Depending on how you look at it, Drew Grow’s album Next Lips has either been 2 years coming or 33.

The Portland musician has been making music since he started playing in a “god rock” band at 19. Born into a devout Christian family, Drew has always viewed music as a personal and spiritual experience.

Drew set out on his own in the winter of 2005 – which ended up being a dark and lonely time for the artist. But in the midst of sickness and depression, he continued to nurture the seeds that remained from Careen’s last days, transforming them into something all his own. Recording digitally in his apartment, he created songs about faith, relationships and love that are dark, raw and ultimately hopeful.

“Back in Careen, I was doing pop music as rebellion, much like I spent a lot of my life fighting against my religious roots,” Grow said. “But music is sacred to me, and as I’ve searched for a sound that is what I want to hear, I find I’m drawn to the feeling of gospel and worship music reclaimed by people like Johnny Cash, PJ Harvey and Spiritualized.”