Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Late Night Sunshine brings Nothing But Love, 26 Nov 2008
Lovers of power-pop and west-coast sun-drenched harmonies are in for a real treat. 'Friday Night Lights' by Glasgow's Attic Lights is a delightful, accessible, uplifting album with plenty of influences and references which virtually leap out at you such as Teenage Fanclub, Manic Street Preachers and Big Star. While they may not be huge on innovation or particularly bothered about covering new ground, what Attic Lights have achieved is to produce an album packed full of hooks, harmonies and big, beautiful songs, reminiscent of the debut by The Thrills only, arguably, less lyrically clichéd.
At ten tracks, it is at a perfect length to have the maximum impact without ever outstaying its welcome and, thankfully, there aren't any weak or average tracks, it is one excellent song after another, each track lovingly produced and performed to optimize the listener's pleasure. The best songs, in my opinion, are 'Never Get Sick Of The Sea', 'Bring You Down', 'Wendy', 'Nothing But Love', 'Late Night Sunshine' and 'Winter On' - and I'm well aware that I've just named the majority of the album.
If this album had have been released in the mid-nineties, it would probably be hailed as one of the best of the genre and - despite being a little out of time - for a debut, it is little short of remarkable and stands alongside the best output of Teenage Fanclub. Music is in the ear of the beholder and, although I'm sure some will turn their noses up at something that has been done before and bemoan the lack of originality, if you do like this genre of music, you will love Attic Lights. I know I do. If listening to an album can literally lift my spirits and make me feel genuinely happy to be alive, then it can only be a good thing. Superb.
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
There is a light that sometimes goes out....but not for very long . , 3 Jan 2009
I honestly thought bands had forgotten how to make albums like this anymore. Shiny jingly power pop nuggets that infuse a feeling of well being and would make a hornet whistle. Attic Lights have a certain amount of good pedigree though . They come from Scotland ( good pop history ) and are managed by a member of Teenage Fan club , a band who at their finest certainly know how to make great jangly pop monsters of their own .
The five piece certainly know how to make a decent noise for as well as the requisite guitars, bass, and percussion there are fulsome strings on many tracks as well as the odd shivery slice of pedal steel and glistening glockenspiel. They can write spanking tunes as well which is a big help .
Opening track "Never Get Sick Of The Sea" is a glorious hybrid of the Beach Boys and a notable power pop outfit like The Posies or The Cosmic Rough Riders ."Bring You Down " is one of the catchiest songs I have heard in ages but not in a bad irritating bubblegum kind of way. "Wendy " brings huge swells of strings and harmonies thicker than a Big Brother blonde.
The only problem is the album cannot maintain that kind of momentum and quality and the middle sags a touch. Ballad "Send Those Dark Eyes This Way" puts the brakes on the sunshine melodies ."Nothing But Love " is a bit of a plodder with an admittedly nice chorus while "The Dirty Thirst" sounds like McFly..superior McFly but still McFly ."God " has a juicy melody while "Later Night Sunshine" lays it on more readily than Loadsamoney on a big plastering job. Closing track "Winter On" starts out a bereft piano only song but distends into a wonderful plangent sing-a-long coda.
Friday Night Lights is never going to win any plaudits for originality but in an era when writing big shiny pop/rock song s with chorus's that would make a pensioner yodel has gone slightly out of fashion they are very welcome indeed. While no classic of the genre its an enjoyable heartening listen . That's what pop is all about surely ?
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Glowing Bulbs., 27 Oct 2008
I bought this CD with very high expectations. I found out about the Attics when I literally stumbled (alcohol induced) into their set at the Wickerman Festival this summer. The tent was packed and I heard a range of fantastic harmonies mixed with a certain rawness that created a very live and natural feel about their sound. My instant reponse was to juxtapose this with the Beach Boys as four vocals went to work. Not overawed by a high level of distortion the sound was crystal clear. It was no surprize to me that they already had a deal with the mighty Universal Group in the shape of Island Records.
The problem that most bands have nowadays, is that it is very difficult to be original and it is inevitable that comparsions are made. I don't think I'v even read a professional review that hasn't failed to namecheck an other band or artist. Yes the Attics have quite a few similarities. Many have been cited here in the reviews already: Beach Boys,Teenage Fanclub and dare I say it the Cosmic Rough Riders who went into total meltdown after their vocalist left. So yes the Attics are retro, but so were the early Beatles(Early USA black RnB) and the Pistols (Owe the Who to some extent) In the CD we can also hear Lou Reed/Pavement genes.
The opening offering Never Get Sick by the Sea (a single) is right out of the TFC handbook, very simliar to the blissful Sparkys Dream: one of the greatest powerpoppunk songs ever. So fair to say a decent opener!
Bring you down is continuation of the opening track combining the same velocity and vocal arrangements. Wendy an other of the singles, much slower in tempo,adopts a more traditonal approach to vocalised music, with the vocals being the main form of instrumentation. Send Thoses Dark Eyes This Way is a piano driven ballad which works very well at all the levels intended. This is Attic's Easter Parade. Nothing But Love in my view has a Lou Reed feel to it, mainy due to it's piano and vocal structure. God is a song that is likely bring a feel-good factor to live audiences with it punchy chord progression and vocal delivery.
What I like about this record is that it not totally dependent on electric guitars and distortion/fuzz pedals but utilises acoustic equipment and piano. This allows the vocals to surface to their rightful place in the songs. Even the more aggressive songs never result in overkill something that we often find on many releases.
With any debut album, the jury will be out. But this member of the jury is happy to give this offering its pass marks.
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