Religion is a tricky thing to address in a public forum.

When it comes to the to the inner workings of one’s own spirituality—against so many different perspectives and points of view—even the most sincerely supported thoughts are bound to rub somebody the wrong way.

This is certainly not to say that a fear of criticism has ever deterred us from openly expressing and embracing our own otherworldly interpretations.

Take for example, the work of indie folk group Page France and the unique focus found on their 2005 album Hello, Dear Wind. For all intents and purposes this campfire-crafted work by singer/songwriter Michael Nau and his Baltimore based band implements what can only be described as a dominant Christian voice throughout its 14 tracks. Evoking images of angels, burning bushes, and trumpet calls they march merrily in their musical stride.

But just as they may travel with the seemingly uncool baggage of divine themes and symbolism, you don’t have to be a religious zealot to feel as though there is something unusually accessible about the way the group approaches the idea of faith in its songs. Like a child speaking without any preconceived notion of what or who God is and what he/she/it is supposed to mean Nau’s lyrics come across like someone who’s oddly unattached, but with a voice that’s surprisingly genuine.

This is particularly evident with the opener “Chariot,” in which Nau ultimately describes the beginning of the apocalyptic end. Introduced with the buzzing down-strumming of an acoustic guitar and a clicking snare drum, the song progresses without a single moment of fear or doubt, and steadily builds to something fit for a parade, eventually even adding a xylophone and tambourine to the lo-fi production. “He’s one of us,” Nau says at one point of the embarrassed “circus king” come to take us away, as if to point out that for all our lesson-learning sermons and biblical close readings, the Almighty may find all the attention a little beside the point.

In “Jesus” Page France furthers this humanizing portrait by describing the beloved son of God as a water-into-wine-turning zombie, who literally has to climb out of the ground to join the celebration. With an infectious refrain and a number of echoing “la-la-la’s” thrown into the mix, by the time Nau says “I will sing a song to you / And you will stomp your feet for me” for the second time, you can’t help but feel just a little obliged.

In a day and age where our beliefs seem to naturally separate us, perhaps the most endearing aspect of these songs (as well as many others on Hello, Dear Wind) is the fact that any one of their religious references/metaphors can be exchanged for another. It could very well be just about God or Jesus. But it could also be Allah. It could be Vishnu. Buddha. Darwin. Even the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

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