I've been counting down the days until The Listening came out since the release date was first announced. Of course I've been excited, after first seeing the Drive My Soul music video on Much one afternoon last December I was first drawn in by the lyrics, and of course Light's beauty and her resemblance to Ashlee Simpson, ( has any one else noticed this besides me?). I've been hooked ever since.
So today I got up earlier than I had to for school to get my hands on this record. I put it on my Ipod and popped in my earphones for the long day. First track is Saviour, one which is familiar and I already love. It's an uplifting song about wanting to break free. Inspiring if you ask me.
Second track comes on, and I have Drive My Soul bubbling in my ears, is it just me or does this sound freshly produced? It has a better quality sound to me, I like being able to hear every instrument clearly.
Third track is River, this song seems to me to be the most mainstream kind of pop artist song. I still like it though, it's catchy.
Now I've got the intro to Ice starting and it seems to have better production as well. I can hear her whisper "ice, ice, ice" in the beginning, and I can hear beautiful harmonies throughout the song. I'm impressed.
The Listening intro begins, this song to me is reminiscent of the Spice Girls and the chorus stays in my head well after the song is over.
Now we have Pretend, I'll say straight up that I like the remix with the piano better, you can hear Lights' vocals more sincerely and the piano mixes things up from the synth beats all of the time. Synths = good. Piano = better for a change. This song is about looking back on one's childhood and missing it. It's good, I'd compare it to Evanescence's I-miss-my-childhood-song 'Field of Innocence' and I'd go so far as to say Lights does it better because it sounds not immature but oh you know, innocent.
Second Go is on, it's a poppy upbeat song that will either have you dancing or if you're like me and too cool for that, bobbing your head.
The Last Thing on Your Mind starts up, I like this song but it's never been a favorite. Better production, better quality. It's still good, it's still Lights. (:
February Air, another gem. Oh how I love thee. Repetitively sincere: check. Earnest vocals: check. Subtle snthys making your heart bubble with joy and love at the same time: check.
Now we have my favorite new track from Lights, Face Up. It's an inspirational song about although it gets hard and you may not want to go on, just keep your face up and keep on trying and you'll make it through. "How can you concentrate on things that don't make you feel right?/I just want to feel alright." And at those ending of the verse lyrics, you can hear an actual snare drum come in. It reminds me of Automatic Loveletter's 'Hush'.
Lions! is playing. It took me a few listens to take this song in, but it's good, it has that fantasy feel that makes you play with your imagination and reminds you of how anything is possible, you can fly is you just make believe.
Now Quiet comes on, first thought is nice beat. It's a soft song and it's good, I like it.
Now the bonus track, Up Up and Away. It's lullaby like to begin, and I hear Lights sing of falling out of orbit, doesn't surprise me. "We are rockets in the sky/ we are planets passing by." Very Lights like, it makes you feel like you get some insight to her heart and her love of space.
Overall, for Lights debut I'd give is 4/5 it's excellent and she displays so much promise. I hope she explodes.
