This is a debut album that should be a wake-up call to other alternative CCM artists. The message? You don't have to follow formulas to be successful. You just have to write good music.

And this is good music. Chasing Furies is one of the better alternative pop/rock bands that I've heard lately, and they happen to be Christians. With the crisp lead vocals of Sarah Meeker, backed up by the soft voice of her sister Rachel and the clean guitars from brother Joshua, this trio serves up an aural experience that is unique and subtly enticing. The vocals will remind you of Sarah McLachlan, while everything else will make you think something along the lines of the critically-acclaimed band Radiohead.

Yet, Chasing Furies have an image that disturbs many Christian critics. They have tattoos and body piercings and wear the kind of flashy-yet-somber clothes one would expect to find on an art student. Their songs are not obviously Christian-Jesus is never blatantly mentioned and "God" is said only once. But knowing that they are Christians, you can look at the poetic lyrics of their songs and pull out the deeper meanings. Ultimately, I find this lyrical quality to be more fulfilling than the kind of music that just shoves it all out in your face (I'm thinking about Point of Grace or Audio Adrenaline albums here, among many others). I think this band was meant to reach those people who are normally disgusted by the look and sound of contemporary Christian music.

These songs are not incredibly complex nor are they incredibly original, but there is just enough intricacy mixed with just enough creativity (and a hearty dose of emotion) to make this album well worth checking out. The first single off the album is called "Thicker," and it is a great song. A haunting piano melds into the guitar chords that accompany the first verse, so sweetly sung by Sarah Meeker. When the chorus comes, it rocks. The structure of the song is interesting, as well. Instead of finishing the song with the fantastic chorus, we are given a great epilogue fueled by the guitars and piano.

Other album standouts include the spine-tingling "Fair Night's Longing;" the toe-tapping "Enchanted;" and the beautiful "Whisper Softly." Many of the songs deal with love between humans and the love between man and God, and basically the album takes an emotional and artistic look at these ties that bind us together and to our Creator. The lyrics for Joshua's song, "I Would Drown," are some of the best on the album.

The biggest downside to this album is the lack of variety. The same melodic patterns are used many times throughout, and many of the songs share the same type of mood and tone. Joshua Meeker does take on vocal duties for two of the album's songs. And although when his turn comes around to sing, Joshua doesn't fare quite as well as his siblings, his voice does provide some much-needed variation in the album.

Hopefully, Chasing Furies will continue to mature musically and will learn how to diversify their music without making it seem disjunctive. This album does flow smoothly and has some beautiful musical horizons to behold, but as a piece of art, it needs to be painted with a larger palette.