Author: Casey Gallenberger

Kendra Blethen is one of a host of singer-songwriters I found this past year, and it seems like North Carolina is churning out artist after artist. Blethen brandishes a unique blend of southern grit and spiritual ruminations across Pilgrimage, her debut EP. The core concept came to her during a drive to what I can only assume might be Audiofeed – a reminder that the voyage matters as much as the destination. Or, as Miley Cyrus put it, “It’s the climb”. Admittedly, there’s a certain simplicity here, both in song structure and lyrics.… Continued →

Danen Kane is one of a handful of local Wisconsin artists I care about, and in terms of local faith-based artists, he’s top-tier. He models humility and humor. He write complex songs that don’t mask his faith one bit. Today’s song is one of his best, quickly demolishing the singer-songwriter label and quickly moving into anthemic indie. It’s no mystery why he’s become a favorite act in the Fox Valley. … Continued →

From the opening notes of “Just Breathe” all the way to its creaky end, this track seems to live up to the “ghostly” vibe of this Washington-based act. Rest assured, this band is neither post-rock nor needlessly-morose. Ghost Stations is instead more coffee shop than haunted house. It shimmers with a certain tender warmth, though vulnerability is around every corner. The ghosts here are not external tormentors; they’re vestigial memories. “(I Can’t) Save Your Soul” is the first point where we see the full band – complete with buttery bass, tight drumming, and some jazzy piano.… Continued →

Abel had a good run on both Come & Live and Facedown’s indie imprint before releasing Make It Right independently. It was a fitting final album, seeing the band in their rawest form. “Fifteen Years” is a highlight track, one of urgency, pain, and longing paired with fear and remorse as seen through the eyes of a beggar. In its simplest form, it’s a reality for the urban homeless; in its deepest sentiments, it’s a parable akin to the woman at the well. … Continued →

Undeniably, 2011 was a critical year for my musical taste. It’s the year I discovered Hands and A Hope for Home, bands still cemented as life-changing artists with some of my favorite albums of all time. Over the course of the next two years, due to bands like Gracer and Moving Mountains, my taste trended further from metal into atmospheric, emo-adjacent rock I’ve emphatically christened crescendocore. I began collecting these types of acts into a rather lengthy playlist called “Feels fo’ Realz” (which still exists). I was hyped on that type of sound.… Continued →

Former Ruins has released a surprise Christmas EP (technically some brief notice was given). Noah has covered a lot of Christmas releases already, so you might feel a bit overwhelmed. Further, the timing may seem inopportune. After all, today is Christmas, isn’t it? You’ve got better things to do than listen to music, and then you’ll shelve this for next year. But these are not your typical Christmas songs – they speak to the season of Christmas on the church calendar. They’re for today and beyond.… Continued →

Florida-based Wind Words has returned with his newest project, Minor Prophets, a collection of spoken word meditations. These Scripture-driven pieces recount the narratives of both popular and overlooked biblical accounts. This is a bit of a diversion from his debut, Digging Up Earth, but it carries the same level of passion. Minor Prophets by Wind Words… Continued →

There’s something about that mid-00s Christian emo sound. Spotify calls it “dreamo” and it encapsulates bands like The Myriad, Poor Old Lu, Fair, Copeland, and a fair number of Tooth & Nail artists. Of course, the appeal of this sound is not purely nostalgic; Subways on the Sun proved that for us last year. Chill, melodic, emo-adjacent rock is refreshingly-dynamic. Pour on a healthy dose of ethereal falsetto for full effect. It’s cinematic in the truest sense. It borrowed some of the highlights of bands like The Goo Goo Dolls and Coldplay and added in a higher degree of artisan craftsmanship.… Continued →

Initially, this was one of my least-favorite tracks on the albums – but it’s a beautiful, Gospel-tinged track full of Scripture under a veneer of soulful piano.  … Continued →

Here are my favorite releases of the year by category.

Scales of Motion’s latest release was eerily-prophetic. It’s a song strewn with gnomic phrases like “This whole year has been one long November”. Stylistically, it feels like a classic emo song, reminiscent of Mineral or early Cool Hand Luke. Check it out below. Hard Rains by Scales of Motion Lyrics: Take me down to the edge of the river To watch the banks be reshaped as it flows. When I was young, all of life was a blanket. Now I sleep shivering in the cold. There will come hard rains, And they may wash away The things you thought you’d always know.… Continued →

Splits seem increasingly-rare; indeed, in a single-friendly, me-first musical culture, artists collaborating in mutual benefit is undeniably counter-cultural (as a side, it’s odd something even so simple seems adverse to some). But splits live on, if only solely as a remnant of DIY punk culture. There’s a raw, communal, anti-corporate element here. “We’re in this together,” the unspoken message goes. And there’s certainly plenty of community at play on this latest collaboration between Make Sure and Ezekiel Songs – the split includes one new song per artist, as well as a cover of the other artist’s tracks.… Continued →

Put simply, The Harrow is an album of parables. No, you won’t need a dictionary, nor are any of the sentiments too obtuse. The central narrative instead rests in simplicity; an earthy barrenness meets dirty hands resulting in what can only be described as common man’s praise. Where others would opt for sprawling pedal boards and tireless crescendos, Wade Walker chooses a subtler option: vulnerable, poetic, alt-country worship without all of the glitz. Walker’s sophomore release is undeniably folkier than its predecessor, but what it lacks in percussion, it makes up for in craftsmanship.… Continued →

Charlotte, NC wordsmith Andy Squyres has released a lyric video for his must-hear track “Dead Horse”. This track is rife with lament and worship all the same and is a great example of why I’ve clung deeply to Squyres’ songs this year. His lyrics avoid clichés on both extremes – this is far from CCM, but it does not wallow in self-pity. Other suggested tracks to check out include “The Pestle and the Mortar”, “Unanswered Prayers”, “Cherry Blossoms”, and “Before You God”.   … Continued →

Unbeknownst to me, apart from a Facebook post, I’ve been writing for IVM for four years now. That’s long enough to get a college degree, or a Master’s. And in some ways, that time feels like a drop in the bucket. In other ways, it has been stressful, tense, uncertain, even insurmountable at times. But in the midst of that, there have been pockets of joy, wonder, and passion. I got to tour with American Arson. I’ve had reviews shared by Facedown Records. I’ve covered bands that got big; elsewhere, I helped put a few artists on the map.… Continued →

Trulah has released an incredibly relevant, captivating song. Pairing jazz and soul with sentiments about the world’s blindness to unfolding spiritual realities, “Sing of the Times” is at once comforting and convicting. The track borrows themes from apocalyptic literature (wars and rumors of wars, the great apostasy), placing the audience in the middle of this uncomfortable reality: many are asleep, and narrow is the path to life. We have a responsibility to keep the faith and plead with the faithless. Of course, it’s an entrancing track in terms of overall sound as well – making this a very unique song, one that demands to be heard for its urgent message.… Continued →

As The Oh Hellos conclude their four-EP, multi-year release cycle, I take some time to reflect on what this might mean for the future of music and how bands can be more strategic with their promotion and build more excitement using a multi-release approach. … Continued →

We’re over 500 years past the Reformation and Reformation Day is traditionally celebrated on October 31st. With that in mind, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on this historic event and how it has altered the Church – and world – as well as look at some songs that tie into the themes of the five solas. Like this segment? Want more like it? Let us know!  … Continued →

Wide Awake is a quintessential fall album. It’s rife with alt-country flavor, down-to-earth lyrics, and bit of dust and grit to polish things off. The album serves as Cory Breth’s third major release to date, and, while fall is already turning to winter in parts of the country, the timing of its release couldn’t be much better. It’s earthen, raw at times, but Breth’s lyrics are laced with hope and truth. There’s an equal mix of proclamations of faith and ruminations on life that keep things from feeling too cliché or forcedly-Christian; nonetheless, faith is an essential part of this album and Breth’s lyrics pull back the curtain of ambiguity in a way that other artists simply don’t.… Continued →

Hello Luna have returned with a brand new song, “Wait So Long”, which you can check out below. This female-fronted band is laced with hints of bands like Paramore or even Flyleaf – this is unadulterated rock with tight grooves and a fair bit of technicality as well.  … Continued →

With Zephyrus, The Oh Hellos close out their four-EP project spanning several years. It’s exciting and a bit sad all at once seeing the project come to an end, especially with a lengthy gap between the first and latter halves of the project. Much like the consecutive releases of Notos and Euros, Zephyrus follows Boreas closely and shows the band at a higher degree of mixing and mastering. And while Thrice’s Alchemy Index took a similar four-disk approach, it felt more experimental and diverse.… Continued →

'Influence' has been hailed as the most-anticipated release in Facedown Records History. How does it hold up to this bold claim?

Check out this folk-worship campfire romp from Idylls, off his 2018 album carefully out of Nowhere. A remix album was released earlier this year. If you liked this song, check out a bigger list of rare Christian worship gems below: … Continued →

Taylor Leonhardt has announced a new Kickstarter campaign with a lofty $35k goal which you can find here. This announcement follows the release of her latest single, “Happy (Or Whatever)”. Leonhardt shares the same circles as Andy Squyres, Jess Ray, and even Latifah Allatas – so you can bet there will be some spicy guest features to behold.… Continued →

Headship is a new band based out of Omaha, and they’re hot off the presses with their first single which is sure to please fans of My Epic, EISM, Salt Creek, and late-era Abel. It’s grungy and melodic all the same. The lyrics are a bit sparse, but nothing is wasted here – the message is one of humility in the light of the Gospel of grace. Check it out below. … Continued →

“It’s waking up into a bad dream with a good God.” Something about this line is irresistibly compelling to me. Maybe it’s the literal nightmares I’ve been having lately. Maybe it’s the chaos of the current election cycle where any and every event is blown out of proportion or warped to dehumanize the “other”. Riots. Cancel culture. Evil branded as good. It is frankly disorienting, scary, dare I say nightmarish. It is easy to forget God’s goodness in the midst of this. It is easy to overlook that when we need Him most is when we experience the most grace.… Continued →

If you like John Mark McMillan or John Van Deusen, the honestly and careful wordplay of Andy Squyres will surely feel familiar. Today is the Lord’s day and we are called to rest in Him, but our fallen, chaotic world burdens us and keeps us from this rest. The demands of society, the responsibilities of leading a family, the questions of what life will look like after college, how the election might play, global politics… Much like the psalms, Squyres reminds us that worship are genuine self-reflection are inseparable.… Continued →

The latest track by theLionhearted begins reminiscent of old From Indian Lakes with even hints of Emery; by the end, it is a tremelo-picked whirlwind of pounding drums and backing gang vocals that feels a bit like what we saw from Attalus. If you know me, I’m a sucker for tracks with huge endings and this fits nicely in the realm of modern indie and post-hardcore. The artwork arguably does not do this track justice – it’s a heartfelt lament and admiration of faith paired with some impressive songwriting.… Continued →

For seasons in my life, I’ve found myself as a professional designer. But even outside of that, I’ve been pursuing hobbies in video and photography for some years. In high school, I did pixel art for a few games (which never launched, RIP). Suffice to say, even if I’m not the best at composition, I spend a lot of time with it. I’ve spent hours getting websites laid out properly and edited videos late into the night. I’ve seen things, many of them even. So, band merch is weird to me.… Continued →

We’re building a playlist of indie Christian artists, and we know plenty of you are putting out music of your own. Your task is simple – drop one of your songs in the comments with a short blurb about it. We’ll add it to our new playlist and might also feature you on our “Song of the Day” series. Don’t write music but you someone who does? Be sure to tag them or let them know!… Continued →