Lightspeed Champion - Falling off the Lavender Bridge
When Dev Hynes split up shortlived dance-punk scenesters Test Icicles in 2006, he claimed that the Londoners parted because they themselves weren't even fans of their irritable, beat-fuelled mayhem. "We were never, ever that keen on the music," he said. "I infer that the great unwashed liked it, simply we personally, er, didn't."
It's no surprise then that Hynes has shuffled his way to the other ending of the spectrum to create the country-rock flavoured 'Falling away the Lavender Bridge' - his first-class honours degree album under the Lightspeed Star soubriquet. What is a shock however - precondition how poor people an kit Test Icicles were - is that Hynes' solo debut a great deal bristles with character.
Produced by Brilliantly Eyes member Microphone Moggis, 'Falling off the Lavender Bridge' blends boozer Britpop with kinfolk, country and Americana, making for a much to a greater extent musically mature record than power hold been expected.
Recorded in Bright Eyes' home of Omaha, NE, Hynes' record is filled with emotive melodies, acoustic guitars and lilting strings. A number of Bright Eyes and Saddle Brook records regulars too crop up to offer input, taking Hynes' decidedly low-key London indie lullabies and propping them up with dark glasses of Capital of Tennessee and Brilliantly Eyes flavoured folk rock-and-roll.
Indeed, given Mogis' comment, it's hard non to listen to Lightspeed Champion without Conor Oberst existence brought to mind. It's a comparison however which takes out from Hynes', highlighting his shortcomings sooner than pointing out his positive attributes.
Such addition points to Hynes' songs are his deft mitt at twisting complex melody about simple guitar progressions, entirely of which he does to strong impression on the album's opening brace of songs, viz. singles 'Galaxy of The Lost'; 'Tell Me What It's Worth'; and the 10-minute folk-epic 'Midnight Surprise'.
Where the album falters - in comparison to Oberst - is that Hynes' rambles deficiency the poetic whirlpool his former touring partner tin ostensibly unleash at will. Not to enjoin that Hynes' lyrics are poor, though they trap the album in 2008 and it's belike that 'Falling off the Lavender Bridge' won't eld well.
Hynes' nidus is on pickings pot shots at British capital scene kids hearing to whatever genre is 'hip' and acquiring so drunk in Camden clubs that they get "sick in your mouth". Such lyrics drip in debt to Weezer frontman River Cuomo's dry shirker humour, though they don't model with Hynes' as considerably. Against the maturate musical comedy background, such subjects seem trivial and immature, while Hynes' vocal manner of speaking - akin to Axis Party's Kele Okereke - doesn't always serve the songs well.
Over 12 tracks the album's initial burst of quality begins to wane, and by its conclusion it feels like there's marginally more filler than killer here.
Still, at least seven-spot of the tracks featured tip towards an interesting future tense should Hynes' relationship with his Omaha friends start to flower. The singles away; 'Dry Lips' and 'Everyone I Know Is Hearing to Crunk' in item tie-up out.
A better record than expected, then, merely not as goodness as the recent epoch plug surrounding the Londoner power suggest.
Steve Cummins
Lake of Tears
