This post is dedicated to the artists who inspire us. Most of these will work their way into our "Sunday Set List" though some are either beyond our abilities or not really conducive to our gatherings and all of these artists have a strong spiritual element to their songs.
Gungor - Fronted by longtime songwriter, singer (not exactly in the mold of the singer/songwriter), guitarist, husband and band leader Michael Gungor; this band is one of our main models for what it means to be artists in this genre of music. In 2010 they were nominated for a grammy and though they were competing against two other groups on our list, including some friends of friends, we thought they should have gone home with the award. Their theology and their music are both intelligent and accessible which is a rare feat but they pull it off well. Their 2009 release Beautiful things changed the way we approach worship and music and we can't wait for their new record this fall. No other artist is more strongly represented in our repertoire than these guys.
Future of Forestry - Honestly, the fact that this band is from San Diego has nothing to do with why they are on this list. I (Juan) was turned on to them by fellow choir nerd/worship leader Jonathan Vevia and literally had one of those goose bump inducing experiences when I saw this video.
You can look for this to make it into our repertoire when the time is right. Gungor - Fronted by longtime songwriter, singer (not exactly in the mold of the singer/songwriter), guitarist, husband and band leader Michael Gungor; this band is one of our main models for what it means to be artists in this genre of music. In 2010 they were nominated for a grammy and though they were competing against two other groups on our list, including some friends of friends, we thought they should have gone home with the award. Their theology and their music are both intelligent and accessible which is a rare feat but they pull it off well. Their 2009 release Beautiful things changed the way we approach worship and music and we can't wait for their new record this fall. No other artist is more strongly represented in our repertoire than these guys.
Future of Forestry - Honestly, the fact that this band is from San Diego has nothing to do with why they are on this list. I (Juan) was turned on to them by fellow choir nerd/worship leader Jonathan Vevia and literally had one of those goose bump inducing experiences when I saw this video.
Switchfoot - Again, we're honestly not playing hometown favorites here. Though this group puts forward what at one time was called "alternative" and now is essentially mainstream rock it is incredibly thoughtful and catchy and can speak to anyone, wherever they are on their faith journey. What more could you ask for in music? We have two cuts off of the last album in our song list and will likely add some new and some of their older stuff as time goes on.
David Crowder Band - Ok, I know our list is looking like a who's who of "contemporary christian" music but really, these guys deserve some respect. Their latest record,"Church Music" turns every expectation on it's head and although these guys are essentially alternative rockers it draws inspiration from pop/dance music. Genius and almost impossible to recreate on stage. That being said, you can expect to see some of this very soon....
Sadly their last two records will be released this Fall and then they will be disbanding though you can expect great things out of each of the members of this band.
Ok, this is where we get a little off of the beaten path.
Welcome Wagon - Highly influenced by Sufjan Stephens. Actually, it's almost like a side project of Sufjan as he acts as the produce and plays on their recordings. You'll find extensive use of real instruments, and lots of them and they aren't using autotune so it sounds even more real and natural along with what we like to call "gang vocals" meaning a bunch of people singing.
New York Hymn Project - An assortment of musicians that came together to record some of America's oldest hymns in what is both contemporary and almost timeless style. If you are a fan of the Civil Wars, Fleet Foxes or even Bon Iver you will probably find this very moving. What's more is that this record is available for free and any tips go to "Plywood People" a non-profit organization dedicated to helping homeless people.
Andy Gullahorn - If you like Glen Phillips or the singer/songwriter genre then you will love this guy.
Trevor Morgan - Another amazing singer/songwriter
We'd love to hear about the artists that inspire you, please comment below.
