The Violet Lights

Sex & Sound

Written by: TL on 18/07/2011 00:41:11

The last review I'm posting before taking tonight off is of "Sex & Sound", the debut EP by Los Angeles based quintet The Violet Lights, and while you may think I've been saving the best for last, the sad news is that I have very much the opposite of that mentality, and hence I have instead been saving the record that I have the most trouble finding out what to say about.

On the band's own myspace it says they've been described as "a mash-up of Britpop, NYC garage rock and West Coast guitar musings", and personally, I'd just reach for the term brit-rock if it weren't for the fact that TVL are seemingly missing some of the intangibles that normally characterize that genre. Could be it's just because they aren't British, I don't know, but the fact is that the band doesn't really sound like anything I can put a name to, and while that can often be a good thing, here it comes hand in hand with my realization that this EP has left me cold even after a handful of listens.

The music is of a relatively casually rocking sort, with harmonies provided by both guitar/keyboard and male/female vocal combinations, and maybe it's the laid-back feeling to the music that's too pronounced - I can't say for sure, but the five songs on offer just seem to pass by me time and again with my mind stubbornly refusing to hold onto any sound or structure. It seems there isn't any sort of energy, attitude or emotion, or at least the only measures of such are so subtle that they don't register on my radar, and hence my impression of TVL's personality is frankly rather dull.

Granted, we here at Rockfreaks.net are not known to have temperaments that fit more subtle musical approaches, so it could be that it's just us (or, let's be honest, me) that fails miserably at understanding what exactly is The Violet Light's quality(ies). For all my trying though, all I seem to be able to recognize is that "Ready Or Not" and "Substitute" seem slightly less forgettable listens than the remaining songs, yet none of them are likely to be remembered as soon as tomorrow. I guess this means the most friendly thing I can say to the band is that I hope they have better luck with other reviewers, because frankly, they don't seem to do anything for me at all.

Download: Substitute, Ready Or Not
For The Fans Of: Young The Giant, Franz Ferdinand, Cage The Elephant,
Listen: thevioletlights.com

Release Date 24.05.2011
Self-released

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