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JFH Indie Review

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Charming to the Last
Ordinary Miracles - Single

Artist Info: Discography
Street Date: April 25, 2023
Style: Pop
Official Site: CharmingtotheLastMusic.com
Buy It: iTunes

With last year's A Single Spark still glowing with life, Ben Bourque and Alex Arthurs, a.k.a. Charming to the Last, are back with a new single separate from that album. "Ordinary Miracles" is a plea and prayer to step away from the worry-hurry of everyday life and take enjoyment in the little things. The track opens with a picture of the problem, "All I see are highlights/As I scroll by/These pictures and stories turn to static." After wrestling with the back-and-forth between hectic life and thoughtful life, Bourque concludes "We'll spend most our time/In the spaces in-between/Let go and come alive/We have all we'll ever need."

Musically, the track is something of a departure for Charming to the Last. Pop/punk is their normal bread and butter, but "Ordinary Miracles" leans more into the pop. This gives the song more radio-friendly appeal, while the airiness also backs up the goal of the lyrics. This track is about letting go of stress, and the music helps subtly encourage the listener down this path. Whether or not Charming to the Last is planning on further exploring music in the pop vein, "Ordinary Miracles" is a solid single worth listening to and adding to a playlist. For those who have enjoyed their music in the past, it's a tantalizing glimpse into the near future.

- Review date: 5/17/23, written by John Underdown of Jesusfreakhideout.com

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JFH Staff's Second Opinion

After a solid sophomore record last year, the Canadian dad punk band Charming to the Last is already back at it with a brand new single. For "Ordinary Miracles," the band taps into the softer side of their sound, with less of the energetic pop punk and more of a mildly-electronic alt/pop flavor. The chorus even wades into some dance music territory, though the song never actually fully veers away from its alternative base. It's a track that doesn't necessarily stand out in the band's overall body of work, but it's nonetheless quite easy to enjoy. It also comes with an important reminder that life sometimes moves too fast and we get too focused on the next big thing, but that there is a lot of beauty to be found in the everyday world around us ("I wanna see the miracles in the everyday / see the way You move through the ordinary / there's so much here to celebrate / so let's take a break from the weight we carry"). Charming to the Last is still a relatively newer band, but they're a promising one for sure. "Ordinary Miracles" is a solid outing, and I hope there's more right around the corner. - Review date: 5/15/23, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com