Nightlights

So It Goes

Written by: PP on 16/03/2012 14:08:29

Nightlights from Daytona Beach, Florida, are yet another band who follow in the footsteps of bands like Latterman (and by extension, Hot Water Music) with their roughened stance on melodic punk rock on their sophomore album "So It Goes". Much like their modern soundalikes in Red City Radio, Iron Chic, and the recently reviewed Timeshares, they rely on a shouty-yet-melodic vocalist whose drunken gargle adds character and a feeling of honesty to the sound, whilst the rest of the band executes your typical mid-tempo, Midwestern/Gainesville inspired punk rock.

It's all very standard and unsurprising throughout, but as we've come to see time and time again in this style, doing just that ensures you a solid 'good' to 'decent' rating, because this style of music is just so easily accessible and enjoyable from its lyrics that invite for a sing along to the raw honesty that their melodies encompass. It also helps to have an excellent vocalist; Matthew Messore, who has sadly departed the band since the release of this album, has a similar sense for catchy vocal hooks as the Red City Radio frontman, resulting in a number of instantly recognizable explosion points. This is where his voice travels from the roughened clean to halfway screaming, which is where you can hear the emotion and passion of this kind of basement punk bands best.

Still, the songs offered on "So It Goes" are good, but not much more than that. They are exactly what you'd expect from a Latterman/Hot Water Music/Red City Radio soundalike band, without the quirk or the final ingredient to push them over the edge of being just a good band into a great one. That said, there are plenty of excellent melodies to be found here, so if you're into the Midwestern sounding bands in general, Nightlights are as good as any band to check out. Especially if you're into shouted melodies and mid tempo punk rock guitars with rough edges.

7

Download: Obviously You're Not A Golfer, Good Morning Mr. Breakfast
For the fans of: Red City Radio, Timeshares, Iron Chic, Latterman
Listen: Myspace

Release date 05.07.2011
Eulogy Recordings

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