Band combines new sound with lasting tradition Print
Written by Courtney Hyder   
Wednesday, 02 September 2009 11:07 AM America/New_York
Modern worship favorite delivers album of continuous blended music

churchmusicCDThe David Crowder Band unveils its latest project, Church Music, in hopes of prompting listeners to notice the changes in music within the church from ages past through today. The self-produced fifth studio album from the Dove Award-winning group of six will release Sept. 22 from sixstepsrecords and EMI CMG Distribution.

"I hope this album serves as a reminder of music within the church, of its richness and its broadness, and the tension that exists in using elements of cultural language to express our collective experience and also still remain a transformative presence that is set apart," said band frontman David Crowder.

To add to the project's uniqueness, its 17 songs play continuously with one song blending into the next.

First single "How He Loves" is "the pronouncement that church music helps us realign ourselves to some of the more beautiful things about our existence," Crowder said.

One of his favorites is "God Almighty, None Compares," because of its guitar harmony, and "Oh, Happiness" sounds like it "has a lot of sunshine in it," he said.

For the epic "Eastern Hymn," Crowder commissioned the translation of an ancient Chinese prayer book, portions of which appear in the chorus.

Church Music is the follow-up to David Crowder Band's 2007 release, Remedy. Along with the group's six GMA Dove Awards and 17 nominations, David Crowder Band was also the first Christian artist to be named MSN.com's Artist of the Year.

To order, call 800-877-4443, or go to www.emicmgdistribution.com.

Courtney Hyder is a publicist with The M Collective in Franklin, Tenn.