Music Review // Science of the Lamps – Candela
What’s the best way to
follow one excellent release? The answer, of course, is with another. If you’re
not walking around humming the intro to Scary Smile after its initial listen
then that’s, well, rather scary in itself! The three tracks on the release are
all repeat players, but that’s no surprise when, if you’ve been to the gigs
leading up to their release, you think they are all somehow instantly familiar
such is the warmth of the production.
Opener Super Hero Me is
both punning and positive, verbose and energetic and, it has to be said rather
an addictive listen. It’s Id Pop in its nicest possible form, the song writing
ticking all those imaginary boxes for this reviewer. It almost makes the
listener question themselves on that timeless personality quiz of your
superhero qualities. And to bring out such positivity via song can’t be a bad
thing.
Next comes the slightly
gloomier (in Lamp terms) Flames & Firefighters, a recent addition to the
bands arsenal, that takes steps into a darker sound with references to love,
war and imperfection that counterpoint the brighter outer layers of the E.P.
perfectly. Closer, the aforementioned Scary Smile is not scary and does make
the listener smile. It seeks to bring light into an unknown someone’s life who
has unrevealed troubles and a chorus that reminds us all that being silent isn’t
being strong.
Overall, Candela makes a
perfect companion to its predecessor, and it’s a pleasure to finally hear the
studio version of these songs that have been heard so many times before in the
live setting.
Do-Ba-Ba-Ba-Do…
