“Jesus is speaking but it’s so hard to hear when disciples
with swords are cutting off ears.”
A Way to See in the Dark
Artist: Jason Gray (www.jasongraymusic.com)
Label: Centricity
Length: 12 tracks/47:28 minutes
I listen to Jason Gray for the same reason that people
might listen to Bob Dylan. He has a way with words. They take unexpected turns
and are poetic. They are revealing and vulnerable.
It is what makes the music of Rich Mullins such a
delight. It is a combination of spiritual insight, literary sensibility and a quirkiness
that get yours attention. I relish it wherever I find it. I hear it in Christian
artists like Randy Stonehill, Bob Bennett, Steve Bell, Carolyn Arends and Andrew
Peterson to name a few.
I relate to it because it often springs from brokenness
and humility. However one might define a victorious Christian life, it is not a
state of perfection. One of my favorite phrases comes from the book of James,
“We all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2). Artists like these convey grace and
truth, something that I will always need.
It’s why I find a song like the opening “Remind Me Who I
Am” so endearing. “When I lose my way, and I forget my name, remind me who I
am,” Gray sings on the opening line. “In the mirror all I see is who I don’t
want to be, remind me who I am.” The Official Music Video reminds
us that we often fail to grasp a truth that is greater than our broken
condition. Grace changes not only how God sees us but how we should see
ourselves.
The longing that you hear is coupled with music that has
somewhat of a rustic quality. It reminds me a little of The Band. A synthesizer
that sounds like an accordion (or is it an accordion that sounds like a
synthesizer?) comes in on the chorus. This is the Jason Gray that I like the
best—acoustic,
stripped-down production with yearning rumination.
On the track that follows, “The End of Me,” he sounds
more like Coldplay, even down to the falsetto, not that this is bad. The chorus
is an interesting derivative of the hymn, “It is Well with My Soul.” Skip to
track three, and the power chords on “No Thief Life Fear,” may be fitting, but
I find them less appealing than Gray just strumming his guitar.
“Without Running Away” is my favorite. The memorable
lines like the following just keep coming, “Jesus is speaking but it’s so hard
to hear when disciples with swords are cutting off ears / Broken and bleeding,
waiting for healing to come.” The rural sound and sparse production are a
perfect complement to Gray in his Dylan mode.
I favor his folksy, storytelling side. When he moves more
toward rock, it’s less compelling. Generally, it’s the quieter mid-tempo songs
where I lose myself in the words and sound. It makes me feel more alive and
less alone. That’s part of what good art does to me.
One of the most poignant moments is “Nothing is Wasted.”
This is the song to hear when you feel like your life is a wreck and past
redemption. It mentions Jesus by name. It wasn’t too long ago that there was a
controversy over how often Christian artists used (or did not use) the name of
Jesus. A song might be judged by whether you heard (and how often) Jesus’ name.
Hopefully, that kind of thinking is long gone, but because so many artists
began to refer to God with personal pronouns and vague references, I notice when
that name is used. Gray does it here on at least three songs, and it almost
seems counter-cultural. I like it because I never want to lose sight of Christ.
A Way to See in the
Dark by Jason Gray contains some of the best songs that he has ever done.
If you like singer/songwriters, especially those mentioned previously, check
out Jason Gray. He has become one of the finest writers in Christian music. His
childlike faith will help him and the rest of us find our way in the dark.
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