Light - Paperboat
(Mynor)
A couple of years ago I bought an album by Light
entitled Turning. This album turned out to be a
turning point in my life and is the benchmark by which
I judge music. The acoustic guitar was delayed and
lazy, the vocals were natural and meaningful, and the
songs were beautifully awesome in their simplicity and
feeling. I think that if you don't own that album,
you are a fool and wasting your time.
Now that you know how I feel about that album, I'll
tell you a bit about this one. Paperboat is a
collection of home recordings done over the period of
five years. Because this is a collection rather than
an album that is unified in theme, the feel shifts
rather quickly from song to song. The first two songs
feature some Flying Saucer Attack-styled distortion that I really can't
get into as much as FSA's as I expect something else
from Light. Then "Turning (Glass Version)" comes on
and I instantly remember why I love these guys so
much. Tumbling acoustic guitar lines interweave atop
soft singing that makes me want to weep (and I'm not
overstating at all). As the song passes by like a
beautiful sunset, distortion and rythmic pulses of
treble come in to overtake me. Man, this is REALLY
REALLY REALLY GREAT!
The next song, "Place without Reason," fills the
emotional void left by the previous song's departure
with a ray of sunlight in song form. I really love
how the vocals are just shadows off in the distance
and leave room for the chiming patterns and tape hiss
to leave their mark. Everything is in perfect balance
as the song ebbs and flows like a backwoods brook.
I could go on and on lavishing praise upon Light for
their way with sound as sculpture and the balance they
achieve between song and texture. The only thing I
could possibly say in the negative is that at times
Light seems to enjoy messing with the peace by
throwing jarring rythms and high pitched distortion
into the mix. This does not bother me because the
high points are made even higher by these low
points, if that makes any sense.
If you like good music at all, please go out and find
this wonderful collection. Maybe if we all buy some
Light, they can quit their day jobs and tour
constantly, and then I can be that itinerant wanderer
that I always wanted to be as I follow them around the
globe.
So much for being impartial.
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