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Well, for all of you who have been waiting awhile for Dawson to release some new material, your wait is over. He has put together a “shopping cart” (pun intended when you see the artwork) of songs in a brand new CD, “More In Store”. This CD features 6 previously unreleased studio tracks, 6 older songs that were released on earlier CDs that are currently out of print, and 3 live tracks from an hour-long outdoor concert at Waterworks Park Amphitheatre in Vancouver, Washington back on 06-29-2002.

From the opening song of “No Need to Worry” with its DMBesque sax and guitar work to the live Americana of “Before the Sun Sets”, the songs on this CD offer encouragement and hope for those who may be struggling in life. Many of the songs showcase Dawson’s storytelling style like “Parable”, which is a story of redemption following the biblical parable of the prodigal son to “Your Face”, a wedding song he wrote for a friend about how dazed he felt the first time he saw his wife’s face.

This is Dawson’s 10th full-length release since 1999’s “Swirling Waters Tug”, and it delivers something for everyone. The shopping cart metaphor truly applies to not only the variety of songs, but the genres, instrumentation, and emotions each evoke as well. If you enjoy finely crafted lyrics delivered with an honest passion and backed up by stunning acoustic guitar work then you owe it to yourself to check out this CD. Fans of Dave Matthews, John Mayer, and Bebo Norman will not be disappointed.

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Here are some quick links to various retailers where you can purchase either a downloadable MP3 copy of this album or in some cases a physical CD with lyric booklet.

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Singer/songwriter Dawson Cowals’ 7th album showcases his unique acoustic styling with driving rhythms, percussive tapping, and beautiful finger picking. With vocals ala Dave Matthews and the storytelling of John Mayer, this raw acoustic CD is a treat.

Dawson Cowals has a haunting voice that demands your ear. An artist who can indeed stand “unplugged”, Cowals offers a beautiful array of acoustic scores with an unapologetic social conscience. It works. Faith meets fire and speaks to what is missing in the emptiness of many other works. A polished artist with a bright, shiny soul.
—Sue Braiden, CBC Radio

Originally released September 5, 2001, this rerelease of Dawson’s seventh full-length album showcases his unique acoustic styling with driving rhythms, percussive tapping, and beautiful finger picking. “Unplugged” offers some of Dawson’s most heartfelt songs delivered in a raw and honest format, stripped of any production clutter. His lyrics will quickly draw you in with a vocal styling similar to Dave Matthews and challenge you to examine and hopefully find meaning in your life. From “Sticks & Stones” which warns us to guard our tongues to “Stubborn Man” that humbly admits having to go back around the mountain another time to learn a lesson the hard way. In “I’m Not That Strong” Dawson laments the mistake of taking a close friend for granted and paints the emotions he was feeling in the mind of the listener through his lyrics:

Left standing in the rain / Hope clutched like an umbrella with holes in it / Hair plastered to my face / Can’t you see that it’s killing me to admit // That I was wrong / Misconstrued that you’d / Be there all along / I was wrong / Without you, I’m on my own / And I’m not that strong //

This rerelease features two new tracks: “Beloved” and “Restore My Soul.” All of the songs have been digitally remastered from the original studio recordings. The track order has also been slightly altered to provide a hopefully more pleasing listening experience. If you enjoy acoustic music then you will love the live feel of this CD. All of the songs were recorded live in the studio to capture Dawson’s typical coffee shop playing style. For fans of Dave Matthews, John Mayer, or Bebo Norman.

The artwork for this CD started with a photo of his guitar in a field of daisies at Starker Arts Park in Corvallis, Oregon, and was then transformed into his signature colorized guitar in a black & white photo. Lyrics are included in the booklet for those of you who might wonder what exactly he is singing in French on the lullaby, Mon chéri.

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Dawson’s 6th full-length CD is a collection of traditional and original Christmas carols celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Dawson’s distinctive guitar and vocal style is sure to make this a Christmas classic for fans of Dave Matthews, Brandon Heath.

If you are tired of the same old Christmas recordings that sound like the same songs repeated over and over by different people then you will enjoy this CD. Dawson has taken several classic carols and reworked them in his style to bring a more modern influence to their sound. Favorite classic remakes include “Away In Five” which layers the classic carol “Away In A Manger” on top of the rhythmic feel of Brubeck’s masterpiece “Take Five”, and the rocking retelling of “We Three Kings” with additional lyrics that comprises “We’re Just Three Kings”. In addition to the recognizable classics Dawson has added several original tracks to the CD ranging from the title track, “Born Is The King” with its pulsing drums and celtic flute to “When Jesus Was Born” with its Beattlesque sounds. If you enjoy the music of Dave Matthews, John Mayer or Bebo Norman then this CD will make a great new addition to your Christmas season collection.

The original version of this CD was released December 12, 2000 through MP3.com’s Digital Automatic Music program, but after they closed their doors this re-release was made available on December 5, 2003. The end result, though, is a higher quality, digitally remastered recording with better artwork and packaging. The new artwork contains all of the lyrics and a copy of the Christmas story as told by the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. This re-release version also features the bonus acoustic version of “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” The title track, “Born Is The King”, has seen incredible success since its initial release back in December of 2000. Featuring Dawson on acoustic guitar, vocals and flute this song weaves the Christmas story from the time of Christ’s birth through his death and resurrection. In its first month of release this song received more than 50,000 downloads on MP3.com, placing it #2 overall on their charts among more than a million other songs-ironically, just behind the recent Cynthia Basinet single “Santa Baby”. Since then it has continued to be one of the favored tracks from this CD, and is a definite showcase of Dawson’s diverse musical background and talents.

From new to old the songs on this CD all share one common thread and purpose, to celebrate in song the true joy of Christmas: “…it is the night of our dear savior’s birth.” May you be blessed by these songs as you celebrate the miracle of Christmas this year. Merry Christmas! Mele Kalikimaka! Joyeux Noël!

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As both a singer/songwriter and worship leader for several years, I have written many praise songs that are at last available on this collection.

“Inhabit Our Praises” is my 5th full-length CD and brings together 15 of my original worship songs that were written during my years as a worship leader at Oregon State University. These songs were sung in crowded living room Bible studies and in churches across Oregon when I would travel to share. Originally released on September 5, 2000, this rerelease has a different track order, one new song (“Restore My Soul”), and a new artwork package.

If you are looking for some great new scripture-based worship then check out this CD. Many of the songs come straight from the NIV version of Psalms or other passages with only some slight poetic-license thrown in for a more modern turn of phrase. Featuring a signature guitar style and carefully crafted lyrics, these songs will bring you before the throne in worship and bring peace to your soul. From the upbeat, Dave Matthews sax-filled sound of “I Give My Life” to the mellow ballad “Blameless Heart” reminiscent of Caedmon’s Call, to the simple guitar trio on “Come Unto Me”, this CD is sure to stir your heart with praise.

The theme and inspiration for this CD comes from the passage in Colossians 3:16-17 that reminds us:

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

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Here are some quick links to various retailers where you can purchase either a downloadable MP3 copy of this album or in some cases a physical CD with lyric booklet.

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The music of Dawson Cowals has been described as “Dave Matthews sings Rich Mullins songs accompanied by James Taylor on the guitar.” (musicscene.com) It is this combination of driving acoustic rhythms, falsetto vocals, and poignant lyrics that have caught and held the ears of his many listeners.

In listening you will find that he is not afraid to humbly display some of the tarnish and rough edges as in “Restore My Soul”:

So often I find / This law at work within me / That what I want to do / That I don’t do at all / And what I don’t want to do / That I keep repeating / Sweet Jesus won’t you come / Restore my soul

Where he laments his mistakes and the continual need for grace and redemption. This kind of self-examination is hard to find in today’s collection of cotton candy pop, which promises sweet fulfillment but leaves one empty with nothing but sticky fingers. Dawson’s refreshing approach of taking an honest look in the mirror gives one pause to reflect on one’s own motivations. He opens a brief window into the journey of his life and shares his sorrows and struggles as well as his hopes and joys.

His introspective lyrics are woven through modern folk-rock licks with a blend of soft jazz, funk, and acoustic noodlin’ that challenges the ear and the tapping foot to keep up. And the mind isn’t forgotten on the side of the road to fend for itself. Borrowing often nearly word for word from scripture Dawson’s lyrics cover a wide range of topics from grace in the song “Skeletons in My Closet” to dealing with personal tragedy and the grief of losing a loved one in the poignant “When We Have Faces”. His songs focus on topics relevant to both Christians and non-Christians alike; ministering to the body of believers and holding out the truth and hope of the gospel to those who are searching.

As Dawson explains in his own words, “I try to share the truth of the love and forgiveness I have found in Jesus Christ without turning to some of the clichéed ‘Christianese’ expressions that so often seem to be found in Christian music. People need to hear the truth of how God wants to meet them where they are at without being bombarded with spiritual platitudes that do little to fill their need. After all, Jesus did not speak as the Pharisees and expect the people to want to come to him. He spoke in everyday language and ministered to their needs while they were still living their old lifestyles. He didn’t wait for them to clean up their act and come into the temple before he would speak with them. And that is the approach I strive to take in my music. I try to share where I’m at in my own life and some of the things God has brought me through or taught me, and hope that others can relate in a more personal way than if I was up on a soapbox. My hope and prayer is that I can get out of the way enough so that if God wants to speak to someone through my music, He can.”

Zach Garland offers this summary, calling Dawson’s music:

“Nice jazzy rock, with very creative lyrics; a message that doesn’t hit you over the head. Dawson honors his God and shares the happiness he feels without insulting a non-Christian’s intelligence. He’s just got something cool he wants to share. Take note gang. Make music this good, and non-Christians will listen. Take it to the river; don’t keep it in the church.”