Reviewed by Paul Keeble

Surrey-based League Of Lights are vocalist Farrah West and keyboard player/producer Richard West, together with players of guitar, bass and drums of impressive pedigree. They describe themselves as a "modern melodic rock group with '80s pop sensibilities". Right from track one it is a big, symphonic pop-rock sound with tight production and playing. Up-tempo opener "I'm Alive" builds quickly from a retro synth riff into a big bass-drum-guitar-orchestra intro and then Farrah's vocal. Great voice, and it sits well in the production, holds its own with the band and suits the song well. Next it's "Cover Me Now", also an up-tempo number, and then the slower, more reflective "Last Sunset" with exquisite backing vocals and tasteful strings. And so on through the album with plenty of nice moments along the way, like the way the lovely intro of 'Animé' is repeated at the end as the other instruments suddenly fall away. This is followed by the remarkably similar intro to "Cool Of The Day", also built on a four-note piano figure. Lyrically there is the ambiguous "you" rather than specific deity-naming. However, it is fairly clear where League Of Lights are coming from; for instance the bridge to "I'm Alive" with its sampling of Newton and Wesley: "I once was blind/But now I see/I once was lost/But you came down/My chains fell off/My heart was free/You knew the cost/But you came down to rescue me." Or the chorus to closer "Heaven Sent A Star": "To the ashes to the dust/To the captives to the crushed/From the one in whom we trust/Heaven sent a star/To the broken to the bound/To the ones who drag them down [nice thought]/To be loved and to be found/Heaven sent a star/For everything you are/Heaven sent." This is excellent on all counts - writing, playing, production, arranging. If, that is, you are into a classic '80s big sound (think Mister Mister with more orchestration). And yet. if I were to quibble it would be that this album is almost too polished. There really isn't a single hair out place. Also at one go it's a rich menu. Though song for song it is quality stuff, if anything my ears were getting a bit tired by the end and longing for a bit more variety. And if that sounds like I'm struggling to find fault, you could be right!

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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