| Summary: More rumblings from the Rhode Island duo. |
Lighting Bolt's 'Earthly Delights' does little to stray from the group's signature sound. Some critics have viewed this as a bad thing. While it is easy to understand the sentiment in that school of thought Lighting Bolt's appeal has always come from the endless pummeling of noise the group is able to harness. On 'Earthly Delights' the Rhode Island duo has realized that effects and random noises can only go so far. Has the band changed their sound? No, but the way they actually achieve that sound has grown tenfold. 'Colossus' which seemingly embraces standard tuning encapsulates this theory perfectly. Rather then relying on the usual dissonant contrast between the low-end and high-end of the bass that most Lightning Bolt tracks have 'Colossus' grooves on a few simple bass riffs. This method of basing songs on grooves rather than their previously reliance on intense noisescapes helps embellish their already unique sound.
'Earthly Delights' captures Lightning Bolt in its finest form when it explores techniques alien to the band. 'Funny Farm' a supposed mash-up of country and noise has a stuttered twang to its prodding heaviness. 'Rain On Lake I'm Swimming In' mixes looped high-end bass guitar with the group's always imaginative vocals. The vocals on 'Earthly Delights' are almost pushed to the forefront of the mix in what appears to be yet another subtle shift in the basis of the Lightning Bolt sound. As I said before none of the tracks here really sound out of place, but some of the techniques and effects implemented may make long time listeners feel as if the band is selling out. This is typically the response when a group that is as abrasive as Lightning Bolt moves in a simpler or more accessible way. The album itself has few complaints that can be lodged at it. The main issue that has haunted Lightning Bolt's career is the lack of cohesion their recorded material has with their live performance. 'Earthly Delights' is clearly a highlight of the year and seems impressive after the slightly repetitious and disappointing 'Hypermagic Mountain'. The group has expanded its vocabulary and in general made its sound more broad and enjoyable. 'Earthly Delights' ranks with 'Wonderful Rainbow' as the best recorded Lightning Bolt document, but those who've witnessed the group live may find themselves still asking for something more.
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