Everything Sad is Coming Untrue by Jason Gray

Listening to this album is like sinking your soul into a thick, rich and moist slice of triple layered German chocolate cake.  It’s that good.  This was my first taste of Jason Gray’s music.  I would go back for more, but I’m still trying to finish the piece that is in front of me.  Each song offers so much to think about and so many things to consider.

This guy doesn’t hold anything back. His music doesn’t pretend that life isn’t messy. Instead, it dives right into the mess and takes a strong and honest look at the hope in the midst of pain, struggle and failure.  Through confession, repentance and forgiveness, it also points to something of the way out.

I have the sense that Gray isn’t the kind of guy to pump out fluffy music or sing about something he doesn’t believe. His conviction is evident and the pride he takes in this carefully crafted work comes across loud and clear.

I’d heartily recommend that you dump this album into your soul.  Get fat on the 13 tracks, 49 minutes, and 114.1 MB’s of  love, truth, redemption and goodness.  I’m going to be burping it up for a long time.

Here are some thoughts on each song (in order from my personal least to most favorite).

Better Way to Live – Good song, but I didn’t get as much out of this one as the others.

I Am New – A theme of the album – that God is reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.

Fade with Our Voices – Very challenging song.  Got me thinking about the idea of honoring God with lips versus honoring God with the heart.

Help Me, Thank You – Almost sounds like Jason was a lost member of the Beatles from the feel of this song. This reminded me of a quote from the book Traveling Mercies where Anne Lamott claims the two best prayers she knows are: “Help me, help me, help me” and “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Think of Anne’s statement put to words when you listen to this one.  Fun and catchy.

Hold Me Back – Loved the song.  Would rank it higher, but I didn’t get as much out of the lyrics.  Special props for including the words “magnificent defeat”.

More Like Falling in Love – A wise man once declared, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”  This is what Steven Covey would call a “paradigm shift”.  To me, this song is about a paradigm shift from seeing God as one who must be followed to being so caught up in His riches that you wouldn’t trade knowing him for the world.

For the First Time Again -A terrific song for those who have gotten off the track.  The best piece of advice I ever received was to “do the next right thing”.  This song is about doing just that.  It may take some time to rebuild the walls, but this is the place to start.

How I Ended up Here – Another song about coming out from behind the fig leaf. Gray compares himself to a group of lobsters.  Very unique.  I love this one.

Everything Sad is Coming Untrue (Part 1) – This is the happier and more upbeat version of the two title tracks.

Holding the Key – Full of heart and guts.  One of many confessional songs about coming clean (dirty).  Smart lyrics.

The Golden Boy & The Prodigal – Regrettably easy to relate to.  I was deeply drawn into this song and curious as to how it would resolve.  It couldn’t have resolved better.  Like the last song on this list, it presents the Gospel in a fresh light (so good and so hard to do).

Jesus Use Me, I’m Yours – This one reminded me of “Let Me Sing” by Andrew Peterson with a touch of “(Come to Jesus)” by Chris Rice. Listening to this song, I picture an altar call where people file out of their chairs with empty hands and bankrupt hearts. A picture of worshipful and tender surrender. Beautiful song.

Everything Sad is Coming Untrue (Part 2) – This song has quickly become one of my favorites.   Take a look at some of these lyrics:

Another nail in another coffin
Arms that held you return to dust
Yet in our grief we know death must be a liar
For no goodbye is ever good enough

The winter can make us wonder
If spring was ever true
But every winter breaks upon
The Easter lily’s bloom

Broken hearts are being unbroken
Bitter words are being unspoken
The curse undone, the veil is parted
The garden gate will be left unguarded

I cannot say enough about this song. It is the icing on the cake with a maraschino cherry to go with it.

Rating: 4/5.  For the songs at the top of this list, I either liked the lyrics but not the sound or liked the sound but not the lyrics.  The second half of this list is outstanding (imo).

Jason Gray is a Contemporary Christian Musician.  Full length samples of many of the songs on this CD can be found at Jason Gray’s MySpace page and Website.This CD was provided for review by Centricity Music.  To purchase or download this album on Amazon, click here.

Category: Reviews