Posted: December 29, 2008

Esterlyn
Mending the Meaning: Acoustic EP

4 out of 5 stars

Album length: 5 tracks
Street Date: December 9, 2008

What separated Esterlyn’s debut project, Lamps, from other pop/rock acts was the passion of lead singer’s Luke Caldwell’s voice and his artistic songwriting. What’s not lacking on Mending the Meaning Acoustic EP, are the vocals and the lyrics which are only amplified on the five song EP.
With the intention of keeping things simple, teaming up with producer Rob Hawkins (Fireflight, Nevertheless, Jackson Waters) certainly was not a bad thing. The strings of the first song, “Sweet Love,” are finely tuned and are reminiscent of Jon Foreman’s solo EPs which allow listeners to easily listen to the well-crafted lyrics’ that speak of God’s grace (”I stop again take a breath/I think about my past regrets /A smile breaks and finds a place/In this valley I see your grace”). The piano driven “Esther” is an epic track where Caldwell’s vocals shine and where the message of God’s faithfulness to the weak is passionate rather than cliché.
The vocal hooks are a strong on virtually all points throughout Mending the Meaning, but particularly on the acoustic guitar-led “Still Beauty To Be Found.” The soft “How Great Is Your Love” is very complex, using the most verity of instruments that enhance the melancholy tone of the lyrically simple tune. The contrast to “How Great Is Your Love” is “Free the Light,” where Caldwell’s vocals take precedence over the music to drive a song with a Lamps-like message (”Won’t you free the light/Let it come inside/Fall to your knees/Surrender your life. Can this life be new/Could it be the one to change you”).
On Mending the Meaning Acoustic EP, the music is well-crafted but the passionate lyrics are really where Esterlyn strikes gold again. Great ballads such as these will be an excellent addition to the band’s arsenal. Those who want more of Jon Foreman’s guitar driven acoustic ballads should looks up Mending the Meaning Acoustic EP.
- JfH Reader REVIEW: Review date: 12/10/08, written by Nathaniel D. Schexnayder for Jesusfreakhideout.com

Record Label: Rooster Records
Album length: 5 tracks
Street Date: December 9, 2008 (iTunes) / January 13, 2008 (CD)
Buy It: iTunes
Sweet Love
Esther
Still Beauty to Be Found
How Great Is Your Love
Free the Light.