Jason Gray to Release New Album "Land of the Living" Nov. 17

Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Jason Gray is set to release his full-length album, Land of the Living, Nov. 17. On the new album, this beloved Centricity Music recording artist is less of a host and more of a participant in the stories he's telling. Rather than leading listeners on a journey revolving around a central theme like he did with 2020's Order Disorder Reorder, this album serves up a batch of pop-friendly, radio-ready contenders primed for conversation.

"Concept albums tend to ask something of the listener," Gray says in regards to Land of the Living's predecessor. "This record is a little bit more, 'Thank you for your attention. That was the meat. Let's have a little dessert.'"

This cherry-on-top addition to his catalog is full of meaningful songs marked by Gray's remarkable ability to plumb the depths of the human experience - all within the confines of a three-minute pop song.

For each of the dozen tracks on Land of the Living, there's always one question Gray asks when he walks into a writing room: How do we tell the truth today? Yet, he proposes there's another question that's often a quicker route to the heart of the matter: What are we afraid to talk about today?

He discovered the answer to that question when he penned "Worth Staying For," arguably the most personal song of his entire career. Written with his good friend Andy Gullahorn, the autobiographical selection uncovers his scars as he shares his core fear of abandonment, his memory of his father leaving and how his childhood wounds reopened years later during a painful divorce. "I was scared to release that one," he confesses, "because as a writer, you don't want to be the victim or the hero of your songs."

Other topics he covers on Land of the Living aren't nearly as heavy, yet, just like Gray, they're exceptionally thoughtful. He excavates Psalm 27 on the title-cut, explores childlike wonder on "When I Grow Up," celebrates biblical manhood on "Good Man" and wrestles with doubt on "Questions."

Lead single "Place for Me" was birthed out of his own weighty baggage from the church, a place he's ultimately found to be a refuge for the sinner and saint alike. "At its best, the church offers a place of belonging based on our need for grace, for each other, for help and for guidance," Gray says of the message behind the upbeat offering he co-wrote with Matt Armstrong and Ethan Hulse. "It's where different people, who don't necessarily agree with each other, come together and manage to point their hearts in the same direction for a couple hours every week, and that's beautiful."

Land of the Living also features the tongue-in-cheek quirkiness of "Jesus Loves You (And I'm Trying)," the pop-centric "Be Kind," and the Gospel-inflected, choir-assisted "When I Say Yes."

The full Land of the Living track listing follows:

01) When I Say Yes

02) When I Grow Up

03) Questions

04) Jesus Loves You And I'm Trying

05) Be Kind

06) If You Don't Move

07) Land Of The Living

08) Hold Onto Hope

09) Worth Staying

10) Good Man

11) See As You See

12) Place For Me

Since his 2007 nationwide label debut, All the Lovely Losers, Gray has established himself as a true songwriter's songwriter. He has garnered multiple ASCAP Performance Awards for popular songs like "Remind Me You're Here" and "Sparrows" and summited the radio charts with hits like his first No. 1 AC standard, "With Every Act of Love," and chart-topping inspirational single "Nothing Is Wasted."

While his music has always given listeners a safe space to work out the details of life, faith and relationship, the veteran artist reveals that he finds himself writing from a different perspective on Land of the Living. "I now see songwriting as trying to offer healing language to the world," Gray says. "It makes it less egocentric. It's not about me expressing myself. Instead, it's about me trying to love my audience well."

Throughout his celebrated tenure, Gray has shared the stage with genre leaders like Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, Third Day, TobyMac, Lauren Daigle and others, in addition to headlining tours of his own. Moreover, he's the host of the popular writers-round radio show Acoustic Storytime heard on SiriusXM The Message on the second Friday of every month at noon ET.

For all the latest Jason Gray tour, music, news and more information, go to http://jasongraymusic.com/, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music.

 

 

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