Casting Crowns followed up their 2005 breakthrough sophomore effort
Lifesong with this live CD/DVD set
Lifesong Live. The CD is short in length -- just seven songs -- yet rich with the septet's pop worship sound. The live element adds enough of a new dimension to distinguish this set from its studio predecessor. By stepping up the tempo on numbers like the hit title track and concert closer "Father, Spirit, Jesus," vocalist
Mark Hall breathes a bit of new life into the set list. Most tracks still lean towards humble, praise-oriented themes. The DVD is no more glamorous or pretentious than the audio disc, making the pair a solid introductory point to the band's unassuming personality. Bonus features include a "behind the scenes" featurette, a gospel message from Tony Nolan, tour notes, and the music video for "Does Anybody Hear Her." Followers of the band will enjoy the concert ambiance and inter-song dialogue, though casual listeners may prefer the more refined production work on
Lifesong's original studio recordings.