In addition, the two produced, engineered or contributed musically to projects for Jeff Johnson, Jeremy Camp, Circleslide, Leeland, Jadon Lavik and Mark Tedder.

Guitarist Marc Byrd focused his attention on his post-rock band Hammock, which recorded and released three albums during this period, including Raising Your Voice Trying to Stop an Echo in 2006, which received highly positive critical reception.

[1] Bassist Tim Chandler contributed musically to two Lost Dogs albums, while saxophone and Lyricon player Dan Michaels continued to work in artist management, for MercyMe in particular.

"[3] Burning Like the Midnight Sun was the first of two successive albums to be recorded at Daugherty's own Sled Dog Studios in Franklin, Tennessee.

"[5] Much of the music on Burning Like the Midnight Sun was built upon guitar tracks that Daugherty was originally developing for a solo instrumental album.

"[6] Even with Daugherty's contributions, Hindalong emphasized that "perhaps more than any other album by the Choir, Burning Like the Midnight Sun integrates the musical personalities of all five individuals.

"[4] Lloyd Epperly, writing for QRO, added that "it also might be time to make Christine Glass Byrd member number six," specifically highlighting her "immeasurable" contributions to "Mr. Chandler" and the title track.

For the album's mix of rock styles, Hindalong considered Explosions in the Sky to be "sonically inspirational," as well as the then-most recent releases by the National, Beach House and Grizzly Bear.

[11] "Max is my sixteen year-old son, and he's a high school football jock, but he also loves music, and he plays guitar and drums," Chandler said.

"[11] A large percentage of songs on the album address specific events in the band members' lives ("Mr. Chandler,"[12] "I'm Sorry I Laughed,"[13] "Legend of Old Man Byrd,"[14] "Invisible,"[15][10] "Say Goodbye to Neverland"[16]), while other tracks were inspired by close friends of the band ("A Friend So Kind,"[17][10] the title track[18]), or Hindalong’s domestic life ("That Melancholy Ghost,"[19] "Between Bare Trees"[20]).

"[21] "This was back in the days where you could show up with 2,000 pounds of equipment at LAX at the curb, and slip the skycap a hundred bucks or something, and he’d make sure the whole thing got on," Chandler recounted.

"[10] "Between Bare Trees," which Hindalong claimed was his favorite song on the album,[10] was inspired by the love of nature that he shared with his then-wife, Nancy.

As a way to publicize the album, the band commissioned Lyon to create an original 24” x 24” art piece for each of the 11 songs on Burning Like the Midnight Sun.

[4][24] On October 16, 2010, the Choir performed a special concert at the Graphite Gallery in New Orleans to support the sale of the art pieces to the public.

[4][25][9] For all those who pre-ordered Burning Like the Midnight Sun, the Choir also included a companion CD that featured running commentary from all five band members for each song on the album.

[4] From this point forward, the Choir would provide band commentary (either on CD or digital download) for most of their new releases and reissued albums.

[4] In 2012, Burning Like the Midnight Sun was briefly offered as a free download via NoiseTrade to publicize the release of The Loudest Sound Ever Heard.

[26] Burning Like the Midnight Sun received some of the highest acclaim for any album in the band's catalog, both at the time of release and retrospectively.

"[27] Christianity Today′s Andrew Greer also praised the album, saying that "the Grammy-nominated indie rockers plunge headfirst into lyrical provocations of love, loss and the gospel, issuing smooth musical clarity to contrast the murky exploration of everyday faith.

"[29] Andy Argyrakis, writing for CCM Magazine, said the Choir upheld its "pioneer status" as "one of alternative music's most meaningful and seminal acts" with "entrancing rhythms, dreamy arrangements, thought-provoking lyrics and overall attention to artistic detail.

"[28] Derek Walter at The Phantom Tollbooth also highlighted the production, calling Burning Like the Midnight Sun a "sonic delight" and the Choir's "most cohesive, melodic and atmospheric collection to date," adding that the album also contains "vibrantly visual lyrics full of poetry and insight.

"[32] Editor Steve Ruff, writing for Down the Line, called the disc "solid throughout," with "warmth that is full-flavored and dense, with texture and layers."

"[33] In QRO Magazine, writer Lloyd Epperly also praised the album's production, claiming that Midnight Sun mines "similar sonic textures as the Church and Cocteau Twins," and added that "it's as if all the pieces came together this time.

"[30] Retrospectively, Apple Music's editorial review said that "Derri Daugherty remains a uniquely evocative singer, bringing a spacey sort of tenderness to Steve Hindalong’s spiritually informed lyrics," and that "the Choir’s subtle layering of effects-laden guitars, pulsating percussion and moody saxophones achieves a gorgeous shimmer.