_{By Davis Blount}

Have you ever been listening to a song when all the sudden you feel like you are starring in a movie? You all know what I’m talking about… the music swells and you look out the window with purpose as the imagined camera pans across your plane of vision. For a moment, no matter how brief, your life feels epic and full of potential. Festive People has taken that triumphant spirit of living life with no reservations and turned it into an album. From start to finish, this EP is jam-packed with upbeat songs that cause a moment of introspective thought, encouraging listeners to get up and make their dreams happen.

From the album’s opening track, “Where We Are Today,” audiences get a dose of Festive People’s pithy philosophy. A line in the chorus deserves attention: “We’ve waited all our lives to get where we are today.” It would seem from the sound that the band is putting out that they truly are believers in living life to the fullest and taking each step in stride. Festive People manage to walk the razor-thin wire between genuine pop expression and cliché-laden lyrics with deft precision.

The instrumental track “Here to There” fades in and out with contributions from the guitar, percussion, and bass that all eventually converge and set the stage for what could arguably be considered the EP’s best track, “Pioneer Song.” The track details the story of a traveller who is looking to arrive at his/her destination. While this may be a nod to this valley’s storied history of Mormon pioneers making the trek to Deseret, the song embodies a more general struggle that each of us must make along the path of life. The lyric, “I don’t know where I am; but I know where I stand,” ought to strike a chord with listeners of all backgrounds.

All things considered, Festive People is able to distill their infectious pop-rock sound into five songs that hit you like a dose of sonic sunshine. From start to finish, the tracks blend seamlessly from one song to the next until listeners arrive at the end and have to start from the top. Pro tip: Set your music player to “loop” before enjoying this delightful EP.

Make sure to follow Festive People on Instagram and listen to “Where We Are Today” below!