What Christian rock SHOULD be
SQUINT is quite the opposite, and stands as a lonely reminder of what Christian music *should* be -- real, relevant, and intelligent. So much of what's known as Christian music is safe & shallow, touching on only the most superficial emotions, and completely non-thought-provoking. I've often jokingly said that I would not place this CD on top of other Christian CDs lest it crush them!
Other reviews here will get more into what the individual songs are about. But I'd like to make special mention of the powerful "The Finish Line" (note how much of that power comes straight from the tense, edgy music) and the under-mentioned "Curses" which strongly addresses "absentee" fathers (a subject touched on earlier in the Chagall Guevara song "The Rub Of Love").
If there's a weakness to SQUINT, it's that a few songs are tied to current events in a way that threatens to date them quickly. And yet while "The Moshing Floor" is definitely tied to its time, its message (kids reflect what their parents put into them) goes beyond it. "Easy Listening" actually puts a date on its message ("2044," looking back to the "turn of the century"), but it's really about the time it was written in. The rather confusing "Sock Heaven" is largely about the failure of Steve's band Chagall Guevara, and thus is a little out of place here lyrically.
Steve has never claimed to have a great voice, but unlike on some prior albums, every song here works for him vocally. As a songwriter, he is without equal in the history of CCM. It's a sad commentary on the state of Christian music that Steve couldn't make it in the business, not making an album since this one. I'll never understand why so many people are so willing to unload this CD so cheaply, but pick one up while you can.
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It's Squintastic
I loaned it out and never got it back. I used to own this album. Finally I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to go out and buy another copy. Not many albums are worth buying twice, but Squint is worth it.
This album carries Steve Taylor's trademark mix of satire, humor, and serious messages. Sock Heaven is about socks vanishing in the dryer, yet it carries a serious metaphor. Cash Cow is an almost cinematic thriller centered on the golden calf of the Israelites still haunting people today.
Steve takes a break from humor to prove that he can write powerfully moving lyrics in Jesus Is For Losers and The Finish Line. And these are just a few of the highlights.
Steve has typically gone with a light pop-rock sound. His time with the rock group Chagall Guevara seems to have changed him. Squint carries a much more edgy sound than his other albums with more of an alternative rock sound. His vocals remain pretty much the same, but the guitars are a lot thicker now.
Steve carries a note of fun due to his humor and energy level, but his lyrics are so deep they might be over the heads of some. If you want music with substance, spiritual importance, catchy melodies, and a sense of fun look no further than Squint.
It's in the fine print
I enjoy many different artists and styles, but I simply don't have the vocabulary to describe them meaningfully. First off, I admit I'm not a sophisticated music critic. Thus, most of this will review will focus on Taylor's lyrics.
And wow, what a thing to focus on. Steve Taylor creates the funniest and most piercing satire I've heard in a long time. Not content to sit pretty on our "good Christians" position, Taylor targets both the Church and the non-Christian world.
The opening track is a confessional by certain Desmond R. G. Underwood Frederick IV about his shortly approaching death, backed by driving hard rock. Desmond (etc. etc. ) has been very active in self-help and inner healing, but finds everything cut distressingly short. What good does all of this do him, as the chorus reminds: "Freddy, get ready to meet your maker. "
"Smug", another of the jewels on this album, is about depressingly self-righteous people freely scattered about the church today. Instead of loving people and showing them the way to God, Taylor charges that many churches seem bent on creating more people just as stuck-up as they are. Despite all of this, he admits, some people are able to find their way, "Hey, get off your knees/ that part don't come till later. / God will not be pleased. "
"Jesus Is for Losers" is a title bound to shock anyone who thought they were picking up a Christian album. Turning Ted Turner's comment on its head, Taylor admits that yes, Jesus is for people who are completely helpless and desperately in need. This quietly introspective tune is an appropriate follow-up to "Smug" as Taylor admits his own pride and how he repeatedly needs to be reoriented to God. "Just as I am. / I am stiff-necked and proud. / Jesus is for losers. / Why do I still play to the crowd?" As he says, if you're strong and self-sufficient, turn somewhere else. Jesus is for those who know they need him.
Taylor finishes up the album with the ridiculous, yet pointed "Cash Cow". Over a weird musical background (I could picture They Might Be Giants performing this), Taylor warns of the dangers of materialism. He carefully points out that even if you're not rich, you can still easily fall victim to greed. He wraps the song up with the admission: "I too was hypnotized/ by those big cow eyes/ the last time I uttered/ those three little words:/ 'I deserve better!'"
To keep this review short, I've skipped over several fantastic songs. If you have even the slightest interest in modern Christian music, you should pick this album up. Steve Taylor is one of the greats of the field, and this is his best work. Although he's done many wonderful things since, I'll always regret the day he stopped working as a performing artist.
The kind of Christian music we need...
Steve Taylor is a bit like combining the conviction of Keith Green with the satire of the Simpsons, and I think this is his best album. This is one of the best albums I own, and that's saying quite a bit. The production values are above his previous releases, and the songs don't sound musically so dated. But through the surface silliness of songs like "Cash Cow" and "The Lament of. . . etc. etc. " comes powerful messages for the church of America to repent and the people of America to realize the empty philosophies they've invested in. Taylor even turns the satire on himself in "Sock Heaven", my least favorite track. Silly but never without a point, honest without being rude or sarcastic, Steve Taylor writes the kind of music Christians need--songs that probe deep and avoid cliches. I think The Finish Line is the most moving prodigal son type story I've ever heard (after Keith Green's Prodigal Son suite), Jesus is For Losers is as honest and blunt a portrayal of an oft-missing part of the gospel as you'll find, Bannerman manages to be both silly and respectful. Get this album, and get it now.
Not for the Faint of Heart (or Mind)!!
His "heavier" musical styles on many of these songs make this a challenging CD, also. Steve Taylor challenges his listeners' minds, as well as their hearts, through his sarcastic, biting, and direct lyrics. Taylor is funny, spiritually concious, and not afraid to put his message "in your face. " This CD is relentless, from "The Lament. . . " right through "Cash Cow. " "Sock Heaven," "Jesus is for Losers"--don't let the title fool you--and "Easy Listening. " Taylor doesn't let you catch your breath, so don't even try. Pay attention and be ready to be challenged--maybe even shocked. Taylor doesn't mince words and doesn't mind making people feel very spiritually uncomfortable. His intentions are good, and, if you take his words to heart, your spiritual life can/will improve. He has been doing cutting edge work like this for years, going all the way back to his early albums (I WANT TO BE A CLONE, et al), and many have dismissed him as being crazy, fringe, or inappropriate. Don't let the sarcasm turn you off to his message . . .
You can see a complete list of all Steve Taylor discography, or go back to the Steve Taylor tabs
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