The Ember Days - The Ember Days EP

Day 5

Artist: The Ember Days
Album: The Ember Days EP
Label: Come&Live! / Someone Up There Records
Year: 2008
Genre: Indie/Worship

For fans of: American Football, The Glorious Unseen, Hillsong, Sunny Day Real Estate

The Ember Days was a New Zealand-based indie/alternative worship group that eventually moved to Nashville. They released their first full-length album Your Eyes Light Up; on NZ label Someone Up There in 2007 before releasing this incredible sophomore effort in the form of an eponymous seven song EP with the help of the US-based (but global) Come&Live! group. Despite their tendency to create music that most would classify as praise/worship, the band made a bigger name for themselves in the underground music scene by touring with the likes of hardcore bands Showbread and Saving Grace - likely with help from Come&Live! founder Chad Johnson who had previously founded Takehold Records and later worked for Tooth & Nail Records - both known for their heavier lineups.

Digging into a couple of the tracks on this short EP, it's songs like "Shine" and "In Arms" that blend earnest lyrics and emotional vocal performances from both lead vocalist Janell Belcher and husband Jason Belcher, who also play keyboard and guitar respectively, with the lush, building guitars and harmonies so synonymous with the second wave of American emo (think American Football and Sunny Day Real Estate) that sets the group apart from so many other cookie cutter praise and worship acts spun more frequently on Christian radio and performed in Sunday morning church services.

The standout, if I must pick one however, is the track "Run To You," which is comparatively simple in its structure while simultaneously being the most heartfelt worship track of the lot (to me). Clearly others thought likewise, as many more followers of the genre have more likely heard the song covered by popular staples such as The Parachute Band and current Elevation Worship collaborator Kari Jobe.  It's a simple song with a simple, vertical message.

Find it on: Amazon Music  (Unlimited subscription required), Apple Music, Deezer, Spotify, YouTube Music