore bands. Man you should really know what you are talking about before you say that they suck. Before you permanently decide that there are’nt any good hardcore bands in the christian genre, maybe you should try listening to Zao! Or try, The Chariot, Mortal Treason, Norma Jean, The Death Campaign, Comeback Kid, The Showdown, As I Lay Dying! I believe you just have’nt heard enough. Believe me these guys are good and if you don’t think so then I believe you don’t know what true hardcore is and maybe have no respect for good music.

By: Matt McGrattan

Matt McGrattan — Sun, 07 Aug 2005 00:11:12 +0000

The entire manifesto seems explicitly designed to catch the work of Lambchop.

I think “Nixon” and “What Another Man Spills” tick pretty much every single box on the their list. Both are still great.

“C’Mon/Aw You C’Mon” and “Is A Woman” are admittedly rubbish though…

By: Bertrand

Bertrand — Sat, 06 Aug 2005 18:08:34 +0000

One of the problems with the “alt” category is that it means “non-commercial” among other things, but any group which is reasonably successful in the “alt” category will be courted by the biggies, and will realize that they can reach more people and make more money that way. (If they sign a good contract.) The countercultural precession is eternal.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sat, 06 Aug 2005 17:53:01 +0000

they were certainly sound on “Countryman” by Willie Nelson. That is possibly the worst album I own, and my collection of unlistenable crap is second to none.

By: soubzriquet

soubzriquet — Sat, 06 Aug 2005 17:51:29 +0000

Oops. Post #1, if it isn’t obvious, was meant for the thread on Kieran’s post. I’ve been lurking here for a while but it took a music topic to draw me out. Of course I screwed up in the process!

In response to bertrand though, I think the “alt” label is becoming so dilute as to be meaningless. are so-called Alt-country and Alt-folk really that far apart? While it might be uncontroversial to tag a band like Shearwater or The Be Good Tanyas, what about Califone, or The Books for that matter?

By: Chris Bertram

Chris Bertram — Sat, 06 Aug 2005 17:41:49 +0000

Thanks bertrand, my “whatever that is” was merely meant to signal that the category encompasses a remarkably heterogenous bunch of styles/

By: Bertrand

Bertrand — Sat, 06 Aug 2005 15:46:04 +0000

Alt country is alternative rock played in a country style. Alt country people hate contemporary Nashville country but like outlaw country (Willy Nelson, et al). Some alt country groups are purist traditionalists, though they still write original music. Others develop country style in a direction different than the way Nashville did it. Alt country musicians might be from a countryish area, though they don’t have to be, but they aren’t normally cowboys or barefoot folk from the Tennessee hills. All members of my son’s alt country band had some sort of country roots, but members also has Mexican, Japanese, and Yapese ancestry.

Alternative rock, on the other hand, is an indefinable attempt to find something besides commercial rock (top 40 and oldies).

By: Eszter

Eszter — Sat, 06 Aug 2005 15:22:20 +0000

Yes, the Manifesto is definitely worth a read. The Off Topic section is worth a look as well.

By: david

david — Sat, 06 Aug 2005 14:17:01 +0000

Loving country so much you want to keep the cheeze out is a hard life.

By: soubzriquet

soubzriquet — Sat, 06 Aug 2005 14:02:21 +0000

Christian musicians clearly doesn’t imply Chrisitan music (rock or otherwise). A couple of commenters have mentioned the excellent new album by Sufjan Stevens, which only incidentally has some Christian themes. Of course a songwriters beliefs will colour their work, but Sufjan is far too talented to muddy his purpose in the 50 states project.

On the other hand, in between the Michigan album (also very good, although not as strong as Illinoise) and this one, he released `Seven Swans’, which is overtly Christian themed. And doesn’t suck.