Light//Sound

Light//Sound

Independent release, 2019

http://www.wearelightsound.com

REVIEW BY: Tom Haugen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 03/29/2019

A trio from New Orleans, Light//Sound has a lot more going for them than just the unique and elaborate packaging on their music (more on that later). The group is spearheaded by principal songwriter Daniel Amedee on guitar/vocals, while Mark Nilges and Tim Regan hold down bass and drums respectively on these nine tracks.

“Don't Hold Me Down” starts the curious album off with, well, a minute of minimal ambience before the tune breaks into an '80s influenced indie rocker. “Running Wild” follows and again there's some instrumental meandering before a more dance-oriented outing with xylophone type noises. “We'll Be Happy” brings us into a percussive heavy and quirky environment that's both frisky and cautious.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

The middle of the album offers us the post-punk influenced “I Can See You Now” and the meticulous and fuzzed out “Little Life,” while “Big Eyes Big Heart” strips the sound back to minimal and melodic with a glowing atmosphere. 

Things get even more unclassifiable as we get near the end. There is the restrained shrieking of “Panic In America,” which is an eccentric pop song indebted to the '80s, and the spaced out “Making Love Making Noise,” where '90s college rock meets world music on another planet. The album exits on the bare and hypnotic “Find The Light Within,” which explodes in an ebullient and charged rocker.

Though this is the debut for Light//Sound, Amedee already has a lengthy and successful career in music and was even signed to Morrissey's record label while living overseas. He brings his many creative years to this project and delivers an extremely distinct listen that the older crowd might relate to New Order, while the youngsters may hear some Islands influences.

For the collector nerds, the LP version is available on pink, white, or yellow wax and resides in, I kid you not, a wooden sleeve. Each sleeve is handmade by Amedee from salvaged floorboards, and each one is unique. If you're not a vinyl fan, the CD version comes with a cloth sleeve, and again, no two are alike.

Rating: B+

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


Comments

 








© 2019 Tom Haugen and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Independent release, and is used for informational purposes only.