Oh For Joy, David Crowder Band (Sixsteps/Sparrow)

Here we have a radio-friendly hard-rock sound applied to eight standard religious carols by a Christian band. If that sounds like it could describe a lot of such outfits, well, it can. Though it's a common formula, the David Crowder Band sounds good executing it on this 2011 release. They depart from the formula most noticeably on the hoedown stomp of "Angels We Have Heard On High," the brooding electronic soundscapes behind a slower tempo version of "Go Tell It On the Mountain," and the countrified "Silent Night." They wrap up with a live version of "Carol of the Bells/Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" that hews closely to the TSO version. The album is strong on execution, but nothing here really sticks out from the crowd. Should note that as I prepare this post, their home page announces the band is winding down to an eventual breakup in the coming year.