Flyleaf

Relax, i'm not actually going to make you listen to Throbbing Gristle again. I did, and it worked like a charm, but i fully acknowledge i'm weird. So instead, we'll listen to Flyleaf. It's the album of the extended EP of the EP of Flyleaf. 

Aren't they Christian Rock? 

Yes and no. Spoiler alert, nothing about this album is coherent, and it's unanalyzable. But, it's a completely honest album, so even though i think it's total nonsense, and i would almost certainly become suicidal if i thought that way, we have to take Lacey's word for it and agree to disagree. I love their sound, her voice, the way the songs feel, the melodies and counterpoint, and the almost primal misery that is the concept of the album. It starts at the nadir of human psychological misery and proceeds to build up the mythologies of a new functional existence. Spoiler alert again, it's Jesus.

What's the corporate marketing strategy version of Lacey Sturm née Mosley? Drug addicted athiest lesbian's grandma makes her go to church where she finds God, gets off drugs and breaks up with her girlfriend, marries a nice boy, and eventually quits the band to raise her 3 sons, 'cause Jesus. Now, i've already told you i live in a completely opposite psychological universe, so if this is a Jesus album he sounds a hell of a lot like the hallucinated boyfriend of a crazy lady.

Uh, Bottle? Imaginary record label with fictional characters running an album review blog, much?

Correct me if i'm wrong, Milton, but you know i'm making that up as a fictional context for the writing, not having a dream siezure and telling people it's real. As a contextual framework i have no problem with it, it's when you start telling me that i have an actual emptiness in my soul that only accepting Jesus as my lord and saviour can fill that i say no thanks, i already had breakfast and i just need a box of screws to fasten a few pieces of wood together. Have a nice day.

This is a "you" album. We can all tell that Lacy's "you" is Jesus because that's the revelation in the last song, but it doesn't have to be. If it had to be Jesus, she'd just say Jesus. 

Like i said earlier, this is a recreation of the bottom of the barrel. It's the same "here's what's gone wrong" album as Nevermind or The Downward Spiral, but with a different ending. Kurt said "welp, guess i'll just pretend this bridge is my house, eat fish and grass, and play with my roadkill friends," Trent said "Garçon, i'll take that bullet to go, please," Lacey said "i could have had a v8, of course i'm miserable, i was doing a terrible job of making my own life choices. Here Jesus, you drive the rest of the way."

What you thankfully don't get from Flyleaf (or the other two) is any indication that you're supposed to do the same. This isn't how YOU get through it, this is how they imagine or experience getting through it. Bottle's version of getting through it is something like "who told you you weren't good enough? That's some grade a bullshit, right there."

So no, this isn't Christian Rock, it's just dark alternative rock/metal from a christian mindset. I have a Bottlean mindset, which is muchly much much more complicated, but i think we can all agree you've been watching me do it for years and i don't appear to be homeless, or unemployed, or tangibly psychotic. I'm sad when things make me sad, and i'm happy when things make me happy, and i don't think that's any reason to treat other people like crap, or call my local supernatural deity for backup.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lip2DKUYhluK7CXHXl--2o6Sofp6ITBbA