Spotlight Kid - Departure

I first saw Spotlight Kid live a while back but, having seen them, I didn’t think what I heard live would turn out to sound as fantastic as it does on ‘Departure’, their debut CD. Spotlight Kid consists of ex-Six by Seven member, Chris Davies, and former Bent singer, Katy Heath. Formed in late 2005, they six months later had all 11 songs of the album finished off. One of the best shoegazing albums of the year, it sounds near perfect to my ears. It opens with the guitar feedback-drenched ‘Never's Too Soon’ which sounds like the Jesus and Mary Chain but with a bigger wall of sound. Katty’s vocals sound like a combination of Slowdive’s Rachel Goswell and My Bloody Valentine’s Belinda Butcher, but with a harder edge if that is possible. ‘Machines’ is closer in sound to Slowdive, but louder and more instrumental with Katty’s vocal a mere loud hum. ‘Can't Let Go(This Feeling)’ is a full-on shoegazing number with a joint male and female vocal from Chris and Katty. ‘Hungover’ features another wall of sound, but is more abstract in tone than the previous tracks. It eventually softens up, sounding like something off the Beatles’ ‘Revolver’. The vocals are inaudible, but this piece has more to do with textures and soundscapes than vocals. ‘Seefeel’ is a wonderful trip, full on to the point that it makes you dizzy with excitement. The title of ‘Liquid Coloured’ suits the track. It is another number about textures, but finally some Slowdive grooves edge their way through in a glorious way at the song's climax. ‘A Million Ways’ features multi layered guitars and a fast drum pattern, and sounds like every early Creation band ever jamming their hearts out. It is total joy. ‘Spit’ features a trumpet intro, which is soon drowned out by another onslaught of full-on guitars. Katty’s vocals sound on this like Elizabeth Fraser from the Cocteau Twins. ‘Electric Forecast’ features savage and all-out, but perfect harmonies.‘Time Goes Slow(In This Town)’ sounds like the early Verve jamming with the mixing desk of the Beatles ‘Revolver ‘ and ends in a texture of brass and female vocals that lighten the load of the savageness of the sharp-edged guitars. ‘We are People’ ends the onslaught and washes over you like fresh rain, Absolutely wonderful stuff !.

Track Listing:-

1 Never's Too Soon
2 Machines
3 Can't Let Go (This Feeling)
4 Hungover
5 Seefeel
6 Liquid Coloured
7 A Million Ways
8 Spit
9 Electric Forecast
10 Time Goes Slow (In This Town)
11 We the People