Josh Wilson

Josh Wilson gathers together the most popular tracks found on the singer/songwriter’s debut album and follow-up EP. Engagingly warm and expansively poetic, they mark their composer as one of the most promising new voices in Christian pop/rock. Wilson strikes the sort of universal chord of faith that Steven Curtis Chapman made his trademark two decades ago. Yet he is also gifted with a light (yet spiritually-grounded) touch that puts him firmly in the contemporary camp of John Mayer and Jason Mraz. Tunes like “Before the Morning,” “Sing” and “Beautiful Like This” capture a sense of awe and glory without losing their intimate feel. Wilson takes on the role of a humble believer (as in “Savior, Please” and “Something’s Got to Change”) as well as a wry self-critic (“Listen”). “3 Minute Song” — a riff on writing sanctified pop tunes — catches him at his most playful. His fluent guitar arrangement of “Amazing Grace” marks him as an impressive instrumentalist as well as an appealing singer. This best-of collection sums up the best of his early efforts.