Lightspeed Champion - Falling Off The Lavender Bridge

  by Sarah Maybank

published: 28 / 1 / 2008

---

Review

No one does sweet and sour like Dev Hynes. Launching himself into solo-dom with his Andre 3000 golfer-chic makeover and battered acoustic, the former Test Icicle might have ditched experimental noise-mongering for melodies seductive as a Caribbean breeze – but don’t expect him to come lurching at you, pina colada in hand, ready to party like an all-inclusive holiday-goer, in this lifetime. Because the lyrical mood on debut long player 'Falling Off The Lavender Bridge' is about as light-hearted as Leonard Cohen perched on a dark grey rain cloud singing Nick Cave’s ‘Murder Ballads’. Coming on like the only bloke in the world to ever have relationship ups and downs, embittered Dev utilises the addictive tune-smithery of Badly Drawn Boy and the country inflections of Elvis Costello’s downbeat classic ‘Almost Blue’ to make a masterful meal of having a bad time. "Lick my open wounds and add some ice", he grouchily invites a falling-down drunk girlfriend on ‘Number One’. "Even in my dreams if you turn up, I’m unhappy", he complains all over ‘Dry Lips’, which, perversely, has a melody so uplifting it’ll have your heart soaring straight out of your body, on little feathery angel wings, and ascending heaven-wards at Michael Schumacher speed. The between song micro-breaks give the whole thing the feeling of a sweetly-executed misery megamix, making you wonder if Dev ever gives his grumpy gene a day off. Still, did anyone ever decree that the creative gifts allowing you to compose tunes that’ll have posties whistling their lips off, will, equally, make you a joy to be with and a runaway success on DatingDirect.com? And if Kurt Cobain’s knack with a tune made all his griping worth it, surely you owe it to Dev to give this a listen or two. All together now, one, two three…"This is all going to shit. What can I do? It’s me and you – ruined…"

Track Listing:-

1 Number One
2 Galaxy Of The Lost
3 Tell Me What It's Worth
4 All To Shit
5 Midnight Surprise
6 Devil Tricks For A Bitch
7 I Could Have Done This Myself
8 Salty Water
9 Dry Lips
10 Everyone I Know Is Listening To Crunk
11 No Surprise (For Wendela)/Midnight Surprise
12 Let The Bitches Die
13 Waiting Game
14 Back To Black

Label Links:-

http://www.dominorecordco.com/
https://www.facebook.com/DominoRecordC
https://twitter.com/DominoRecordCo
https://www.youtube.com/user/DominoRec
https://plus.google.com/+DominoRecords