Casting Crowns: Thrive review

There are few bands who can be referred to as powerhouses. There are great bands, there are influential bands and there are bands who make a hit with every song the put on radio. To be a powerhouse in Christian music, you need to be influential, inspirational, able to consistently produce hits and have longevity on top of all that. One of the longest-standing powerhouses in Christian music- Casting Crowns- are back with their latest offering, Thrive, which is destined to become one of the band’s most well-known anthem albums. We all know songs like “If We Are the Body,” “Lifesong,” “Voice of Truth” and others are some of the most well-known in Christian music history and only began the legacy of Casting Crowns. Thrive follows the band’s trend of conceptual titles and thematic musical offerings with the message that we weren’t made to fall apart and give up but we were made to thrive for Christ. Opening up with the title track, Casting Crowns gives us a borderline-country/bluegrass undertone mixed in with the familiar Casting Crowns sound, making for a diverse listening experience. That may be the most experimental track on the record too because the rest of the album is nothing out of left field. There are no curveballs on this album for the most part, musically. Casting Crowns have been known for a long time for the powerful content of their lyrics, often seen as a battle cry for Christians. Whether it’s “If We Are the Body” where they tell Christians that they need to do their job as the body of Christ and reach out to nonbelievers or “Praise You in this Storm” where they talk about praising God in the hard times and dark moments as well as the positive, Casting Crowns always have a message for their listeners. With Thrive, they take it to another level as a whole in telling their listeners that, as humans, we’re made to thrive through Christ and in Him. Musically and lyrically, this is a home run for Casting Crowns and another record they should be proud of. They’ve hit the nail on the head in every way and the book written by singer Mark Hall, which accompanies the record, will be out February 11 and expands upon the ideas and themes in the lyrics. Rating: 9/10 -Reggie Edwards