he contrast of wanting to be more like God and be intimate with Him and the hardship that comes from that in this earthly body is what that song is about.” This quote from Ivoryline vocalist Jeremy Gray is referring to the song “Made From Dust”, undoubtedly the most eloquent track of their new release, Vessels. Whereas their first album, There Came A Lion, felt more like a collection of songs perhaps reaching as far back as the earliest days of the band, Vessels has a clear and direct purpose; to provide every listener with a different experience, all coalescing into a shared spiritual relateability that touches on many different aspects of their faith. From struggles to triumphs and every other question in between, Ivoryline has avoided the sophomore slump and managed put out a gem of a record. The band’s vulnerability on this record is something to be admired and hopefully followed after by similar acts. Gray was gracious enough to speak with me just days after returning from his honeymoon as he anxiously awaited the release of the album then an upcoming stint on the Scream It Like You Mean it tour alongside Emery and Silverstein.
During the writing and recording process I read a lot of your updates about how you so badly wanted to make sure that God was coming through on all the tracks and all you did for this album. Can you expand on that need?
Jeremy Gray: That was just something as far back as the writing process. When we got together to write this record we weren’t sure on what direction our songs were going to go or what type of songs we were going to write. We hadn’t made an album in a long time so we had some natural worries and concerns so we wanted to be sure that God was in control of the direction and the content of the record because His wisdom is so much better than ours. That was just something we really felt strongly about the whole time so every writing session and practice we’d pray and ask God to lead us and direct the songs and just help us to write what we needed to write, what He had prepared in our hearts and what we needed to pull out basically. I feel like he really pushed us, I feel like God gave me words to say that I wouldn’t have thought of on my own and that needed to be said. Some parts I would write lyrically and think like “Oh these are so good, these are going to touch somebody” and that part would end up not making it in the song and I’d say “Okay, I guess you didn’t want that part in there, God”. It’s just kind of funny. The song turned out perfect without that part so it’s funny how things work out. I think God has a sense of humor too. I think He had a way in all the songs and I feel it in all the songs. I feel the spirit in the songs to the point where they reached me and touched me so I feel like that’s a good sign.
What goals did you wish to meet with this album and do you feel you accomplished them? Or is that something you won’t know until you get feedback from the fans?
JG: Both. There’s definitely a lot of relief and a sense of achievement and accomplishment to be done with the record because it was a long process, we wrote for a long time and we had some obstacles to overcome in the recording process. I feel like part of the goal is done. The songs we wrote are great and I’m super happy about everything and I love all the songs. But again, definitely its hard to wait for the album to come out and for your fans to hear the whole thing, we’re really excited about that. We’re hoping that people love the songs first and foremost but also that they’re challenged and strengthened and uplifting. We hope that its more than just another record but something that they can relate to and feel in their hearts. We hope it can be a source of whatever they need and they can find songs about hope, about struggle, they’ll find something that they can really latch onto and further themselves as a believer, in life or in general.
In what areas do you feel like you stepped it up on this album compared to the last?
JG: On this record I had to step it up personally a lot because about a year after the first record came out, we lost our second guitar player. We decided we wanted to stay a four piece and just rock it that way and we thought it was awesome. We did that for about a year then when it came time to write we were up in the air about maybe trying to get someone to write and play with us or if we should stay a four piece. So we decided to stay a four piece so I just bought an amp and I began writing. I’ve played guitar for awhile but never in the band, just brief little parts here and there on the first record but this time it just naturally transitioned and I started playing and I wrote the whole thing and I wrote on every song. So I really had to step it up on my guitar playing and singing and everything. More than anything, that was learning to trust when I’m fearful of wondering if I can write parts that are good enough or whatever, I just had to rely on God to give me the talent to do it and He really did. I surprised myself a lot of times (laughs). It was really fun. I think all of us did an amazing job. We wrote together really hard and took it really seriously, trying to push each other and make each other’s parts the best they can be. We write all the songs together too which is good. Normally, the songs all spawn out of different parts. We come in and create it from nothing together. We constantly feed off each other’s parts and try and sharpen each other so I think in that way we stepped in up.
You recorded with Aaron Sprinkle again. How has your relationship with him over two albums now increased the quality of what you put out?
JG: This time working with Aaron, we knew him better so there was less pressure because it wasn’t like “Oh wow we’re recording with Aaron Sprinkle” like it was the first time, we were just kind of in awe the first time around. This time we were friends with him so we were just looking forward to hanging out. We know he is a great producer who we worked so well with. I think his biggest strength, at least in working with our band, is just making us play and sing the best we can and really doing tweaks to make the songs better that we probably wouldn’t have thought of. He helped us step it up as well, he’s a good cheerleader, he’s a very enthusiastic guy and we feed off each other so much that we’d just get so pumped up and freak out in the studio and vibe off each other so well.
The title Vessels is very powerful when one thinks of your main goals for this album. How did the decision for the name come about? Was this something that you as the lyric writer felt or was this a collective feeling amongst the whole band?
JG: It didn’t form until we were in Seattle. We were going to split up the recording process into two parts but we ended up doing three because we had some technical difficulties with some studio stuff and we had to fly back home while they got it fixed. The second trip up there I had already kind of had that idea on my heart that I wanted God to fill our songs. I just started praying that He would use us as vessels and use the actual words for His love and His Holy Spirit. I was praying that prayer every day and one day I was reading my devotional and the title was “We Have This Treasure in Earth and Vessels” and that really just struck me as confirmation as that was what was happening with this album. So I brought the idea to the guys and we let it marinate for a few days and they all really liked it. That was back in January.
Can you give us some insight into what specifically inspired the record? What is your favorite track and why?
JG: There’s a song on the record called “Made From Dust”. Its like my desire to be more of a soul seeker for God and being more like Him, loving Him more, getting frustrated with myself in my inability to imitate Christ on my own power, just the yearning in my heart for more of everything good, more love, more adventure, more joy, more beauty, more romance, all things He created us to enjoy. I felt like I was being stirred for more, more intimacy with Christ. The verses are just about how as Christian it takes you awhile to realize that you’re really nothing but bone made from dust but through God’s eyes we’re his sons and daughters, He died so we can be whole and be in right standing with Him and His righteousness.
It also touches on the idea that when we close our eyes finally after all the struggle of this life and the hardships we have to face as followers of Christ, that when we close our eyes for the last time we’ll be with him in paradise. The contrast of wanting to be more like God and be intimate with Him and the hardship that comes from that in this earthly body is what that song is about. But it will be so joyous when we finally get to go home and be with who we were meant to be with forever. The album is just about my whole journey as a believer. The first record I’d say was more about “earthly” things that I dealt with. This one is much more about my faith, my spirituality and different things I dealt with. That’s what inspired this record though, just my journey and path as a believer.
Lastly, what do you want to say to all the Ivoryline fans out there eagerly awaiting this release?
JG: Oh wow. I really want to encourage everybody to pick it up whether it be Best Buy or itunes, whatever you have to do. We really poured our heart and souls into this record and we just want people to hear it. We think there’s a lot in there for everybody, even people who didn’t like our band before, we think they can find songs that they would really like. This record has a lot more diversity and sound. We really wanted to make a really solid rock record but we also really pushed ourselves the whole way through and not shy away from writing songs that are different or something we hadn’t done before. There’s a lot more dynamic and emotion and seriousness to a lot of the songs just because we are older and more mature as men and as musicians. I really want people to hear it and I hope they love it as much as we love it. It’ll be a good time to see how people react to it.
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