|
1. Phos Hilaron (Hail Gladdening Light)
2. Alleluia, Sing
3. The Nearness
4. Shadows
5. Eastern Hymn
6. SMS (Shine)
7. The Veil
8. We Are Loved
9. All Around Me
2. Alleluia, Sing
3. The Nearness
4. Shadows
5. Eastern Hymn
6. SMS (Shine)
7. The Veil
8. We Are Loved
9. All Around Me
Church Music
[Release Date: September 22, 2009] (Sixstep Records)
Track Listing:
Track Listing:
10. How He Loves
11. Can I Lie Here
12. Birmingham (We Are Safe)
13. Church Music - Dance [!]
14. What A Miracle
15. Oh, Happiness
16. God Almighty, Nothing Compares
17. In The End (O Resplendent Light)
11. Can I Lie Here
12. Birmingham (We Are Safe)
13. Church Music - Dance [!]
14. What A Miracle
15. Oh, Happiness
16. God Almighty, Nothing Compares
17. In The End (O Resplendent Light)
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
4.0 out of 4
3.0 out of 3
2.0 out of 2
1.0 out of 1
10.0 out of 10
Message
Music
Production
Creativity
Overall Score
| 100% A+ |
David Crowder*Band, the Dove Award-winning six-piece band, crafts compelling,
inimitably progressive electronic rock. They are back with their new release “Church
Music” arguably their most innovative effort to date. Packed full with 17 full tracks, “It’s
our stimulus package,” the frontman player jokes. “We’re doing our part.” The band
hopes this album serves as a reminder of the continual evolvement of music within the
Church.
One of David’s favorite selections from “Church Music” is “God Almighty, None
Compares,” because he loves “the guitar harmony…the guitarmony, if you will, and
shredding is involved, which always makes me smile.” The band is rounded out by
guitarists Jack Parker and Mark Waldorp , bassist Mike Dodson, drummer Jeremy Bush
and electronic violinist Mike Hogan. For the epic “Eastern Hymn,” which is the rest of
the band’s favorite song on the disc, David commissioned the translation of an ancient
Chinese prayer book which he’d found last summer while the band was on the Passion
World Tour, and portions of the translated tome appear in the song’s chorus.
The album opens with “Phos Hilaron (Hail Gladdening Light)”, which sets the tone for
this excellent album, my top album of 2009 and my favorite overall album by this
amazing band. If you liked “Illuminate”, “A Collision” and “Remedy”, then “Church
Music” is for you. The album blends previous musical and lyrical styles with some new
ethereal and ambient songs and an incredible cover of my favorite song of the year,
“How He Loves”. To add to the uniqueness of the album, the 17 songs on the album play
continuously from beginning to end with one song blending into the next. In order to
accomplish this, the band poured an immense amount of work into the process,
sequencing the tracks before anything had been recorded so keys and tempos could be
finalized. The result: 73 full minutes of music. “Alleluia Sing” is next and has that
signature David Crowder*Band praise and worship style similar to “Open Skies”. “The
Nearness” and “Shadows” bring back the electronic feel from “Remedy” like “Everything
Glorious” and “Can You Feel It?”. “Eastern Hymn” is truly epic and flows beautifully
into the next few tracks “SMS (Shine)”, “The Veil” and “We Are Loved”. This section
reminded me of the brilliant section of “A Collision” from “Do Not Move” to “Our Happy
Home”.
The band even tackles a cover on the disc that has to be heard to be believed: Flyleaf’s
“All Around Me.” As if the album wasn’t impressive already, David Crowder*Band's
beautiful cover of "How He Loves", originally written and recorded by John Mark
McMillan, is spectacular. The band finds a unique balance of capturing the sweet lyrical
moments of the song but continually crescendos the intensity of the song and the
message as the simple chorus builds over and over again. The genuine sound of the song
reminds us of the simplicity yet magnanimity of God's love for us. “Can I Lie Here” and
“Birmingham (We Are Safe)” bridge to the final section of the album in the style of
“…neverending…” and “Rain Down” before the title track “Church Music (Dance)”, one
of the most fun tracks on the album. I can’t wait to see this song performed live as it
has an electronic feel that will remind you of a 1970’s disco. The album closes with an
amazing section from the unashamed praise of “What A Miracle”, and “Oh Happiness”,
which reminded me of “We Win!”, the guitar-shredding of “God Almighty, Nothing
Compares” and the epic closer “In The End (O Resplendent Light)”.
Closing Thoughts:
This is my favorite overall album by David Crowder*Band and my top album of 2009.
For me, this is truly a 5 star album! My favorite songs are “Alleluia Sing”, “The
Nearness”, “Eastern Hymn”, “All Around Me”, “Church Music (Dance)”, “God
Almighty, Nothing Compares” and my song of the year “How He Loves”.
inimitably progressive electronic rock. They are back with their new release “Church
Music” arguably their most innovative effort to date. Packed full with 17 full tracks, “It’s
our stimulus package,” the frontman player jokes. “We’re doing our part.” The band
hopes this album serves as a reminder of the continual evolvement of music within the
Church.
One of David’s favorite selections from “Church Music” is “God Almighty, None
Compares,” because he loves “the guitar harmony…the guitarmony, if you will, and
shredding is involved, which always makes me smile.” The band is rounded out by
guitarists Jack Parker and Mark Waldorp , bassist Mike Dodson, drummer Jeremy Bush
and electronic violinist Mike Hogan. For the epic “Eastern Hymn,” which is the rest of
the band’s favorite song on the disc, David commissioned the translation of an ancient
Chinese prayer book which he’d found last summer while the band was on the Passion
World Tour, and portions of the translated tome appear in the song’s chorus.
The album opens with “Phos Hilaron (Hail Gladdening Light)”, which sets the tone for
this excellent album, my top album of 2009 and my favorite overall album by this
amazing band. If you liked “Illuminate”, “A Collision” and “Remedy”, then “Church
Music” is for you. The album blends previous musical and lyrical styles with some new
ethereal and ambient songs and an incredible cover of my favorite song of the year,
“How He Loves”. To add to the uniqueness of the album, the 17 songs on the album play
continuously from beginning to end with one song blending into the next. In order to
accomplish this, the band poured an immense amount of work into the process,
sequencing the tracks before anything had been recorded so keys and tempos could be
finalized. The result: 73 full minutes of music. “Alleluia Sing” is next and has that
signature David Crowder*Band praise and worship style similar to “Open Skies”. “The
Nearness” and “Shadows” bring back the electronic feel from “Remedy” like “Everything
Glorious” and “Can You Feel It?”. “Eastern Hymn” is truly epic and flows beautifully
into the next few tracks “SMS (Shine)”, “The Veil” and “We Are Loved”. This section
reminded me of the brilliant section of “A Collision” from “Do Not Move” to “Our Happy
Home”.
The band even tackles a cover on the disc that has to be heard to be believed: Flyleaf’s
“All Around Me.” As if the album wasn’t impressive already, David Crowder*Band's
beautiful cover of "How He Loves", originally written and recorded by John Mark
McMillan, is spectacular. The band finds a unique balance of capturing the sweet lyrical
moments of the song but continually crescendos the intensity of the song and the
message as the simple chorus builds over and over again. The genuine sound of the song
reminds us of the simplicity yet magnanimity of God's love for us. “Can I Lie Here” and
“Birmingham (We Are Safe)” bridge to the final section of the album in the style of
“…neverending…” and “Rain Down” before the title track “Church Music (Dance)”, one
of the most fun tracks on the album. I can’t wait to see this song performed live as it
has an electronic feel that will remind you of a 1970’s disco. The album closes with an
amazing section from the unashamed praise of “What A Miracle”, and “Oh Happiness”,
which reminded me of “We Win!”, the guitar-shredding of “God Almighty, Nothing
Compares” and the epic closer “In The End (O Resplendent Light)”.
Closing Thoughts:
This is my favorite overall album by David Crowder*Band and my top album of 2009.
For me, this is truly a 5 star album! My favorite songs are “Alleluia Sing”, “The
Nearness”, “Eastern Hymn”, “All Around Me”, “Church Music (Dance)”, “God
Almighty, Nothing Compares” and my song of the year “How He Loves”.
Review Written By: Kevin Davis [kevin.davis@christianmusicreview.org] Date Written: August 28, 2009
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| [Album Review] |
| David Crowder*Band |