We Are All Where We Belong (Atheist Rock?)

When I find out about a "new" band via NPR, I can be pretty sure its not exactly "new", and if its actually good music I feel slightly depressed by the confirmation that I am inevitably falling behind the times. Perhaps its time to actually buy those Birkenstocks that my friend Slainte always envisions me wearing.

Yesterday's NPR piece about the Austin, Texas band "Quiet Company" was actually quite worthwhile. Their 2011 album "We Are All Where We Belong" is about the the lead singer's loss of faith in God. Hence an "atheist rocker" label that has been applied to the band.

For An Ex-Christian Rocker, Faith Lost Is A Following Gained (NPR, December 5, 2013)

The NPR piece also played a few excerpts of this song "The Black Sheep and the Shepherd" which is melodically up my alley (slightly beatles-esque in a sgt. pepper's vein), but the lyrics also deliver. Plus the singer's slightly southern accent reinforces (for me at least) that he really did grow up in a place where being evangelical Christian is all kids know. The kind of kids who tweet about loving Jesus inbetween their selfies.

NPR said: The refrain from the album title — "where we belong" — is at the heart of Muse's problem with Christian theology. He says he was taught from the Bible that good Christians don't store up treasures on earth: They're supposed to store up treasures in heaven. "They're always making the statement, 'This is not your home, this is not where you belong,' " Muse says. "I wanted to make a record that said, 'No, actually, this is where you belong. This is your one chance to make your life into what you want it to be. This is your one chance to make the world what you think it can be.'

Powerful stuff for thought. I believe in a God, but I also believe we are where we belong. What do you think?


(check out the video itself for the full lyrics)

Oh I tried, and I tried to achieve belief
But maybe there is somethin' wrong with me
But I've been feelin' fine
In fact, often better than fine
But now both my shoulders have started hurtin'
From walkin' around under such a burden
To reconcile everything that we've learned
With everything that we were taught
But with all we know now, how can you say:
"Oh you just gotta take it all on faith
And don't think too much, just hush and pray
Exactly as we've always done"?

Hey! I just noted that the youtube video of the song (uploaded in July) only has 962 views. Maybe I'm not the last person to hear about this band!

Discussion thread of this post on Anchor Cove forums