I must first start off this review by stating that prior to
their hiatus (which lasted all of less than a year) Lydia produces my favorite
album of all time in their 2008 effort Illuminate.
The album captured the essence of everything great about the band, from lead
vocalist Leighton Antelman’s biting, self-deprecating lyrics, to the spacey,
experimental production, to the beautiful harmonic vocal trade-offs.
Fast forward a few years, and Lydia has released an EP and
an album, 2010’s Assailants and 2011’s
Paint It Golden, neither of which
come even remotely close to replicating the success or the critical acclaim of
their predecessor, with good reason.
That brings us up to the present. Lydia has returned to
self-release their fourth studio full-length Devil, the first new album since the hiatus to feature more than
two official members (Justin Camacho and Matt Keller join Antelman and drummer
Craig Taylor in the band’s lineup).
So I suppose the answer on everyone’s mind the first time
they listen to Devil is: How does it stack up to Illuminate? The answer is that
it doesn’t even come close. But that doesn’t make Devil a bad album. Devil is a rewarding listen with several songs
that rank among the upper echelon of songs in Lydia’s career. Unfortunately, it is the album’s inconsistency
that keeps it from reaching Illuminate’s level. For every “Knee Deep” or “Take
Your Time” (easily the albums two highlights) on the album, there is a terribly
bland “Back to Bed” or the overblown “From a Tire Swing” with its obnoxious
electronic organ backing.
Even if some of the album’s tracks leave something to be
desired, the lyrical content provided by Antelman on this album is as strong as
ever. As the title of the album
suggests, the lyrics often deal with Antelman facing his own inner demons. “Yeah
everything I learned I'll soon forget it, You tell me I fucked up well I guess
I did then, Just take me back to that day,” he sings in the aforementioned “Knee
Deep.” But for there is a real sense of optimism in some of the album’s tracks,
the first I can remember hearing in a Lydia album, as usually Antelman plays
the tortured soul. So perhaps the album refers to trying to maintain a cheerful
disposition, while wrestling with one’s own internal struggle.
A big complaint from fans with recent Lydia albums is that
the guitar work has taken a step back since former guitarist Steve McGraw left
the band. While the guitar tones have certainly changed since Justin Camacho
and Antelman himself have taken over the guitar duties, Devil is still full of memorable and interesting guitar licks. The
primary one that springs to mind is the infectious guitar lead of “Knee Deep”.
I think the one big problem I have with the instrumentation
on the album is the excessive use of tambourine. It seems that every song has
an extended stretch where the percussion effect is used, almost ad nauseam. I
understand Antelman and Taylor wanted to give the album a sort of airy feel,
but there are other ways to do that production wise (just look at the stellar
production of Illuminate for proof.) The songs in which they try different
percussion techniques benefit from the creativity, “Hurry Back Tonight” with its
faux tribal beat and layering gives the song a massive feel.
Bottom Line: While Lydia will never again reach the level of
their magnum opus Illuminate, Devil
is a significantly more worthwhile listen than the band’s last effort, 2011’s Paint It Golden. The tone of Devil is completely different than those
two albums, but it never quite reaches the heights of beauty that Lydia is
capable of at the apex of their creativity.
6.5/10
Recommended if you Rock: Copeland, The Cinema, States
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