Reviewed by Dave Griffiths

Debut albums don't come much more impressive than this one. South Carolina based quartet Needtobreathe have entered the world of grown-up LPs after several independently released EPs in the States with this quite wonderful offering. The band recorded 'Daylight' in England last summer with producer Andy Green (Keane, KT Tunstall), and it's the high-production standards that clinch it; this album is essential listening. Imagine a voice similar to John Mayer backed by Switchfoot-esque in-your-face guitars. Then think of big choruses in a similar vein to Oasis, you're almost there. There is a spiritual element to the songwriting in a similar way U2 or Athlete incorporate their Christian worldview, creating themes of compassion, forgiveness and romance. The most obviously faith influenced tracks are the majestic "You Are Here" and the stadium rocking "More Than". There are bursts of genius in the melody lines in most tracks. There isn't one bad song out of the 11 tracks on this CD; opener "Don't Wait For Daylight" being my favourite. The arrangement and production is very slick, but most of the songs are perhaps just a little too similar, and they've stuck to the same formula throughout the album. But, there is so much to enjoy here, it just doesn't matter. This will surely be a successful album, and a successful band. I just hope they'll be received by a wider audience than the CCM scene.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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