It's entirely possible that things have gone too far. I can understand why tribute albums seem like a good thing from a record company's end of things. They draw the fans of the group being "honored" and introduce them to a spate of new artists. On Christian music tributes, the emphasis is usually on "new bands," frequently with the words "and obscure" appended, unlike secular tributes, which tend to boast a more first-string lineup. Now that we've toasted Petra, Keith Green, Steve Taylor, and Larry Norman, it's not surprising that Stryper's time would come around.
For five albums, Stryper was a great example of what Christian music should look like in the mainstream arena. Okay, so today we look back on the spandex and mascara and ask, "What were they thinking?," but then look at their competition back then. They were masters of their instruments, they knew their audience, and they sang the most explicit, if uncreative, Christian lyrics around.
Which is why listening to this tribute album on purpose is, at some points, like giving yourself an appendectomy. What Stryper had going for them was not their lyrics. So why, oh why, would anyone release Stryper songs in versions which contain nothing recognizable except the lyrics? A band doing a cover tune is always walking a tightrope, taking someone else's material and interpreting it for themselves. Sadly, most of these songs fall off the rope, and it's a long way down. Even established acts like Steve Hindalong and Havalina Rail Co. plummet into The Abyss with tortuous creations which completely obscure their origins.
You would hope even a bad album with 17 tracks would have something redeeming. And yes, there are some bright spots, generally by bands that perform with at least a semblance of faithfulness to the original material. So, to honor the (relative) winners:
The Klank offers a terrifying but memorable "The Way," with vocals best described as "volcanic"
Grammatrain, the metal band in grunge guise, gives us "More Than A Man"
Ghoti Hook delivers a Green Day-ish version of "First Love"
Aleixa turns in an inspired techno-metal "Makes Me Wanna Sing," a song less successfully presented by Cricket earlier on the album
Echoing Green performs an Erasure-clone version of "You Won't Be Lonely."
Runners-up include The Blamed ("Soldiers Under Command"), Joe Christmas ("A Love That's Real"), and Combat Chuck's "You Know What To Do," which is worthwhile, mostly for the riotous Michael Sweet impersonation at the beginning of the song and a song-ending yelp borrowed from Counting Crows' "Rain King." Clunkers include the aforementioned Cricket, Hindalong, and Havalina, as well as Morella's Forest's anemic "Calling On You." Marriage is Madness' version of "Free" is simply unlistenable-not even once. Fluffy gives a novel but dull spoken-lyric "Honestly." If you're going to choose a schmaltzy song, at least put a little schmaltz in it, guys!
Overall, about half these tracks bear a repeat listen, with maybe five or six really worthwhile tracks. If you're a die-hard fan of one of the established acts found here, then you might have a plausible excuse to get this album. If you're an 80's metalhead refugee who bought all Stryper paraphernalia ever offered, then you'll probably jump on this one too. This album made me dig out my old Stryper tapes and run around the house for a while listening to them at full tilt, which should be one purpose of a tribute album-to reintroduce you to music worth remembering. Too often, this tribute simply forgot the music.
Other coverage for this album
7ball #4Reviewed by Chris WellSome people are going to be shocked by Sweet Family Music: A Tribute To Stryper. This is an alternative album. It makes sense, though, when you think about it; when Stryper was current, the band competed with some of the mainstream's biggest acts ... that's the style of music people were listening to. Consequently, the best way to make "tribute" is to make these current again. Sweet Family Music…
