Mudkiss [En]: Review of "Super De Luxe" album
Attic Lights - Super Deluxe
Glasgow may not appear the most natural of homes for a power pop band that deliver songs full of sunlight and fun but that is what Attic Lights provide on this new album. They waste no time in delivering an uplifting tune as the opening two tracks "Say You Love Me" and "Future Bounds" are both up beat, "sunny" songs. "Future Bounds" has a funky opening, before moving in to a very "pop" sound which actually has a hint of a more mainstream, clean cut Scissor Sister sound.
The quality of the Pop rock sound is really evident on "Break For Me" which brings to mind the "Dum Dums", who were in fact really just an indie precursor to Busted! This song really does have Radio One summer song written all over it. Similarly, " Mona Lisa" has an opening keyboard sound which is very Scouting For Girls. It then moves into a slightly slower song where the sun beam dial is turned down a touch, but still retains that simple pop sound. The lyrics have references to Sunday morning and this is certainly a sleepy, Sunday morning, sunshine peaking through the curtains, wake up song.
"Hit and Miss" is another really great song which benefits from some catchy backing vocals. The band also manages a sense of "quirkiness" to the sound which is probably needed to offer some respite from the constant simple pop sound of the others. Unfortunately, this is followed by "Lock Me Out", which is a much slower track and whilst they were probably aiming for dreamy is actually more a bit dreary. Thankfully, the album ends with "Gabrielle" which is an arms a loft, end of gig song. It has a good use of Beatlesesque sounds and is quality power pop.
The album has a quality, modern, almost mature, pop sound. It actually has some songs of the style that Robbie Williams started off doing very well. The whole genre of power pop has always been much more popular in the US than here in the UK. This is a shame as many of the songs on this album are good summer pop songs which are light, well crafted and easy to listen to. There are a number of songs on the album which could easily be singles and if picked up by one of the commercial radio stations, could provide Attic Lights with a surprise hit. Review by Paul Hastings
