When people ask me "where is all the good Christian music?" I usually tell them it's hiding in plain sight in independent artists like Floridian Josiah Queen. After a few singles gained some traction on Christian radio, Queen's first full-length, The Prodigal, shows an artist primed to cement himself as a mainstay in his genre. His acoustic folk stylings may not break any auditory boundaries, but his songwriting wit, coupled with his heart-on-sleeve lyrical bent, is something desperately needed in the CCM world. Bringing to mind such storytellers as Jason Gray and Brandon Heath, Queen's ability to relate biblical parables and stories to everyday life encourages in much the same way as a healthy Sunday sermon.

Opening to a simply plucked banjo, "Garden In Manhattan" grows to a short thesis statement that couldn't be more clear or concise... "Oh God, use me where you have me." To flesh out this theme, Queen uses paradoxical scenarios that are at once striking, compelling, and easily understandable... "I'll be a garden in Manhattan/be a river where it's dry/if my friends can't find the road I'll be a roadside welcome sign/Sunshine in Seattle/be a cool breeze in July/light in the darkness." The following track, "In The Fire," is a toe-tapping, almost bluegrass tune (though sincere), and again it's the wordings that set it apart, this time applying the biblical story of the fiery furnace, with poignant one-liners that deserve mulling over... "they grabbed my wrist and clenched their fist and threw me in those flames/on my shoulder was the hand of another man/He said just five words/'I'm there through the worst.'"

"Fishes and Loaves" was one of the first songs I heard from the Tampa native, and I was immediately drawn to his vulnerable delivery and aforementioned biblical applications... "Oh my child let go/I know you're uneasy/but I'm in control/I don't need that much for Me to show/I'll make the most of your fishes and loaves." The emotional "Things That Matter" is an introspective look at how the hustle of everyday life can make us forget our true purpose in Christ... "Help me see the world through Your eyes/till what breaks your heart is breaking mine/slow me down this world is moving faster/but I don't wanna miss the things that matter."

I was pleasantly surprised to find the back half of the album just as strong as the first. "Die a Beggar" uses light orchestration in the chorus to bring a different, more weighty atmosphere, repeating a single-line motif to show that "it's impossible" to serve both God and money. "Altars Over Stages" treads into rock territory in its latter half, serving as yet another highlight, this time gleaning insights from John the Baptist, showing that it's no insignificant feat to perpetually shine a light onto Christ. The western-meets-EDM "Take Me Home" continues this relentless call to humility, pleading God to "Teach me, Lord, teach me/to love You like I am a child/I've been overthinking/complicated my own life." "I am Barabbas" is the last of the biblical illusions, giving an eye-opening look into an oft-forgotten biblical character, comparing the infamous robber to our sin-riddled lives, concluding that "I am Barabbas, Your friend." These hard-hitting one-liners, coupled with catchy melodies and a convicting vocal delivery, prove to be an unstoppable formula that wholly elevates its otherwise subdued platform.

Time precludes me from mentioning all the little nuggets of spiritual wisdom hidden in this album. Year after year, I'm amazed at what independent artists are able to accomplish, and Josiah Queen may just be this year's diamond in the rough. Do yourself a favor and give this an attentive listen. Look for The Prodigal near the top of my year-end list.

- Review date: 6/16/24, written by Joel Zaloum of Jesusfreakhideout.com

Record Label: None
Album length: 11 tracks: 35 minutes, 21 seconds
Street Date: May 24, 2024
Buy It: Amazon Music
Buy It: Amazon.com (Vinyl)

1. Garden in Manhattan (2:35)
2. In The Fire (2:53)
3. Fishes and Loaves (3:37)
4. Things That Matter (3:06)
5. The Prodigal (3:13)
6. Die a Beggar (3:53)
7. Altars Over Stages (3:10)
8. My Promised Land (3:15)
9. Take Me Home (2:55)
10. I am Barabbas (3:22)
11. Who I Was (3:00)