Independent

Release Date: November 23^rd 2018

Reviewed by: Jonathan Andre

Josiah James – All That I’ve Become (Single) (iTunes/Amazon mp3)

Track Listing:

1. All That I’ve Become
2. Feel

Josiah James Meeker, or as he is professionally known as Josiah James, is an artist that is very much underrated. Since discovering his music in 2014, with his songs ‘Love Was Stronger’ and ‘Sinking Ships’ (the former being covered by Audio Adrenaline and the latter covered by Lincoln Brewster); I’ve been impressed with how he has carried himself in delivering songs that speak to the very heart of wrestling with grace and truth, all the while understanding and relearning what it is to strive to be something better tomorrow than you were today. While I myself haven’t listened to Josiah’s music as much as I probably should’ve (considering how much I did enjoy his EP Identity), the fact of the matter still stands- that this artist is one of this generation’s most underated in terms of Christian indie music, and his new 2 song EP that released at the end of 2018, further attests to this fact. And if any of these songs do not catch the eye and ear of record label executives in the future, then I don’t know what will!

‘Feel’ released on it’s own (not part of the 2-song single) in April 2018, and has become a welcomed fan favourite amongst people who thoroughly enjoy Josiah’s music catalogue (though it’s currently not me at the moment, it could be in the future). The song ‘Feel’ itself is a little dichotomous, in that it expresses what we know to be true, that we are in fact alive, but at times, as the song suggests, we feel dead inside, for whatever reason. Burnout, lack of energy, running through the mundane, whatever the case; this song can relate to a lot of people, and while for me, I’ve never felt dead inside, I can understand how a person can get to such a place of emptiness and desperation. Full of strong guitars and a powerful percussion presence, Josiah invites us all to partake and listen to the vulnerable moments expressed in this melody alone, reminding us that even if we feel that way inside, we ought to know that we shouldn’t base fact on feeling, and that Christ has given us life with a purpose, though we may not see or understand it at that particular moment. ‘All That I’ve Become’ released in October 2018, and this one is a very personal one for Josiah. As he can express in his own words written in a Facebook post, Josiah travels in-depth about what the song means to him:

ATIB is a song about how we experience so many different seasons in our personal life and the growing we make through it all. Life is filled with the highs and the lows, the good and the bad, the heartache and the joys, like the changing of seasons. It’s not an easy ride. For me personally, I have walked through my fair share of it all. I do believe I have been very blessed, but we all sooner or later experience tragedy. Through it all, I have found that Jesus has been the one that has kept me sane and breathing through it all. He has been my joy when joy was nowhere to be found. Time and time again I have been left broken and in need and God has answered that need. It is through this process that I’ve had the opportunity to grow, to lose and to gain, and its lead me to who I am now. I wrote this song to remind myself to expect the seasons, to trust God through it all, and remember that all that I experience he has and will continue to redeem.

So there you have it- All That I’ve Become (Single) which encapsulates both ‘All That I’ve Become’ and ‘Feel’. And while I may not have known Josiah and his music if it wasn’t for me hearing “Sinking Ships” on Oxygen all those years ago, I’m glad I did hear the music- Josiah’s talent and passionate singing alone ought to encourage us all (and intrigue myself) as we continue to listen to this under-appreciated indie/worship artist. With fans of similar artists like Lincoln, Leeland, Jesus Culture or Bryan and Katie Torwalt certain to jump at the chance of listening to the new 2 song EP from Josiah, these two melodies are hopefully a tease of what is to come from an artist whose last full-length album was in 2012! Well done Josiah for these two songs, can’t wait to whatever the Lord has in store for you in the future!

Score: 4/5

RIYL: Leeland, Lincoln Brewster, Bryan & Katie Torwalt, Jesus Culture, Audio Adrenaline