FINDING A WAY TO SEE IN THE DARK

     Jason Gray is best known to many for his Christian radio hit 'More Like Falling in Love'.  These words from the liner notes of his latest album A WAY TO SEE IN THE DARK (2011, Centricity Music) tell something of the theme of the album: "The shadow of doubt that looms when life breaks our hearts is a kind of darkness that threatens to swallow us whole...We are invited to trust, and in trusting to discover a new way of seeing that can lead us out of the dark. 'Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see', is how the writer to the Hebrews describes it." 
     The CD begins with the catchy 'Remind me who I am' which is about struggling with one's identity: "Remind me who I am/When I can't receive Your love/Afraid I'll never be enough/Remind me who I am/If I'm Your beloved/Can You help me believe it?.../I'm the one You love (2X)/That will be enough."  'The End of Me' is a perfect pop song co-written with PFR's Joel Hanson.  It is about coming to the end of oneself: "This is where it begins/Cause everything here had to fall apart/But in the ruins of a broken heart/I found peace like a river to attend my soul/And hope running over when I let go/I found joy that was hidden for all these years/And love overflowing to wash over everything/Here at the end of me."  'No Thief like Fear', co-written with Jason Ingram, has a heavier sound to it.  Those who struggle with self-esteem will identify with it: "But I know insecurity/Is the worst of my own enemies/He sings his lonely song and I will dance/As he robs me blind/Right before my eyes...Set me free, set me free/Oh my God set me free/From these chains holding me."  'Good to Be Alive' features pretty keys, is radio friendly, and is about living life with a thankful heart: "I wanna live like there's no tomorrow/Love like I'm on borrowed time/It's good to be alive" and "I won't take it forgranted/I won't waste another second/All I want is to give You/A life well lived to say 'Thank You'."
     'The Sound of our Breathing' would be a good concert tune to bring the audience to life.  It shows a reverence for God: "Moses bare foot at the burning bush/Wants to know who spoke to him/The answer is unspeakable/Like the rush of a gentle wind" and "In Him we live and move and have our being/We speak the Name as long as we are breathing/So breathe in/Breathe out..."  'Without Running Away' slows things down and contains these very down to earth lyrics a lot of us can relate to at one time or another: "But wounded's a part/I've learned to play well/Though the wound may run deeper/Than I know how to tell/Where pain's an addiction/That keeps me buried alive/But when it's all that I know/I'm afraid to leave it behind."  'Fear is Easy, Love is Hard', written with Andy Gullahorn, speaks the following unfortunate truth about relationships: "So we draw up another dividing line/We label each other and we choose a side/Peace could come at quite a cost/So we won't build a bridge across/Fear is easy, but love is hard."  'Nothing is Wasted' is a ballad that inspires by offering hope amidst pain: "It's from the deepest wounds/That beauty finds a place to bloom/And you will see before the end/That every broken piece is/Gathered in the heart of Jesus/And what's lost will be found again/And nothing is wasted/Nothing is wasted/In the hands of our Redeemer."
     The nicely written title track is up next.  I can hear traces of Kevin Max on it.  It displays a strong faith and reliance on God: "The question mark/Hung at the end of every fear/Is answered by/The promise that You are with me here/And that's all I've got/When the lights go out and I lose my way/So I'll close my eyes/I won't be afraid (2X)" and "If every star falls and the sun fails to rise/Still in my blindness I'll see/If You are my help, my hope and my vision/One step at a time You will lead."  'The Other Side' finds Gray placing his trust in God again: "How many times am I destined to prove/I can't do this all on my own?/But there is freedom in failing and finding His mercy/And standing in front of His throne/I'm not as big as I thought I was/So I won't be afraid/No matter what the trouble is I see today/The Maker of the mountains/He will make a way/To lead me through the darkness to the other side."  'I will find a Way' is inspired by Walt Wangerin Jr.'s 'An Advent Monologue'.  It ponders the emotions Mary must have felt when carrying Jesus.  It closes with this promise from God: "I am doing a new thing, soon you will see/I am coming among you and My Name shall be/Emmanuel, Emmanuel."  The album closes with 'Jesus, we are Grateful' a song of praise featuring a choir partly consisting of labelmates Downhere and Aaron Shust: "You are the Word of God whose breath sustains our lives/I was dead in all my guilt and shame/'Til You spoke my resurrection/Now You hide my life inside Your own/Where You whisper me Your love/Thank You, Thank You/Jesus, we are grateful."  It should be noted that Gray sings well in the upper register at times on the album.
     A WAY TO SEE IN THE DARK could use a few more memorable and upbeat songs.  They all start to sound the same after awhile.  That being said, this project successfully details one man's faith journey in a real and transparent way, with all the highs and lows, mountaintops and valleys included.  I appreciate Jason Gray's honesty.  I'm rating this effort a 72% and recommending it to fans of Matthew West and Bebo Norman. For more info visit http://www.jasongraymusic.com/ and http://www.centricitymusic.com/.