aaamusic | On 12, Mar 2011

Having already had some introduction to Ghostlight’s brand of middle-of-the-road balladry, we now have the full scope of their work provided in the form of album ‘Somersaults’. But is the sum greater than the parts?

Opener ‘Unfolds And Bloom’ is, in actual fact, oddly palatable as an introduction. The lyrics are cliché heart-on-sleeve stuff worthy of emo notebooks and Twi-hard soundtracks the world over, but the acoustic guitar/glockenspiel melody does work, albeit in a rather saccharine manner, and the radio rock raise of tempo and volume is deftly placed, creating a lift that draws the listener into the following songs. ‘Morning Lights’ is next, a string section sobbing over sugared piano and shining-eyed lovelorn romanticism to create a song that sounds uncannily like any Snow Patrol song you’d care to think of. Stadium chorus and a decidedly neutered guitar sound top it all off to create something accessible yet unremarkable. At least ‘Silent Novels’ throws some urgency into its attitude, with a louder, rapid patter on percussion and emotive vocals placed forwards in the mix, although it is again cushioned by sterilised instruments playing generic Coldplay-isms.

As for ‘Mathematics’, we’re thrown straight back into lovesick melodrama. Acoustic guitar and a high school dance bassline are propped up by simplistic piano and smooth drumming, and the lyrics, no matter how charmingly sung, are not simply syrupy or over-egged, but thirty seconds of it could produce the world’s most tediously self-absorbed cake.

However, there are slight moments of promise in the dullness. ‘Warm Snow’ is a perplexingly appealing piano ballad with some twee yet hooky melodies, and lyrics that are trite yet thoughtfully constructed, propelled by brittle, silken vocals. The music box/fragile guitar sound does wear, but if you need soppy pop, this is your best bet. Title track ‘Somersaults’ is at least upbeat, with a tuneful little male/female duet going on, breaking the morose yet insipid norm of the album for interplay between velvet vocalists that has a few extra dimensions of sound and mood. As for ‘6 Years Later’, it did tempt me at first with slight classical hints in the piano melody, but this only led to more of the same.

It was on hearing the slightly electro-rock bent of ‘Fingerprints’ and the totally misplaced phone-tone melody of ‘Sway’ that I started to feel Ghostlight are of the same blood as Owl City, if Owl City grew up on a diet of Britpop. The altogether-now approach of the chorus echoes Oasis anthems, but the sonics are of the modern indie school that grew from these lad rockers.

To close, ‘Primer’, a sombre waltz on piano that could almost be beautiful in its classical intimacy, if it weren’t for the rapacious taint of pop ballads that renders it as predictable as the rest of the album.

This isn’t an album. This isn’t even a concept album. This is just the same semi-acoustic love song played eleven times. There’s little to prevent you listening to Ghostlight. Their sound is entirely smooth, but this means that for all their almost savaging of the listeners’ heartstrings in an attempt to write profound lyrics, they simply feel watered down and artificial. Their songs could come on the radio at any point while you’re doing the washing up, and you will pause momentarily, elbow-deep in soap suds, and sigh with misty eyes, thinking about your first love in all its tender obsession. Then you’ll simply forget it again.

Author: Katie H-Halinski