Cold War Kids + Religion = losers?

[Welsh Rich]

Interesting piece on Cold War Kids in the paper today... didn't realise there'd been so much of a back lash over here about this.

 

They were stunning on Jools Holland last Fri night though.

 

Did you see Later With Jools Holland last week? Did you see Cold War Kids howl thrillingly through Hang Me Up to Dry' date=' with a power their album never got anywhere near achieving? And if you did, were you left thinking it was magnificent, or did you dismiss them with a shrug: nah, don't go for Christian rock?

 

Cold War Kids had more buzz than a hive of honeybees a few months back. Then it emerged that three of the band's four members had attended the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, and plenty of erstwhile supporters jumped away in horror, like vampires splashed with holy water. The band's songs were scoured and deemed to be full of propaganda with which to brainwash Our Pop Kids. Because you can't have rock bands singing about God, can you?

 

There are, naturally, some problems with that argument. First, Cold War Kids' songs are not obvious hymns. Second, rock fans have traditionally venerated musicians singing about God or using religious imagery. They just demand they fit into one of three stereotypical roles. They can plainly not really be terribly Christian (the White Stripes, Nick Cave and Bobby Gillespie, for example), in which case their singing "I was blind, now I can see/ You made a believer out of me" is not halfwitted tosh, but a clever and knowing appropriation of musical forms, making a spiritual connection with the gospel roots of rock'n'roll. Or you can be an elderly cove who's seen enough of the dark side that Christianity is your shot at redemption after the drugs and the drinks and the demons. We're all thinking Johnny Cash here, aren't we? Or, of course, you can be black, because no one bats an eyelid at rappers and R&B stars dropping mention of 'Im Upstairs at every available juncture. But to be a white musician making "alternative rock", and to have faith? How dare you!

At the heart of all this, though, are some ugly and fundamentally racist assumptions. Are we saying white musicians should not, on the whole, make reverend mention of God because it is to be presumed we are all committed rationalists who understand Christianity is all smoke-and-mirrors? Much of the time, I fear, we are. So why do we excuse black musicians the same rigour? The obvious reason is the same one that has governed white responses to black music since the first collectors went out and recorded the blues 80 or so years ago: that this stuff is primitive, maaaaan, and you don't mess with the mojo. That's right, the old noble savages line.

 

Which is why Bobby Gillespie and the like can get away with their religious references. They are the modern equivalents of those song collectors, presenting a fondly imagined view of what they think the black experience to be: gospel churches, speaking in tongues, with the odd reference to the civil rights struggle. The same logic means the White Stripes can record Son House's John the Revelator - one of the oddest, spookiest blues spirituals - as a piece of naive folk art. But God forbid that any white artist should want to echo the sentiments of John the Revelator with sincerity.

 

Although I hold no particular affection for Cold War Kids, I think they've been given a raw deal. They've been judged and found wanting because they happen to have beliefs that the hipster tastemakers don't share. If they make dreadful records, by all means write them off. But if they are dismissed for being Christian, then something is awry - unless we do decide, too, that everything from Mahalia Jackson to Kanye West should also be derided on grounds of faith. Not willing to go that far? Thought not.[/quote']

[whiskeygirl]

Interesting piece on Cold War Kids in the paper today... didn't realise there'd been so much of a back lash over here about this.

 

They were stunning on Jools Holland last Fri night though.

 

don't really care about the religious angle/non-angle - if the music appeals to me, then it appeals - i didn't really make the association though - obviously i'm not too bright!

 

i've got the album, which i really love, and have the opportunity to see them here in my hometown next week . . . so what's the verdict on their live shows?

[aricandover]

they're great live.

[alison the wilca]

gosh, i went to school with the 3 of 4 of them and i sure hope people wouldn't dismiss me if i decided to sit down and write a song one day. i think christians are often all lumped into the same jerry falwell, crazy right wing, etc group that is in the media, which is what a lot of people can't stand. the problem with that is there are a lot of christians nothing like that stereotype. as far as rejecting their music because of what they believe... how does that even make sense?

[cryptique]

I think the issue here is not that Christian themes are unwelcome in "alternative" music, but that the bulk of modern "Christian music" sucks ass (imo, naturally), and lots of people shy away from listening to anything that might edge into that genre.

 

I'm not saying it makes sense.

[bedbug]

I dislike the Cold War Kids because they sound like Modest Mouse. The fact that they're Christian only makes me dislike them slightly more.

[LouieB]

I think the issue here is not that Christian themes are unwelcome in "alternative" music, but that the bulk of modern "Christian music" sucks ass (imo, naturally), and lots of people shy away from listening to anything that might edge into that genre.

In my travels in rural IL I sometimes scan the stations and will be surprised how often I get caught up in some catchy tune that later turns out to be contemporary Christian radio fare. Some fairly overtly Christian type music of this sort is amazingly well done (not to dispute your opinion of the overall genre.)

 

LouieB

[willywoody]

i checked out lyrics to two songs that i've heard and don't see any preaching. what's the deal? maybe other songs are more preachy?

 

We Used To Vacation

 

 

I kissed the kids at noon

then stumbled out the room

I caught a cab

ran up a tab

on 7th and flower

 

best recital I had to ruin

missed my son's graduation

punched the Nickles boy

for taking his seat

gets all that anger from me

 

still things could be much worse

natural disasters on the evening news

still things could be much worse

we still got our health

my paycheck in the mail

 

I promised to my wife and children

I'd never touch another drink

as long as I live

but even then

it sounds so soothing

this will blow over in time

this will all blow over in time

 

I'm just an honest man

provide for me and mine

I give a check to tax deductable

charity organizations

two weks paid vacation won't heal the damage done

I need another one

 

still things could be much worse

natural disasters on the evening news

still things could be much worse

we still got our health

my paycheck in the mail

 

I promised to my wife and children

I'd never touch another drink

as long as I live

but even then

it sounds so soothing

to mix a gin

and sink into oblivion

 

I promised to my wife and children

that accident

left everyone a little shook up

but at the meetings

I felt so empty

this will blow over in time

this will all blow over in time

[quarter23cd]

I have no opinion on the Cold War Kids--heard a couple tunes via satellite radio and that's about it. Never would have picked up on the religious connection and am not sure if it would have affected my judgement or not. I do find the racial commentary here kind of interesting (and maybe a little uncomfortable), though.

 

To pick an example, I'm not a religious guy but I could listen to Bob Marley all day long and barely bat an eye at the overtly religious nature of a lot of the songs. I'm certainly no Rastafarian, and not even Christian, but it doesn't bother me in the least. In fact, I think the music is passionate and I love it for that. (same could be said for any number of reggae/blues/soul/hip-hop artists, etc) And its true that, if thinking purely in racial terms, off the top of my head I can't think of a single white counterpart band/artist that is as explicitly spiritual without me rolling my eyes at least a little bit. Not sure why that is. But maybe that's because white people don't know how to be funky when they sing about god.

[willywoody]

this song has more religious overtones than the ones i've heard by cold war kids. not that i really have a dog in this fight as i find cold war kids unoffensive at best. i think many of the white religious rockers come from a fundamentalist background and that comes through in their lyrics and is probably what turns off those who've posted as such. they come across as evangelical, rather than merely spiritual as do the christian blues, r&b, and reggae classics.

 

Artist/Song name- Wilco- What light lyrics

 

If you feel like singing a song

And you want other people to sing along

Just sing what you feel

Don

[cryptique]

this song has more religious overtones

That's a stretch.

[quarter23cd]

There

[El Picador]

I really like Cold War Kids. Their live shows and their record are quality. I spoke with the singer after one of their shows out here in California last year and he was a very kind man. To me they are good people making really good music and that's all that matters.

[willywoody]

That's a stretch.

 

really? i'm not very religious but it was the first thing i thought of with the song. "light" often being used in religious writing to represent god/heaven.

[jimmyjimmy]

Robbers and Cowards is a good record, that's all that counts.

Don't allow someone else's faith, lack thereof prevent you from discovering or enjoying it.

 

(Just lookin for an excuse to post that link...so cool)

[solace]

they're great live.

yes they are!

 

i only sorta liked the record (3-4 great tracks), but man, live they destroyed it...

 

their cover of Lennon's "Well, Well, Well" is stunning

 

as for people turning away from them for being Christian, idiotic... it's not like it's obvious at all from their music. so is it ok if you're up front about it at first ala Sufjan or Pedro The Lion then?

[caliber66]

really? i'm not very religious but it was the first thing i thought of with the song. "light" often being used in religious writing to represent god/heaven.

It's also used in nonreligious context to mean "inspiration."

[willywoody]

It's also used in nonreligious context to mean "inspiration."

 

no duh.

 

i'm not saying jeff meant anything religious by the lyrics, i merely thought they could be interpreted as religious as opposed to the lyrics i found for the cold war kids' songs, in which i could find no religious connotations. like i said, i have no dog in this fight. (i bet PETA loves that saying)

[creativetype]

How about "One True Vine" and its Christian connotations?

 

I was last in line

For the one true vine

The endless winding thread

I was dead at first

I had done my worst

When you came to me

 

Life had ceased

I was lost and tired

You set me free from this mighty mighty fire

Just in time to be

My one true vine

 

And you still come to me

And you comfort me

You

[willywoody]

that reads like a hymn! i thought it was the cold war kids originally given this thread and didn't even catch it as jeff's song. doh!

 

 

How about "One True Vine" and its Christian connotations?

 

I was last in line

For the one true vine

The endless winding thread

I was dead at first

I had done my worst

When you came to me

 

Life had ceased

I was lost and tired

You set me free from this mighty mighty fire

Just in time to be

My one true vine

 

And you still come to me

And you comfort me

You

[bobbob1313]

I seem to remember the christianity thing being about the only thing pitchfork mentioned in their CWK review.

[bjorn_skurj]

So, "Hang Me Out to Dry" is a crucifixion allegory?

[creativetype]

that reads like a hymn! i figured there must be something to all the hubbub but i really don't know much about them.

 

 

You do know that One True Vine is from Wilco and not Cold War Kids, right? ("B-side" from SBS)

[dannygutters]

I always thought Family Gardener had some religious sounding metaphores.

 

Plenty of artists work from a religious perspective and are not shunned,

George Harrison, Sufjan Stevens, REVREND Gary Davis... etc.

 

I take issue with prostilization but not with religious inspiration

[bjorn_skurj]

Don't forget the Doobie Bros.