Jason Castro "The Love Uncompromised EP"

Finally. It's been nearly two years since the world first heard of a unique young singer-songwriter named Jason Castro. Before American Idol, Jason had only performed as a solo act in front of an audience five times. I was lucky enough to see this shy and charming talent at a local club in Dallas before anyone knew who he was.

Jason Castro at The Door in Dallas (August 2007)
Photo by Stacie Cole


Jason was a breath of fresh air to American Idol. He was different--not your typical pop ballad rockstar type. He captured the heart of America with his rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." After finishing in fourth place on Season 7 of Idol, Jason pursued his career further, taking his time to find the perfect label to produce his debut album.

In April 2009, Jason signed with Atlantic Records. This week, Jason Castro released "The Love Uncompromised EP." His debut album is set to release this spring.

"The Love Uncompromised" is a 5-track EP that portrays Jason Castro at his best. It is well worth the wait. Filled with acoustic melodies and heartfelt lyrics, "The Love Uncompromised" does not disappoint.

1. Let's Just Fall in Love Again (Acoustic)
Jason Castro's first single released in September, but the EP features a stripped acoustic version. I love this song. I can't help but smile when listening to it. The song is about falling in love over and over again with that special someone, making every day like those first exciting times when you talk on the phone for hours and get butterflies in your stomach when you hold hands.

2. Love Uncompromised
The title track is one of the first songs that Jason wrote. Videos of this song have been all over YouTube for years now. It's a beautiful song about love in its rawest form. The chorus says, "So kiss me with your heart, touch me with your eyes, love me with your soul. I'll never compromise." Jason sings his heart out in this song, with a genuine vulnerability pouring into every line.

3. You Can Always Come Home
Jason enlisted some help on this track. Serena Ryder, a fellow Atlantic Records artist, lends her vocal talent to the token sad song on this EP. Jason and Serena sound incredible together. Their voices complement one another perfectly, both in tone and emotion. This song is about a guy who's broken-hearted over the woman he lost, but is still clinging to the hope that someday she'll come back home to him. My favorite lines sum up this song perfectly. "I wrote a sad song about it, and I'm still pretty bitter. But I'm happy if you're happy he won. I still miss you in the night, and I want you to know...honey, you can always come home."

4. If I Were You
I love this song. "If I were you, I would fall for me." I'm going to use that line. This quirky track is more upbeat than the rest of the EP and features Jason on ukelele. It's the light-hearted track in between several heart-tugging ballads.

5. Sweet Medicine
"Sweet Medicine" is another Jason Castro classic that has been around YouTube for while. This song is about the addiction of loving someone. It's tender, sweet, and simple, with piano as the lead instrument instead of guitar.

To purchase "The Love Unpromised" click here.

Jason Castro kicks off his tour with Matt Hires next week. For tour dates and information click here.