Music Review: Acoustic Sessions Volume 1 by Casting Crowns

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Eight great songs get new arrangements

Cons: Two new tracks are weak

The Bottom Line:

Truly acoustic

Familiar songs that sound new

Wish new were better

Casting Crowns Goes Acoustic on Some Classic Songs

For the last several years, the acoustic release seems to have become the trend for best of releases.  After all, it is something new enough to entice long time fans to buy the disc.  Yet all the best (read radio) songs are included, so the casual fan will buy it.  It's the approach that Casting Crowns used with The Acoustic Sessions Volume 1.  I feel for it, and I've been enjoying it.

The disc consists of 10 tracks, 8 of which are some of their classic songs.  Even more interesting, four of them are from their self titled debut disc.  That release is still probably their best known, so it makes sense.  And the songs are still so good.

I have often found acoustic discs by groups to be a bit too similar to what they have released before.  After all, if the band is playing together again.  One thing I appreciate here is that Casting Crowns limits the instruments on most of the songs to just one or two, which does make the song feel different.

Take "If We are the Body."  This song opens the disc, and the instrument you predominately here is piano.  In fact, if you aren't listening closely, you'd think that was all they played.  "East to West" continues the piano trend, but this time the violin is a very strong secondary instrument.

No, it's not all piano.  The next two tracks are guitar based, with violin helping out on "Who Am I" while "American Dream" sounds like a guitar solo.  You can definitely hear some percussion in some tracks like "Praise You in this Storm" and "Set Me Free."

Actually, "Praise You in this Storm" is an interesting case.  It starts out with piano, and the counter melody they use sounds very different than normal.  Once things get going, you do hear violin and light percussion.  It's a great mix.

And, frankly, these eight tracks would be great no matter what.  From the challenge of treating others like Jesus wants us to in "If We are the Body" to the attack on our money obsessed culture that is "American Dream" to the more encouraging tracks "East to West" and "Who Am I," there are so many great lyrics here.  All these tracks originally appeared on their first three releases, and I'm so ready to pull out the full disc for a listen now.

There are two new tracks, and unfortunately they are the weakest tracks here.  Casting Crowns has always been a mix of traditional radio friendly tracks and praise oriented songs.  The praise songs have always been the weakest links on their discs, and here that is no exception.  And both of the new songs are praise songs.  These were originally written by others, Casting Crowns is just covering them here.

Up first is "Delivered," which praises God for delivering us from sin.  The second is "Only You" about how only God can truly satisfy us.  The problem with both these songs is they are weaker lyrically than the rest of the disc.  And they repeat the lyrics multiple times to draw the song out to full song length.  I would have much rather seen the space go to acoustic versions of other hits (a couple spring to mind) or even completely new songs.  It's not that these songs are bad, but they aren't as great as the rest of the disc.

Complaint aside, this is still a strong disc that fans of all stripes will enjoy having in their collection.  I know I'm glad I bought Casting Crowns' The Acoustic Sessions Volume 1.

CD Length: 46:26

Tracks:

1. If We are the Body

2. East to West

3. American Dream

4. Who Am I

5. Here I Go Again

6. Delivered

7. Somewhere in the Middle

8. Set Me Free

9. Only You

10. Praise You in this Storm