Indie Music: 1st Base Runner, "Light Roars"

 by Germar Derron

This is good, real good. 

I thought of Radiohead well before I read that Radiohead creative director, Dilly Gent, provided some guidance on the project. And though comps are not everyone's cup of tea, a favorable comparison to many serious artists' favorite band is always a compliment.

Light Roars goes a step beyond Ellis and into something bigger, more defined, and maybe more commercial, but not for commercial's sake. Overall, Light Roars presents a master class in production, engineering, and arrangement. To really appreciate it, listen to it on the best sound system that you can access or a really good pair of headphones. This project is not meant for your laptop or smartphone speakers.

The EP begins, "In the Beginning." The vocal on the track has that common airy quality done better than is commonly heard. It's hard to imagine how it was recorded because the attacks, consonant sounds, and frequencies seem to have no beginning or end. It's a sort of constantly drifting quality that maintains clarity and spirit. As a former church worker, I cannot help but think of Genesis at the sight of, "in the beginning." That is the vocal feel--of something forming and moving, not quite solid, but also beautiful. The drums' soft, subtle, perfection marries that vocal. The quality of stereo composition on the drums is better than any similar attempts typically heard in indie music. And somehow the toms ring without the sound of the attack of a stick. This track soothes and moves. 

"Pushing Away," like every track here, fits the sonic aesthetic of the EP well. But somehow the guitar POPS, while still fitting tightly. The guitar here sounds more present, grating, rough, and raw, but not at all out of place. Like on Ellis, every track here exploits each instrument as much as the vocal. And that's maybe most evident on "Dead Wood" where the melody seems to be shared between vocals and what must be a guitar. The split between the two instruments is so evenly matched and paired that on the first listen I did not realize when the vocals stopped.

On "Give Up The End" the drum sound mimics that guitar role on "Pushing Away," which is also present here on GUTE. While listening to this track, I realized that these choices are purposeful beyond "let's make a great record." Serious thought has gone into the sonic composition of each track as an individual song and as a part of this whole.

At the end of the EP, "Planter" introduces a new style and feel that again somehow ties perfectly to the overall aesthetic. It feels faster or more driving--but . . . it's not. But it is the right feel at the right time to stave off monotony and get a party started.

This is really good.