Symphonic Retro-Rock for the Spiritually Minded

10 MP3 Songs in this album (42:42) !
Related styles: ROCK: Modern Rock, SPIRITUAL: Christian Rock

People who are interested in Rush Ultravox Cheap Trick should consider this download.


Details:
PINING AWAY

Christian bands have the most profound and inspirational of all subject matters to sing aboutâthe infinite realities of the Creator and His creation. Yet much of the music lately has done very little to convey that inspiration, in our opinion. Though Solomon pined that there was nothing new under the sun, that hardly gives us the excuse to settle for the same tired old stuff. Make no mistake, "same old same old" is what's been coming down the Christian musical pike. From the all-too-familiar nashville mass-production sound to the overloaded alternative bandwagon--it's the sum of most Christian popular music today. Of course, there are the fringe who have climbed aboard the screaming industrial train, and that has at least opened the door for "something different"; but we always thought it odd to juxtapose an angry dark tone with the Light of the World. To each his own I suppose, but whatever happened to innovation? Why always veer toward what others have already done? Why become just another signpost on the Lemming Trail? In the late 70âs and early 80âs, the world enjoyed a marvelous resurgence of musical creativity. Progressive Rock reached its peak, the dawn of the synthesizer ushered in the New Wave, and there was such a thing as âmelodyâ (remember melody?) True to the spirit of innovation, Approximate Height has endeavored to capture some of the creativity of that by-gone era.

IF YOU HAD TO PIN US DOWN

As each track was completed, we asked ourselves: Will anyone listening to this think âHey, love that alternative vibeâ or âJustin Timberlake eat your heart outâ? If the answer was yes to any of those, we pulled it off the shelf and stomped on it until it was dead. Of course, Approximate Height has their musical influences. It is a law of nature that your heroes will somehow wiggle their way into your compositions. Fortunately, our influences are obscure--so as to help keep it as original as possible. You probably never heard of Ultravox; and if you had to pin us down, weâre something like Ultravox. But then again, no. Some marketing experts told us you better be able to identify your style with somebody famous or nobodyâs going to give you a chance. Well, we tried! We really did. Who do we sound like? Thatâs a tough one. I guess if our lives depended on providing a mainstream association, a few of our riffs might sound like Rick Nielsenâs guitar (you know the quirky baseball cap from CHEAP TRICK?), thereâs some semblance to GARY NUMANâs vocalizations, thereâs some anthemic ASIA power in the mix, thereâs a little hint of techno here and there, maybe Geddy Lee & Alex Lifeson from RUSH show up for a few seconds, and you may hear Tony Banks from GENESIS come through on a keyboard solo...again, we say this only if our lives depended on it. If our lives did NOT depend on it, we might say âwe are far removed from Lawrence Welkâ â that should narrow it down. Anyway, these were our influences (not Lawrence Welk but Ultravox, Gary Numan, Rush, Asia, Genesis, Yes, Kansas, ELP). That said, we really donât want to identify with them all that much, or any secular bands for that matter. Weâre a Christian group, and our message and our purpose is decidedly different from even our heroes. We know that creates a tension. Admittedly, a valid tension. It may even be a deal-breaker for some. Let's not forget that rock music does have its nefarious associations. Remember that devil-horned lead singer from AC/DC? The last thing we need is to identify with that breed. Ours is not their âhighway to hellâ. But can the music itself be blamed? Do Christians need to throw the baby out with the bathwater? Let's talk about that.

FEELING A LITTLE GUILTY?

Rather than conjuring the debate over the âsoundâ of rock music being compatible or incompatible with Christianity, let's at least acknowledge an unspoken reticence among some in the community of faith. We acknowledge that sometimes a Christian can feel a little guilty when he or she finds themselves enjoying secular rock music. Though it would be a no-brainer to abhor lyrical content that espouses evil-doing, the music itself may afford great appreciation and interest. Frankly, it's a shame to have to struggle over this. Not that we feel Christians should deny their consciences and overlook the dark side of rock (like we said, there is a valid tension) but it's a shame in the sense that the music which moves them is not readily available from a Christian worldview. You'll be glad to know that Approximate Height has made available a compatible option.

A NON-FUZZY OPTION

We have a target audience (and if that limits us, so be it). This album is meant for Christians who want to live God-honoring lives and would like some encouragement to that end. We address various aspects of living that challenge a Christianâs faith and how those challenges can be overcome. And we promise no milktoast lyrics. These are songs you can chew on theologically and you can also draw out for yourself some intestinal spiritual fortitude. Prepare yourself for a big sound. We suggest you play it loud! Itâs meant to fire you upâvolume will help. Rock this out on your Ipod if you buy our MP3s. Let it rip in your player if you buy our CD. (just donât go nutsâyou'll need your ears later in life) AH is music of spiritual determination. Itâs not dark and angry, but it ain't soft and fuzzy either. So if you want positive, driving, non-fuzzy music, give us a listen.

And send along a review if you like us. If you donât, thatâs okay--but donât write anything then. We only want good reviews. What if somebody came upon our page and reads âyuck, I hated itâ? Much better to read: âThese guys arenât kidding. A new chapter in Christian rock. A hybrid of New Wave 80âs power with a message to match!â Something like that.

Thanks for reading this all the way through. You must be interested. Just a few more clicks and the CD can be at your door in a couple of days. MP3s instantly! By the way, none of the proceeds from our album are going to charity. Weâll have to sell about 400 just to break even. But after that, sure.

Approximate Height