As my friends, acquaintances, and Twitter followers know, I'm a music junkie... and even that is an understatement. Truthfully, I know no genre limits. Country, indie, alt rock, rap, bluegrass, singer/songwriter... if you have quality lyrical content, I'm probably digging your vibe. But even so, one band manages to take the K... I mean... cake. So this is the list I made to convince you that Relient K is the best band ever.
7. Their quirkiness.
The dudes are so awkward it’s unreal! Thiessen frolics like a lamb on stage and Hoopes is addicted to taking pictures of his shoes. But they’re themselves no matter what, and that gives me the courage to fully be myself, too.
6. Their versatility.
They’ve literally touched on nearly every genre out there. They started out as pop punk, transitioned into alternative rock, messed a little bit with the country/folky feel, went indie, and are now some glorious mix of trumpets, tambourines, guitar, and piano. Seriously, it’s incredible.
5. Their shows.
I’ve been to five of their shows (and am attending two more this fall), and I’m still not bored. A Relient K show is like the good kind of chocolate with a fancy name that comes in a gold wrapper. You’ll savor it for a long time.
4. Their lyrics.
No one can beat Thiessen’s lyrics. He writes in a way that grips your heart and meets you right where you are. Head over heels? There’s a song for that. Screwed up again? There’s a song for that. Doubting God? There’s a song for that too. All wrapped up in a witty little ditty that will make you feel better and understood.
3. Their friendship.
If you would have told me three years ago that the members of my favorite band would call me their friend, I never would have believed you. Yet here I am, recognized at shows and greeted with a “Hey Anna! Yeah, of course I know who you are.” Maybe it’s because I bugged them into it, or maybe it’s because they’re kind souls. Either way, they've made me feel right at home.
2. Their fans.
I have made so many close friends through my love of Relient K and have had the tremendous privilege of meeting a few of them at shows. It's almost gotten to the point that I go to shows for the friends rather than the band!
1. Their faith.
They love Jesus, but they’re not annoying about it. They’re honest about their good days and their bad days, and acknowledge Him through it all. They’re vulnerable, they’re transparent… they’re real. They’re like, “Hey, I’m a Christian but I’ve got doubts. I’m not perfect. Here's a song about it.”
So... here’s to these goofballs that I love quite a lot. Give 'em a listen. Maybe just maybe they’ll "get" you the way they "get" me.
