Reviewed by Ian Webber

As the first track from the Californian band kicks in on this, their debut, you are immediately transported back to the early noughties. Upbeat pop punk riffs saturate the five tracks on offer from this Californian three piece. With a sound reminiscent of Good Charlotte and MxPx the opener "Note To Self" is a light and bouncy track with an abrasive edge. Harmonies fill the vocals as "Black Waves" with its rumbling bass leads into probably the hardest cut in the collection. "BRKN" is characterised by a low end throb under some soaring guitars. At every turn the band are open about their faith and trust in Jesus. The refrain "Your grace even reaches me in my sick, my darkness" is an example of the type of lyric that gets stuck in your head. Production throughout is solid and the quality only dips at times when the lyrics seem a little clumsy, running into one another. The closing "Scatterbrain" with its warm acoustic guitar and strings draws this short taster to a classy close. Grace, although a brief 15 minutes, reveals enough promise to suggest that Light the Way are worth keeping an eye on. This EP is certainly an offering that fans of angst ridden pop will enjoy.

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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