Rock In a Hard Place: Top Ten Underrated Christian Rockers of the Past
Long before she married Jeremy Camp, Adrienne Liesching (now Adie Camp) fronted The Benjamin Gate.
By Andy Argyrakis, senior music editor, GospelMusicChannel.com
Sometimes critical praise doesn’t add up to commercial success, and even if an act is lucky enough to score some singles, its legacy can often be confined to strictly those in the know. Looking back over the past 10 years, there are plenty of artists who deserved to make major waves, and while many did for a time, some have been relegated to the bargain bin or have broken up all together. Regardless of the reasons, here are 10 immensely underrated blasts from the past worth rediscovering or checking out for the very first time.
1. Burlap To Cashmere
Nowadays, Steven Delopoulos may have carved out a name for himself on the solo circuit, but about a decade ago, he was riding high as frontman for Burlap To Cashmere. The group was one of the first to ever spawn a reverse crossover, initially signing with A&M before inking a Christian market deal with the now defunct Squint Entertainment. The group’s live shows were absolutely incendiary thanks to a robust blend of ethnic instrumentation and alternative rock, but considering the band thought so far outside of the box when it came to jamming, Christian radio would only play its tamer tunes.
2. Over the Rhine
Though never marketed specifically to a faith-based audience, Over the Rhine’s music is loaded with soul-searching qualities. But the husband/wife duo Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist are amongst the most eloquent across the entire music industry (even scoring a coveted slot as Bob Dylan’s opening act), while providing a plethora of earthy arrangements and organic experimentation.
3. Seven Day Jesus
In late 1997, hardly an hour went by when this band’s ultra-catchy “Butterfly” wasn’t played on the radio, but that simple song really didn’t represent Seven Day Jesus’ genuine sound. Instead, the group could be compared to Jeff Buckley with a gasoline fire lit under him, scoring with the socially conscious, and also forging the occasional controversial topic (including a commentary on rape recovery from a Christian perspective). After just two stellar albums, the group broke up and has since pursued a variety of less prominent solo projects.
4. The Benjamin Gate
Long before she married Jeremy Camp, Adrienne Liesching was fronting the ferocious alternative rock act The Benjamin Gate (complete with a gas mask as a band logo). In 2002, the group released its final (and best) effort called Contact, which featured a complex cover of Men At Work’s mainstream smash “Overkill” and was promoted heavily on newsboys’ Festival Con Dios tour. Though the group is on indefinite hiatus, Adie continues her individual career on BEC Recordings.
5. Aaron Sprinkle
Every true Christian rock fan is no doubt familiar with producer Aaron Sprinkle, who’s been behind the boards on major albums including Anberlin, Kutless, Jeremy Camp and Hawk Nelson. But many younger listeners may not even realize he led several bands (Poor Old Lu, Rose Blossom Punch, Fair) and even had a streak of solo CDs from 1999–2004. Each of these efforts is worth exploring to see the multi-talent’s singer/songwriter side, which certainly deserved radio airplay despite being confined to mostly indie appreciators.
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Sometimes critical praise doesn’t add up to commercial success. Here are 10 blasts from the past worth rediscovering or checking out for the very first time. Burlap to Cashmere and Over the Rhine made our list. Which Christian rockers (past or present) would make your ‘most underrated’ list?
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