How odd is it to like a "throw off" side-dish recording by a group more than their main course offering? Such is the case with J209's latest EP release, IGNITION: B-Sides, a follow up to the group's recent debut full-length album IGINITION. There's something about this dim sum serving of six pretty delish dishes that whets the musical and spiritual appetite in a much more satisfying way than the main menu of courses.

In today's non-space-limited option of album size, I am perplexed as to why these songs just weren't on the original recording. They aren't vastly different than the group's previous (and current) repertoire of songs. What made these tracks not fit the prix-fixe menu? The group states:

Ignition B SIDES is for the in-between. The quiet battles. The whispered prayers. The moments after the breakthrough when you're still figuring it out.

That doesn't help at all, but okay.

The arrangements are the standout on the album. David Allen clearly has an extensive knowledge of styles and genres of music while maintaining a defining "sound" for J209. Here, his skills play with texture, silence, and unexpected harmonic turns. Wayfaring Stranger and Can't Even Love Myself especially showcase how arrangement choices can amplify emotional impact, whereas his talent for creating catchy hooks and rhythmic intrigue is highlighted on the more pop-oriented tracks like Already Won, Rescue, and Control.

Already Won is pop-radio ready. No notes. I can't help but dance while listening to it.

Rescue is by far the best track on the recording. It's both simplistic and complex wrapped up in one ooey-gooey pop ballad morsel. Abi Urton has such warmth and breadth to her voice; there is emotional depth in her quieter lower tones that then stretch to the heights as she goes into her upper mixed belt that evokes such tension of faith in the most glorious of ways. Her voice carries the weight of the subtext of the lyrics brilliantly. This is a song to put on repeat if you can manage it. Sometimes the heart needs the pain to remember that it's alive.

Control sounds like the song Something Just Like This at the beginning because of the very strong Coldplay/Chainsmokers resemblance in Jimmy Mohlman's voice. It's quite startling at first when you think it's a different song than it is. Line up: "You ask me to let go" against "I've been reading books of old" and you'll never not hear it again. I'm not sure what the point was of optioning up the chorus. Mohlman has a great baritone lead, but Neal Stucki's high tenor doesn't really fit stylistically with the song. He's a great singer; this just isn't the vehicle for his voice and timbre.

The production on the album still isn't my favorite. The overly metallic quality on most of the tracks detracts from the beauty of some of their voices. They have the chops, as evident on the less-processed Wayfaring Stranger. What's interesting with that song is Ethan Holliday's vocal ability. He's a very resonant bass. But then someone takes it up the octave and even duets a bit in the second and third verses with a completely different timbre. No one else is listed, so I'm going to assume it's him and it's startling in a good way.

The group dynamic is tight — blend, rhythm, and energy are consistent across the board. Even on the more experimental tracks, there's a cohesion that makes the EP feel polished. The primary disconnect is that the "shoegazer" effect that overlays Stars is so polar opposite to the previous track that is it more distracting than enjoyable. As a single, Stars is perfect in this electronic solar soundscape giving a solid Owl City nod to the vibe.

I'm giving the EP a "5" because Already Won, Stars, and Rescue are so good that they elevate the other three tracks higher than they would normally be. This powerful EP shows that less is often more, that these "leftovers" are a healthier serving than the main course.

Not long ago, RARB was introduced to J209 through the group's release IGNITION. B-Sides offers a continuation of the group's purpose-driven work in their chosen landscape of modern Christian rock. In my previous review, I focused on J209's big, contemporary sound. There's largely more of the same here, with continued delightful performance outcomes in David Allen's shiny arrangements.

Already Won is a confident, fiery self-affirmation piece expertly mixed by Ed Boyer. It seems like a given in a studio project, but believe me: hearing all the parts so cleanly is never a given, and Boyer puts an exclamation point on his work.

Wayfaring Stranger opens simply and remains eerily stark, a memorable juxtaposition against the rest of the tracks. The lead's haunting bass coloring is the takeaway here, a gift to listeners from Ethan Holliday. Stars is such an empowering jam that you'll feel ready to leap out the door and do good in the world. If the group aims to inspire change, it wildly succeeds here.

In the back half of the release, Can't Even Love Myself is a change in tone, a storytelling piece about dwindling self-esteem. There's a vulnerability inside beautiful chords and a rhythmic dance-like percussion with one heck of a catchy chorus. In a follow-up message to Can't Even Love Myself, J209 offers Rescue. This track assures us, "I will send out an army to find you in the middle of the darkness." Lastly, in another message-heavy work, the group ends on Control, with a refrain focusing on giving up one's control. It's a classic closure song, but a brief prayer mix-in briefly takes the listeners out of the world J209 has created.

The Oxford Dictionary states that the "B-Side" is the "less important" side of a record. While this grouping of six tracks doesn't reach the heights of IGNITION, J209 continues its impressive path of captivating illumination.

As its name references, IGNITION: B-Sides sounds very much like a continuation of J209's 2024 release IGNITION. The group's power vocals once again are on full display, blending worship, pop, and rock into fresh selections that are fitting of a second project. While I cannot definitively say that this EP is better than its predecessor, IGNITION: B-Sides helps to define the band's sound.

On the surface, J209 lives up to its website bio, a "powerhouse vocal band … [that performs] popular contemporary Christian songs." To me, J209 is a pop-rock vocal band, who just happens to focus on Christian music. I say this because the band's delivery and presentation lend themselves to intense, melodic, colorful tracks that are a joy to listen to.

Take Already Won for example. The song opens with exuberance, displaying big vocals, light-hearted harmonies, and touches of soul. The track is waves of fun due in large part to Abi Urton and Hailey Murphy's lead vocals, who are great storytellers encouraging the spirit. There is a funky groove and sharp vocal producing giving the entire performance brightness and ensuring the track is a standout among the rest.

Intensity builds from here as production ramps up, showcasing J209's rock side, with tracks like Stars and Control. Both present a heavy dose of production via distortion in backing vocals, refinement of percussive hits, and other enhancements. None of this is required to convince the listener what the group is truly capable of. I believe that J209 can bring the same cohesiveness in which they sing the refrain of Stars if they stripped the song down to its bare elements. Or that the syncopated elements of Control would be just as precise if the group were to sing it live. But boy is all this fun to listen to on an album!

Perhaps the thing that most convinced me that IGNITION: B-Sides is worth listening to comes in the form of Rescue. Abi Urton's stirring alto vocals truly shape the song into a majestic display of art. The song is a slow burn paced by mid-tempo rhythmic lines, before erupting into powerfully evocative singing in the song's second act. Worship music is about the feel, and Rescue moves you on a deeper level, no question.

While the EP offers some bright spots and additional layers to the puzzle that is J209, the concepts are not groundbreaking compared to the previous release. The arrangement of Wayfaring Stranger feels akin to covers by other religious artists. And while Can't Even Love Myself is good, there are moments of repetition that need addressing.

But perhaps the key element needing to be addressed is the one faced by many musicians: not letting volume be a replacement for genuine emotion and conviction.

I am curious to see where J209 goes from IGNITION: B-Sides. These singers have the talent, the concept, and all the right tools for the making of a great band. They simply need that completely original project to wow us.