Casting Crowns:Peace On Earth

This celebration of Christmas in October is filled with both traditional songs, as well as songs written by Mark, other artists, and a classic by Amy Grant. The album’s lead single: “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day” are all familiar carols to play, and mild and sweet their songs repeat of peace on earth and goodwill to men. A beautiful ballad about God’s well wishes of Peace on earth and Goodwill towards men, this very sweet, soothing, and melodic song is based on a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow at the loss of his wife.

“O Come All Ye Faithful, Joy To The World, Silent Night, and Away In A Manger” are the album’s traditional songs with obvious shared vocals by members Melodee and Megan. And reappearing in its original version, is the rhetorical song written by lead vocalist Mark Hall “While You Were Sleeping,” addressing the shame of Bethlehem going down in history as the city with no room for its King, who figuratively “could” possibly represent the United States of America going down in history as the city/country with no room for its King.

A thought so shamefully imagined, when “God is in us, when God is for us, when God is with us, and when Love is reigning out on the world tonight,” according to “God Is With Us.” And since God is for us, Casting Crowns offers a “Christmas Offering” to our King in this Christmas Praise & Worship Song by declaring: “I bring an offering of worship to my King, no one on earth deserve the praises that I sing. Jesus may you receive the honor that you’re due. Oh Lord I bring an offering to you.”

Of all the Christian songs I have ever heard and listened to over the past twenty-four years, I have found “Sweet Little Jesus Boy” to be the most endearing song a guilty conscience could ever sing to its Savior. As a very sweet and loving admission of guilt, on behalf of humanity, “Sweet Little Jesus Boy” is sung to the Messiah in an attempt to apologize for not knowing who He was. With lyrics of both bold proclamations and sweet carols, “Peace On Earth” closes with an instrumental rendition of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” showcasing the musical arrangements of violinist Melodee DeVevo.

With shared co-production credits on this recent Casting Crowns project being given to longtime producer Sawyer Brown’s Mark Miller, we can look forward to a fourteen city “Casting Crowns Christmas Celebration” coming up during the Holiday Season. According to Casting Crowns info site, the Tour will feature Natalie Grant, Denver & the Mile High Orchestra, Avalon, Michael English, PureNRG, and a twenty piece orchestra!