Gotee Records
Release Date: April 28th 2023
Reviewed by: Jonathan Andre
Ryan Stevenson – ABLE (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Closer
- ABLE
- Carry Me
- Reflection of You
- When We Finally Get There
- Risking It All
- The Answer
- Coming Home
One of the mainstays on Gotee Records, alongside Cochren & Co., Aaron Cole, Courtnie Ramirez, Richlin, Jon Reddick and Terrian; Ryan Stevenson has been creating music for the people, and songs to inspire us all for a while now. Yet, if I am to be very frank and honest; prior to his powerful and emotive radio single, “Eye of the Storm” that peaked as high as #1 on Billboard Christian Songs Charts in 2016, I’m not even sure that many people even heard of Ryan and his music. I mean, even though Ryan has been within the music business for a few years, releasing an EP Yesterday Today Forever on BEC Recordings and Holding Nothing Back, his new 2nd EP, on Gotee Records in 2013, it was his debut full length album Fresh Start, that featured “Eye of the Storm”, that really placed this new singer/songwriter on the map of anyone who loves CCM (like myself). Ryan’s music has been impacting people over the last few years- songs like ‘With Lifted Hands’, ‘The Gospel’, ‘No Matter What’, ‘Not Forgotten’ and ‘Holding Nothing Back’ to name a few; and most recently, Ryan unveiled his new singles ‘Mosaic’ and ‘I Cry Jesus’. Now fast forward around a couple of years, and we see Ryan unveil another project for listeners to hear- a brand new EP titled ABLE.
Let me just say that I usually love Ryan Stevenson’s music- just check out my review of his latest full-length album Wildest Dreams…but with his brand new EP… let’s just say that I wasn’t not as engaged with the album as a whole, as I initially hoped. Despite the overall positive atmosphere of the EP, especially in songs like ‘Coming Home’ (a powerful reminder of how we are all like either the prodigal son, or even the older son, in the parable story, and how Jesus welcomes both the prodigal son, and the son who stayed, into His presence), ‘Reflection of You’ (being a reflection of Jesus wherever we are and in whatever we undertake and do) and ‘ABLE’ (a gospel-esque track about God being able to do things that are far beyond the realms of possibility- because what He does is mere impossibility by human standards); the other tracks unfortunately didn’t hit the mark compared to these three tracks.
With that being said, I don’t think the album is bad per se- ‘Closer’ speaks about how every failure, heartbreak and difficulties in this life is a way of the Lord saying for us to be drawing closer to Him, and that the things in this life are put in such a way for us to have opportunities to draw closer to Him in our times of need; while ‘Carry Me’ shows us a powerful picture of the Lord carrying us in our times of need, that God picking us up and carrying us, is a reminder of the Lord’s Fatherly love. However, as a whole, ABLE still just didn’t grab me at the moment (holistically, as an EP of 8 tracks). And maybe that’s ok. I’ve learnt that not all music is going to be at the same level of engagement, and what I may gravitate to, could be different to what other people could instantly like. And so, for ABLE, I acknowledge that this song is heartfelt, emotive, and challenging lyrically, but for me, I wasn’t as impacted as I thought it was going to be. Nevertheless, Ryan’s music still is a space and place for me to explore something new and different compared to a lot of what CCM gives to us, but unfortunately, this album seems to fall within the endless sea of CCM albums that seem to blend together. Maybe I opinion of the song could change in the future, maybe not. But regardless, ABLE still needs to be heard at least once, maybe someone else will love it more than I did. Another full-length album after this? Hopefully.
3 songs to listen to: ABLE, Reflection of You, Coming Home
Score: 3.5/5
RIYL: Delirious?, Stellar Kart, Tauren Wells, For KING AND COUNTRY