The debut from New Jersey outfit Lightheaded is called Combustible Gems. That's a cheeky title as, really, any release on Slumberland Records is full of the sort of indie that's likely to light sparks with fans of the form. This is no different. Imagining the C86 stalwarts taking stylistic cues from Linda Smith, the music of Lightheaded is uniquely precise and brightly emotive.
Only a couple of months ago and I was comparing the Lightheaded EP to The Cure, and while there's still a faint whiff of The Head on the Door about things here, Combustible Gems is more elegant. "Always Sideways", for example, owes more to early O.M.D. and The Associates than it does to an influential act like The Shop Assistants for instance, while lead single "Dawn Hush Lullaby" stakes out chamber rock territory. There's a legacy at work here that suggests a listen or two to stuff like The Left Banke, Love, and Young Marble Giants, though Lightheaded embrace those sorts of influences only to jumble them up magnificently. "Bright Happy Girls", a real highlight here, struts on a sharp hook, flashes of "Yellow Pills"-y guitar carrying this into its own special space.
While so much on this fine label attracts attention because of the imprint's rich legacy of American shoegaze and jangle-pop, I'm always impressed and intrigued when a band joins the Slumberland Records roster who does something a bit different. Lightheaded render their brand of indie with embellishments that are deliberately retro. You can play this and hear hints of everything from Silver Apples to The Wake, but ultimately there's something smartly modern about Lightheaded's approach that makes this a standout on a label absolutely on fire as of late.
Combustible Gems by Lightheaded is out on Slumberland Records.
[Photo: Slumberland Records]
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