Reviewed by Tom Lennie

The music of Jason Upton is not the most accessible of worship music. That's because this most original of musicians refuses to stick to any sense of worship "norms". His form of worship is daring, passionate and surprising and you're bound to be impacted in one way or another. His fervent, prophetic musical style has been compared to that of Keith Green and to MorningStar's eclectic output, though in fact neither comparison is adequate. Upton has released around a dozen full length recordings in the past decade, but 'Key Of David', is one of his earliest discs (2000). Like various others, it's a blend of pre-composed material along with a number of "songs that the Lord gave the night we recorded the CD". There's absolutely no doubting the passion that oozes out of this hour-long experience, as Jason seeks to widen substantially our image of God, the Holy Spirit and His workings in the world and in our lives. God is not in a box, and neither are the musical expressions of this man. Key themes on this album include freedom from all that binds us, boldness in Christ, intimacy with Him and the over-riding view that THIS is the generation that is going to break out of the old wineskin and see the unfathomable riches of all that God has for us. No post-productions were added to the recording; instead the project is "a reflection entirely of the power of God that was present the night of the recording". Jason's passion is truly infectious, and the sense of spontaneity is exciting, though it has to be said that musically most of the "immediate" songs consist primarily of Upton giving spoken exhortations/prayers over a basic underlying rhythm. It all gets quite intense at times and I would have to say that sometimes I found it quite difficult/discordant to listen to. And sadly, none of Jason's gorgeously sensitive worship ballads that adorn his later releases feature here. Just how genuinely prophetic you and I find these early sounds will depend on your spiritual discernment. Personally, I think it's a mixed bag.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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