Music Speaks in Volumes - but "Worship" Speaks in Monotones.

This last week has been a bittersweet one for me with the official announcement that Showbread is showdead. But as I sat and watched the documentary they released of their 10 year anniversary show, there was something really confronting that stood out to me. In one section of the doco, as a whole lot of those waiting to be let into the show were interviewed.

Again and again they spoke of finding a sense of belonging in the music of Showbread, and an expression of Christian faith that resonated with them, that they couldn't find in the Church.

Which made me think, is "worship" music really just speaking in monotones, when their is such a range of expressive tones that could be embraced?
 
I wonder if I would have expressed the same sentiments had I been so lucky to be lining up for that show. Showbread has been one of my favourite bands since I came across their "Mouth Like a Magazine" clip on YouTube after the demise of Five Iron Frenzy (they've since been raised from the dead ten years later BTW).

Now sure...they're not going to be everyone's cup of tea. My wife for instance did not share the same enthusiasm for Showbread as she did for FIF for example. But, for me, at the time that I was looking for music that connected with me, both musically, and on a level that encouraged, channeled and explored my Christian faith, Showbread (along with mewithoutYou) at that moment in my journey, spoke volumes.

One of Showbread's more audacious projects not too long after was the Anorexia/Nervosa albums. This was a double album release where the music was actually a soundtrack that accompanied two stories, of two sisters, who both were rescued from their journeys away from hope. I don't think I'll ever forget when I first sat on my bed reading those stories and listening to the soundtracks. At that time, it was a powerful message of hope that I needed to be reminded of. Again, it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea. If fact for most of you, I'm going to bet that you'd not really venture too far into the musical offerings of the likes of Showbread. That's fine. I'm not trying to convince you to.

But what I do wonder is why is it that so much of today's "worship" music lacks variety. Sure things have improved since back in the day. But there is still a fairly limited vocabulary when it comes to musical genres of what gets the titled under "worship" music.

I get it in some respects that it's not real easy to sing along to screamo industrial in a corporate gathering. But please don't think this is the only kind of music that I like and that this post is some sort of plea for screamo in churches. For example I also love guys like Loud Harp.

But is the only purpose of "worship" music to be sung in a corporate gathering? Or is there something bigger? Where "worship" music is part of the language that we speak to connect with and encourage each other?

Music is powerful. It shapes our stories and connects with us in a myriad of ways. It can lift us up in times of darkeness. It parties with us in times of celebration. It carries us through the days of the mundane. It settles our kids. It speaks of how the world is, and how it could be. It quiets our restlessness and invigorates our apathy.

I'm sad to see Showbread call it quits. Although I'm stoked for their parting gift of one last album. But I'm also wondering if there isn't space to encourage more artists that push the boundaries to find more of a place within the "worship" music of our churches? Perhaps it means we need to grow the boundaries of what we think "woship" music is? And even that the purpose of "worship" music may be beyond something we sing together? Perhaps it also means we need to be willing to have our own boundaries pushed for the sake of those whose musical languages are diverse and eclectic?

"oh the thought of what sets a person free

before i could ever love you back you gave your love to me

now i see my sentencing reprieved

you offer me your everything even though i am still me"

Showbread (A Man with a Hammer).

As a final note, you may have noticed that I've used "worship" music, not worship music. I think, like too many Christianese words, we've changed them from their intended purpose and meaning. Like Christian is a noun to describe followers of Jesus (not an adjective to describe craft/artefacts they create) so too, worship is a verb, not an adjective. Worship is something that we do with all our lives (Romans 12) not an tag for songs that get sung at a particular time on Sundays.

Have you connected with music that has been influential in your faith but are noticeably absent in what equates to "worship" music? I'd love to hear of who they are, leave a comment below.