Simultaneously soothing and slightly sinister, the Fuzzy Lights hover between violin-laced folk and guitar-coated alt- (or maybe post-) blues. Their almost instrumental offering here comes on like the soundtrack for an epic western, with a hint of menace lurking under all the beautiful but bleak scenery.

The strings wail on just the right side of intrusive, adding a haunting note to the plaintive guitar with some minimalist percussion holding it all in sync. Occasional swells of noise rise up and subside.

Surprisingly the carefully constructed atmosphere is not even slightly perturbed when the band does decide to introduce some very low key vocals. Although the lyrics are more spoken than sung the addition of an extra layer to a few tracks nicely sets off the restless instrumental nature of the rest of the album.

Occasionally the Fuzzy Lights do stray a little off track and the melodies begin to degenerate. Although it might briefly seem like they have begun to lose their way the band do always seem to find it again and something coalesces out of a lazy riot of violin, piano, guitar and drums.

If this release was not so involving it would be a perfect record to be lulled asleep by. As it is, 'A Distant Voice' deserves you paying it a bit more attention.




Track Listing