Album Reviewed: "A Collision"

(this review previously appeared on my Xanga page. I'm plagarizing, yes, but only from myself)

The David Crowder Band started as a worship group at a University Baptist Church (founded by Crowder) near Baylor University, in Waco, TX. They tour the country now, having been alongside the likes of Michael W Smith and Mercy Me; in addition to being a mega worship group, David Crowder himself looks more than a little freaky. Always a good combination.

"A Collision" has become my favorite album with which to worship God in the privacy of my car. At 21 tracks, this is the best $13.88 (Wal-Mart) that you'll ever spend. Mixed in with the rock & roll & worship are several other ... cool things:

1. A negro-spiritual style chant ("Soon")
2. Several intro-outro songs that only run :30 or 1:00 long
3. A mock "interview" style skit
4. "I Saw the Light", a superb country ho-down freakout that ranks as the most unexpectedly brilliant song I've heard in a while.

There are several songs featuring the familiar whomp-whomp-whomp bass-pedal driving electro-ROCK style that we know and love from "Illuminate", his previous album. Most notably, "Here is Our King" makes you want to stand up and slap yourself silly with rock-out joy. You've probably heard it and thrashed in your car, as this is the first single released on the radio. However, the real power of this album lies in its overriding theme: this CD feels like an extremely personal worship time for Crowder, and thus, a personal worship experience between the listener and God. Some highlights:

• Track 2, "Come and Listen". A beautiful slow piece, encouraging us to share the joys and triumphs of God at work in out lives.
• Track 4, "Wholly Yours". Focusing on the holiness of God, the sin in our hearts, and the unbelievable truth of Him choosing to live with us.
  
• Tracks 6 and 12, "Quiet Interludes", that remind us of the power that comes when we are quiet, listen, and wait on God.
  
• Track 15, "You Are My Joy". Starting with a mostly forgettable verse-chorus structure about "Fire", this song moves into a powerful 3rd piece, repeating: "You are my joy you are my joy you are my joy" until it blows your mind and heart into the realization that God is our source of joy.
  
• Track 18, "We Win!". At first, this song seems kind of hokey -- the chorus exlaims, "We have already won!" But the fact is... we have. Jesus has died, the devil has been defeated, and our victory is secure. When this realization hits you, the song become an anthem of praise to God for His completed work.
  

The best tracks take a simple premise ("be more quiet", "you are my joy", "we have already won"), and repeat it until it slams into your heart. With a society that loves to multi-task and brains that won't shut off, its so great to hear a song that takes a truth about God, expounds on that one simple truth, bashes you over the head with a great electro-rock beat, and leaves you with a deeper appreciation and understanding of that truth.The absolute best example is track 4, "Wholly Yours". It describes our sinful heart, the dirty earth, and praises God's holiness. As the chorus ends for the final time and the song quiets down to the finish, I was blindsided to tears by the most powerful lyric on the CD: "I am full of earth, and dirt, and YOU". How amazing that God sees our dirty, sinful hearts... our fallen minds and wrong actions... and chooses to live in us. I am full of bad things...but I am also full of God.

If you're looking for a safe, mild, acoustic worship album, this is not for you. If any of the ideas in this post struck a chord with you, you will love this CD.