A lightning rod of a group for Christian rock in the 90s, Luxury is part of the growing wave of band reunions from that era, with Like Unto Lambs being their second release since coming back in 2019. Like the best of these resurrections, Luxury has combined their original sound with new layers of maturity, polish, and rejuvenated energy that finds them releasing some of the most compelling music of their career.

While undisputably sounding like Luxury, Like Unto Lambs finds the band also playing with some subtler styles. Album opener "Maker (Wheel Within A Wheel)" is the only full-throttle high-energy rock song, and even it takes on a much more polished approach to Luxury's historically noisy sound. The remaining tracks all feel heavily reminiscent of 00s indie pop/rock, often building intricate combinations of synths and guitars without feeling overly dense. "One Of Those Things (The Temple)" strongly recalls Starflyer 59's The Fashion Focus to Old post-shoegaze era, while "Fur (Ticker Tape)" and "All Amusement (So Close To Tears)" take an approach somewhat similar to the debut albums of mainstream indie rock bands The Killers or MGMT.

Like Unto Lambs finds Luxury undergoing a somewhat similar evolution lyrically as well as sonically. While abstract, often cryptic writing remains a key feature, this album also contains the band's most identifiably spiritual lyrics to date. The band has always existed in tension with identification as part of 'Christian music,' not due to discomfort with their own faith, but rather perceptions of limitations and commodification from that label. This evolution doesn't mark a change in approach - the subjects and themes covered are as diverse as ever; it simply highlights the places where faith and Christian tradition speaks into every circumstance and question of life, in a way that would seem to clearly align with the position of three band members as Eastern Orthodox priests.

There's always been a current of playful provocation in Luxury's music. On Like Unto Lambs, this emerges most clearly in the form of double meanings. Every song has two titles, some of which illuminate their track's lyrics, others which conceal or transform it. The most striking example comes from the album's final song, "The Rainbow (A Second Act)". It's the quietest song on a record that's already quite contemplative, taking on a melancholic tone that feels like an odd conclusion to any record, much less one with the preceding eight tracks. The simple, repeating piano melody feels more at home on an interlude rather than album closer, and the frequent refrain of "not every story has a second act" feels far more pessimistic than anything else on the record. But looking at the surrounding elements, a completely different message potentially emerges. The first half of the song's title, "The Rainbow," is not mentioned directly in the song, but clearly alludes to God's covenantal sign for Noah following the flood as an inauguration of humanity's second act. And if there was ever a band which has personally experienced second acts, it's Luxury, coming back from a devastating car crash during their initial run, breaking up a few years later, then returning after almost fifteen years with multiple incredible albums. In this context, the song reads quite differently - a waiting pause rather than a true finality.

Like Unto Lambs is a truly exciting record, merging the band's engaging and provocative approach with new layers of polish that makes for an easy listen, containing both musical and lyrical richness and depth that can yield new discoveries even after dozens of listens. Individual songs feature standout moments; there's basically no musical repetition between tracks while remaining coherent as a whole, and it fits into a perfectly sized 9-track, 37-minute package. Even the album artwork is striking. This is as close to a necessity for fans of late 90s Tooth & Nail (and similar alternative rock) bands as you'll find in 2024, but it's just as likely to resonate with fans of newer styles of indie rock.