Thanks to Logan’s post a few weeks ago, I have been introduced to an absolutely fabulous worship band called Kings Kaleidoscope (hereafter KK). If you’ve never heard of them, go buy their album, Becoming Who We Are, right now. I did the very same thing after reading Logan’s review and I am so glad that I did.
In this post I won’t rehash Logan’s analysis of the main reasons that make KK (#1) so good, and (#2) so much better than other worship bands. Neither will I spend the whole post praising Logan for introducing me to KK; but seriously man, props!
However, I’d like to take a stab at commenting on one song in particular—“Felix Culpa.” I’m not sure if it’s my favorite from the album, Becoming Who We Are, but it’s definitely up there. The song is about “fortunate falls,” how believers can look back on their sins and hang ups, and see the gracious God that worked powerfully in spite of it all.
I would like to suggest that a particular musical influence on “Felix Culpa” is noticeable, and that the influence helps underline the main point of the song. This influence is a song by Nirvana. Being from Seattle, there’s no reason to doubt that KK would have been influenced by Nirvana, who were the royalty of the Seattle grunge scene in the 1990s.
The specific song that I think influenced KK’s “Felix Culpa” is “You Know You’re Right.” This song was released by Nirvana in 2002 long after the death of Kurt Cobain in 1994. In fact, it was the last recording of the band. So the song isn’t just any song by Nirvana, it’s a very special one, especially to fans. So now, take a moment to listen to the two songs, provided below.
First, listen to Nirvana’s “You Know You’re Right.” Note especially: 1:00–1:20, 2:02–2:30, 2:57–3:17 for the refrain where Cobain screams “Hate.”
Now listen to KK’s “Felix Culpa.” Note how the refrain from Nirvana’s “You Know You’re Right” is worked into the melody at 0:00–0:10, 0:34–0:41, and 2:01–3:01. But notice especially 2:51–3:01 where Gardner screams “Grace.”
I think the parallels are undeniable. An homage to Nirvana, the most famous band from Seattle, is definitely at work. But what stands out more than the parallels is the pointed contrast. Whereas Nirvana screams “Hate” in a nihilistically violent manner, KK screams “Grace” as a cry of confident hope. A Fortunate Fall provides the clarity that transforms hate into grace.
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