Artist The Classic Crime

Despite being signed to Tooth & Nail, climbing to No. 3 on Billboard’s Christian charts in 2008, and making references to “heaven’s gate” in its songs, The Classic Crime doesn’t align itself with the rock ’n’ Jesus movement. It’s not a Christian band, it claims, it’s a band with Christian members. Semantics aside, the Seattle five-piece walks a fine line between Nickelback and Fall Out Boy, falling more toward the latter with heartstring-pulling ballads set to epic chord progressions. The Crime’s just-released Vagabonds is a straightforward effort, a catchy pop-rock album that neither offends nor challenges.  

Updated 03/25/2010