\06.11.23\
It’s an ideal November evening, not warm, not too cold. Mild wind blows leaves into small piles while Welton Street fills with groups of friends to wine, dine, shop, and see some live music. It was within this storybook setting that I first meet Jake and Jeff of Illiterate Light before their show at Cervantes Other Side. Everything leading up to this meeting arguably begin in the Shenandoah Mountains where the power duo first team up in 2015. What follows is a new take on blues, country, rock, sleaze, and an appreciation for my favorite Wilco record, A Ghost Is Born, where they get their name from a line in “Theologians”. You can hear a thread of Wilco’s influence through their first singles and self titled debut album which would catapult them to national recognition. Widely recognized for creative and lively performances, the two of them command the stage standing tall for all to see (yes, even Jake on drums).
I was lucky to sit down with the duo in the dim greenroom underneath the bar. The first thing that catches you is how well they balance charisma with humility. It comes through plain and clear that the two of them were made for the stage, and it really clicks when you see them climb up the stairs and instantly start moving as one beast. I’ll leave the rest for the interview which you can watch on YouTube or cut up on Instagram and TikTok.
As they make clear, Sunburned isn’t a quarantine album. While it was these uncertain circumstances that influenced their shift from stage to studio, they took the opportunity to reimagine their sound and make the best record they could and the live shows will come later. When the record opens up on “Wake up Now”, it does. The acoustic blends into the steady percussion that bring a pulse to the waking body, gently risen from what could’ve been a dream. It’s a strong reintroduction to the group who’d hunkered down to write and record since their debut full length, so there’s this feeling of needing to restart a cold engine almost. This first track brings more than enough heat to energize the cylinders and get those pistons beating to the rhythm of the kick.
The lead single from the album falls in place next, right where it belongs. “Light Me Up” calls to a theme present in much of the work, returning home. We’re carried by an electric guitar that doesn’t obstruct until it has the space in the chorus to belch forth, lighting up the scene like the sun our character is searching for, sometimes in other people too. It speaks to coming out of the pandemic and this collective urge to connect and experience community again.
Diving deeper into the studio and different instruments provided the duo an opportunity to grow the sound of their next album, and this comes through prominently on “Heaven Bends”. On its surface, it feels like a folk ballad, and reminds me a bit of “The Gold” from Manchester Orchestra. However, before any such characteristics can be identified, a groundwork of synth keys and guitar distortions a la Local Natives smooths everything between the sharp wolf’s bite of the chorus.
“Feb 1st” sees the guitar go harder, the snare bite deeper, and a real wave of sound form that crashes on an appeal to, yet again, return home. This moody, aggressive departure carries us into my personal highlight from this record, “Hellraiser”. This song is some of the most complex and beautiful arranging on here and delivers in every category. The synth keys are soft, built on one another, to bring you to almost whispered words describing a horror film (already enough to put it at the top of my Halloween playlist). as the scenario being described to us gets more tense, suddenly the drums come crashing in like thunder. The electric guitar then comes in and guides us into a chorus delivered so quietly it feels more like a bridge, and as such acts as one. We then land at the next part of the story, a house party full of alcohol and hormones, and as they tend to, elevate things so the chorus can truly explode.
I could write the rest of this review breaking down this one song, but that would do an utter disservice to what comes next. “Closer” sees the return of an acoustic intro that fills me with the same feelings The Districts’ work has. It’s the intentional but respectful vocals paired with the clean acoustic guitar in a call-and-answer type pattern that lets the drums shine. All this until the halfway point where the fuzz and distortion infect like an illness, shaking up this sweet fizzy drink to eruption.
We’re let down momentarily to catch our breath as we slow fade into “Automatic”, another synth-y, classic sounding track full of plenty of polish and shine. It’s nostalgic sounding to help build the feeling of remembrance and thinking back on how good we had it. The distortion does come in later, but dances harmonically with keys while percussion carries us through. I’d advise against looking at old family photos while listening to this track, unless that’s your thing.
The two tracks on the end of the record do such a good job of wrapping up the record and the themes it transcends my vocabulary. “Fuck LA” is raw, strait to the point, voicemail-filled, and is clear in its intention. Whatever you’re doing, wherever you are, it doesn’t matter as much as home. Even if home is a place you bring with you or the people you are with, that is what is most important and this track reminds us of that. “Luckiest Man Alive” closes us out with a heartful of gratitude. Leaning again on country/folk roots to pace this love letter full of the everlasting power of love.
Nothing from this album comes short of deeply sincere, intentional, and fresh. Like with their debut work, it is full of gems just waiting for you to give them the time. Sunburned is not a pandemic or covid album, it’s not just a follow-up album, and it is the furthest thing from a sophomore slump. Illiterate Light has demonstrated a true mastery of the craft, desire to iterate and transform, and has showed me they have a damn good time doing it.
Comments
Post a Comment