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Wild Light's debut album Adult Nights has the soft-folk
flutter of Voxtrot with the voluminous wingspan of The Polyphonic
Spree. Produced by Rob Schnapps (Elliott Smith,
Beck), Wild Light prove their worth as starry-eyed bards with
tracks like "New Hampshire" and "The Party (Oh My God)"
displaying their mastery of beautifully seamed chord movements that
brandish lovely dulcet tremors. The lounging curls on "New Year's
Eve" rise and recede with a warm gentleness that seduces the
listener into its heavenly locks, and the marching beats of "Red
House" have a sternness that is silhouetted in breezy keyboards
and attractive guitar strokes. Wild Light's culmination of folk, pop
and soft-rock craft a tender rustling in the melodies that sweeps
listeners into another stratosphere where earthly desires are realized
and reached without obstacles impeding the way.
Lead singer/guitarist Jordan Alexander has a dreamy pop sonorousness
in his register that recalls The Decemberists' Colin Meloy.
The soft billowing swells of keyboardists/bassists Seth Pittman
and Tim Kile are tailored to Alexander's vocal measurements
as the velvety drumming of Seth Kasper acts like silky shadows
gliding almost unnoticed through the melodic tracks. Even through
moods of sorrow and despair, the songs are imbued with a smile and
find the light in the darkness; like in "California On My Mind"
when Jordan Alexander reveals, "I realized I never gave you a
chance / I realize I never gave you romance." The mood of the
songs stays fixated on going in a positive direction even when all
hope seems to have faded away, like in "Canyon City" where
the lyrics muse, "I ain't got no more faith, but I'm gonna believe
any way." Songs are layered with a combination of orchestral
strings, light jangly tambourine chimes, a folksy sputter in the guitar
chords, and mellow-toned keyboards that release warm esthetics into
the melodies. The soft, glistening piano keys of "Call Home"
are garnished in low-burning embers of shimmering tones and dream-like
bouncing beats. Wild Light's vestments are tapered in folksy pop trimmings,
which lighten up dark moods and beam with sunny rays, like in "Lawless
River", showing a penchant to rise above past transgressions.
Wild Light have melodies that rise and fall, rustle and roll evenly
making arrangements that reflect the mutable changes which human
emotions undergo. The music is elegantly embellished with concentration
focused on the melodies mirroring the lyrical content. It is an
album that makes for a pleasing listening experience and leaves
the listener feeling a little more positive about the future.
-Susan Frances
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