Church Music (album)

Church Music
Studio album by David Crowder Band
Released	September 22, 2009
Genre	Christian rock Contemporary worship music
Label	sixstepsrecords
Producer	David Crowder Band
David Crowder Band chronology
Remedy Club Tour – Live (2008) Church Music (2009) Summer Happiness (2010)

Church Music is the fifth full-length studio album by David Crowder Band recorded for sixstepsrecords, released September 22, 2009. It reached #1 on the Billboard Christian albums chart, and debuted at #11 on the Billboard 200.^[1]

Recording Process

The album runs continuously (there are no gaps between the tracks), which essentially creates a 73 minute song, and when the album is looped, it creates a neverending song. To do this the band sequenced the tracks before anything had been recorded so keys and tempos could be finalized.^[2] According to David Crowder, "We programmed the album first, forcing ourselves to write from the track up, and then, after the song emerged, we dismantled it, replacing much of the programming with live instrumentation but leaving the fundamentals that the song emerged from intact." ^[3]

Style

Church Music differs considerably from the previous album (Remedy) in the band's heavy use of synthesizers and other electronic instruments.^[4] In past albums this style is limited to only several songs, however on Church Music an electronic beat (at minimum) is present in almost every track. David Crowder alluded to this stylistic shift in the bridge of "Alleluia, Sing," about which he commented, "In many ways this is classic Crowder Band, but the real, and first, indicator that the album is going to take a left turn is the bridge, where the pulsating synth bed serves as a sign post, saying 'there are going to be musical elements present which are extremely familiar to listeners accustomed to the sounds of the current landscape of popular music.'"^[5]

Reception

Jesus Freak Hideout gave it a glowing 5 out of 5 review commenting on the powerful worship experience that is created, which is "not only pleasant to the soul, but also pleasant to the ears".^[6] Jared Johnson writing for Allmusic gave it 4.5 out of 5 stating that "from beginning to end Church Music astonishes, mesmerizes and reaffirms that original, out of the box, unstereotypical worship is what David does best and what the genre needs, and deserves."^[7]

Awards

In 2010, the album won a Dove Award for Praise & Worship Album of the Year at the 41st GMA Dove Awards. It was also nominated for Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year, while the song "How He Loves" was nominated for Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year.^[8]

Track listing^[9]

1. "Phos Hilaron (Hail Gladdening Light)" - 2:06
2. "Alleluia, Sing" - 4:30
3. "The Nearness (ft. Lacey Mosley)" - 3:55
4. "Shadows" - 3:26
5. "Eastern Hymn" - 6:26
6. "SMS (Shine)" - 3:18
7. "The Veil" - 4:19
8. "We Are Loved" - 4:17
9. "All Around Me" (Flyleaf cover) - 4:37
10. "How He Loves" (John Mark McMillan cover) - 5:19
11. "Can I Lie Here" - 3:24
12. "Birmingham (We Are Safe)" - 3:38
13. "Church Music - Dance (!)" - 3:52
14. "What A Miracle" - 3:41
15. "Oh, Happiness" - 3:17
16. "God Almighty, None Compares" - 6:51
17. "In the End (O Resplendent Light!)" - 6:53

Singles

• "How He Loves" (#8 Billboard Christian Songs) (2009)
• "Oh Happiness" (2010)
• "SMS (Shine)" (2010)

References

1. ^ http://www.billboard.com/charts#/charts/christian-albums
2. ^ http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/9666211055.html
3. ^ http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/news/2009/thescoop-072809.html
4. ^ http://jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/ChurchMusic.asp
5. ^ Church Music Magazine (included with album pre-orders)
6. ^ [1]
7. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1639510
8. ^ 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards nominees announced on The Tennessean (February 18, 2010)
9. ^ http://www.davidcrowderbandstore.com/store/product/458/Church-Music-/