One of the latest signings to Come&Live! is a five-piece indie rock worship band called Tongue&Pen. With a strong focus on furthering the Kingdom of God with the music they create and perform, Tongue&Pen has given us a small taste of their upcoming full length album, Glassford Hill, with a three-song EP called The Likeness.

The Likeness opens with a song called "Rescue." We're immediately thrust into the kind of sound that Tongue&Pen uses in their music. It's ambient indie rock that has traces of Copeland, so long forgotten, Ascend the Hill, and a lighter As Cities Burn. Tongue&Pen has a very tight musicianship that is evident from the start, and the conviction with which they sing about God's salvation is very real and tangible. The chorus of "Rescue" does get a little repetitive after a bit, but it's easily forgivable. The song trails off with a fiery speaker yearning for God to not forsake us. "Sons and Daughters" is my favorite of the three tracks; it's humble and worshipful, and the listener should find it very easy to slip into some honest worship. Plus, the music is just good. Admittedly, it is quite comparable to Hillsong-ish material, but the lack of over-production helps the sound quite a bit, and it's lyrically more indie (though still rather accessible to the Hillsong crowd). "Likeness of a Peaceful City" is a beautiful instrumental piece that closes the EP. Tongue&Pen understand that music has been used in both public and personal worship for thousands of years, and no doubt that this track was designed to be used as background music for prayer, worship and quiet time. At the same time, you can tell they spent a lot of time refining their sound in order to make it not just some background music, but something that can be enjoyed for the musical quality as well.

Tongue&Pen have really caught me with this short EP, and I can't wait for Glassford Hill. If The Likeness is any indication of what their first full length album will be like, I think we're all in for a pleasant surprise. Go hit up Come&Live!'s website and download these three tracks and see if you feel the same way.

- Review date: 6/25/12, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com