EP Of The Year?
Posted November 11, 2016
By CaitlinLassiter_NRT, Staff Reviewer
If all of a sudden you found yourself singing along to Micah Tyler's breakout single "Never Been A Moment" on the radio without even noticing you had become a fan, you're not the only one. Though you may recognize Micah from his YouTube video on Millennials that quickly went viral earlier this year, the newest Fair Trade Services signee is now making a splash in the CCM world with his debut EP Different.
As a 30-something husband and dad of three, it wasn't an easy choice when Micah decided to leave his life as a Texas delivery guy and pursue music full-time. "I don't know how to be a professional musician, but You've taught me to be faithful," Micah prayed as he felt the Lord calling him to begin traveling and sharing his music. Judging by his debut single burning up radio waves and his touring schedule rubbing shoulders with the likes of Phil Wickham and Stars Go Dim plus a slot on MercyMe's spring tour, I'd say Micah's leap of faith turned out to be a success.
The autobiographical lead single "Never Been A Moment" introduced us to Micah's music and, out of nowhere, made him one of my favorite debuts this year. In addition to being incredibly catchy, the single is a well-produced pop tune that displays Micah's gritty, heartfelt vocals and reminds listeners of Christ's faithfulness in every season of life: "There's never been a moment I was not held inside Your arms / there's never been a day when You were not Who You say You are / Yours forever / it don't matter what I'm walking through 'cause no matter where I'm going there's never been a moment that I was not loved by You."
Title track "Different" slows down the tempo with somewhat of a worship moment as Micah's husky vocals shine yet again in an intimate and bold prayer: "I don't wanna trade Your plan for something familiar / I can't waste a day, I can't stay the same / I wanna be different, I wanna be changed." Another track that begins soft but eventually crescendos into a foot-tapping melody, "Even Then" continues the theme of God's constant faithfulness even in our battles and low points.
"Directions," an upbeat plea for the guidance of God, will quickly get stuck in your head, as will closing track "Story I Tell," a southern-styled song that tells the fascinating stories of people in the Bible that we never got to know the name of before ending with a creative and powerful lyrical twist. One of many times in this 6-song EP that I was captivated by the flawless combination of rasp and emotion in Micah's voice, "Last" is a beautifully written ballad that focuses on the fragility of our earthly lives and the importance of living meaningfully in the time we're given: "Wherever He leads, I will follow and love like there's no tomorrow / I'm gonna start living like today could be my last."
The Bottom Line: From start to finish, Micah Tyler implemented creative wording and made sure to offer an enjoyable number of both peppy radio gems and slower, thoughtful pieces. Micah's voice alone is a good reason to listen to this EP, but beyond that, the instrumentation and lyricism are high quality for a debut artist, leaving listeners excited to see what's next.
Song To Download Now:
"Never Been A Moment" (Get it on iTunes here.)
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