19th February, 2010

JUSTIN MICHAEL

Album: Until The Whole World Hears

Artist: Casting Crowns

Year: 2009
Label: Essential/Sony

In A Word: Conferency

It’s a strange thing in the Christian music world that the sum of the parts is often greater than one can explain.  The music in and of itself can be good, sonically sound, well crafted, lyrically insightful and yet these are not the KPI’s by which it is measured.

Rather, it is the strange, often confronting, sometimes confusing, element of a band that preaches using the medium of music. This is the quintessential reason contemporary Christian music was birthed and today you only have to look to the charts dominated by worship leaders to see it is still the music that speaks the loudest in the sector.

Lyrically, this is a record you could base a Bible study, a lecture series or a conference around. Sonically, it’ll fit nicely beside your Third Day collection on a less rock 'n roll kinda day.

Casting Crowns have stated upfront why this record exists - it’s the great commission and they’re in it Until The Whole World Hears. In fact, it’s the message of the opening cut "until the whole world hears Lord we are calling out / lifting up Your name for all to hear the sound".

The sound is one of country rock intermingled with some soft pop and some worship anthems. It’s Miller’s.

They’ve added some fun to this record with a ‘cover’ of Joyful, Joyful.  Driven by a string orchestra and with new emphasis on the refrain "Joyful, joyful, we adore you" you could find yourself in a modern worship meeting singing this one.

With dozens of Scriptures noted on every song in the liner notes, these guys are not kidding when it comes to teaching Scripture through song.  It’s more than the music for CC - there’s the video blogs, the youth and church ministries they are involved in as well as the charitable work they do.

It’s good music and they get much respect from this reviewer just for wearing their message on their sleeves and making it singable.