 "Photo: Relient K")
Alternative Christian rock. Let's face it -- in the record stores, most of us walk right past this section of CDs. The "Praise the Lord" lyrics and gospel sound, with a little basic guitar and pop-like tunes, just do not seem to grab our attention. Well, let's kill the stereotypes here, because Relient K breaks the alternative Christian rock and pop group mold. They have guitar solos and musical talent as well as expression that puts Snow Patrol and The Fray's attempts at alternative rock to rest.
After just waking up in Minnesota, lead singer and guitarist Matt Thiessen pulled himself out of bed in order to prepare himself for the show later that night at a local Minneapolis venue called The Myth. It's only the sixth show on the tour and Relient K has a long couple months ahead of them. With its latest album "Five Score and Seven Years Ago" debuting at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 Chart, selling 64,000 copies the week of its release, Relient K is looking forward to sold out shows across its United States tour.
Around since 1998, the Canton, Ohio-based group has put out five albums in seven years (hence the creative title to their most recent release). Three of these albums have gone gold and one was nominated for a Grammy; however, it is "Five Score and Seven Years Ago" that seems to be generating the biggest response yet. With a flow of creative sounds, the album is a perfect display of Relient K's quirky sense of humor and musical abilities.
This album is the first to have the current five members all collaborating together. With the latest addition of Jon Schneck on guitar and vocals, Relient K is expressing a much more fuller sound, now with a total of three guitarists and all five members contributing vocals. Not to mention that with Josh Aeur and Ned Brown of Rooney, as well as Jon Foreman of Switchfoot, contributing to vocals on a couple of the tracks, the musical diversity on this album is apparent.
MTV Hits and mtvU are currently rotating the new video of the first single "Must Have Done Something Right" and fans seem pleased thus far. The word from Capitol is to expect the next single to hit the radio and television waves to be "The Best Thing," which according to Thiessen has been referred to as "the anti-Daniel Powter 'Bad Day' song. It's straight up positive."
As far as labels go, in addition to being signed with Gotee Records, a Christian label, Relient K signed with Capitol in 2004, and has since begun to leak slowly into the mainstream. According to Thiessen, it has never been a game of "getting out there and selling the band, but as soon as kids hear that we're Christian, they roll their eyes and look for something new." With Capitol now on the label list, hopefully kids won't be rolling their eyes anymore. Hopefully they'll be paying attention to the music.
The tour itself is heading through the Los Angeles area next month, and with bands Mae and Sherwood supporting, Relient K is anticipating their best tour yet. With the new album out, "it's nice to play some new songs to the fans," Thiessen said.
So to all of you Christian Rock skeptics who have been musically deprived of Relient K up to this point, take a chance and check them out on their upcoming tour, and maybe you'll be hitting the record stores sooner than you think
