Why did Lit come and go from the public eye? Aside from their departure from RCA after their commercially disappointing "Atomic," Lit was never geared for mainstream success. Their songs are catchy, their lyrics have consistently been bitter and cheeky, yet they have never had a prominent position on the media. Hardcore music enthusiests overlook their material in a sea of pop rock, and casual listeners haven't found much to stir their interest since A Place In The Sun's "My Own Worst Enemy." Somehow, Lit couldn't hold a candle to their first hit in the mainstream market. "Atomic" tried, but the band knew it was time to do their own thing. Dropping from RCA was their first choice - making their latest effort more compelling. No longer on a major label, Lit still offers similar work to their previous efforts except this time around their earnest dedication to their influences is more apparent. Dropping from RCA was the best thing Lit could have done for themselves and their fans. The limelight is gone, and the band hasn't changed much - proving their love for what they do. And this is what they have since left us with:
1. Too Fast For A U-Turn - An adequate delivery of Lit's expression of RCA's loss of grip. The song offers a vibe of 70's effects placed upon muted vocals and familiar guitar tone from Jeremy Popoff. The ever present "whooaohs" accompany AJ's vocals as they rip through a very evolved Lit peice. Not quite as catchy as, say, anything they've done - but this was a great selection for an opening track because it warns fans and listeners alike that the band has broadened their musical scope while maintaining the pop/rock fusion they have always held onto. ***
2. Looks Like They Were Right - If you have heard any song off of this album, this is the one you've heard. The opening riff has a vibe extremely similar to Queens of the Stone Age's "Know One Knows." Extremely catchy, yet still delivers a more raw sound as the rhythm bounces through distortion and mid-tempo breaks. I'm usually disappointed by singles, but the band went with a good one this time around. While it may be no "My Own Worst Enemy" to casual listeners, it adds a mainstream appeal to an otherwise fan-appreciated album. ****
3. Needle & Thread - An extremely Lit-esque song encorporates melodic guitar and vocals which break into a solo by The Matches' Jon Devoto. The chorus is nearly the most catchy offering on the entire album. This song does absolute justice to the Pop Rock genre. Needle & Thread is a perfect fusion of what Lit molds throughout an album's worth of material. ****1/2
4. Times Like This - A moody, yet infectious song. Strings accompany one of the best songs on this album. Not only is it one of the better songs on the album, but it successfully displays Lit's eclectic presentation of influence. You won't find anything like this on Lit's previous albums, and only Atomic comes closest. Dark, catchy, and entirely worthy of their greatest hits catalog. ****1/2
5. Throwaway - One of the fortunate aspects of Lit's work is Jeremy's ability to churn through riffs which dissapate any notion of album filler. Even if a song isn't well above par, the brothers Popoff have a strong talent in adding fills and hooks to implant into your mind. Throwaway is a great example of this. The song begins with power chords reminiscent of AC/DC's 'Back in Black.' Not to say that it's a clear ripoff - it's simply an effective presentation of yet another constant influence that Lit has kept close. Not quite as memorable as the album's previous tracks, but it still manages to find its place on the album collectively. ***
6. Forever Begins Right Now - A blatant Elvis Costello tribute. Hand claps make up the chorus' rhythm (think 'That Thing You Do' - if you saw that sub par peice of film). I mentioned "Needle & Thread" to be NEARLY the most catchy offering on the entire album. Well, this one takes the cake. Spin this one for your girlfriend if she refuses to go to a Lit concert with you. The song aims at catchy, yet somehow manages to steer clear of complete sap. Lit pulls off a song which will be stuck in your head for days, and you won't necessarily be pissed at them for it. ****
7. Moonshine - This song serves as an appropriate intermission for the album. Not their best, but certainly not their worst. Jeremy salvages a potential b-side with well delivered riffs and hooks. It blends in well with the album, but that could be its only flaw - it blends. It belongs, but hardly holds onto the edge of saturation within an otherwise strong offering. ***
8. Alright - Just when you think you might lose interest in 'Moonshine' Jeremy flanges his guitar into a very So-Cal punk progression. While the chorus is somewhat repetitive and predictable, the verses offer the punch of A Place In The Sun's "No Big Thing." Fortunately, the song doesn't stay beyond its welcome as it adds a pop punk flavor to a more alternative rock attempt of an album. ****
9. Lullaby - Intentionally sloppy piano work begins Lit's softest outing on their album. This acoustic song was apparently written by Jeremy for his son while he was away on tour. There are moments that make the song a little over the top on the cheese factor. The music box affect, the strings, the "la la la's" in the chorus, and the audio of Jeremy's son at the end can make make the song hard to stomach at times, but the song is called "Lullaby" for a reason. What else could someone else expect? It's a hell of a lot better than Creed's release of the same title. If you want to hear an even better acoustic track by Lit, go back to Atomic's "Happy in the Meantime." ***1/2
10. Hard to Find - "Moonshine's" more effective counterpart - "Hard to Find" is a much better song in terms of production and overall delivery. Great harmonies and churning guitar delivery redeems this song from even being at eye level with the filler category. It is an album song, however. It can't effectively stand on its own. The album contains the song, the song isn't off the album. ***1/2
11. All or Nothing - Lit's only power ballad on the album - it's a more raw version of "Slip" (off Atomic) in my opinion. "Moody" seems to be one of the better adjectives for this album, and All or Nothing is a great example of such. The chorus is catchy as hell, and make up for a teetering verse arrangement. "Completely Miserable" could fall in the same category, although the single had more memorable verses. It may sound like I'm split on my opinion on the song, but I believe it to remain one of the better songs on the album - I also should mention I'm a sucker for power ballads at times. ****
12. Pictures of You - Cure cover alert. Let's throw that out right away. The thing is, it's a very good Cure cover. I wasn't too excited about this song when I first saw the tracklist, but there was no way I could dismiss it when I heard it. A surprisingly solid effort picks up the latter portion of the album. AJ's vocals are tighter than ever as they soar, croon, and even scream at one point. This is definetely a very lavish and alluring effort which nearly - dare I say it? - outdoes the original. ****1/2
13. Bulletproof - A darker album is finally met with darker content. This song is about a friend's suicide, and its lyrics seem to blend perfectly with the album's closer. Chants of "We're all alright, We're all alright" finish up the song, and the album. And through hearing these chants as the music fades, Lit proves that their self-titled album is their best effort to date. ****
