"The Best Thing" is guitar-driven pop/rock with a heavy side of alt, a well-produced indie project of eleven self-penned tracks. Paige burst onto the Christian music scene at the tender age of 16, on Word Records, but her career never really took off so after a few years on the West Coast, she ended up back home in Texas, studying marketing in Houston. Those six years of living were grist for the songwriting mill, and "The Best Thing" offers up her knowledge gained served up in these sparkling rockers, surprises strewn throughout. Theme vary from love to hope to trust, served up on a bed of rhythmic grace notes; see the bonus song "Smaller Than You Think," for illustration of said notes and nicely layered vocal tracks.
"See You Again" offers the same interesting percussive surprises, enriching an already noteworthy rocker. The title track captivates with the wise lyric, "this is the best thing I've ever done wrong," and the tight rhythm arrangements. I love the blues/rock changes of standout track "What I Need," Paige's strong vocals holding everything together tight as a drum. The clever "Overrated" might sound bitter to some ears, but I was won over by its insightfulness. Another standout is the building drama of "Run So Far," juxtaposed perfectly by Paige's delicate vocals. The girl knows when to hold back and when to pour it on. A mature songwriter, she knows a lot at 22. Those West Coast years were not spent in vain. Welcome back, Paige.
