Hailing from Georgia via South Carolina, Corey Crowder is a Southern troubadour with a scruffy yet wholesome sort of appeal. His Tooth & Nail debut Gold and the Sand follows a pair of independent releases that gained attention via TV soundtrack exposure. Crowder’s easy-going style of country/rock depicts everyday verities from a Christian perspective. He avoids neatly resolved scenarios in favor of emotionally conflicted situations in tunes like “Love,” “Leaving You,” and “I’ve Become Something.” While this singer/songwriter doesn’t wear his faith on his sleeve, “Innocence,” “Slow Down,” and other tunes deal with believers coping with weakness and temptation. Acoustic guitars and subdued drums dominate Gold and the Sand, though “Higher Ground” and “Southern Way” add some thumping roots-rock to the mix. More typical are the jazzy ruminations of “Look How Far We’ve Come” and the coffee-house folk confessions of “Helpless Heart.” Gold and the Sand is a soft-spoken and at times insightful work of unpretentious integrity.