Alternative/Indie/Folk Rock
‘’Slick, Joyous Indie rock with catchy grooves and hooks’’
The artist
John Lightfield spent his formative years in Oslo, Norway before moving to the Isle of Man. A self-confessed ‘’late bloomer’’ when it comes to writing and performing, this hasn’t held him back from writing material which feels refreshing and uplifting without cow towing to modern trends.
The album
‘Finally Here’ starts the ball rolling and creates instant tension. Truth be told it feels a little out of place when held up next to the rest of the material on this EP. There are elements of surprisingly heavier influences like Evanescence or Linkin Park here that you won’t find in the rest of the tracks. It does make for a compelling opening though.
We then head straight into jangling, very likeable, indie rock territory. There’s a definite tip of the hat to REM and some echoes of The Smiths (without Morrissey’s insufferable god complex). Throw in some howling guitar counter melodies and you get some way towards ’All Different Now’. Add a further dash of Waterboys and you head towards ‘Same Story told again’ an upbeat track that is sure to grab people’s attention and have them singing their hearts out to the anthemic chorus.
Things get a little more reflective with ‘Time of Essence’. Some very tasteful electric guitar playing helps to set the mood and the plaintive vocal lines tug at the heartstrings. ‘Dancing with the Stars’ continues down this path and I can’t help but think about Polyphonic Spree with the counterpoint of the bass guitar, vocal melody and piano and the choir of vocal harmonies. This track is a personal highlight and will be on my playlist next time me and friends end up drunk and emotional at a barbeque or on a camping trip. Make of that what you will.
’Watch Me Rise Again’ is the perfect choice to close this work. Bassline and beat drive the listener over the finish line and the chant-like vocal lines have a great energy. It isn’t really a stand out track and it doesn’t give closure but it promises more to come which I think is a novel way of closing an EP.
The Verdict:
Beautiful, melodic lines with subtle layers and dance floor beats and most importantly, musical contrasts make this a real pleasure to listen to. John acknowledges his influences without being consumed by them and therefore he’s avoided sounding sentimental. It’s a fresh perspective on alt-indie rock.
If you like...
If you like anthems by the likes of REM, The Smiths, The Waterboys or The Pixies, get to John’s next gig!
