All the Day Holiday inhabit an atmospheric, delicately emotional territory cornered in recent years by the likes of acts such as Copeland and Lydia. Bands like these tend to take a core influence of wandering '90s emo like Mineral or Sunny Day Real Estate but convey it with cheekier piano pop melody, modest Christianity and a charm that's a little bit too precious and fragile for their own good, but ultimately result in some rather gorgeous moments. That's a pretty apt description for ADTH's first full-length, The Things We've Grown to Love, released last year.

"Autumn" shimmers and frolics with buoyant melodies and a bit of playfulness akin to Copeland's "Kite," while a dance beat backing "Real Time" doesn't sap it of its fervent pacing and quietly tense trappings. The band hit a beautiful peak way too early on the record with the fourth track, "Greener"; frontman Daniel Simmons sings at a lower, more resonant register replete with some well-placed falsetto notes while layers of guitars either mourn or twinkle. They pick up the energy level a bit towards the song's middle, but it's at its best when Simmons is leading the modestly delivered verses with his observant, introspective lyrics.

"La Voyage" shows the band's penchant for bigger choruses, while the title track goes through flowing movements of light pounds and calm flourishes, all the while assisted by subtle horns. A lot of the record from "Greener" on is merely pleasant if not sort of innocuous, but it's about the best you'll get out of background music--which is the worst you could call The Things We've Grown to Love.

All the Day Holiday's first LP could have used some editing, more magnetic, vitalizing mode changes and more attention to vocal versatility, but it's hardly a bad first step. Recommended for fans of this style, but otherwise I'd wait to see what they do next.

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Autumn
Real Time
Cheers (You Still Love Me)