Relient K

    Relient K

    Canton, Ohio17 reviews across 5 releases

    ccmpop punkpower poppunk
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    Relient K is a Christian pop-punk band from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1998 while its members were still in high school. Matt Thiessen became the principal songwriter and lead voice, shaping a sound built from a brisk punk attack with unusually polished vocal harmonies. The jokes concerned familiar teenage life, popular media and Christian culture. The 2000 debut Relient K was catchy and tightly played, though its references to Marilyn Manson and teen magazines made it feel tied to its moment. The 2001 The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek kept the hooks and humor while adding more polish, acoustic worship writing and a clearer concern with repentance. By Mmhmm in 2004, piano entered more prominently, while quieter ballads and rougher vocals expanded the sound without removing the band's comic timing.

    In 2004, bassist Brian Pittman left, and the group added bassist John Warne plus guitarist Jon Schneck in 2005, expanding the touring-era lineup around Thiessen and Hoopes. The new five-piece made Five Score and Seven Years Ago in 2007, its first album after the personnel change; it debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200. Relient K released Forget and Not Slow Down through Mono vs Stereo in 2009, while continued touring brought further changes, including Ethan Luck's departure in 2013. The band returned with Air for Free in 2016, then worked intermittently rather than maintaining a regular album cycle. Dave Douglas rejoined for later performances before leaving again in 2023. Relient K still played selected shows in 2025, with Luke Preston on bass and Christian Zawacki on drums at a Nashville appearance; in July, Thiessen said he was writing but the band had no studio plans.

    5 releases reviewed