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The Bright Lights: Self-Titled
The Bright Lights self-titled album seems to suffer from multiple personality disorder. Like a mental patients madness, the themes of the songs are consistent and familiar to the listener: girls and their beautiful, hurtful ways; but the way these thoughts and feelings are expressed varies widely. From atonal screeching to acoustic solos and back again, the listener never knows where the band is going next. There is palpable energy radiating from this disc, and lots of it comes from singer Franks voice-cracking vocals. The band didnt cite any influences but I hear lots of familiar voices, from the Promise Ring to Capn Jazz to Weezer to Built to Spill to Bright Eyes. While I wouldnt say that The Bright Lights sound significantly like any one of those bands, or really sound much like them at all, I had enough moments of recognition to pompously assign them as influences so as to give whomever reads this review a better frame of reference. The first three songs (Marissas Song, Spy Novel, and Trolley Dodge) dont really excite me all that much. Listening to them on headphones made me feel as if there was a squirrel having seizures gnawing on my ears. That being said, I didnt dislike them either, and theyve been growing on me. But there are a few songs on this disc that get an unqualified thumbs-up. One of the notes I made about Chucks Song reads: a shining beacon of light in an atonal morass, which might have been overstating things a bit; however the impression still remains. You Have Amazing Powers is great its much quieter with nice guitar lines. Edge of Indifference manages to pull off with flying colors what the first three songs were trying to accomplish. These are three very different songs, but that is the strongest aspect of this band: theyre flexible, creative and not afraid to break the rules. The Bright Lights guarantee to expand your musical horizons in many different directions. It might be a somewhat painful experience at times, but, like losing your virginity, its definitely worth it. I wish they would stop singing about girls though.
This album can be purchased at Insound and The 555 Recordings Official Website The Bright Lights' Official Website About LOTD Contact/Staff Advertise Home All content © LEFT OFF THE DIAL 2001-2005. All rights reserved. |
