On Orion Walsh's latest solo EP, the Slow Coming Day frontman trades the electronic vibes of the band's album, 1,000 Years (Like a Day), for quirky coffee shop acoustic. As great as that niche can be, Foreigner doesn't quite hit its mark. The first two tracks, "Slaves to our Screens" and "Barista Love Song," could've playfully poked fun at our caffeine and tech-obsessed culture, but Walsh sticks to cliché lyrics that feel like an afterthought to otherwise fun-sounding songs. One of the few bright spots on the EP is the title track, where Walsh ditches the upbeat novelty song feel for a more introspective sound. Even though this song is more authentic than the first two, it gets quite redundant by the end. Still, it's refreshing when Christian songwriters, especially ones that aren't worship artists, talk about how Jesus will one day make "all things new." The next track, "Journey of a Spruce Tree," continues this theme, but, like "Slaves to our Screens," it falls flat with the story it tries to tell. A song about a poor immigrant--who is exiled by his new country, tragically dies in the wilderness and finds his forever home in heaven--should be a moving emotional rollercoaster. But, like most of the songs on this EP, it feels unfinished and leaves the listener cold. The final track, a rendition of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," is admittedly enjoyable with its child-like kazoo solo, but it seems really out of place after the drawn out story of the previous song. All in all, fans of the acoustic singer-songwriter genre will recognize that Walsh is talented at both, but there's just not enough emotional depth on this EP to make a lasting connection.

- Review date: 4/26/19, written by Andie Hardee of Jesusfreakhideout.com