Trawling through Talk Talk lyrics and writing about SoE over the weekend has turned up, as you might expect, the issue of God and faith a great deal. With hindsight, I've always had a fondness for music with religious over/undertones, be they present lyrically or musically, from The Stone Roses and Spiritualized to all those Orbital vocals that sound like angels.
Just how much influence does religion and faith have on (pop) music? Who has best integrated strains faith into their music? Is it used as a tool for forming music or is it a sincere expression of faith? Precisely how important a consideration is, say, Mark Hollis' faith in an appreciation of what Talk Talk do/did? Taking sides - Talk Talk vs Delirious!? Spiritualized vs Charlotte Church?
Apologies for this being phrased incredibly badly, but y'all know what I mean.
Thanks!
― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:51 (twenty-three years ago)
I thought this thread was going to be about the post-Buffy slayer series. :(
― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 24 February 2003 10:39 (twenty-three years ago)
spiritualized's use of religious metaphors/imagery/language grew increasingly annoying as their career went on. pierce had a particular lyrical schtick (in a similar fashion to brett anderson, though most spiritualized fans will wince at the comparison) that grew to be a pain in the ass (especially on "let it come down.")
i found it refreshing when i listen to low, that they're using religious language/phrases/whatever, with no sense of striking a pose, or using it as a metaphor for love/drugs whatever.
as for delerious and creed, well, maybe i'd find their sincerity refreshing too, if their music wasn't such an ugly noise.
to paraphrase - religion is referenced so much in rock that it's refreshing to hear it used with complete sincerity - but only if you have the tunes.
and also, it can be quite charming when religion in music is used in a hippyish non-judgemental way, but i could live without a repent-all-ye-sinners approach. i don't know whether creed want to "save our souls" or "convert us" so it would be unfair of me to level that accusation at them.
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 24 February 2003 10:54 (twenty-three years ago)
Let's turn this into a thread about george michael and ms.dynamite...
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 24 February 2003 11:29 (twenty-three years ago)
Cheers. Bonkersly, TT don't get a mention on that thread. Reminded me of A Love Supreme though, which is an important area.
― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Monday, 24 February 2003 11:49 (twenty-three years ago)
I like it better when they show some evidence they're being serious in their spiritual pursuits IRL (eg Richard Thompson, Dennis Wilson) (ie, losing plot big time) otherwise it just sounds like they're going for cheap manipulation by using the most loaded words imagineable to get a response and I feel insulted and in turn contemptuous of this but perhaps I am projecting my own cynicism/fear onto the artist by reflexively questioning their motives, plus I also love 'Unforgettable Fire' and 'New Gold Dream'(not to mention 'Rebel Yell'), so yeah, otherworld-referencing lyrics are OK!
― dave q, Monday, 24 February 2003 12:25 (twenty-three years ago)
Hey Nick, check out this tune "Angels" by Bobby Conn, it's on the 'Golden Age' CD and it's the best ever!
― dave q, Monday, 24 February 2003 12:31 (twenty-three years ago)