OK, so folk music does not rock like Pillar or MxPx. It does not get your
head nodding like GRITS or the Cross Movement. But, it does get me going on
the inside. There's something to be said about simple, bare-boned music that
tells a very personal story and connects to the inner person. Many thanks to
our very own Jason Ewert who has done a great deal to bring this often
overlooked genre of music to our attention, as well as showing us that in
its own way, folk music rocks!

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CROWDED SPACES - CHRIS MASON (2003)
by Jason Ewert

I don't know about you, but I find it easy to throw away the most important
things when I get too busy. My life tends to revolve around what I like,
what I want, what I think I need-everything else is expendable. Things like
family time, personal devotions, and brotherly love (among others) are
thrown overboard in an attempt to save myself from drowning. After my Father
has rescued me (as He consistently does time and again), I shake my head and
wonder why I always abandon the life preservers and cling to lead bricks.

Listening to Crowded Spaces makes me suspect that Chris Mason can identify
with these frustrating struggles. From beginning to end, honesty pervades
Chris's stories and lessons, mingling his frailty with God's strength to
tell stories of redemption and hope. Lead-off track "Something More" is a
good example: while he openly admits a longing for "something more"
(surprise!), he points us to Jesus, the only One who can ever quell our
insatiable hearts. Similarly, "Middle of My Doubt" wonders at the grace of
God that is near even at our darkest moments.

Other songs provide snapshots of life. "What You Love" watches two college
students discover that while daydreams fade away, providence gives us more
glorious destinies. Meanwhile, "Still the Same" and "Long Way" are
provocative glimpses into the lives of loves who are struggling to rise
above their trials. Perhaps the "tear-jerker" of the disc, "Gloria" is a
husband's collection of memories of home and the love that is shown
there—anyone who has a soldiering spouse will not go unmoved by this song.

While Mason's greatest strength is his songwriting, the musical side of
things must not be overlooked. Producers Andrew Osenga and Cason Cooley
(both of The Normals) deserve kudos for not turning this disc into a
pseudo-Normals project. Utilizing some great musicians (Garett Buell of
Caedmon's Call and Mark Lockett of The Normals along with many other
Nashville regulars), Chris's sound remains unassuming as it plants the
lyrics and melodies in your mind. At times, I do wish that Chris's voice
contained more emotion, but this complaint is minor when viewed against the
backdrop of this album's strengths.

Throughout all the moments of pain and joy, loneliness and love, sin and
redemption, Chris is consistently pointing us back to the Gospel and how it
works out in our lives. And quite frankly, that is why this disc will grip
your heart. Chris's words are well-chosen to penetrate our hard heads and
even harder hearts (and anyone who will use drinking coffee as a metaphor
gets extra points in my book!). Take it with you in to the crowded spaces of
your life and pray that God would use it as muscle to help you discard the
lead weight and cling to our Preserver.

Read more about Chris Mason at cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/folk/chrismason


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http://cMusicWeb.com/folk/lizzwright/salt.shtml

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http://cMusicWeb.com/worship/oasispraise

Review: Worship Extreme Vol. 1 - Various
http://cMusicWeb.com/worship/worshipextreme

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