Album Review: Blackpool Lights - 'This Town's Disaster'
A healthy dose of “feel good tunes” that's just in time for summer...
Why didn't someone tell me
about Blackpool Lights earlier!? Since I got my hands on this record
a couple of weeks ago it's hardly left my stereo... and I say hardly
because it's been competing with Lifetime, so I'm sure you understand.
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Featuring ex – The Get Up Kids guitarist/vocalist Jim Suptic, Blackpool
Lights play a pop friendly brand of rock which is easy to sing along
to and most importantly, it's fun!
The album's title track is
a perfect example of what BPL are all about. Warm guitar sounds, toe
tapping drum beats and easy to remember melodies are all on offer here,
and if you were a fan of Jim's previous work with The Get Up Kids then
you'll definitely enjoy this tune.
“Blue Skies” has more in
common with those country lovin' Yanks in Limbeck than a mid 90's emo
band but I urge you not to be turned off by the mention of the C word.
The minimal instrumentation and less layered production allows Jim's
voice to really cut through the mix and it's great to see him take center stage
after playing second fiddle in his previous band.
When an album is this consistent
it's hard to choose stand out tracks... but “Empty Tank” is exactly
that! While there's nothing technical about the playing, the guitar
parts really stand out and the harmonized vocals throughout the chorus
give the song a real kick. “Maybe Just Maybe” is your more standard
singer/song writer fare but somehow BPL pulls it off without sounding
cliché. The key change in the bridge makes way for a powerful vocal
performance and a neat little guitar solo, all the while keeping with
the song's Americana vibe.
The next couple of songs didn't
really grab me as much as the opening half of this record but the band
redeem themselves with “Goodnight Romance”. A pop rock song in the
truest sense of the term, it's all about four to the floor beats and
catchy chord progressions, something BPL seem to excel at. “Crash
Sounds” is the record's token ballad and while it does feel as though
the momentum of the previous track has been lost, it's still a great
song in its own right.
a cool surprise, especially the inclusion of the slide guitar during
the intro and “Lost Without You” ranks as one of my favourite tracks
on the album. “Unlucky” is far from being the best song on “This
Town's Disaster” but let's be honest... how many records close with
their strongest tracks anyway!?
There's nothing complex about
Blackpool Lights. They're effectively a rock band writing and playing
pop songs... and doing it damn well!
- This Town's Disaster
- Blue Skies
- Empty Tank
- Maybe Just Maybe
- It's Never About What
It's About
- The Truth About Love
- Goodnight Romance
- Crash Sounds
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