Worth more than a Counterfeit Dollar
Posted July 11, 2008
By Nathan,
Ever wonder what Anberlin might sound if they were punk rock? Well wonder no more because now we have a close example. The debut album for the band Capital Lights is here, and it’s an outstanding blend of Relient K, and Anberlin, with some bits that sound like Eleventyseven and Run Kid Run. The result is one of the best punk/power pop/rock, with a hint of emo rock, albums in a while.
The beats are really outstanding, as Capital Lights shows impressive maturity, as they barley let up on the music at all. The techno introduction to “outrage” is outstanding and will remind listeners of Eleventyseven, as the quality of the punk/rock was shockingly good as the song has zero faults. The flow of “miracle man” is just superb, while the tune changes in the song are easy and keep the song interesting. It’s almost like Capital Lights tries a retro rock act on “remember the day” as the pop rock sounds a little dated in places, without sounding subpar; also the pop punk music is a little softer than other tracks. The chorus on “work it out” is reminiscent of Crumbächer as it has a more emotional tune to go along with its excellent bridge. The weakest song is “return” as the song never really catches fire and it stays a solid power punk song.
The punk rock music does begin to sound just a little similar toward the end of the album when it comes to “kick it off” which is an above average song and “The Night of Your Life Is When You'll Die” which has a fast paced beat. One of the highlights over the highlights is soft “mile away” which blends the pop music with the dated tune that turns into a clever beat with an exceptional refrain. Keeping things moving and fresh in a CD, even one with exceptional music, is important, and Capital Lights pulls that off with “let the little lady talk”, with it’s odd chorus and a solid beat, and “Frank Morris”. The final song clocks in at 5:15 of fun punk/emo rock that has a nice easy flow with a tremendous, emotional finish.
In the midst of the clever writing (not quite Relient K good) and the weak pointless songs about relationships (“let the little lady talk”, Miracle man”) is a lack of strong spiritual themes. Songs like “Outrage” and “Worth As Much As A Counterfeit Dollar” could have used a little more clarity about the point of the songs, but the lyrics are not cliché. The least impressive song “return” is the most theological track on This is an Outrage, as it is details events that will happen in the end times (‘On the hour that you left us unknown/We're standing firm! The trumpet sounds!’). Songs like “Frank Morris” hint at more lyrical relevance—but none are confirmed) as it goes through the story of one of the prisoners in the escape from Alcatraz. It’s a shame that the songs only hints at what exactly it’s about as the song writing is good.
While it’s not really fair to call this a debut phenomenon, but the band has experience in the guise of AfterEight. Nevertheless the music is exceptional and if This is an Outrage is put with other similar bands that have put out CD’s this year (Hawk Nelson, Run Kid Run, and Stellar Kart) it would clearly top them in musical value. Capital Lights though could give a little more access and clarity when it comes to their lyrics. The song :outrage puts it this way: ‘Take my goodbyes with love and meaningful lyrics’. We don’t want them to say goodbye but we want more of the ‘meaningful lyrics’.
View All Music And Book Reviews By Nathan | View Nathan's Profile
|
