I’ve previously raved about musical beatitude “Blessed Be” and “Sing Through Me” in our earlier preview, but the ten remaining tracks only continue the trend of excellence. It’s pop at its best all the way through “All the Lovely Losers,” providing a winsome carrier for his nimble lyrical expressions of vulnerability and brokenness. Jason Gray is all about ministering through revelation; he cheerfully lays out his most personal weaknesses in order to let Christ shine more brightly, sharing even stories of an abusive past to further glorify his God. It’s not difficult to understand why his album is so powerfully uplifting and encouraging.
Another highlight is the album’s roster of impressive guest artists, including, PFR’s Joel Hanson, Andrew Peterson, Lori Chaffer, and Sara Groves. Standout tracks include the piano-driven “Weak,” his soft vocals offering support to his fellow wounded (“My deepest point of need is the better part of me”), the electric pop-rocker “I’m Not Going Down,” a song of declaration announcing his dependence upon God’s Spirit, the lustrous, airy “Someday,” and the quiet piano closer, “Everything I Own,” laying down the lusts of his heart in pursuit of a pure heart.
But it is “The Cut,” a warm ballad featuring Sara Groves that stops you in your tracks with its outstanding lyrics, heart-rending vocals, and precise instrumentation. Its sizzling electric guitar solo comes across like a surgical saw, powerfully underlining its fervent description of God’s cutting work on our hearts. This amazing track is one of the best I’ve heard this year, not surprisingly found on an album of exceptionally high caliber. Jason Gray’s “All the Lovely Losers” is one of the year’s highlights thus far, worth getting up early for on its March 6th release date.
