Album Review :
Abandoning Sunday - Rest (Acoustic EP)
By Cimarron Hatch in Reviews | Comments closed
Artist: Abandoning Sunday
Album: Rest (Acoustic EP)
Label: None
Release Date: 6/4/13
Reviewer: Cimarron Hatch
Buy The Album: iTunes / AmazonMP3
Tracklisting:
- Words
- Same Old Thing
- Onward and Upward
- Practice Makes Perfect
- Reality Check
Abandoning Sunday is Michael Thomas, a one-man, sometimes acoustic, sometimes rock act from DeLand, Florida. Most of this artist’s music is pop/rock sounding similar to Mae, Sleep for Dreaming, and Yellowcard, but Rest is an all acoustic EP with a lot of genuine musings about life and love. Even though it is a bit calmer, fans of rock should still enjoy it.
“Words” begins the album with heartfelt, honest lyrics about wondering if you’re good enough for someone, and learning from your mistakes in order to improve. The guitar work compliments the emotion of the song nicely. In the verses of “Same Old Thing,” I like how the guitar is mostly quiet during the verses, but then rapidly punctuates the stanzas; it gets your attention. Next, “Onward and Upward” is about gaining the ability to let go of the past and move forward. “Practice Makes Perfect” is a bleak song about dealing with rejection and pressing on but still feeling hopeless. The vocals are a little shaky, but obviously with feeling. Finally, “Reality Check” continues the same theme of being lost, with lyrics like “I’ve been terrified to think / I might still end up all alone.” But the chord progressions are very pretty throughout.
Overall: The general subject matter on this album is fairly depressing, but I can appreciate the thoughtful lyrics, and I really like Michael Thomas’ voice. It’s nice that he is able to make simple acoustic music and also full-band rock. This artist has a promising future, and has put together an impressive EP. I highly recommend checking out his entire discography.