David Crowder Band - "We Won't Be Quiet" (2007)

I’ve stated before that a lot of what is considered “praise and worship” music these days just doesn’t do it for me. There’s seems to be a formula that’s followed to a “t” and many of the lyrics are recycled and clichéd. Plus the music isn’t very interesting. I love Chris Tomlin, I’ve attended camps that he led worship at, I think he writes great songs. But even he’s gotten to a point where his songs all sound relatively the same. David Crowder Band is a group that normally is the exception to the rule. DCB are one the most ambitious bands period, not just “Christian” bands or “praise and worship” bands, but any band. Their 2005 album A Collision will in my mind go down as their defining work. It’s an amazingly eclectic mix of what’s become commonplace praise and worship, but it’s all infused with a mix of electronics, strings, synthesizers and various other instruments. There’s even a little bluegrass thrown in for good measure. A Collision had 21 tracks, several of which were interludes and instrumental pieces that connected all of the tracks and brought everything together. I still listen to A Collision from time to time and I had been looking forward to their new release, Remedy, for quite a while. I was a little surprised to see that that Remedy consists of only ten tracks. Even on the band’s albums prior to A Collision, they had employed the use of intro tracks and interludes, so it was strange to see that omitted from the new record. The mainstream music world had to take notice of David Crowder Band this week as Remedy has been in the top ten albums on iTunes since its release on Tuesday. The album peaked at No. 3, slightly edging over Kanye West’s Graduation for a short period of time. The album itself is a lot more toned down with the exception of today’s track, which I would consider the lone “rocker.” That’s not to say the album is bad. “Can You Feel It” has a great electronic beat and almost feels like a club track at times. “Never Let Go” is a great piano ballad and the title track is also exceptional. Remedy also includes a studio version of “Everything Glorious” which fans will know from the compilation Passion: Everything Glorious. That CD came out in early 2006, so the song has been around for a while. Even though the studio version has a few little tweaks that make it different from the live version, this song still feels old to me because I’ve already heard it several times. I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed in Remedy because it’s still an excellent collection of songs, but I feel a little shortchanged because there are only ten tracks. This album hints at greatness but falls just a bit short of what it could have been. Even though today’s track gets a boost from “The Motor City Madman” Mr. Ted Nugent on lead guitar, it still seems like it could have been bigger, clocking in at just over two minutes. David Crowder Band is still one of the most original bands out today and they make amazing music that glorifies God. So if you’re an iTunes user, I suggest you help out the band and keep them in the top ten. Remedy is worth the price.


David Crowder Band - "We Won't Be Quiet"