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Highly acclaimed singer/songwriter Andrew Peterson will be entering the recording studio this week working on his third studio project for Centricity Music, which will release early spring (SA) 2012. Peterson, who has been called “one of the greatest Christian lyricists of all time,” has written all new songs for the album. The CD will be produced by long-time collaborator, Ben Shive (Sara Groves/Matt Werz/Eric Peters) and Cason Cooley (Matthew Perryman Jones/Katie Herzig/Mat Kearney/Sixpence None The Richer), with Andy Gullahorn co-producing.

"I'm as scared and as excited as ever about going into the studio,” says Peterson. “The whole process of writing the songs, then choosing them, then trying to find the best way to record them, feels like fumbling around in the dark looking for a light switch. That's why it's so nice to have guys like Ben Shive, Andy Gullahorn, and Cason Cooley to help me find my way. They're amazing at what they do, and I totally trust them. If I were to stick with the light switch analogy, it's like they have night vision goggles or something."

Following the recording of his new album, Peterson will once again join the spring leg of Steven Curtis Chapman’s Songs & Stories Tour.

"Being on the road with SCC last fall was an amazing experience,” adds Peterson, “not just because of the music or the audiences; I made some great new friends in the process and got to be part of Show Hope's ministry. I can't believe we get to do it again in 2012."

Nashville, Tenn. Jan. 18, 2012

David Crowder*Band's Give Us Rest (A Requiem Mass in C [The Happiest of All Keys]) sold over 50,000 copies in the US in its first week, making it the No. 2 record in the country behind Adele’s 21, and the No. 1 new album on the charts. With a nearly constant No. 1 hold on the iTunes ® Overall Albums chart, Give Us Rest offers David Crowder*Band the highest chart and sales debut of their over decade long career.

“We have been really happy to hear and read the responses to the album,” remarks Crowder. “You make a thing and you hope it will mean something and be useful to someone else and to see such a positive reaction so early, well, we thought we couldn’t be happier about it. But then, when I got a phone call letting me know that we were debuting at number two on Billboard, I think, as far as memory serves, I pointed to the sky, yelled something, then un-ironically, with the purest of heart, totally Tebowed right in the middle of the street I had unknowingly wandered into.”

Give Us Rest contains nearly two hours of music constructed in the outline of a Requiem Mass. The track listing even reads like a liturgy. It begins with The Entrance (or, the introit), a segment of three songs, then segues into The Plea (or, the kyrie), a section of three more songs, and then The Plight (or, the gradual and the tract), a sequence of six songs, and so on, all the way through The Absolution (or, the libere me and the paridisum), a string of six tracks to close out the album—and their 12-year run.

David Crowder*Band gave their final performance at Passion 2012 in front of over 42,000 college students, live at the Georgia Dome in downtown Atlanta. Just months earlier, the band completed a nearly 100% sold out headlining tour. Announced initially to their fans, David Crowder*Band revealed their final plans in early 2011. To read the original statement, click http://www.davidcrowderband.com/letter.html..

In what has been hailed an “epic,” “captivating” and “most artistic” final effort from the GRAMMY ® nominees, reviews have applauded the 34 track, double-disc album and full career of David Crowder*Band.

 

THEY SAY...

"It's an honest plea from a man who almost single-handedly redefined modern worship for the 21st century, which certainly was no easy task. But before stepping away from the microphone for good, Crowder showed exactly why he and his bandmates are in need of a rest, by creating an exhaustingly epic, double-disc album…. Give Us Rest sounds exactly as a ‘final album’ should. It is a Mount Everest of worship rock albums, never to be topped. For over a decade, David Crowder created some of the most creatively inspired worship music in the world, and now he deserves his rest." - ChristianityToday.com

"One of Christian music's least predictable bands closes out a decade-long career. The group's final album, patterned after a Requiem Mass, contains nearly two hours of music. Give Us Rest's 34 tracks encompass raw recordings and elaborately constructed arrangements ranging from U2-like worship songs to pseudo-choral music to bluegrass-y gospel hymns." - USA Today

"Their most artistic project… Complexity, and simplicity. Deliberately arranging sound, emotion, intellect and vision. Doing more than pulling out a set of songs and putting them on a CD. DC*B’s contribution was also their journey. Give Us Rest is their coup de grace. Well done, David Crowder*Band, it’s time to take your rest." - Worship Leader

"A captivating offering… the band’s crowning achievement in a career of exuberant, cerebral accomplishments… In the end, joy becomes the lasting note of this album, and perhaps the legacy of the career of this gone-too-soon band." - Crosswalk.com

"From track one to thirty-four it is nothing short of an amazing experience. 5 Stars" - JesusFreakHideout.com

"an epic blaze of musical glory… a memento of its career" – watchgmctv.com

 

About David Crowder*Band:

Named among the “most thoughtful, progressive and exciting acts in contemporary Christian music” by The New York Times, the popular yet unconventional David Crowder*Band unveiled their final collection of new music on January 10 with the release of Give Us Rest or (a requiem mass in c [the happiest of all keys]). Give Us Rest follows their last GRAMMY ® nominated studio project Church Music which debuted at No. 1 on the Christian retail chart scanning over 35,000 units. This gave David Crowder*Band their largest street week to date ranking in at No. 11 on the Billboard Top 200.

David Crowder*Band’s latest music video for “SMS (Shine)” nabbed coverage on NBC’s The Today Show, Fox & Friends, USA Today, Billboard and Paste Magazine online as well as a GMA Dove Award win for “Short Form Video of the Year.” The video was also recognized at the LA Film Festival in 2011.

Along with the group’s 9 GMA Dove Awards and 22 nominations, the band was the first Christian artist to be named MSN.com’s Artist of the Year in 2006. The band is part of the Passion Movement, participating in university student gatherings in the US and around the world.

The group’s leader David Crowder is further an acclaimed author, having penned two books, including his acclaimed, highly personal, Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven, But Nobody Wants to Die: Or (The Eschatology of Bluegrass). David Crowder*Band debuted their first Christmas album, Oh For Joy, in October of 2011.

Tickets for Jesus Culture's events in South Africa in March 2012 are now on sale.

Go to Itickets to book your tickets.

After being established as one of the industry’s premier worship leaders with her Dove Award-winning, self-titled debut, Kari Jobe continues to serve as a worship pastor at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, and will release her highly anticipated follow-up album, Where I Find You on January 24, 2012.

Produced by Ed Cash (Chris Tomlin, Chris August) and Matt Bronleewe (Natalie Imbruglia, Josh Wilson), Where I Find You, which includes Kari’s new hit radio single “We Are,” is an engaging departure from her previous effort—both sonically and thematically speaking.

Rather than simply emphasizing the beauty found in God’s presence, Where I Find You is a clarion call for listeners to experience His presence to the fullest. And not surprisingly, the accompanying soundtrack is just as bold with a buoyant mix of fresh musical textures and timbres.

“After singing about the importance of making time for intimate worship on my first album, I wanted to take the next step on Where I Find You,” Kari shares. “These songs come from such a honest place of praising God for what He’s done—and what He’s continuing to do in our lives—because of His grace and goodness.

“Ultimately, it’s about declaring who He is and enjoying the simplicity of knowing the Lord is near,” she continues. “He’s for us, He loves us, and sometimes, we need to just stop, enjoy His presence and take that in.”

While recording the album, Kari says she was often reminded of that very truth -- theme that resonates through the lyrics of “Here,” a reminder to press pause, even when our culture insists we constantly keep moving.

“There were many instances when we had to stop whatever we were working on because I needed to go outside, take a walk and have my own time with God for a few minutes,” Kari remembers. “Again and again, I was so overtaken by how present He was while we were recording, and it’s my hope and desire that people really feel the strength and intercession that was taking place while I worked on the album.”

Another decidedly counter-cultural idea that resonates in these new songs is how God never lets believers, including worship leaders, get too comfortable in their faith or permanently reside on the proverbial spiritual mountaintop.

“This past year has been the season of being completely uncomfortable and going through things I didn’t understand that were really hard,” Kari shares. “I was literally having to hold on in my heart and trust He had everything in control. You can even hear that a little in my vocals, especially on songs like ‘Love Came Down,’ ‘Run To You,’ and ‘What Love Is This.’ It was a season that stretched me.”

Even through all the growing pains, however, Kari says she was continually reminded of God’s faithfulness.

“I think there are times as believers when we feel entitled and that life shouldn’t be hard. We live in this culture of convenience that says we can do everything ourselves and find all the answers on Google,” Kari says. “But if we can learn to fall more in love with the Lord and trust Him in the middle of every storm, we build our endurance to keep running the race.”

Naturally, these declarations of God’s faithfulness couldn’t help but make their way onto her album.

“‘We Are’ is a song of commission for us as believers,” says Kari, “to be reminded of what we’ve been called to, and that is to impact people’s lives in everything we do.”

In the track “One Desire,” which she co-wrote with Jason Ingram, Kari uses simple, heartfelt language that reminds her of one of her favorite worship anthems when she was young.

“During our writing session, Jason and I were talking about the simplicity of worship; how it doesn’t always have to be so ornate,” she explains. “When I was a kid, I remember how much I loved singing the song ‘I Love You, Lord’ because it was this sweet, simple song straight from Scripture.”

In stark contrast to the straightforward worship of “One Desire,” another key track, the aforementioned “What Love is This,” features powerful imagery of the Centurion soldier’s reaction to discovering that Jesus was the Son of God after He’d been crucified.

“I often think about what it would’ve been like to experience that and to say ‘Truly, you are the son of God,’” Kari shares. “You realize you were part of His death, you were the one of the people who’d nailed Him to a cross. He must have felt so incredibly broken—to believe the lie and then experience the truth. I really think that’s like all of us. We’ve got to have the perspective that without the Lord’s presence, we’re all in darkness, and ‘What Love Is This’ is my love song to the Lord for His love song for my life.”

Also serving as a grounding force for Kari when life gets complicated is her tight-knit Texas family. Although she turned 30 this past year, she still considers being a daughter one of “life’s greatest blessings.”

What’s also been a blessing is a new dimension to her ministry. In addition to ministering in churches, arenas, theaters, festivals and conferences across the globe, Kari has also found another outlet for sharing God’s love in partnering with the A21 Campaign, an organization dedicated to abolishing human trafficking in the 21st century.

“I’ve become really invested in that ministry and strongly believe that we all have to play a role and do our part to fight against the modern form of slavery that affects 27 million people and growing,” Kari says. “It’s so incredibly dark, and I feel a responsibility to do what I can. Most of these victims are girls like me, and I can’t imagine what life would be like to be stuck in that place.”

Along with her sister, Kris, Kari has created an exclusive line of jewelry and t-shirts where all the proceeds go to the cause of bringing an end to human trafficking and injustice.

“Whether I’m participating in an effort like this or leading worship, it’s all about making a difference,” Kari concludes. “That’s the reason I’m doing what I’m doing at this specific moment -- to see God’s name lifted high, to encourage the hurt and the broken and to remind everyone to draw close to Him because He really, truly does care about each and every one of His children.”

And that’s ultimately the message behind Where I Find You, enjoying the beauty of God’s presence, praising him with your whole heart and letting your light shine in a world that needs to experience the true grace and hope found only in Jesus.

For more information on Kari Jobe and her ministry, please visit www.karijobe.com.

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!