Daniel Amos Message Board | Print: Where is the next generation of Mark Heard's

Posted by uvulapie on 04-30-2004 at09:06:

Where is the next generation of Mark Heard's

After nearly a decade of wanting to get into his music and not, I finally plunged into the music of Mark Heard and was NOT disappointed! Clearly the 23 year old me would not have appreciated what this man had to offer but the 33 year old me is eatin' it up! This got me thinking... some of my few favorite Christian artists are gone... Gene Eugene, Rich Mullins (try to play his songs on guitar or keyboard before you dismiss his music as pap), and now (then) Mark Heard. I am clearly worried about Terry as he's about the only one left (The Choir would count if they would get offa that hill-top city). Well, Phil Madieieira too should be worried if he wasn't too busy selling his songs to country music's biggest names but the word is if he steps into the studio to record an album of his own, the Lord may strike him dead.

Gee, I ramble.

But my original thought was where is the next generation of Mark Heard/Mullins/Eugene? I so much less plugged into that scene than I used to be and to find these gems you really have to look. Or is it that their type was needed for that era alone?

So any suggestions? Are there any Christian artists out there writing the kind of melancholy, introspective (yet not of the gooey Jr-high-journal "woe-is-me-I'm-such-an-artist" kind) lyrics and heart-rending melodies? The only one of which I know, and don't laugh, is Cindy Morgan's last few albums. She can't be the only one singing about the beauty of dark clouds and rain!!!!

Posted by audiori on 04-30-2004 at09:31:

Good question.

Posted by Mountain Fan on 04-30-2004 at09:34:

where are they? underground?

or underwater and slowly bubbling to the surface?

Posted by dennis on 04-30-2004 at09:35:

Thumb Up!

I just bought High Noon! Cool

Posted by Mountain Fan on 04-30-2004 at09:36:

quote:

Originally posted by dennis
I just bought High Noon! Cool

So, it was high time? Tongue

Posted by dennis on 04-30-2004 at09:42:

Yup! Pleased

Posted by Mountain Fan on 04-30-2004 at09:45:

quote:

Originally posted by dennis
Yup! Pleased

I think I just caught a whiff on the breeze!

Posted by zippetydoodaddy on 04-30-2004 at10:56:

Why you wanna cry?

Here's a list, but don't expect to find them at your local Fam-nada-ly Christian Bookstore (Gift Horse was in the cheap bin on Wednesday, btw.)

Hothouse Flowers - a bit new agey, but if you find their song, "Rose", about the woman at the well, you'll thank me. Newest album is great, but Born is my favorite.

Lucinda Williams - Rated PG-13, but full of the beautiful, sacred and profane! Spiritually full.

Bill Malonee and The Vigilantes of Love - Shut up. Bill is the re-incarnation of Mark Heard. His is a collection that forces you to seek out every album; past, present and future.

Terry Scott Taylor - You've found him. Terry's the best in the genre. He may not be long for this world (my mom's the same age so I refuse to buy that assertion.) but neither are you. Get him while you've got him.

I think you get so much out of their (gene/mark/rich) music because they are dead and the tragedy of artists dead before their time is so intriguing. Look at all the rabid Nirvana fans. I can't separate my enjoyment of Gene's voice on Gift Horse from the apparent foreshadowing to his death. I know he didn't know he'd die in 3 months, but on the record, it sounds like he did.

At the 2002 Super Bowl, U2 attached a song (Walk On), released in 2000, to the tragedy of 9-11. They weren't being prophetic, the song just fit.

Mark Heard wrote great songs; some of the best. But they're no more prophetic than Britney Spears would be if she wrote a song about getting knocked up and then did.

All artists die. It's when they do that draws our mourning and their elevation.

Posted by dorfsmith on 04-30-2004 at11:12:

Besides those previously mentioned, the only one I can come up with is Starflyer 59. Jason Martin does not have the poetry that mark heard did but he certainly makes moving music. If you havn't already, buy up everything Starflyer 59 ever did.

I have searched high and low for Mark Heard's replacement and VOL is about as close as you can get. The lyrics (like Marks) are brilliant.

Posted by Joey T. on 04-30-2004 at11:20:

i've never been that crazy about mark heard..... if i'm in that mellow and spiritual of a mood, i'd usually rather listen to keith green or that at the foot of the cross vol 1 and 2 cd......

i haven't played anything like that for several months...... not that that would be evident by some of my other posts lately........ Red Face

Posted by uvulapie on 04-30-2004 at11:24:

Thankee

I'll have to give VOL another shot or two and see if it hits.

For the record, I was into Adam Again and Rich Mullins looong before they shed their mortal coil and found the same enjoyment in their bittersweet music before they died as I do now. I also enjoyed Stonehill's Wonderama but that style of music isn't his natural forte so it's not like I can plunder the rest of his catalog.

I really liked "Leave Here A Stranger" by SF59 and their last one was pretty good as well but, for my money, it gets a bit, er, mopey for my continual listening pleasure. There just isn't the depth lyrically to bring me back again and again.

I'll add VOL back to my list and check out the others to see if anything whets the ol' appetite.

Jasoooooooooooon

Posted by Mountain Fan on 04-30-2004 at11:25:

RE: Why you wanna cry?

quote:

Originally posted by zippetydoodaddy
...

I think you get so much out of their (gene/mark/rich) music because they are dead and the tragedy of artists dead before their time is so intriguing. Look at all the rabid Nirvana fans. I can't separate my enjoyment of Gene's voice on Gift Horse from the apparent foreshadowing to his death. I know he didn't know he'd die in 3 months, but on the record, it sounds like he did.

...

Brian Healy called it the Dead Artists Syndrome!

Posted by zippetydoodaddy on 04-30-2004 at11:25:

[quote]Originally posted by Joey T.

i haven't played anything like that for several months...... not that that would be evident by some of my other posts lately........ Red Face

[quote]

What's wrong Joey?

Confess it. He will forgive.

Posted by dorfsmith on 04-30-2004 at11:37:

Mark's lyrics are just plain amazing. I don't quite see how you can compare him to Keith Green in that Keith Green was not much of a poet and mark heard was. Many of his songs were spiritual only in an alegorical sense like terry's. Listen to High Noon again.

"...one kiss and I'm lost in your charms."

Posted by Joey T. on 04-30-2004 at11:46:

quote:

Originally posted by dorfsmith
Mark's lyrics are just plain amazing. I don't quite see how you can compare him to Keith Green in that Keith Green was not much of a poet and mark heard was. Many of his songs were spiritual only in an alegorical sense like terry's. Listen to High Noon again.

"...one kiss and I'm lost in your charms."

actually i would compare his lyrics more with the choir......

mediocre at best... Tongue

Posted by dorfsmith on 04-30-2004 at12:06:

Crying

Posted by Squidzit on 04-30-2004 at13:25:

quote:

Keith wrote with his love and devotion for Christ. That is the one thing that shines through in his music. His music was all about praising God, not a mere reflection of popular culture, or a feeble attempt at being "artsy". And for sure not a race for recognition and popularity. If you can listen to Keith and not be moved, you are a stone.

Posted by dorfsmith on 04-30-2004 at13:28:

Don't get me wrong. I was raised on Keith Green. His music was pure worship and not very poetic...and there is nothing wrong with that Cool

Posted by audiori on 04-30-2004 at13:31:

I don't find any of Mark's last albums as "mellow".
The lyrics on his last few albums were amazing,
not to mention he could play about any instrument
he happened to pick up.

He was unique.

Posted by Squidzit on 04-30-2004 at13:33:

Not peotic, but it says what needs to be said.

Keith Green
Asleep In The Light
______________

Do you see, do you see
All the people sinking down
Don't you care, don't you care
Are you gonna let them drown

How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done

"Oh bless me Lord, bless me Lord"
You know it's all I ever hear
No one aches, no one hurts
No one even sheds one tear

But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds
And He cares for your needs
And you just lay back
And keep soaking it in,
Oh, can't you see it's such a sin?

Cause He brings people to you door,
And you turn them away
As you smile and say,
"God bless you, be at peace"
And all heaven just weeps
Cause Jesus came to you door
You've left him out on the streets

Open up open up
And give yourself away
You see the need, you hear the cries
So how can you delay

God's calling and you're the one
But like Jonah you run
He's told you to speak
But you keep holding it in,
Oh can't you see it's such a sin?

The world is sleeping in the dark
That the church just can't fight
Cause it's asleep in the light
How can you be so dead
When you've been so well fed
Jesus rose from the grave
And you, you can't even get out of bed

Oh, Jesus rose from the dead
Come on, get out of your bed

How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done

Don't close your eyes
Don't pretend the jobs done
Come away, come away, come away with Me my love,
Come away, from this mess, come away with Me, my love.