Check out the new concept album from Rusty Shipp!
Check out the new concept album from Rusty Shipp!

JFH Music Review


Casting Crowns, A Live Worship Experience
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

Casting Crowns
A Live Worship Experience



Artist Info: Discography
Genre(s): Worship
Album length: 12 tracks: 59 minutes, 34 seconds
Street Date: November 13, 2015


READER RATING:   


Casting Crowns has been one of the biggest bands in Christian music for over a decade now, and they haven't slowed down. A Live Worship Experience is the second side album Casting Crowns has released since 2013's Thrive. This is an interesting album; Casting Crowns has never released a live worship album before, and the band's previous live efforts were mostly bare-bones companion efforts released between studio albums. On paper, this shouldn't be a great record, but it surprises quite a bit.

The album gets a strong start with "At Calvary," a song the band recorded on their Cracker Barrel exclusive album, Glorious Day: Hymns of Faith. A cover of the classic hymn of the same name, it works very well as an opener, jumping from acoustic guitars to the full band. Right off the bat, this shows what works about the album: Casting Crowns is a better live band than a studio one, and the audience interaction is strong. "Good Good Father" follows, and I know what you are thinking - another cover of this song? Well, somehow Crowns defies expectations here. This is probably the best version I've heard of this song; the entire band is utilized well here. Piano, violin, harmonies, and Mark Hall's passionate--but not overstated--vocals set this apart from the mediocrity that most covers of this song stay in. The same violin is again prominent here, and really sets it apart from most other versions - that and the slide guitar line. You can really feel the passion the band has for worship here.

"You Are the Only One," a track from Thrive, follows. It works far better as a live cut than it did on Thrive, but it's not anything special. It's a bit too derivative of pre-Zion Hillsong United. The band's cover of Crowder's "Here's My Heart" continues the trend of solid down-tempo worship songs. Hall splits vocal duties with Megan Garrett here, and it really works to set up the build. "No Not One" is an interesting choice for the band to cover; it's an older worship song (dating all the way back to Brandon Heath's 2008 album What If We), and is sung entirely by Garrett. Unlike Heath's version, this is an up-tempo track, and it works pretty well. It's probably the best 'rock' track on the album.

Sandwiched between four solid live versions of Crowns songs is "Called Me Higher," Melodee DeVevo's only leading track on this album. This is a really solid song. It's got a nice country/folk feel and works very well as a down-tempo worship piece. The Crowns covers that surround it ("Just Be Held," "The Well," "Jesus, Friend of Sinners" and "Thrive") are pretty much the same as their album versions. I like them all, but it's nothing new. I would have preferred if they had covered some of their older songs, though; "Who Am I" and "Praise You In This Storm" would be pretty obvious choices.

Probably the most disappointing thing about this record is the lack of bonus content. Most worship albums offer a "Deluxe Version" with more songs or some music videos, and the band actually recorded videos for most of the tracks for their YouTube channel. I don't want to call it bare-bones, but it's very unusual not to at least offer something extra.

In short, this is a very solid album, especially on the down-tempo covers. While the newer content is exceptional, the lack of bonus content and the large number of covers of recent songs bog it down a bit. But this is a nice side release for the band, and Crowns fans will eat it up.

JFH Reader Review: Review date: 4/24/16, written by Eric Cunningham for Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

 

. Record Label: Reunion
. Album length: 12 tracks: 49 minutes, 34 seconds
. Street Date: November 13, 2015
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: Amazon
. Buy It: Amazon Music (MP3)

  1. At Calvary (Live) (4:46)
  2. Good Good Father (Live) (6:19)
  3. Great Are You Lord (Live) (6:33)
  4. You Are the Only One (Live) (3:55)
  5. Here's My Heart (Live) (6:51)
  6. No Not One (Live) (4:22)
  7. Just Be Held (Live) (3:45)
  8. The Well (Live) (4:56)
  9. Called Me Higher (Live) (4:30)
  10. Thoughts on Jesus, Friend of Sinners (2:41)
  11. Jesus, Friend of Sinners (Live) (5:38)
  12. Thrive (Live) (5:15)

 

 

 



Leave a Comment

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

Search JFH



This Friday, June 27, 2025
ALBUMS
7eventh Time Down We Praise You [BEC]
The Browns 25th Anniversary: Better Days Ahead [StowTown]
Franni Cash Wild Child - EP [Capitol CMG]
Matt Crocker interlude [Anotherland]
Jimmy Fortune Songs of an American Dreamer [Gaither]
Roxanne Grace Road Trip - EP [DREAM]
JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise The Live Reunion: Washington, DC [James Town]
Kutless The Seventh Seal - EP [BEC]
Evvie McKinney It Ain't Over - EP (independent)
Rusty Shipp Capsized Empire (independent)
SEU Worship A Forgiving God [Provident]
The Shimmering Carnelians The Doorway (Version 2.0) (independent)
We Are Messengers A Thousand Times - EP [Curb]

SINGLES
Anchor & Braille Rattlesnake - Single [Equal Vision]
ANTHNY imposter syndrome - Single [Provident]
Blanca Right On Time - Single [Curb]
Landry Cantrell & Elenee sunshine & rainbows - Single [DREAM]
Eddie Clark Never Content - Single [Syntax]
Colony House Atomic - Single [Roon]
Megan Danielle Preachin' To The Choir - Single [Provident]
Drea LP & OnBeatMusic Don't Try Me (DTM) - Single [Syntax]
ELI GABLE Glory Bound - Single [Capitol CMG]
Joseph Habedank Running to Me - Single [Daywind]
Lonnie Hunter Flow (Like A River) - Single [Uncle G]
Kashh Kade HELP - Single [Syntax]
KB x KEANU Keanu's Song - Single [Provident]
Tasha Layton Singing In the Dark - Single [BEC]
Tasha Cobbs Leonard The Hand That Keeps Holding - Single [Motown Gospel]
Claire Leslie Thank God I'm Not Alone (from Claire's Phone) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Tim Lovelace Celebration of America Medley (feat. Charlie McCoy) - Single [StowTown]
Lecrae Tell No Lie (feat. Jackie Hill Perry) - Single [Reach]
LO Worship The Perfect Love of Jesus - Single [Integrity]
Patrick Mayberry Thank The Lord - Single [Provident]
Michael Monroe John The Baptist (feat. Chris Renzema) - Single [Provident]
Alexander Pappas A Great Awakening / Un Nuevo Despertar - Single [Integrity]
PEABOD Summer in Seattle - Single [RMG Amplify]
Rave Jesus Walk On The Water Remix (From The Chosen) - Single [Provident]
The Rocky Valentines Nat Song - Single [Velvet Blue]
Tommy Royale, gio. Like Dat - Single [Capitol CMG]
Saints In Exile & Cutright My Dead End (ft. Jeannie Ortega, Luc DiMarzio, Jericko) - Single [Syntax]
Emilie Weiss Take Care (Studio Sessions) - Single [BEC]

DVD
Jimmy Fortune Songs Of An American Dreamer DVD [Gaither]

Next Friday, July 4, 2025
ALBUMS
Chad Cory America [DREAM]
Tenielle Neda The Way Of Love [Wings]

SINGLES
Christian Back Now - Single [DREAM]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images