In Feast or Fallow

In recent years, Sandra McCracken has shown a gift for revitalizing time-honored Christian hymns. She continues in this vein on In Feast or Fallow, an inspired reconsideration of traditional material framed by modern production. McCracken’s husband Derek Webb applies some of the adventuresome spirit he brought to his own Stockholm Syndrome album to these tracks, combining acoustic instrumentation with tasteful electronica touches. The effect is striking, especially on the propulsive, ELO-esque “Justice Will Roll Down” and the chiming, luminous “Bands of Angels.” McCracken’s singing and songwriting are the real drawing cards here, however. Her vocals on “Can’t Help Myself” (a confession of deep human need) and “Hidden Place” (a mother’s prayer) are vulnerable yet resolute, accented by her silvery upper range. Webb and singer/songwriter Thad Cockrell join Sandra on the inspirational title song. McCracken manages to capture the spirit of age-old texts while speaking eloquently in the idiom of today.