Modern culture is obsessed with nostalgia, almost to a fault. I come across endless social media channels where the theme is "*sigh* Remember the '90s, when your back didn't hurt and you could stay up till 2am playing Goldeneye with no repercussions the next morning?" A lot of it is meant to make the viewer sad, pining for a day they'll never get back. But nostalgia can bring things into perspective, too. Just ask Pomegranate, whose debut EP, More To Find, seeks to find that childlike sense of joy once again.

Pomegranate (not to be confused with indie pop group Pomegranates) is a six-piece alt-pop outfit from Nashville. In the seven songs of More To Find, the group touches on a variety of genres, from pop rock to folk to alternative. "Enough Is Enough" even has a little bit of hip-hop cadence in the vocal delivery. Their sound is infectious and memorable, leaving certain melodies and lyrics swirling around the listener's head for days. The closing track, "Analog," is a great example. The sound is vaguely Arcadian Wild-ish, but with some light electric guitar as well, while the lyrics long for a simpler time before everything went digital. While it definitely uses music as the main example ("I dropped the needle, heard a song / listening close, slowing down / every edge, holy ground / a master warm but not too loud"), it also certainly applies to "the algorithmic way of life," and our need for something more than constant connectivity ("feel the noise and hear the color / dust it off, there is so much to uncover / we're all bored / it's no wonder why we're all coming back to analog."

If you know my musical taste, you won't be surprised to find that the songs that lean more into alt rock are among my favorites. Opener "In the Process" has some good guitars that almost remind me of the rockier moments of Eisley's The Valley, with more overt Christian themes. The song deals with our reluctance to leave our bubble of comfort to walk the path God calls us to, and the guitar-centric sound works better for the vibe of the song. My favorite songs, though, are a duo that appears a little past the midpoint of the album, "Fractal" and "GROW UP!!!" The former features an upbeat chorus with lovely back-and-forth vocals and is where the album title comes from, with an emphasis on the inexhaustible nature of God ("I try keeping to measure You / but I just keep zooming in further / and I just keeping leaning in closer to find / there's still more dimension to You / oh, there's always more to find / there's always more of You to find"). Meanwhile, "GROW UP!!!" is the most rocking song on the EP, with a supremely catchy hook that I just want injected directly into my veins. The band is good at each style they've utilized here, but I honestly wouldn't be upset if they leaned a little more into their alt rock sound going forward.

All in all, Pomegranate is an exciting up-and-coming band with a bright future. Their sound is eclectic enough to reach a few different demographics, and the joyful, faithful lyrics are relatable enough to pull them all in. More To Find is a bright spot on the current Christian pop rock scene, so make sure to not let it pass you by.

- Review date: 9/22/26, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com

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