Some family names such as Toyota, Mars, Disney and Herschel are used interchangeably with the products and services they have been associated with.  Chocolate bars once made by Franklin C. Mars are simply known today as Mars bars.  In the same way, the last name "Crabb" is now used synonymous with Southern Gospel music.  As a family group, the Crabb Family has had 16 number one hits, 22 GMA Dove Awards and 3 NARAS Grammy nominations.  And over the years, they have blessed us with songs that have become the soundtrack of some of our most trying times such as "Through the Fire," "Trail of Tears," "He Came Looking for Me" and "The Cross."  Even after the Crabb Family has taken a hiatus, Adam and Terah formed the Crabb Revival.  After three years with the Crabb Revival, Adam has finally ventured out on his own for this Daywind Records debut effort "Surrender."  Partnering with sibling Jason on the helm, "Surrender" is one of the most ambitious records where Adam stretches beyond the Southern Gospel arena to include country pop, worship as well as more progressive country. 

The trump card of this record is the deft use of narratives.  The way Crabb twirls his supple tenor around the unfolding of his story songs in the style that Tim McGraw does so well really makes his characters come alive.  In the country ballad "Covered," we can't help but feel the faux pas of the pregnant girl as she tries to dart the condemning eyes of her small town folks.  And on Gerald Crabb and Don Poythress' "Sometimes God Allows" the frustrations and the pain of wrestling with the issue of God's purpose in suffering is palatable.  Further, the way Crabb soars on the chorus of this power ballad displays an array of emotions that truly grabs at our hearts.  Leslie Satcher, who has penned hit songs for George Strait and Martina McBride, gets an entry here with "Why I Am Who I Am."  This is a slice of Romans 7 set to the musical template of a modern country ballad.  As far as ballads go, "Sometimes He Whispers" finds Crabb in his heartfelt best. 

"Higher Ground" is interestingly lifted as the the album's lead single.  Normally, one would not have chosen an ancient hymn to be the song that charges out of the opening gates of an album. Nevertheless, "Higher Ground" is anything but normal.  Borrowing a Motown R&B sound and that Steve Wonder-styled harmonica, there's a swampy bluesy charm to "Higher Ground" that comes across as infectious and fresh sounding.  While more moments of déjà vu abound with "I've Got a Right to Pray," a track the Crabb Family first tackled on their "Pray" album.  "I've Got a Right to Pray" is a fine example of how to carefully expound a Biblical story (in this case the account of Daniel in a lion's den) and apply it to today's context.   While "Jehovah Jireh," a Ronnie Freeman composition, finds Crabb in the worship territory on this gorgeous hymn of thanks to God for His amazing provision.

Crabb's kids are featured on the opening of "Hey Now," a call to worship where we are urged to lay our burdens at God's feet.  Though the song enjoys some Keith Urban-esque banjo licks, the song could have been even better if the drums were more subdued and if Crabb's children had a larger singing role.  Nevertheless, "Surrender" is an ambitious solo debut from Adam Crabb.  It's forward looking as there are songs that come across with a youthful immediacy and urgency.  On the other hand, traditionalist need not fret as Crabb also has a way of harkening back to some older treasures and making them come alive again.