It’s with bands like The Impliers that as a writer I feel the need to lean on one of those neat similies that we overuse, you know, the ones that tell you what to expect through throwing a few influences about. So here goes. Imagine The Pixies writing songs for The Beach Boys. No? How about Radiohead being commissioned to write a song for a movie about the life of David Bowie? Still no? Okay, Sonic Youth playing tennis with Depeche Mode? Techno-Indie? Poised-pop? Still none the wiser? To be honest, me neither.
I guess the problem is trying to capture such a mercurial and unique sound in such small soundbites isn’t easy…writing reviews is harder than you think, it isn’t all about throwing long words about and free sandwiches at the press launch…not any more.
There is a pop sensibility running through Lightning, one that, despite its cool and clever constructs, keeps it infectious and fun, even when they lay on the heavier, alt-indie guitars and the vocals are hazy and harmonious. It’s a perfect example of… indie, pop, poptronica, digital age rock… whatever it might be, not playing by the rules and that is the only way that music moves forward.
Guitars chime and crash, collide and create in equal measure, the result being an evershifting indie string wash. The beats are simple, the basslines brilliantly functional, electronic embellishments captivating, the vocals cool and accessible and the whole thing sounds not unlike a long lost mid-era Sparks song and if you have ever tried reviewing their stuff you will have a little sympathy for this poor scribe.
Anyway, I probably haven’t made a very good job of selling the song, but buy it you must and the album to follow too. It’s…it’s….it’s…I don’t really know what it is but never has a song sounded like the way forward for pop and indie music.
