Red Street Records
Release Date: November 17th 2023
Reviewed by: Joshua Andre
Jason Crabb– Good Morning Mercy (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Good Morning Mercy
- It’s Gonna Rain
- God Can Use A Broken Man
- Headline
- Grace Is Still Amazing
- Do It For You
- That’s Why I Live This Way
- Hallelujah Story
- Bring It All
- Free at Last
- When I Say Amen (feat. Rachel Wammack)
- Good Morning Mercy (feat. Dylan Scott)
Jason Crabb, the high profile and respected southern gospel singer, who expanded his niche market and music genre into CCM in 2015 with the much popular and loved Reunion Records debut album Whatever The Road; came back to his roots with the 2018 project Unexpected; released by Daywind Records. True to the album title, the record really was and still is unexpected, as I never heard of the development and recording of a brand-new album from Jason, however this out-of-the-box album was surprising in a very good way. Though Jason has become famous throughout the years via recording southern gospel as part of The Crabb Family (from 1996-2007), and seemingly departed from gospel to record CCM in 2015; this new project married the best of both worlds, as we were blessed to hear in my opinion Jason’s strongest and most cohesive project to date. Featuring a couple of power ballad anthem duets with Gary LeVox (“You Chose To Be My Friend”) and Kaya Jones (“Let It Be Love”) (which are a couple of my personal album favourites) as well as a cover written by Michael Boggs (“Short Are The Years”); Unexpected faithfully encapsulated a wide variety of genres, and still inexplicably sounds like Jason Crabb, so I guess for all of you guys who love southern gospel, you don’t have to be afraid or apprehensive of the fairly recent 2020 project. And even if you haven’t listened to gospel or country before, or The Crabb Family, or Jason’s previous solo work, Unexpected is well worth a listen, as we discover some well thought out melodies and praise Jesus because of who He is! Coming back to his roots in southern gospel, while maintaining his newfound love of CCM, Jason’s efforts in Unexpected need to be commended!
Yet we’re not here to talk about Unexpected. In fact, you can read that review here… but now it’s time to listen and voice our opinions on Jason’s latest full length album and Red Street Records album debut Good Morning Mercy. Jason previously released his 2021 EP Just As I Am via Red Street Records (we never reviewed the EP, but only the single!); but with this new 12 track album, Jason powerfully and beautifully shares the gospel in a way that’s still enjoyable to listen to, and in a way that is distinctively faithful to Jason’s musical and lyrical approach throughout the years. With many songs being semi-radio-friendly, Jason expertly and skilfully marries many genres together to create an album that is as diverse musically as it is focused lyrically with Jason speaking out biblical truth and reminding us all just how loved we are by Jesus. And as thus, with this album including musical shades of country, worship and gospel infused; we are met with one of my favourite albums of 2023.
Pop and country and gospel and CCM through and through, Good Morning Mercy is an album you don’t want to miss. The title track and album opener is evidence of Jason just praising God and thanking God and ending up with a song that speaks to your soul. Jason emphatically thanks Jesus for His grace and His mercy and powerfully relays to us all that because Jesus has saved us all and shown us grace and mercy, we all should be thankful and grateful to Him, recognising that we only have our second chance simply because of Jesus. And as we are presented with the stellar and incredibly written and sung title track, with Jason singing out ‘…good morning, mercy, you call me worthy, feels like the sun shining on my face, living’s good this side of grace, I feel it working, goodbye to the hurting, You woke me up, put me on my way, hallelujah, it’s a brand new day…’, Jason reminds us that Jesus is in our corner every day, and that we should be thanking Jesus for his mercy more times that we are at this current moment. Jason also teams up with country singer Dylan Scott for a country duet of the title track that adds so much depth to the melody; and I’m sure fans of Jason will search out Dylan’s discography and vice versa- can I call this a win-win scenario?
The rest of the album is littered with biblical truth as well as Jason’s signature southern gospel/country roots and sensibilities that we’ve all come to know and love. “It’s Gonna Rain”, a song of encouragement and inspiration, is sung from the perspective of Noah in Genesis, and reminds us that whatever the situation we’re going through, God is always faithful, and He has promised us that it will ‘rain’ blessings and providence and a positive outcome in our lives. It may not be in the timeframe we think or want or prefer. But Jesus is moving, and we only need to trust Him and be still, and sometimes follow His lead. “God Can Use A Broken Man”, a powerful piano led ballad, speaks about Jesus using even the most broken of people to bring others to Him, and to show us all how faithful He is at turning lives around. Jesus is not looking for the most accomplished or most eloquent. He’s just looking for the most eager and willing, and once we fully understand that concept, we can look forward to the future, and for the great things God has in store for us and our future. “Headline”, another uplifter and powerful testimony-type melody, speaks about Jesus being the headline in our lives, and that it is His story we are living in, and we are just the vessels to make Him known and make Him famous; while “Grace Is Still Amazing” presents us with the unending truth that Jesus’s grace is always amazing because of everything He did on the cross and because of the resurrection resulting in us having eternal life due to Jesus’ love for us.
“Do It For You”, yet another encourager and uplifter that inspires us to believe in Jesus and believe that He will make our lives better and turn our lives around if it seems to be beyond hope, is special for Jason, as When Kevin Rooney, Jess Cates, and Mia Fieldes were writing this song, I had a feeling that it was something special. When I finally heard the finished product, I immediately knew I wanted it to be my next single. This song offers hope that no matter what gets in your way, God will always be there. It’s a powerful message that comes from my own testimony. I can testify that God has worked miracles in my life, and I hope this song reminds listeners that if He can do it for me, He can do it for you too. It’s an incredible privilege to share this message of hope. Likewise, the vibrant and laid-back piano ballad “That’s Why I Live This Way” holds extra weight for Jason as well, with the song speaking about how Jason lives his life for Jesus simply because Jesus has come through for him so many times, and that no other person can convince him otherwise about the divinity of Jesus, simply because Jason has experienced so much good in his life, that it couldn’t not be Jesus.
“Hallelujah Story” is simply that- a testimony-type melody that proclaims God to be faithful and true, and where Jason sings out ‘hallelujah’ because of the goodness of God and everything He’s done; while “Bring It All” encourages us all to bring all of our worries, fears, hopes and dreams, as well as our addictions and the things that keep us up at night- we can give them all to Jesus, and He’ll make our burdens feel light again, and He can take on everything we’ve carried, simply because of His love and we’re His children. “Free At Last”, an album highlight, speaks about true freedom, and what it means to be free as a believer in Christ, as Jason cries out that ‘…I’ve been set free, my shame is gone, amazing grace is my new song,, all the burdens of my heart, they’ve finally lifted, like the stone that rolled away, You pulled me up out of my grave, I was crying ‘someone save me, Lord, You listened, now I’m free at last, all my pain is in the past…’; while the album closer is “When I Say Amen” previously recorded by country singer Rachel Wammack, and written by Rachel, Matt Maher and Sam Ellis– and this time featuring Rachel as a guest vocalist, with both singers outlining that they pray to God and call out His name whenever they are thankful, grateful and just in need of Him, that ‘…at the end of a prayer, running out on the edge, on fire like a sunset, I lift my hands, to first love, shooting stars, burning candles in the dark, oh, every step, every breath, that’s when I say amen…’.
As the official studio album follow-up to Jason Crabb’s Unexpected; Jason is anything but new to the CCM industry, and he has shown us once again his durability, and versatility as an artist, as well as his undeniable passion for Jesus. Good Morning Mercy has elements of country music and southern gospel littered throughout, as it is with any Jason Crabb song, yet time and time again, Jason has shown us his ability to adapt- and in this album he presents to us some heartfelt ballads also. Good Morning Mercy may not be as musically diverse as one might think, however it nevertheless shows us that this alubm, like others in his discography, will be durable and timeless in the future, given that Jason is singing about eternal biblical truths, and also because Jason creates such a powerful presence vocally no matter what he sings. With Jason on this album excelling at almost all aspects; Good Morning Mercy is a release that we all need to listen to, to be reminded of the everlasting power of Jesus’ love. Well done Jason for such a lyrically strong project. Now… onto listening to Jason’s Christmas album! It’s one month till Christmas Day, everyone! Be excited!
4 songs to listen to: It’s Gonna Rain, Hallelujah Story, Free at Last, When I Say Amen
Score: 4.5/5
RIYL: Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Hillary Scott And The Scott Family, Third Day, Steven Curtis Chapman, Carman, Avalon