Soon to be lost in the darkness of the night
Standing out from the punk rock crowd is no easy task, but Daytona Beach foursome Nightlights seem to think they've handpicked the integral ingredients required to establish a winning formula.
Although the band may have set out to achieve a considerably heavier sound, the instrumental style of Nightlights' music ultimately fails to stray far away from generic pop punk. The solid and clear-cut drumming of Jake Kneer pairs with the sturdy yet linear basslines from Alexx Klepper, coated with rugged power chords and decorative lead guitar parts that provide a thin layer of garnish. The only aspect of the Floridian band's sound that allows them to stand out from the crowd is frontman Matt Messore's brutally harsh vocals, but this is not necessarily for all the right reasons. A guttural tone such as that belonging to Messore would be an ideal asset to a band dwelling in a heavier genre, yet Nighlights' lacking instrumental force fails to sufficiently back their melodic lead. To give you an idea of the sonic imbalance here, imagine each member/instrument was to be a weapon; it would be like a shotgun firing from amongst a team of pistol-wielders. Sure, each element has strength, but there is such unevenness here that it just does not feel natural.
Energetic tracks such as 'Truffle Shuffle' and 'Obviously You're Not a Golfer' inspirit the early segments of the ten track album, pumping adrenaline through Nightlights' distorted veins. Even if the music fails to set your world alight, you will at least have to admit that their song titles are amusingly original. The moody and atmospheric instrumental interlude 'There's Something In Nothing' adopts a pivotal role for the album as a whole, holding the potential to salvage what could fast become an uninspiring venture. Fortunately, the album takes a turn for the better, wheeling out 'Laces Out, Dan!' and 'Watch Out For That First Step, It's a Doozy;' two solid punches that use their melodicism well, and although Messore continues to project his unrelenting vocal tone, the catchiness of the choruses overpowers any lingering doubts surrounding the overall sound being pursued.
"So It Goes" does pack a couple of pleasant surprises, with the quartet consistently fronted by a powerhouse that certainly does not lack passion. Sadly, the mismatched vocal style simply bears too much force to make this a comfortable listen. Although it is promising to see that Nightlights have used the attitude-heavy traits of punk to create an identity for themselves, it seems likely that they may eventually have to take the inevitable plunge and drift further towards the abundance of emerging pop punk outfits in an attempt to gain mainstream recognition, perhaps simply out of desperation to stay alive. As it stands, they are going to have to muster an awful amount of strength if they are to carry on treading water.