Jesusfreakhideout.com: Felling Giants, "We Live By Day EP" Review

JFH Indie Review

Felling Giants
We Live By Day EP

Artist Info: Discography
Street Date: September 8, 2017
Style: Alternative / Rock
Official Site: Official Website
Buy It: iTunes
Buy It: Amazon Music

Felling Giants is a five-piece pop rock outfit from Castle, Colorado, who, two-and-a-half years ago, released their self-titled, debut EP. Hard at work, the band has spent the time since then honing their craft and working on new material. For 2017, three new songs are being presented for their latest EP, We Live By Day. The EP begins with a soft, yet atmospheric, piano-led ballad called "He's Called Us All." The song sounds like a blend of Chris Tomlin and Royal Tailor, and features inspiring lyrics about the call that God has placed on each of our lives, while also glorifying God for His sacrifice. The title track follows, and starts with a guitar riff reminiscent of early-to-mid-00s pop punk. It shifts gears pretty quick, as a mid-tempo drum beat comes in, revealing the true BPM to be a bit on the slower side. If there's a radio single to be found here, it's certainly "We Live By Day," with an anthemic chorus singing "We live by day, not bound by time or space, alive today, Your grace has set us free." The song bears a little more U2 influence this time around, but with the arena worship nature of a Hillsong United song. One thing in particular I like about this song is the attention to little production details, such as when the the vocals in the chorus become more prominent for the line "Your grace has set us free," putting emphasis on the truth of that statement. Bringing the short journey to a close is the more upbeat "Night;" the rhythm and overall sound of the song remind me of a band from Southern California called Southlen, as it features a driving beat, a grittier sounding bass, and loads of piano and synth to make the song sound full, but not too full. "We Live By Day" may be the obvious single, but "Night" is the strongest song and my personal favorite of the three. It's becoming increasingly difficult to find good pop rock music these days, but Felling Giants seems to have a grasp on how to make music that appeals to a wide range of people, including the pickier folks or those who just legitimately prefer higher quality songwriting. We Live By Day is available now and will fit most Christian music fans' criteria.

- Review date: 10/19/17, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com

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JFH Staff's Second Opinion

It's always great seeing a band thrive. A little over two years ago, Felling Giants's self-titled debut came across us here at JFH and I was seriously impressed. The band's presentation and sound is not only incredibly palatable, but also notably a step above most. With Felling Giants' follow-up EP, We Live By Day, the band continues to mature while also staying in the stream of contemporary progressive trends. While this release is markedly shorter, the band is firing on all cylinders. "He Called Us All" is a declaration set to music, declaring who the believer is because of Christ's completed work on the cross, "We are the kingdom's called, we are the chosen ones of God. We are free at last, resurrected from the fall." Musically, the song is more subdued but still is something listeners can tap their foot along to. The title track, "We Live By Day," brings in a more aggressive sound reminiscent of bands like Hoobastank or Our Lady Peace. "Night" continues that same energy with a grittier undertone and less of a worshipful tone while remaining an inspirational song about living in the light of God. Overall, the short EP is an extremely strong effort but leaves me wishing for more, which is both good and bad. It's a bit of tease to only get three tracks, but it's still is an excellent showcase for the band. Regardless, this is definitely an EP to checkout and a band well-worth supporting. - Review date: 10/21/17, written by Ryan Barbee of Jesusfreakhideout.com