Reviewed by Ben Lloyd

After 11 years of working together, the members of The David Crowder Band are about to go their separate ways, 'Oh For Joy' spelling the beginning of the end. This eight track EP showcases Crowder's unique, quirky musical sensibilities primarily through re-imaginings of classic Christmas carols. Opening track "Joy To The World" is an oddity, combining upbeat drumming with a very down-tempo vocal track, whilst "The First Noel" makes good use of sleigh bells to help remind the listener this is a seasonal album. Again, Crowder appears to have slowed the tempo which appears to be a trend throughout the vast majority of the EP - "Go, Tell It On The Mountain" is positively sluggish; fortunately there are enough audio layers to just about hold the attention. "Angels We Have Heard On High" is a return to traditional Crowder territory, being an energetic bluegrass rendition and makes a welcome change to that which precede it. However the tempo slows again immediately afterwards and is never regained. The final three tracks are live recordings which at least allow for introduction of some crowd interaction - it is always good to hear hundreds of voices singing praise. Overall, 'Oh For Joy' is best for contemplative worship during December; it is unlikely listeners will want to play Christmas carols all year round. The low tempo feel of this EP also give the impression of a band winding down slowly.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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This October, David Crowder*Band deliver their first Christmas record Oh For Joy. Featuring the Christmas favourites Joy To the World, The First Noel, Oh Holy Night, Silent Night and more, the album features classic Christmas songs interpreted as only the David Crowder*Band can.

Highlighting the band’s unmistakable creativity and originality, Oh For Joy finds the band reinventing familiar Christmas songs into something new and unexpected.