Artist: Lights
Album: The Listening
Genre: Electronica/Pop
Label: Warner Bros./Sire

Canadian songstress Lights has finally returned to the music scene with her first full length album. The Listening, which is in stores this week, boasts so much electro-pop goodness that the meer attempt to capsulize it in some amusing introductory form would be a waste of everyone’s time. Let’s just say that Lights is back and in a way no one else can ever be.

Leading off with the single, Lights instantly shows development in the sheer depth of the musical atmosphere she creates. No longer do we have empty Apple loops hoping to thump with all the power of a real studio, but we in fact have well produced synth and loops that truly hit at their full potential. Her whisper like voice moves swiftly like “TrulyMadlyDeeply” era Savage Garden mixed with the calm ferocity of a woman on a mission [even if that mission is just to share her space based sounds and warm-fuzzy feelings].

At this point, we begin finding old songs given new life, like the album’s second track, “Drive My Soul” or the ever catchy “Ice.” These tracks, in addition to three others from the debut EP, have been given a production/quality upgrades as well as a few additional beats/synths/harmonies. For example, “Ice” has more accompaniment than ever before and Valerie Poxleitner [that’s Lights real name for those of you unfamiliar] has never sounded more confident vocally than when the chorus kicks in for “The Last Thing on Your Mind.” Finally, the intensity and heartfelt sincerity of the Poxleitner and crew’s live performance has been captured in the studio. If these songs didn’t grab you before, they will now.

Even though you should, at this point, be all about the new album from Lights, you haven’t even heard about the best part: THE SONGS YOU HAVEN’T HEARD! Yes, I know it’s an odd concept in today’s pop music scene for an artist’s best material to not be plastered everywhere prior to an album’s release, but that is clearly the case with The Listening. For starters, the title track to the record screams for a club remix as the rhythmic deliver of each and every line finds away into your bloodstream almost as easily as the spacey musical accompaniment. Likewise, “Face Up” dances between Dido simplicity and near Sade like vocal effects that ends up creating an epic sounding pop song which is both unique and yet would fit perfectly in everyday life and not to gush too much, but “Quiet” boasts one of the catchiest accompaniments I’ve ever heard, let alone for electro-pop.

The Listening may very well be the only “pop” record you need to hear in 2009. Between rebooting her old materials and delivering new material that’s even better, Valerie Poxleitner has carved herself a sought after position atop the electro-pop world. This isn’t the most lyrically compelling album you’ll hear all year, but you’ll relate to it as if someone was reading you your own diary. The music is different than the norm, but feels meant to be with every line Poxleitner belts. To me, The Listening is everything I’ve ever loved about pop music, but with more sincerity than I could ever hope to find. This is honest music with a catchy soundtrack. What more could you ask for?

Score: 9.5/10

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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