Jason Morant (Abandon) :: Deeper Devotion

By Todd Kavanaugh

Artist: Jason Morant
Site: www.jasonmorant.com

Album: Abandon
Label: Vertical Music
Release: 2004
Type: Progressive Worship
If you like: Matt Redman, Delirious, Keith Green

Whether you’re driving home from a long day at work, sitting in your bed after a tough day of school, or just simply in a place of discontent and looking for a means of focus back on what really matters, I have the just the catalyst for you. It’s a piece of art, or rather an offering, offered by an individual who follows in the footsteps of worship pioneers like Matt Redman, Keith Green, and Delirious. The worship leader is Jason Morant, and his album is titled Abandon.

Abandon is the perfect name for the album because it represents the state of mind that the album leads its listeners to encounter. My first reaction to this album was not due to the lyrics, the intelligently laid tracks, passionate vocals, or even to the album itself, but rather to a response to the heart of the album, which sent me to a place of worship. Unfortunately, I find many non-live recorded worship albums plastic and canned (I know this is an unfair assessment, and generally wrong; it’s just my opinion), but, when I heard this album, I was taken back to the experience of listening to guys like Keith Green and Rich Mullins. Abandon is an album that artfully leads the listener away from itself and to the worship of our beautiful Lord and Savior, which is the focus of the lyrics.

Unlike a lot of studio recorded worship albums, you will only find two covered songs: “I Love You Lord” and “Bless the Lord.” The rest are original. This allows the listener to discover the amazing song writing abilities of Morant. The original songs are not clever spins of existing worship songs and chord progressions. They each have a uniquely different sound and theme.

After one listen through this album, it is easy to recognize that it is not an album whose content is driven by its music, but one that displays the artist’s heart accompanied by music that fits his message. The subtle yet passionate vocals of Jason Morant create a musical sanctuary full of worship as the guitars and percussion effortlessly play in complete unison. The album is perfect for today’s coffeehouse music aficionados, but still remains fit and full of energy. It is atmospheric and compelling, which persuades the listener to hit the �skip back’ button after each song to repeat the experience.

This is an album that comes with my highest possible stamp of approval, not because of the great music, but because it will lead you to worship and lead you to the feet of our Father, where you will be challegened to abandon all.

“I not only want to sing and give praise to Jesus in song, but I want to pursue a lifestyle that continues to give glory and honor to Him whether I’m at church or at home with my family. That’s what worship is. It can’t be boxed in by four walls or categorized as something we do. It’s what we are — living, breathing, walking arrows that are always pointing to Christ.” — Jason Morant

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