I first encountered Josh Wilson at a show opening for The Swift. He was comfortable with what he did, how he sang, and for just a guy with his guitar, he put on a good show. This led me to buying his second independent release, Shake the Shadow. It is a seven song album with its highs and lows, but still a worthy buy.

The album is nothing fancy, but nothing qualifying as "boring" either. He has the sound of someone you might listen to while sitting around a campfire. The lyrics are simple but not cheesy. This leads to one problem with the album. Half the songs are about girl problems, then the other half is about God - or at least that's how it seems. The lyrics are the kind that could be interpreted both ways, so if you're looking for some spiritual depth, you might not get it here. The first song, "Say Something" is an upbeat song about how he is too shy to talk to a specific girl. It is very catchy and even has a nice whistling solo that you're likely to find yourself repeating throughout your day. The next track, "Delilah," is another song about girl troubles. It is a slower song but still sounds pretty good.

"Lay Me to Waste" has a good tempo and beat. It does suffer from the "girl or God" dilemma, but still offers a nice sound. "She Tells Me" is the last song about girl issues, but is also very depressing as it talks about breaking up with a girlfriend. It's very slow, soft and mellow, and proves to be pretty emotional. "Breakthrough" is the highlight of the EP, however. It is a very catchy, fast paced song with smart lyrics about not letting God take control. The final two songs, "Beautiful Like This" and "The Saving Strength," are the weaker points of the EP. They are well written, but not very memorable or catchy. Fortunately, the lyrics can make up for the slow sounds in both.

Josh Wilson's music could be best described as "comfort music." It is simple, but not overly simplistic, upbeat and at times slow. It is not perfect and the pace of the project could be better, but it still offers a nice sound overall. He has since signed with Sparrow Records (known for acts like Newsboys, Steven Curtis Chapman, Matthew West, and Switchfoot, among many others), so I am exited to see what is in store for this young talent. If this EP is just a taste of what we could get, then we will be in for a treat.

Review date: 1/11/08, written by Scott Smidlein for Jesusfreakhideout.com