AT LONG LAST I’VE LISTENED TO LIGHT UP THE DARK.
Ok, guys, at last my copy of Light Up the Dark arrived!!!
So, I’ve heard it like 5 times and here are my thoughts on it:
Firstly, it reminded me a little of Jake Bugg’s Shangri La, because you can’t compare it to the first one. Both Jake and Gabrielle decided to turn the style around and deliver a completely unexpected record, but they did it well.
That being said, Light Up the Dark is Gabrielle getting a little away from the folkish stuff she had been making and getting to do a little bit of everything. From the heavy eponymous track to the R&Bish Heavy Heart and the weird animal that Together is. But she does it really good, the production is flamboyant, but it fits really well the record. And her voice, you really want to pay attention to her voice ‘cause in English Rain she sings beautifully, but in this one she shows her off a lot more, and plays with her in some ways that you couldn’t have seen coming from the past stuff she’s done. Overall, it is a great record. Here are my track by track opinions:
Light Up The Dark
An extraordinary opening track. Sets the tone for the whole record. Massive production, brilliant lyrics and THE VOICE. English Rain tracks didn’t let her show off her voice like she does in this one, the whole “Light up the dark in you, light up the dark in you, I light up the dark in you” bit at the end it’s incredibly powerful. And the vibes. The vibes are magical.
Skeleton
At first listen I didn’t quite got this song. But then the second time around as soon as the chorus started I was singing along. In my opinion, it’s all about the chorus. Catchy, simple, and then she continues to show us that she is going to play a lot more with it’s voice with all the inflections in it that make the chorus even more memorable than it already would be without them. And the backing vocals, really helpful to set the spooky atmosphere.
Fools Love
Man, that intro. Whoooooooos gonna love love?
Musically, this feels a lot like Light Up the Dark. It was with this song that I realized that when you gain that sound musically and start doing this kind of songs instead of the English-Rainish ones you have to inevitably lose lyrical power. I mean, it’s good and musically it doesn’t disappoint but in my opinion, this lyrics are not Gabrielle at its best.
Slip Away
I like the “I’ve been waiting” bits. The way she plays with her voice, yeah, keeps surprising. And that guitar. So much distortion. Such coolness.
Sweet Nothing
THIS SONG. THIS BLESSED SONG. MATE. There are so many things that are right and I wasn’t aware of them ‘till I heard it in the record.
First the lyrics. “I’m diving underwater just to breathe” YEAH. That’s what I’m talking about.
The whole whoooo-ooooo-oooooo works fine fine fine. The drums are outstanding, the clapping is just on point. The incredibly catchy, energic, massive chorus.
And the guitar, guys, PAY ATTENTION TO THE GUITAR. It’s really just the pre-chorus arpeggio and the magical chords in the verses that make Gabrielle do the awkward dance move (but really, all of us do the same thing when that bit comes). Lastly that piano in the chorus, god. It just makes me wanna jump up and down and up and down. WHAT A TUNE.
Heavy Heart
When she released this song early I really couldn’t say I liked it. And I thought that was ok, ‘cause you know, you’re allowed not to like a song (even if you love the person that’s singing it). But the album brought her into context and yeah, it’s a good song. The heavy heart concept it’s brilliant, and I mean, that bit at the end when she starts all like “I’VE GOT A HEAVY HEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARTTTTTT” is impressive. Like I’ve said, we really have to stop to take a moment and appreciate this beautiful woman’s unique voice.
Shallow Love
This one is the most English-Rainish one in the record. The lyrics are reeeaaaaaaaally good. I like when she whispers. She should whisper more often. I love her whisperish-singing.
Shaaaaaaaallow love, let me go. Yeah, her voice and the guitar make a killer combination in the chorus, it’s impossible not to have it stuck in your head afterwards. And you know, the heavy heart is sinking like a stone. That’s a clever way to get the most out of the tracklist, that’s what albums are about.
Anybody Out There
Ok, this one’s another of the massive ones. As soon as you hear the first line you know this is not about ending a relationship but losing a loved one. Then the ghost line and the people sympathy one confirm it.
And it really captures that feeling you know, that at first is not the sadness but the emptiness and that unsettled, “kind of paranoid” feeling. And that production again; this is a top notch, incredibly well planned song. The whooo-hooos, aaahaaaa are so good, the heavy drums, her singing. The whole atmosphere of the song is huge and so well focused. Great song.
Hurt
This is my least favourite one. I really don’t like this lyrics. I don’t know, probably I’m not getting it but it feels like an incredibly pessimistic song. It’s not the beautifully sad kind of song that lots of the English Rain ones were. It’s just like “you are so good, I know that this is gonna hurt”. Hmmm, that’s no way of thinking, Gabrielle. I don’t know.
I like her singing though, really laid down, it really makes you sad, man. She’s really feeling it. Perhaps that’s the reason I’m not getting that, never felt that way.
Together
I can’t help but seeing Gabrielle going full Florence (Welch) mode when (if) she sings this live. The oooohhh-oooooh remind me strongly of Rabbit Heart. This whole song reminds me strongly of early Florence and The Machine’s material. But it is good, she does a good Florence. She makes it all fit together-gether-to-gether-gether-soooo-weeeeeeellll.
What Did You Do?
This too bears an incredible resemblance to another famous song: Jingle Bells.
That being said: I die to hear this live. It’s anthemic.
It feels like Gabrielle’s Tender. The chorus is simple, but incredibly good. Half through the song you are already singing it loudly. Great tune.
A While
Great lyrics, and it feels like the merging point of the English Rain and Light Up the Dark styles. It is a powerful song, but I couldn’t help to compare it to Start of Time and in my opinion it’s far from being as good a closing track as Start of Time is. Sorry Gaberrz. :(
Don’t Break Your Heart On Me
I LOVE HER HIDDEN TRACKS. This is Gabrielle going full Nick Drake mode. I know she loves him and I like sooooooooo much that you can hear her influences turn into songs as incredibly gorgeous as this one. Blessed thou hidden tracks Gabrielle, bless them.
Please, please, please, tell me your opinions too!!! My ask is always open, I want to talk with someone about the record. Sorry it took me so long, back to bussiness.
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