David Crowder is easily one of the most notable artists in today's Christian music and worship scene. Crowder has stood out as being innovative and creative, with each album seeming to have its own musical theme. I Know a Ghost is his newest effort and seems to build off of his last album, American Prodigal, more than anything else. I Know a Ghost has some of that same swamp rock sound ("Wildfire"), but the overwhelming musical theme here is hip-hop. Sure, Social Club Misfits join in for a rather odd number, but the hip-hop correlation has more to do with the beats that are underlying in almost every song.

The album actually has a really strong start with the title track, already released "Wildfire," and an album favorite in "Golgotha Hill (King of Love)." While "Golgotha Hill" has a little of that hip-hop feel, there's no doubting the trap-like beat in "Crushing Snakes." "Red Letters," also previously released, follows and sounds like that typical Crowder radio song -- the "My Victory" of I Know a Ghost so to speak. While the song is not a cover of dc Talk's 1998 hit, the concept is the same as they both focus on the words of Christ from the Bible. Mandissa is featured on the gospel inspired "Let it Rain (Is There Anybody)" and Riley Clemmons gets a guest spot a couple of tracks later on the R&B flavored "I'm Leaning On You." "No Rival" takes another strong run at the hip-hop sound before going on a run of a few southern foot-stomping tracks. Right after the most country sounding song in "Night Like This," Crowder and Social Club Misfits deliver the strangest song on the album. Part southern, part hip-hop, and part Latin, "La Luz" almost feels like a country Pitbull song. It's easily my least favorite song personally and is a disappointing feature for SCM. "The Sinner's Cure" brings things back to that trap beat, and features Crowder himself in a pseudo-rap of sorts. "Hundred Miles" is probably the most worshipful song on the album and is the most fitting if you're looking to inject a new Crowder song into your church's worship service. The album finally comes to a close with the song "Ghost." It's a good conclusion to things and is a great bookend to the title track. The opener declares "I know a Ghost" and the closer tells who and what that "Ghost" is exactly.

Crowder has never really played by all of the rules, but has always been accepted and cherished regardless. His creativity is off the charts, but I Know a Ghost is a mixed bag of solid swings and some clear misses. The hip-hop beats begin to become a little too much by the end, and "La Luz" is likely my least favorite David Crowder song ever. However, "Wildfire" is a fantastic swampy jam, "Happy Day" is an absolute blast to hear, and "Hundred Miles" is a great worship song. I personally think this record falls short of American Prodigal, but I do get more enjoyment here than with Neon Steeple. I think the overall verdict on I Know a Ghost is going to rest with the individual listener. It's certainly not an instant classic, but I think a lot will find that this record does grow on them a bit. Perhaps a 12-track version of this album would've scored much higher in the end.