Traces of the Spirit: The Religious dimensions of Popular Music, by Robin Sylvan, New York University Press: New York, 2002. 291 pages. Reviewed by Christina Coulter.
This book was chosen due to its interesting topic. Most of the music covered in class is more traditional music taken from various cultures around the world. This book, on the other hand, covers popular music in America. Its analysis has many interesting points on the effects of music that mirror what we have discussed in class, such as the use of music for ritual. As Sylvan is a professor of art and religion, a book written on the overlap between art (in this case music) and religion seems logical.
In Robin Sylvan’s Traces of the Spirit: Religious Dimensions in Popular Music, Sylvan attempts to prove to the reader that the members of popular music subcultures are affected by music spiritually in a way that harkens back to African possession cults. He claims that since musical experiences share some aspects with organized religions, these musical experiences are also religious in nature. Though many points Sylvan makes I agree with, his overall thesis fails to be proven until the very end …show more content…
In a group of people who are all interested in the same band, a performer is free to reference other songs by the same band, or make lyric changes, with the knowledge that the audience will follow along. It’s similar to the excitement experienced when a character says the title of the movie, or when someone catches a reference to another film by the same director or company. When Sylvan goes on to compare this to possession cults, however, he loses me. I don’t think the excitement one can achieve when they catch a reference in something that will put them in a trance like state, or allow them access to a spiritual realm. Its simply excitement, and I don’t think Sylvan has enough evidence to make a strong
This book was chosen due to its interesting topic. Most of the music covered in class is more traditional music taken from various cultures around the world. This book, on the other hand, covers popular music in America. Its analysis has many interesting points on the effects of music that mirror what we have discussed in class, such as the use of music for ritual. As Sylvan is a professor of art and religion, a book written on the overlap between art (in this case music) and religion seems logical.
In Robin Sylvan’s Traces of the Spirit: Religious Dimensions in Popular Music, Sylvan attempts to prove to the reader that the members of popular music subcultures are affected by music spiritually in a way that harkens back to African possession cults. He claims that since musical experiences share some aspects with organized religions, these musical experiences are also religious in nature. Though many points Sylvan makes I agree with, his overall thesis fails to be proven until the very end …show more content…
In a group of people who are all interested in the same band, a performer is free to reference other songs by the same band, or make lyric changes, with the knowledge that the audience will follow along. It’s similar to the excitement experienced when a character says the title of the movie, or when someone catches a reference to another film by the same director or company. When Sylvan goes on to compare this to possession cults, however, he loses me. I don’t think the excitement one can achieve when they catch a reference in something that will put them in a trance like state, or allow them access to a spiritual realm. Its simply excitement, and I don’t think Sylvan has enough evidence to make a strong