AMG Review of I Want to Be a Clone

Mark W. B. Allender
All Music Guide

With his debut EP, I Want to Be a Clone, Steve Taylor brought Devo and the B-52's to Christian music. Quirky post-punk rhythms and trendy early-'80s melodies are the foundation of this groundbreaking, highly political EP -- and political is the operative word here. With one exception, these are not songs of sin and salvation; these songs are an often biting critique of the Church itself -- largely focusing on evangelical Christians' tolerance of liberal ideas. The strongest example of this is "Whatever Happened to Sin?," which specifically attacks the acceptance of both abortion and homosexuality in Christianity. Funny too, since the title track is a critique against homogeneity in the Church. Musically, this is an incredibly innovative recording -- especially for the Christian market. There are not many albums out there that have this kind of sound with such a right-wing political stance.