By Brian Tucker

Contemporary music wears many faces. Regardless of genre, it’s either disposable, so accessible no one pays attention, or makes its own path. That’s the rub in making music interesting so it sounds fresh.

Emotion (and great instrumentation) is the clear foundation of Bella Vita’s EP Flight Patterns landing somewhere between accessible and unique. The sometimes catchy, sometimes serene songs about spirituality and humility are both moving and melodic without resorting to being obviously pop about it. The album blends faith-based songs with subtle, gentle aesthetics of country music.

While heavy on ballads, it avoids being cumbersome by mixing in faster songs like “Winter’s Might” where lead singer Nathan Storey recalls Crowded House’s Neil Finn. Arrangements are mostly driven by acoustic guitar along with varied instrumentation like fuzzed out guitar on “Winter’s Might” and banjo on the strolling, sing-along friendly “For the Just” (which has a great finger roll after the first chorus).

Vocals on “Wait by the Water” dominates and “Hear the Name” boasts a bracing, effective chorus. “Some Great City,” a hopeful and uplifting song that effectively uses a nice echoing guitar pattern, highlights the band’s strengths as songwriters and singers.

Nathan Storey’s lead vocals really cement the album’s tone. His voice is warm and charismatic, never asserting too much to win the listener over. He doesn’t have to, especially with back-up vocals from a sensational Kim Price. As good as Storey is, Price needs to get out in front more. As front man Storey sings with humility and the five member band’s confidence to sing about faith, and do so while lacking contrivance, only strengthens them as a band.