Why I Haven’t Bought the New Caedmon’s Call Album
Recently, there was some frustration from some Caedmon’s Call fans about the harsh words being thrown at the new Caedmon’s album, In the Company of Angels 2: The World Will Sing. I’m one of those critics, and I want to share that criticism with you:
As a former administrator [of the Rumor Forum, the community that's grown out of [caedmonscall.net]], I want to say that we’ve always wanted this place to be set aside for open and honest criticism of the band. I know that they’ve been stung by some of the stuff that’s been said here in the past, but … if we all wanted to be Caedmon’s Call cheerleaders, we’d hang out at the caedmonscall.com message board [that doesn't even exist].
The people who complain about the band are very passionate about it. Why? They know that CC has the ability to not suck. I think most everyone who’s complaining also knows that this is largely a case where the suck is being thrust upon the band, and so our complaints are more against the system than they are against the band. I fully expect that they did the best they could given the constraints that they had.
That said, I haven’t bought ITCOA2 in the almost-month it’s been out, and I’ve decided that I’m just not going to buy it at all. I don’t want to support the cheapening of a band that I love and have invested a lot of time and money into. Some might argue that this could be damaging to the band, as diminishing commercial viability could cause Essential to Andy Peterson the band. I say that I just refuse to buy music that I’m fairly sure I’m not going to like. I’m voting with my wallet.
The “Andy Peterson the band” allusion is towards Essential’s decision to cut Andrew Peterson loose from his contract. Now, I understand that it’s a business decision—for whatever reason, AP wasn’t selling well. [Lack of talent and passion was not a reason, folks.] I’m aware that the Contemporary Christian Music business is just that—a business!—but it’s also a duplicitous one. It claims to be doing the Lord’s work, but it largely shies away from anything that might be controversial or challenging, choosing instead to be safe in terms of both musical genre and lyrical content. You’re either one or the other, but unfortunately, CCM is one—a business—while claiming to be the other.
I found it somewhat hard to speak out against the album. I know that my voice carries some weight with folks. I was hoping to go see CC play tonight in Birmingham, but the show was cancelled by the venue. I wanted to face the band in case they were upset with me … but I think that they know that I love and support them.
I just can’t believe that Essential doesn’t see what I see in awesome albums like Share the Well … they just see the dollar signs. So, here’s what to do: if you hate the very concept of ITCOA2 as I do, buy a copy of StW and give it to a friend.
Bravo and well said.
April 6th, 2006 at 11:58good call to buy StW instead and donate. i didn’t hear that their show got canned by the venue…that’s just…retarded. (also, i’m not buying it, either.)
April 6th, 2006 at 18:38I wholly agree. It’s sad to see the band get ‘used up’ by Essential and thrown away, but then again, it frees them to be able to do the things they feel that they need to do.
April 7th, 2006 at 12:51I’ve made and bought that argument before, Chris, but I’m tired of it. Only one of the last four albums has been any damn good: Back Home was about figuring out how to leave Derek and Aaron behind, and as such was doomed from the start; Chronicles was your typical greatest hits album aimed at completionists like me; Share the Well was a piece of beautiful art and maybe the best coherent album they’ve released; and then there’s In the Company of Angels 2: The World Will Fork Over Their $15 for Yet Another Worship Album by Artists With Too Much Talent to Be Doing This Shit.
And yes, I get angrier about this the more I think about it.
April 7th, 2006 at 12:56I agree, since Derek departed, that the albums since (as a whole) haven’t been the best (when you compare them to the former three). However, I don’t think that, had there not been contractual obligations, that they would still be touring and recording after Back Home.
I’m glad that they did something new for StW, and it’s too bad that it didn’t sell like Essential wanted it to (not that they especially tried to promote it, at all). I’m glad that they tried to make the best of the situation, but I feel like it was a “We let you do it your way, now, you need to do it our way” deal from Essential after StW. They are trying to recoup thier costs with a “saleable” album (hence me using the term “used up”), and after they do that, I’m not going to be surprised if they cut them loose (assuming that the band decides to keep going, which, assuming thier personal situations, I would be surprised if they did).
I agree it’s stupid and wrong and idiotic of a Christian label to not want to furthur the kingdom, but that’s how the industry is. If you don’t make me money, you’re costing me money. That’s why folks like INO are great to have around to let people like Derek do his thing.
Like you said, it’s all about the $. It always will be with the bigger labels, and until they feel the sting from us, they don’t understand anything else.
April 7th, 2006 at 15:25Why I’m Happy Today
New contracts at work.
A great night of sleep.
Caedmon’s Call is no longer on Essential. Given how I never bought the last record, you know I’m thrilled by this.
…
May 31st, 2006 at 15:21