I’ve said before in several places that I grew up on ‘80s alternative rock and Christian rock. My previous entries in this series about Steve Taylor’s “I Predict 1990” and The Choir’s “Circle Slide” demonstrated how these two genres could come together, and a song on my work-week playlist reminded me of another album that embodies the Christian alt-rock sound perfectly — yet doesn’t get the love it deserves.
In my teenage years, the closest Christian bookstore was at the mall in Athens. The store had a wall of cassette tapes and players with headphones that allowed customers to preview new releases. I saw a cassette called “Things Break” that had an interesting cover, so I had to listen. It wasn’t like the rest of the albums on the demo wall; it was more like what I listened to on secular radio.
“Since it was a tape, of course, it picked up where the last listener had left off, a song on Side 2 called ‘Moved,’” I wrote on a blog a few years ago. “It was an amazing song… a minor-key alt-rock praise song at a time when we still only had a piano and organ at [church].”
I was hooked, and when the store took the demo tape out of circulation and sold it at a discount, I bought it — c’mon, I was 14, so I didn’t have much money. In later years, I’ve made up for it by buying the album on CD, vinyl, and digital.
Canadian band Elim Hall (stylized as ēlim Hall) released “Things Break” in 1986, and it’s the perfect snapshot of the music of its time. Along with the Choir and Steve Taylor, Elim Hall was part of a bourgeoning scene of artists who took advantage of the unique sounds of the alt-rock scene and added a Christian worldview.
Related: Underappreciated Albums: 'I Predict 1990'
“Things Break” kicks off with “Hypothermia.” The driving drums, chiming guitars, and sludgy bass put you right back in the mid-'80s, while the lyrics describe the sensation of cold outside of the warmth of God’s love.
“The Park in Spring” and “At the Falls” describe the joy of spending time with loved ones or out in nature.
The title track takes on materialism and self-absorption in a surprisingly jaunty way. The synths on this track fit perfectly within the era the song describes.
“Let’s Play Science Says” adds a bit of a stuttery reggae beat as the band tackles evolution.
The driving “Testimony” tells different stories of people finding freedom in Jesus, while the soaring “My Flag Always Fades” speaks of the urgency of sharing the gospel.
Alas, “Things Break” didn’t earn Elim Hall anything beyond a cult following, which is a shame, because it’s a terrific album with songs that share a positive message with clever turns of phrase.
Related: Underappreciated Albums: 'Circle Slide'
Elim Hall released an independent EP a few years later called “Let It Thrive,” which was hard to find until the band finally released it on iTunes last year. It’s not as compelling as “Things Break” (I say this after only one listen), but it’s still good.
Side note: after that blog post I wrote a while back, I received an email from Glenn Teeple, who played keys and guitar for the band, and we had a nice conversation.
“Things Break” is available on Spotify or in lossless audio on Apple Music:
