DAVID CROWDER*BAND: GIVE US REST - REVIEWED...

We wanted to review David Crowder*Band's new album, but then we found this awesome review of Ryan Barbee at JesusFreakHideout.com. It would be hard to better it...
 
"It is sad to bid farewell to a good friend. Sometimes that same difficulty is shared with saying goodbye to your favorite band. When the David Crowder*Band announced that their newest release, Give Us Rest or (a requiem mass in c [the happiest of all keys]), would be the conclusion of DC*B, it surely broke more than a few listeners' hearts. Nevertheless, their final curtain call also created a large amount of anticipation amongst fans. There is no doubt that they have created something grander and more elaborate than all of their previous releases: two discs and thirty-four tracks back up this statement. And from track one to thirty-four it is nothing short of an amazing experience.
 
Continuing the theme of A Collision, Give Us Rest deals with death and grief. It doesn't glorify the pain and sadness but the transition from this life to the next and calling on the Lord through our pain. Beginning the journey in a similar fashion to its counterpart is "Requiem Aeternam Dona Eis, Domine." There is no music, no poignant lyrics, only footsteps and the voice of a priest speaking in Latin. Within the last few seconds, a soft piano enters into the quiet atmosphere to transition to "Give Us Rest." With a mournful overtone the song laments, "O great God, give us rest… Have you seen this place, it's all a mess... Shine on in, bring these to dead bones to life." However, the overwhelming beauty begins to grow and declares that God does shine on us and bring us to life. "Come Find Me" builds off of this as Crowder sings of being brought to life. Musically, it contains a wonderful combination of acoustic and electronic elements, all the while not overdoing one over the other. On the other hand, "God Have Mercy" works the electronic sound full force and executes it with much delicacy. Listeners who began following DC*B after the release of Church Music are sure to appreciate this, however, it does not resound throughout the album.
 
Read the rest of the review at http://jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/GiveUsRest.asp, and then go get the album!