The David Crowder Band are not only my favourite worship band, they are one of my favourite bands outright. So of course I was very sad when I heard that Give Us Rest would be their final album.

Now it pains me to admit that, while it contains a few real high points, this album is their least cohesive effort in years. The Crowder Band has always walked a fine line between creativity and accessibility.

They fall on the wrong side of it a few times here, substituting an eclectic mix of styles and sounds for simple good songs. The 34 songs don’t come together to make something more than the sum of its parts.

There are bright spots of course. ‘Oh Great Love of God’ is uplifting and huge, and the country-flavoured ‘I Am a Seed’ is earthy and appealing.

And the lyrics throughout are far more inventive than the output of most worship artists, as expected. There are enough signs on Give Us Rest to remind us of Crowder’s genius, and perhaps enough disappointment to show the group’s wisdom in picking the right time to say goodbye.

Four stars out of five