` Jesusfreakhideout.com: Charming to the Last, "Steady as She Goes - EP" Review
Get Your Music on Amazon!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 14!

JFH Indie Review

JFH Indie Music Spotlight Review

Charming to the Last, 'Steady as She Goes - EP'
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE


Charming to the Last
Steady as She Goes - EP

Artist Info: Discography
Street Date: October 17, 2023
Style: Rock
Official Site: CharmingtotheLastMusic.com
Buy It: AmazonMP3



There's a movement happening among adults today where everyone feels overwhelmed and underperforming. Some blame the advent of social media, some blame outdated work models, and some blame the other political party. Regardless of where the blame gets pointed, the current adult generation is a stressed one. Trying to capture and wrestle with that feeling is Charming to the Last's latest EP, Steady as She Goes. Toning back some of their punk leanings, Ben Bourque and Alex Arthurs embraces a more straightforward rock sound (with a little bit of pop thrown in) to deal with our current culture.

"Sleep Tight" opens the EP as either a conversation with a dying person or a commitment to someone in the here and now. There's plenty of wrestling with faith in this song (consider the line, "What if Heaven isn't real?"), but it ultimately is hopeful in finding strength in the human connection. The sunny "Daydreamin'" revisits this theme from the angle of one who's a little too distracted to be helpful in a relationship. The poppy closer, "Ordinary Miracles," seems to be a prayerful response by wanting to slow down enough to appreciate everyday life.

But there's also a personal wrestling with feeling adequate in our dog-eat-dog world. "They Walk Among Us!" humorously looks at people who are comfortable in their own skin as being something "alien" in our world. "Make That Progress" spells out this theme the most plainly as Bourque concludes in the bridge, "I'm so obsessed with happy endings/I should sit back and let my life unfold/Steady as she goes..." "Terms and Conditions" carries the most angst against the way culture dupes us by making things seemingly convenient when it's all just a sham. It can also come off as an indictment against church leaders (and churches) who care more about their brand than their people.

Steady as She Goes is a tight EP and is probably Charming to the Last's best output yet. "Ordinary Miracles" (a single released earlier this year) is the odd addition in terms of sound (giving it more of a rock edge would have made it sound more uniform to the rest of the set), but its message is on point. There are plenty of artists coming to terms with the rat race we all find ourselves in. Some handle that artistically better than others. Put Charming to the Last in the "better" category. This 6-song collection is catchy, moves quick, and makes for a fun listen. Indie rock fans can rejoice for another solid release this year.

- Review date: 11/2/23, written by John Underdown of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 14!


 

JFH Staff's Second Opinion

    Canadian dad-punks Charming to the Last have returned and the guys just keep building on and improving their sound. Their 2020 debut, It's the Little Things, was solid, their follow-up a little more ambitious, but their newest EP, Steady as She Goes just continues to show tremendous growth. This six song set comes in at just under twenty-two minutes in runtime and provides an excellent string of songs. There isn't bad track here as the band explores both lighthearted fare, like "Daydreamin'," and much more serious numbers like "Terms and Conditions." As expected, the duo blends pop/punk, emo, and indie rock into a fantastic amalgamation of sound. "Ordinary Miracles" even goes for a more straightforward pop-heavy rock vibe. Steady As She Goes just proves that a couple of dads can make incredible sounding music and do it at a high level. From the rocking intro of the Anberlin-inspired "Sleep Tight," to the poppy auto-tuned ending of "Ordinary Miracles," the EP just doesn't miss. It's really easy to put this on repeat and just let it run. I highly recommend this entire EP, but my favorite is very likely "Make That Progress" -- man, that second verse is so relatable! - Review date: 11/3/23, written by Michael Weaver of Jesusfreakhideout.com

 


 

JFH Indie Spotlight Review . Record Label: None
. Album length: 6 tracks: 21 minutes, 49 seconds
. Street Date: October 17, 2023
. Buy It: AmazonMP3

  1. Sleep Tight (4:00)
  2. They Walk Among Us! (4:30)
  3. Daydreamin' (2:59)
  4. Terms and Conditions (3:31)
  5. Make That Progress (3:22)
  6. Ordinary Miracles (3:25)
spacer     Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics

 

 

 

go to main Indie review page
go to Indie Review Index

 

                 
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 14!

Search JFH



This Wednesday, August 13, 2025
ALBUMS
Various Artists Songs We've Been Trying To Tell You About (And Others We Haven't), Vol. 14 [JFH Music]

This Friday, August 15, 2025
ALBUMS
Mark Bishop Grandkids - EP [Sonlite]
The CCC Collective Brooklyn Culture (independent)
Equippers Worship Awe [DREAM Worship]
The Final Witness Beneath The Altar [Rottweiler]
Grammatrain Flying Collector's Edition CD [Girder]
Grammatrain Lonely House 30th Anniversary Edition CD [Girder]
Katy Nichole Honest Conversations [Centricity]
REFVGE REFVGE 1 [Syntax]
Relentless Pursuit Apocalypsis (independent)
V1 Worship Archives [DREAM]
Joel Vaughn Feel It - EP [DREAM]

SINGLES
ANTHNY no stages - Single [Provident]
Johan Åsgärde Coming Home - Single [Gotee]
Dave Barnes Everything But Mine - Single (independent)
Chris Caro Pain Pt. 3 - Single [Syntax]
Jeff Deyo There is a Fire - Single [NWN]
Drenae Dead Seed - Single [Syntax]
F'rael Pardon My Grace - Single [Syntax]
Jeremy and Adrienne Camp Worthy Of It All / I Exalt Thee (Jeremy and Adrienne Camp Version) - Single [Sparrow]
Linc Worship I Know - Single (independent)
Steven Malcolm All God - Single [Curb]
Jeannie Ortega Little Girl is Gone - Single [Syntax]
outr.cty Testin' Your Luck (ft. Selah the Corner & Dre Murray) - Single [Syntax]
Matt Redman Let Me See Jesus / Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (feat. Charity Gayle) - Single [Integrity]
Rhymes in Harmony Beautiful Name - Single [Syntax]
Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, & Elevation Worship So So Good (Live) - Single [Fair Trade]

VINYL
Grammatrain Flying Vinyl [Girder]
Grammatrain Lonely House 30th Anniversary Edition Vinyl [Girder]
Newsboys Going Public Vinyl [Girder]

Next Friday, August 22, 2025
ALBUMS
Lecrae Reconstruction [Reach]
Lizzie Morgan Not My Will [Provident]
Josiah Queen MT. ZION [Capitol CMG]

SINGLES
Dust and Grace Hallelujah - Single [MTS]
Good Weather Forecast Today (feat. Elijah Thomas) - Single [DREAM]
Roxanne Grace Try Again - Single [DREAM]
Mainstream Worship Invitation - Single [DREAM Worship]
V1 Worship Been So Faithful - Single [DREAM Worship]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Join honey and save on online purchases!
Need proofreading and editing help? We've got you covered! Click here to learn more
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images