Centricity Music
Release Date: May 26th 2015
Reviewed by: Jonathan Andre
Jason Gray– Love Will Have the Final Word: Post Script (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Glow in the Dark
- Love’s Not Done With You (Remix)
- Begin Again (Remix)
- As I Am (Remix)
- Thank You For Not Forgetting Me (Demo)
- One Voice
- Even This Will Be Made Beautiful (Pt. 2)
- I Believe, Help My Unbelief (Pt. 2)
- Nothing’s All I Need (Pt. 2)
‘…the suffering of others can make us talkative, loosening the tongues of even the most timid among us. We mean well, we want to help, but more often than not we end up being like Job’s comforters: doing more harm than good by offering half-baked answers, which are no comfort at all and leave the hearer feeling even more alone. When we do this we are asking the suffering person to be okay, to cheer up, and in doing so we are rejecting their pain…’ Wise words from someone who has stuttered most of their life. Jason Gray, one of Centricity Music and CCM’s most prolific, powerful, poignant and passionate singer/songwriters has once again wowed us with another one of his album releases. Released only a year and a bit after his top-selling album Love Will Have the Final Word, Jason’s songwriting has always been in the same league with other artists like Bebo Norman, Nichole Nordeman, Andrew Peterson and Steven Curtis Chapman- hopeful, longing, emotive, sometimes even confronting and comforting both at once.
Post Script continues to trek along the same themes as albums preceding it- that God keeps redeeming us daily if necessary, as we delve deeper into His Word and realise that ‘…it’s not what you’ve done, but what love is doing…’ (“Love’s Not Done With You”). Jason’s poetic songwriting continues to impress even me, as these nine songs from a somewhat B-side remix EP/album continue to climb the ranks of my favourite collection of songs this year, from one of the most underrated songwriters of this generation.
Released on the same day as Hillsong’s Empires, Jason himself is a living testament of God’s faithfulness. While stuttering when he speaks, he is yet a man with a plethora of songs to sing and no stutter when he’s placed in front of a microphone and a guitar. From “Glow in the Dark”, the first single where Jason relays to us about how we as Christians all ought to shine in the dark and realise that it is our light and love that draws people to Christ, to remixes of fan favourites like “Begin Again”, “As I Am” and “Love’s Not Done With You”, Jason continues to usurp many vocalists/songwriters as one of the most relevant and life-changing artists you’d hear this side of heaven.
The first single from Post Script, “Glow in the Dark” is one of my favourite Jason Gray melodies of late, as we are reminded that we as Christians ought to shine where we are in our lives and amongst the people we are with, as we live like Jesus lived- hopeful, loving, and caring for the people around us. In the sea of people dying for someone or something to tell them they are loved and accepted, Jason encourages us all to be that voice or person willing to be there for people. With hand claps and a happy atmosphere, Jason has created once again an infectious melody fit for radio marketability and personal enjoyableness. As we reflect on the heartfelt lyrics of how ‘…even in the darkest place, His love can make you radiate…’, we are invited the partake in personally one of the most encouraging, life-changing and musically catchy and enjoyable song I’ve heard all throughout 2015 so far!
“Begin Again”, “Love’s Not Done With You” and “As I Am”, all powerful hits from his previous album, are all remixed for Post Script, and while I prefer the original tracks for each of the songs better, what Jason has shown us is a new side to the songs I’ve never heard before, with each melody hopefully bringing in a new and different variety of listeners than those hearing his music previously. Each of the themes across these 3 songs are similar, poignant and pertinent- from reminding us that Christ’s love isn’t finished with us even if we believe in certain circumstances that there isn’t anything His love can do that’ll bring us out of the pit of hurt and shame we’re in (“Love’s Not Done with You”), and Christ loving us as we are, but not content to leave us there (“As I Am”), to always having a chance to start again- even if it is daily as we seek to always become more like Christ on a daily basis (“Begin Again”).
Add in a few acoustical demos in “Thank You for Not Forgetting Me”, a song of thanks to God our Father for not forgetting us during the times we need Him the most, and “Nothing’s All I Need”, a melody of us realising that all we need when we come to the Father is nothing but ourselves as we are; and we have an album full of potential hits and proven fan favourites. Jason also branches out musically to incorporate dance-pop in his repertoire for “One Voice” (a classic reminder to always hear and focus on Christ which is our one voice in a sea of many), while delivering Part 2 of “Even This Will Be Made Beautiful”, a song that carries on the theme of its predecessor but being an entire new song in and of itself- albeit an acoustical one as compared to the upbeat melody of the past.
Post Script is a great surprise release from Jason Gray, possibly one of CCM’s most best kept secrets over the last decade or so. Within the same musical league as artists like Bebo Norman, Sara Groves, Nichole Nordeman, Steven Curtis Chapman or Andrew Peterson, Jason continues to bring healing to those hurting through his comforting and confronting melodies. Weaving together 9 songs full of promise, power, prowess and poignancy; it is the humble truths spoken to the listeners that’ll hopefully draw listeners into a place of relaxation, transparency and enjoyableness when they hear the songs. A heartfelt songwriter if ever you have found one, Centricity Music is a great fit for an artists whose 2014 album (of which Post Script is based) is one of the most raw and honest releases I’ve heard in a while. Post Script is a gem of an album and one that’ll hopefully be appreciated by whomever hears it. Well done Jason for such an inspiring EP, and one of my favourites in 2015 so far!
3 songs to listen to: Glow in the Dark, One Voice, Thank You For Not Forgetting Me
Score: 4/5
RIYL: Bebo Norman, Sara Groves, Nichole Nordeman, Steven Curtis Chapman, Andrew Peterson