Eternity Is Now

Sounds like … shying away somewhat from the Coldplay-esque timbres of its debut, Telecast crafts ambient rock similar to Starflyer59, softer Lifehouse, and Death Cab for Cutie, all rolled into one.At a glance … Telecast crafts straightforward songs of faith with a beautifully melodic soundscape that, while not the music usually played on Christian radio, warrants a wider audience.Track ListingSaturateFace to FaceRelease the DeepAbsolutionFade Into YouUp Toward the CenterTodayWounded FeetEverythingClose to YouBuilding a Sorrowful Loveliness

The title of Telecast's debut, The Beauty of Simplicity, couldn't be a more appropriate way to describe why this band works: Keeping things simple is sometimes better. And simple is something that Telecast does well. On the band's sophomore release, Eternity Is Now, that formula remains intact with songs one could've imagined Keith Green singing in his heyday, albeit with different musical accompaniment and less controversy. Like Green's work, however, the tracks on Eternity are unabashedly honest portrayals of faith: the good, the bad, and the redemptive.

And with a voice just unpolished enough to give credence to these pleas, not to mention a powerful personal testimony, frontman Josh White provides a real sense of urgency to the lilting opener "Saturate," which sets the stage for a disc of slow- to mid-tempo ruminations, except for the more punchy pop of "Release the Deep." Unlike Simplicity, however, the band draws from a deeper well of inspiration, deviating from its Coldplay-inspired soundtrack and welcoming more layered textures outside of the Brit-rock realm. With a "less is more" production style reminiscent of indie-era Death Cab for Cutie, the haunting melodies and pretty piano touches really shine through, especially on "Fade Into You" and the gorgeous closer "Building a Sorrowful Loveliness." Like Starflyer59's leader Jason Martin, White has a way of drawing the listener in with the subtle ways he projects his voice, and it works well with the lyrical picture he paints.

But lest you mistake Telecast for a band as accessible as the ones we mentioned earlier, let me say this: Really enjoying the music requires a pretty strong commitment on your end. These aren't the type of songs for, say, that long road trip. Instead, they should be enjoyed and digested in smaller doses to get the most out of the experience, lyrically and otherwise.