|
|
|
Bright Light Fever
|
The Evening Owl
Stolen Transmission Records
Release: 10/24/2006
  |
|
Rated:
Review by:
Gisele Grignon
|
|
|
Sad but true. The fate of many of today's bands - primarily those
led by male vocalists - rests as much on talent as on table
manners. How else could you explain the mushed-mouth
gargling that passes as vocals, but to trace it to overstuffing,
overcooked and piping hot pasta into your mouth and then
attempting to deliver lyrics you can actually make out? The
result inevitably is incomprehensible and just plain lazy lyrics
and vocals.
Such, I'm thrilled to say, is not the case with Bright Light Fever's,
The Evening Owl. Clear, convincing and, oh yes,
entirely comprehensible and therefore memorable lyrics are
delivered with equal parts passion and talent, with nary a
mashed syllable within earshot. And at the risk of cementing my
rep as a Nazi-like schoolmarm, I must repeat: lyrics are a happy
and welcome addition to a melody, worth sharing with people
other than the residents in your head. Defying that principle by
committing lyrical murder by masticulation is punishable by
seclusion with nothing but a boom box with "Macarena" on
continuous play. Okay, enough ranting, but it needed to be
said...clearly.
So what makes this fever so bright? Their lyrics, their
arrangements, their vocals - they all scream" we're not trying to
be anybody but ourselves," with an encore explanation of: "And
we're okay with that." There's also healthy a dose of "nudge,
nudge, wink, wink"
throughout their lyrics and their delivery. No one who pens
something like: "Papa's Got a Brand New Liver" can't take
themselves too seriously.
And though there's no overt connection (in their media kit at
least) to the Canadian music scene, there does appear to be a
nod to Hawksley Workman and Rufus Wainwright here, especially
in "Crowded Street in May." But maybe that's just me. In fact,
here's a shocker: sometimes the best judge of music is the
person who creates (or has a hand in creating) it. Case in point:
Bright Light Fever's guitarist/vocalist Matt Ferro: "If you listen to
our album, there is a steady thread of darkness, and moodiness.
It's a little creepy without being totally fuckin' scary and evil."
Reviewer's 2 cents worth: "But moody, dark and creepy in a good
way." Bright Light Fever is the result of mercurial instrumentals
and exhaustive lyrical and vocal workouts.
Upon the physician visit:
Side effects include: toe tapping, head bopping and an unabated
thirst for more songs, more CDs.
The cure: there is no known cure for Bright Light Fever because
no one who appreciates "seediness and swagger" in rock would
ever dream of surgically or otherwise removing this band from
their life. And while there is no cure for BLF, there is a treatment:
Repeated and extended exposure to The Evening
Owl. Now THAT's something to hoot about. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
