Lightspeed Champion
Galaxy of the Lost
It appears that a solo route is something that suits ex test icicle, Dev perfectly and his style couldn’t be further from his musical past. The vocals within the track are delivered with an envious ease, dripping with sophistication and sultry charm. A quirky lyrical content teamed with an unusual yet simple use of vi
olins proves the track to be unique, breaking away from their contemporaries. It seems, for the moment, that the ever popular electric influenced sound has been replaced by acoustic, a genre which has been unfairly tainted recently with the annoyance of pop drivel such as James Morrison and James blunt. The ever changing pace throughout the track prevents it from becoming yet another ‘new folk’ song showing that Dev has quickly and efficaciously established his own style, a brave move and one which has avoided his career being tarnished with the test icicle label.
It would be unfair to classify the band as ‘folk’ as this seems to strip the band of the individuality that they have so effectively created. Lightspeed champion have still yet to portray a fully grown confidence with their presence both live and on record however their natural ability to produce beautifully crafted songs is undeniable and its this humble modesty which makes their music so endearing and in a way quintessentially British, a talent we can finally to be proud of.
olins proves the track to be unique, breaking away from their contemporaries. It seems, for the moment, that the ever popular electric influenced sound has been replaced by acoustic, a genre which has been unfairly tainted recently with the annoyance of pop drivel such as James Morrison and James blunt. The ever changing pace throughout the track prevents it from becoming yet another ‘new folk’ song showing that Dev has quickly and efficaciously established his own style, a brave move and one which has avoided his career being tarnished with the test icicle label.It would be unfair to classify the band as ‘folk’ as this seems to strip the band of the individuality that they have so effectively created. Lightspeed champion have still yet to portray a fully grown confidence with their presence both live and on record however their natural ability to produce beautifully crafted songs is undeniable and its this humble modesty which makes their music so endearing and in a way quintessentially British, a talent we can finally to be proud of.
We Are Scientists
Brain Thrust Mastery
With 2008 comes a band shake-up for our favourite New Yorkers, We Are Scientists. The sad departure of bearded comrade Michael however has not held the band back with their creativity and if anything has plunged them further into exploring their freedom and ability further especially with a varied use of new instruments.
The band’s sound has developed and matured, with a lyrical content to match. No longer are they worrying about passing on the floor, instead the ponder the trials and tribulations of being with ‘the one’. The band appear to have mellowed, rarely is a busting electrically charged, acid infused pop nuggets to be found on “Brain Thrust Mastery”. However this is by no means a bad thing and shows how the band has concentrated on their previous weakness and played on their known strengths, Something which in turn has produced a musically strong album, worthy of high praise and success. Chris’s vocals have finally been used with splendid results for this record to create a natural harmony something which “with love and squalor” lacked. This gives the tracks greater impact and strength with their delivery, something which is perfectly illustrated on tracks such as “Dinosaurs”
With this album comes a loss of their previously youthful enthusiasm however their talent eradicate any doubts that a listener may have. Keith and Chris appear not to be fased by the pressure of producing a successful second album and certain stand out track on the record support this. Keith’s vocal ability is something which has been easy to overlook in their previous releases however in tracks such as “Lethal Enforces”, easily the strongest track on the album, it’s hard to avoid how his talent makes a song transform into a classic. “That’s What Counts” initially bursts with a stream of trumpets to finally evolve into a sleek and confident track, a perfect parallel to the bands sophistication and style. Similarly ‘After Hours’ is beautiful in sentiment with injections of acoustic peaks and troughs which gives texture and variety to their new sound.
We are scientists are unique in their ability to team both comedy and music together in a harmonious balance. Personality is often a trait which is not taken into consideration with today’s indie scene but is something which gives the band an important edge, their intelligence and wit is something which they transfer into their music successfully and gives their music a timeless essence.
Hannah
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Everyone I Know Is Listening to Crunk - Lightspeed Champion
Galaxy of the Lost - Lightspeed Champion
Lethal Enforcer.mp3 - We Are Scientists
Impatience.mp3 - We Are Scientists
