David Wallace Crowder was born on
November 29, 1971. He was lead singer
for David Crowder*Band. They released
their debut independent CD POUR OVER ME in 1996. Over the years they became known for such
songs as ‘Open Skies’, ‘Here is our King’, ‘Everything Glorious’, and ‘O Praise
Him (All This for a King)’. Their two
disc release GIVE US REST debuted at No 1 on the Billboard Christian chart and
at No 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. The
group won nine Dove Awards and had two Grammy nominations. In 2012 they disbanded. Most of the other members formed The Digital
Age. David Crowder’s bio notes he “has
been embraced for his lyrically powerful and musically elaborate and
unpredictable songs that have found themselves being sung everywhere from
churches to clubs all across the country”.
Crowder’s latest solo album is NEON STEEPLE (sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records,
2014).
‘Neon Intro’ is a short, mellow
track with conversational lyrics: “Well, I didn’t come here of my own
accord/And I guarantee I can’t leave like this/Where you are I don’t care/But
whoever brought me here/Is gonna have to take me home/Yeah, you’re gonna have
to take me home”. ‘My Beloved’ was
written by Crowder, Seth Philpott, and Ed Cash.
It is an energetic track making use of banjo, cello, and violin. It is about a spiritual awakening: “My
Beloved, bring me awake/Take me up to Your resurrection place/My Beloved, bring
me awake/Cause I wanna feel Your light on my face.../My Beloved, take me away,
over Jordan up out of this place/My Beloved for You I’ll wait/With You here
‘til forever face to face”.
On the adult contemporary song ‘I
Am’ Crowder puts full confidence in his God: “I am holding on to You (2X)/In
the middle of the storm/I am holding on, I am.../There’s no space that His love
can’t reach/There’s no place where we can’t find peace/There’s no end to
amazing grace”. ‘Come Alive’ is a dance
song of testimony with Sally George on background vocals: “We have tasted and
seen of the never ending grace of the King/Where the broken and the least of
the least come alive.../Your love was the remedy/For the sickness in my
heart/And now it’s the melody rising up in me/Rising up in me”.
‘Lift Your Head Weary Sinner
(Chains)’ offers awesome advice: “All who’ve strayed and walked
away/Unspeakable things you’ve done/Fix your eyes on the mountain/Let the past
be dead and gone/Come all saints and sinners/You can’t outrun God/Whatever
you’ve done you can’t overcome the power of the blood/If you’re lost and
wanderin’/Come stumbling in like a prodigal child/See the walls start
crumbling/Let the gates of glory be open wide”.
‘Come as You Are’ is a nice ballad of invitation: “There’s hope for the hopeless/And
all those who’ve strayed/Come sit at the table/Come taste the grace/There’s
rest for the weary/Rest that endures/Earth has no sorrow/That heaven can’t
cure.../Come as you are (2X)/Fall in His arms/Come as you are”.
‘Hands of Love’ musically sounds
like an upbeat Newsboys song but has Ron Block playing banjo. The song speaks of being secure in God: “In
His hands that hung the sky/In His hands that touched the blind/In His hands He
is holding me/In His hands that flung the stars/In His hands that bear the
scars/In His hands He is holding me”.
Phil Madeira plays slide and electric guitar on the Hank Williams
Sr./Charles Monroe 1951 composition ‘Jesus is Calling’. This old country song offers hope: “If you’re
lost in sin/There’s no need for you to stay/Jesus is calling, calling, calling
night and day/If the night is dark/You will soon see the day/Jesus is calling,
calling, calling night and day”.
‘My Sweet Lord’ is a quiet song
of vulnerability with the legendary Emmylou Harris on backing vocals and Phil
Madeira on B3. Here are some of the
words: “My sweet Lord/Desperately I am alone and afraid to be/My love is gone
so far away/I need my sweet Lord’s help today/Let Your love shine down on me
and light the way to be/Oh and these are the words that I pray/I need my sweet
Lord’s help today”. ‘This I Know’
includes fiddle, gang vocals, and claps.
It also makes requests of God: “Take me up to where I was/When I never
wanted more than You/Lift me up to feel Your touch/It wouldn’t be that much for
You/This I know (4X)”.
‘Ain’t No Grave’ is a good
sing-a-long song that finds Crowder determined: “Lord I’m crooked from head to
toe/Got dirty hands and a dirty soul/I was lost but now I’m found/Ain’t no
grave gonna hold me down/Ain’t no grave gonna hold me down”. ‘You Are’ confidently declares who God is:
“You are constant in my wandering/You are brighter than the dark in me/You are
the love that sets me free/You are faithful, You are faithful/You are/Ever
waiting for the weary/Ever wanting them to see/There’s ransom, there’s
forgiveness/Your hope is all around me/Though I’m prone to leave Your side/You
draw me like the tide”.
‘Here’s My Heart’ finds Matt
Gilder on piano, Cara Fox on cello, and Gabe Scott on background vocals. This testimonial was written by Chris Tomlin,
Jason Ingram, and Louie Giglio: “You are strong, You are sure/You are life, You
endure/You are good, always true/You are light breaking through/You are more
than enough/You are here/You are love/You are hope/You are grace/You’re all I
have/You’re everything”. ‘Steeple Outro’
is a fitting conclusion to the album: “I needed waking/I needed breaking/I
needed You my Lord/And You took my hand/Led me to the river/And buried all I
was/Then You kiss my face and told me I was Yours/And I knew I’d found my
home”.
NEON STEEPLE is an eclectic
musical stew combining elements of bluegrass, praise and worship, techno dance,
and pop music. Crowder’s voice is still
in top form. This is an album both teens
and their parents will enjoy! I’m rating
NEON STEEPLE 90% and recommending it to fans of Needtobreathe and Patty
Griffin. I can’t wait for Crowder’s next
album. For more info visit: www.crowdermusic.com.