David Crowder Band

When David Crowder discovered that half his fellow students at a Christian college in Waco, Texas, weren't going to church, he decided to follow the example of a much earlier guy named David and "make a joyful noise unto the Lord." His eclectic alt-rock mix is infused by the Spirit, but he hasn't allowed the message to mess up the music, delivering a new style of praise to a weird, wired world. The high-spirited pop romp "Everything Glorious" is the sort of love song that can go sacred or secular, while the danceably electronica-influenced "Our Love Is Loud" is Jesus-centric . . . without being preachy. And "Doxology" resonates with an Edge-like guitar drone, set somewhere between the chapel and the arena. In Next Steps, a gospel classic and a fantasy favorite get a makeover, Crowder-style.

"Rock of Ages" has been a gospel staple since the American Revolution, but Crowder's haunting version reverently and reflectively reworks the original, painting the struggle of humans beset by pain seeking shelter from the storm. The acoustic waltz "You Alone" takes the listener to a much brighter place, as Crowder sings praise with language that snaps with the crispness of newly laundered linen. And the band's "Turkish Delight," inspired by C. S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia, isn't the first time that particular passage has been approached by a praise band, but Crowder broke fresh ground rather than covering the similarly named track recorded by 2nd Chapter of Acts back in 1991, throwing a little funk guitar into the mix and amping up its energy.

For some inexplicable reason — perhaps it's because so many people, both critics and fans, are caught up in the message more than the music — so-called "praise music" often gets dumped into the journalistic equivalent of a bin at the back of the store, perused only by the hardcore faithful. David Crowder and his fellow Texan bandmates could change all that. Funny, smart, self-deprecating, and deeply moved by the Spirit, Crowder has found a wildly enthusiastic home among Evangelical Christians who don't want their musical experiences to be any less meaningful than their religious ones. Preaching an alt-rock-of-ages message in the land of David Koresh and Dr. Pepper is no small task, but Crowder has embraced the challenge with style and a grace that you can capitalize, should you feel so inclined.