this one

Stretched, But Not Broken

Stand Up (Flicker Records)

Everyday Sunday

By Kory Wilcoxson

After an initial listen, it's tempting to say that Everyday Sunday is stretching the fabric a little too thin, trying to cover all the corners, from adult-oriented praise and worship to power pop to a punk/metal mix. A cursory review would encourage the Columbus, Ohio, band to find a focus and concentrate on one style instead of dabbling in many.

But when you listen a little more, you realize that no matter how stretched the band's sound is, it holds up remarkably well. Their debut album, produced by DC Talk member Michael Tait, shows the band's canny ability to take the best of Christian music - a little Jars of Clay, some Newsboys, a dash of Audio Adrenaline - and mix it into their own sound. "Stand Up" is an incredibly catchy pop song that manages to be worshipful without preachy. On the other end of the sonic spectrum, "Wait" puts Trey Pearson's fuzzy lyrics over a crunchy Limp Bizkit beat. And falling somewhere in between are melodic gems like "Hanging on" and "Just a Story."

And somehow, it all works. The album has it's slumps, but for the most part, Everyday Sunday has put together an above average debut that manages to sound like a lot of popular Christian bands will maintaining it's own identity and integrity. I can only imagine how much they'll improve if they do decide to focus.