A Collision (CD - 2005)

David Crowder: David Crowder Band (vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, programming); Jason Solley (vocals, electric guitar); Jack Parker (electric guitar, banjo, keyboards); Hogan (violin, turntables); Mike D (bass guitar, programming); B-Wack (drums, programming).

The genre-busting third studio effort from David Crowder and company exceeded any kind of creative expectations following their RIAA-certified gold album Illuminate. Never one to be predictable, the worship leader from Waco, TX took a colossal risk by interjecting his group's trademark alternative rock with the seemingly at-odds flavor of bluegrass. One would think these genres are hopelessly at odds until they are juxtaposed in such a setting as this. It turns out that they not only created a yet-to-be-duplicated fusing of old and new sounds, but this synergy became a metaphor for the state of contemporary Christian music in the early 2000s. It was in the first decade of the century that a return to worship albums became fashionable again, and as a result nearly every forward-thinking artist released a collection of traditional worship songs in his or her own hue. Crowder's manner of honoring the past was to take this concept one step further and merge it boldly with his highly produced blend of peppy alternative and electronic rock. The album is divided into four sections, each with its own deeper meaning. "A Part" is where listeners find the David Crowder they have grown to know and love -- tried and true hits like the groove-laden "Wholly Yours" and the effervescent "Foreverandever Etc." "B Part" takes a departure into more brooding tracks with a foray into Maroon 5-esque funk. About halfway through the album, tempered spirituals like "I Saw the Light," "Our Happy Home" and "O God Where Art Thou" begin to appear more often. The final two sections suggest where the band was headed on its next record, adding an ethereal, contemplative sheen to the mix. A Collision's stronghold on the CCM charts continued for well over a year, racking up every accolade imaginable. A spin-off collection of bluegrass offerings, B Collision, was released in 2006. ~ Jared Johnson

On this 2005 outing, Christian singer/songwriter David Crowder leads his band on 21 tracks that range from electronics-tinged rock ("Here Is Our King") and gentle, string-laden moments ("A Quiet Interlude") to old-fashioned bluegrass ("I Saw the Light"). Given the consistency of Crowder's catchy melodies and strong spiritual messages, this eclectic album holds together remarkably well, making it one of the year's finest Contemporary Christian Music releases. minimize