Style: Storyteller pop; compare to Brandon Heath, Sara Groves and Jason Mraz
Top tracks: “For the First Time Again,” “Fade With Our Voices,” “Help Me, Thank You”
In a nutshell: Lyrically conjuring up memories of the late Rich Mullins, Jason Gray is a Ragamuffin with a pop veneer. Disclosing vulnerable refrains in veritably smart pop, Gray bares his soul without drowning under the drudgery of sad tunes. For example, on “Fade With Our Voices,” an extremely accessible chorus soberly begs, “Does our worship have hands, does it have feet/Does it stand up in the face of injustice … Does it fade with our voices?” And “Help Me, Thank You,” delightfully admits, “These are the two best prayers I know,” over a shuffling snare and easy banjo. Similar to Sara Groves, Gray’s musical journal is poignant and reflected in these songs.
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