As I was strolling through the local Christian bookstore recently, a CD cover plastered with an interesting sticker immediately caught my eye. The sticker proclaimed in big bold letters, "popular punk rock-n-roll for the modern teenager."
"Hmmm..." I thought. "Why should that make someone want to buy the CD? And how could it be popular if it just came out?" These questions perplexed me, so I gave the demo a quick listen and found that I liked the sound of these guys. They sounded like Blink 182 (one of the secular bands I feel guilty about liking), or maybe MxPx with more harmony.
After a few listens later, I am in love with these guys' sound, but . . .I am also very disappointed with their lyrical content.
In particular, I found the song "My Girlfriend" to be very disturbing. My understanding is that this song was written from an experience of one of the band members. Apparently, this guy had a friend whom he was close to, but he later lost track of her. When he eventually caught up with her, she had fallen into the whole Marilyn Manson, wannabe Goth scene and was no longer walking with the Lord.
Thus, the songwriter (in his obvious frustration over this situation) wrote what can only be viewed as a very insulting little ditty about Mr. Manson. Phrases like "Marilyn Manson-he's not cool . . . . he's not nice" and comparisons of Marilyn Manson to Satan are peppered throughout the tune, bringing the sense of petty name-calling to a new low.
Now, I can understand this guy's frustrations with Satan for deceiving his friend, but is this the way to express that frustration? Did, as the song says, Marilyn Manson eat this guy's girlfriend? No--Satan did.
(By the way, I am no defender of Marilyn Manson's behavior. The lyrical content of his songs is vile and sick. However, Mr. Manson is a human being made in the image of God. This is a prime example of how we are called to "love the sinner, hate the sin.")
Will this song help bring Marilyn Manson to Christ? Nope. If he ever does see this song, I don't think that calling him "that guy from Satan's embassy" is the best way to show the love of Christ to him.
What about the girl who had became a Manson follower? Will this song help bring her back to the Lord? I don't think so. How would you feel if your former friend wrote a song about you saying that you had been "eaten by Marilyn Manson"?
Regrettably, in my opinion, "My Girlfriend" spoiled what could have been a very good debut for this new band. Relient K has a tight pop-punk sound on this album with nice vocal harmonies. The melodies are catchy, and they do a good job of varying the sound enough to keep one's interest for the whole album.
Overall, the lyrics (other than "My Girlfriend") are fairly innocuous--certainly not deep, but they are very fun. (Sort of like All Star United without the childish sarcasm.) The best songs talk about girls or silly stuff; their songs about God strike me as pretty shallow.
Unfortunately, Relient K is pushing "My Girlfriend" as their first single. The folks from Gotee Records would be much better off if they promoted one of the other tracks like, say, "Nancy Drew" (my favorite song on the album, guaranteed to make you smile), "17 Magazine," or "Hello McFly."
Do I recommend the album? If you like Blink 182 or fun pop-punk music in general, you might give it a try. Just have your finger ready to hit the skip button on track 2.
Neither the liner notes, nor the band's official website, nor the Gotee Records website give any information on the background of the song. This information was relayed to me by someone who heard the band give an explanation of the song at a live show.
3/5
Other coverage for this album
The Rebel Base 2001Reviewed by Josh HurstIn general, I do not care for mainstream music acts a whole lot. Sure, I like a few popular bands, like dc Talk and U2, but most of the bands that I listen to are fairly obscure and low-key. One would think, then, that I would not be very impressed with Relient K, the best-selling new rock artist in Christian music last year. Interestingly enough, however, I do enjoy Relient K. Their live shows…The Rebel Base 2001Reviewed by Mark BakerRelient K, the increasingly popular Christian pop/punk band's first album, which is self-titled, contains hoards of hooks and plenty of edgy rock, making them more accessible and diverse than typical punk bands. Their harmonious vocals and happy-go-lucky songs such as "When You're Around", "Charles in Charge," and "17 Magazine" attract the pop-lovers. Punk music lovers should enjoy the harder…ReAL Magazine 2000Reviewed by Shawna T.The great thing about Christian punk music is that usually the CDs are so upbeat you feel happy and gooey when you listen to them. Relient K's self titled debut is no exception. Matt Theissen, their lead vocalist and guitarist, even said they want to "show kids that Christians can have a lot fun." A notable difference between Relient K and most punk bands, however, is that Relient K sings with…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Kerry MaffeoDespite valiant efforts of the band to steer clear of the punk-rock label, Gotee Records' relient K's self-titled debut album is just that. While it certainly has elements of modern rock and pop, the album has a definite MxPx feel to it. Lyrically, the release has all the elements of the new wave of punk-rock. Light, often humorous, yet with an edge of truth, characteristic of the genre.…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Andy ArgyrakisThere's nothing special about the ordinary band Relient K, who despite their budding enthusiasm, add minimal substance to the world of punk music. Granted, they have uplifting lyrics that appeal to pre-teens and the youth group crowd, but they still have a long way to go as mature artists in the genre. Relient K is a direct copy band of those like MxPx and Blink-182, and at times on the album,…Similar sounding releases
2002Ghoti HookGhoti Hook
2003AnadivineAnadivine
2004Sum 41Chuck
2001Watashi WaWhat's in the Way
2004The GamitsAntidote
2003The ActualSongs on Radio IdahoMore from Relient K
2003Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand
2003Two Lefts Don't Make a Right... But Three Do
2001The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek
2004Mmhmm
