Lifesong, which has a pop rock and adult contemporary sound, focuses on challenging believers and indicting piousness and hypocrisy in the Christian church.

[4] Lifesong was produced by Mark A. Miller, with recording and mixing done by Sam Hewitt at Zoo Studio in Franklin, Tennessee.

The album was mastered by Richard Dodd and engineered by Dale Oliver and John Lewis Lee III.

The strings on the album were arranged by Bobby Huff and were recorded at Little Big Studio by Boeho Shin and Daewoo Kim.

[7][8] The album also has influence from worship music in the vein of U2, with songs building into "sweeping choruses and dramatic climaxes".

[7] Songs such as the title track and "Father, Spirit, Jesus" have worshipful lyrics[7][8] while others such as "Stained Glass Masquerade" note the inability of church congregations to share their burdens openly.

[10] Jared Johnson of AllMusic gave the album four-and-a-half out of five stars, opining "One of the brightest spots on the CCM map in 2005, Lifesong was powered by a second dose of Mark Hall's earnestly challenging worship themes and a penchant for reflective pop... From start to finish, the album showcases songwriting that is consistent, polished, and potent, furthering the septet's reputation as one of Christian music's most popular acts of the 21st century".

[11] David McCreary of CCM Magazine gave Lifesong an A−, opining "staying true to their approach of assimilating crisp melodies, forthright lyrics and stout vocals, the Crowns effectively blend uptempo worship anthems and emotive ballads for another well-balanced set".

[7] Russ Breimeier of Christianity Today gave the album three-and-a-half out of five stars, calling the music "derivative", said that "[Casting Crowns] fans will find much to love, while others continue to ponder the secret of this band's success.

All can probably agree that Lifesong is a sequel in the truest sense, offering more of the same to the delight of those so touched and inspired by the music of Casting Crowns the first time".

[13] John DiBiase of Jesus Freak Hideout gave it three out of five stars, opining "Overall, Lifesong is musically an assortment of experimentation and familiarity, as the band continues to offer songs with relatable messages to the church body.

Frontman and chief songwriter Mark Hall's strained, shouting-style vocals is [sic] still an acquired taste, along with his straightforward and often simplistic lyrics, but Lifesong is a noteworthy second chapter in an already impressive career for this young band".

[14] Brian Mansfield of USA Today gave the album two-and-a-half out of four stars, commenting "[Casting Crowns] comes from the school of U2-influenced modern-worship music, so its songs predictably build to sweeping choruses and dramatic climaxes.