Texas band The Afters have just released their fourth album Life Is Beautiful, a collection of 12 pop songs slightly sprinkled with dance and electronic beats.
The upbeat opening "Every Good Thing" is a catchy song with a guitar riff-driven chorus highlighting that God is "The reason for Every good thing, Every heartbeat, Every day we get to breathe".
Since forming as a band, The Afters have seen their share of heartache – losing their long-time friend and manager to cancer, seeing the departure of two band members, and then a near-fatal car wreck involving the lead singer and his wife and kids.
Yet they affirm that "Life Is Beautiful" in their title track, which originally appeared in the 2012 hit film October Baby. The song summaries the band`s journey to place of being able to say, whatever the circumstances, that life is beautiful.
"Living and dying, laughing and crying, We have the whole world or have nothing, I know there are long nights, but we'll make it, With every sunrise comes a new light."
"What We're Here For" reminds us of the goal of every believer: living for others.
"This is what we're here for, To show the world how You love it, This is what we're made for."
"This Life" closes the album by encouraging the listener to make the best of his life: "We can't own it, we just get to hold it for awhile, This life, We can't keep it or save it for another time, This life."
This album is perfect for spring. It alternates refreshing rhythms with melodic slower pieces, reminding us how God is present every day in our lives, even in times of struggles, and cheering us on to enjoy it all.
