Beautiful Miracle (EP)
Label: Catapult
Release Date: November 3rd 2009 (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Beautiful Miracle
- O Come All Ye Faithful
- Hallelujah to the King
- O Little Town of Bethlehem
- There is a Redeemer
Initial thoughts: Released 11 years ago in 2009, indie-worship sister duo The Sonflowerz unveiled to us an underrated Christmas EP in Beautiful Miracle. Comprised of 5 songs (only 2 carols), this is a departure from a lot of the Christmas albums we’ve been presented with from various artists in the past- gone are the piano prominent and string melodies, here are electric guitars in abundance as Christmas songs are presented to people who probably listen to songs which have more of a guitar-focus.
Reason to listen: It was the harmonies way back when, that drew me not only into the album, but into this artist duo as well. With a more worshipful focus on this EP, this is a must-listen if you enjoy similar-sounding artists like BarlowGirl or even worship artist Meredith Andrews. And they do a cover of Keith Green’s ‘There is a Redeemer’, so what are we waiting for? Hop to it!
Reason to buy: Not sure if people are buying music these days, but if you were the buying type, then this EP would go straight to the top of your list. Seriously. Great harmonies, great songs that evoke a worshipful atmosphere, and a reminder for the real reason of the season behind the presents, and the familial aspect. There is a new lease of life injected into ‘There is a Redeemer’, and ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’, with it’s new musical arrangement, can never be seen in the same way again- in a good way!
Reason to skip: Reasons to skip? Need I even reply to this? No seriously, this is a 5 star EP, no complaints. No reasons to skip any song either- all the songs flow together quite nicely; and will be a great addition for any Christmas album playlist later on during the year.
No. of carols: 2
No. of originals: 3 (inclusive of a Keith Green cover)
No of guest artists: none. But both Elissa and Becca harmonise great, and remind me vocally of BarlowGirl, which is a major, major plus!
Does it have heart?: Becca and Elissa have presented an EP that, albeit short, makes up for it with immense heart and passion. Their songs are believable and poignant- and just like BarlowGirl, the harmonies on these songs are powerful and glorious.
Does it have a Christmas-y atmosphere?: This is primarily a worshipful album first, and then a Christmas EP/album second. In fact, if you were listening to this album in passing, I’m not sure if you could even pick up that this EP was full of Christmas tunes. Which can detract some people from hearing this EP, but at the end of the day, The Sonflowerz have created an EP that presents worship at the forefront, as it should during Christmas, as we worship God who gave us Jesus for us to be reconciled back to Him. This is an album that reminds us that behind the glitz and glamour of the Christmas ‘atmosphere’, are just songs that we sing and declare to Jesus about His birth, a worshipful moment to Him as we acknowledge the act of His born and His saving for all mankind.
Uniqueness?: In a sense that it evokes a certain musical style? Not really. In a sense that it has two originally written songs, a Christmas carol that sounds nothing like the original, and a Keith Green cover, all wrapped up within 5 tracks? Very much so. The Sonflowerz have given an EP that is for me, on par with other Christmas albums Behold the Lamb of God (Andrew Peterson), Home for Christmas (BarlowGirl) and The Heart of Christmas (Matthew West) as some of my favourite of all-time.
Christmas message: Very, very strong. To include ‘There is a Redeemer’, a song by influential Christian artist Keith Green, here on this EP? Bold, bold move. A reminder of the gravity of Christmas (and then leading to Easter) and what it means for us who live in today’s society, 2020. The Sonflowerz are just a powerful worship duo, that present worship music in the forefront, in every album they create- and this is certainly true in Beautiful Miracle EP.
Closing thoughts: No closing thoughts necessary though…just listen to the EP (on repeat) on Spotify, or just purchase the EP. Or not. Regardless, just remember that this EP is one of the most worshipful, and maybe that’s ok. With too much Christmas albums focusing on the showmanship of the album (how it sounds), these sisters have created an EP that digs deep into the lyrics, and presents an EP that I reckon will stand the test of time, as time continues to roll on!
3 songs to listen to: O Little Town of Bethlehem, Beautiful Miracle, There is a Redemmer
Overall rating: 5/5
Yes/no; why/why not?: Yes. Yes. A thousand times, yes. Why? It’s The Sonflowerz, one of the most underrated worship duos of all time. A great worshipful moment of 5 tracks, pity that it wasn’t a full-length album. Maybe a full-length Christmas album in the future?