The line up of Bill Mallonee, Jake Bradley, and Kevin Heuer is the strongest in the history of the Vigilantes of Love and Summershine is one of the best records in the band's history. With a mighty fan base and an accessible, approachable musician presence, VoL is making waves on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
However, the pre-CD hype of a complete style change is not fulfilled. Summershine is still basically Atlanta-sound, Americana music with just a bit of British sensibilities sprinkled in. The record starts out strong with a West Coast Byrds-like song called "You Know That." Continuing with the effort to change musical personae, Mallonee uses more guitar effects and carries more of a tune more often on this record.
Most of the songwriting on Summershine measures up to the band's usual high standard, but there are a couple of weaker ideas in the middle of the listen. One song even borrows from David Bowie the imagery of dousing a fire with gasoline. That song, "Puttin' Out Fires," may be included because it was, and is, a live show favorite, but is at odds with the sunny, love struck theme of the project.
Don't get me wrong, the record is very good; superior in fact, when compared to the rest of the band's catalog. Throw in an occasional Rickenbacker effect and a backwards guitar loop and I guess you can claim a quasi-British record but it's not fair to expect music like that of, "Coldplay, and Travis, and James, and Oasis," as Mallonee has boldly compared VoL's new sound. Summershine is not that kind of record and it should not be listened to that way. It is a very fine, thoughtful, well-written, very well performed and produced piece of musical passion. American passion that talks of "summer shine and everything that makes the woeful heart to sing" [..."She Is Fading," track two]. The CD is consistent throughout and the pace is energetic until the last song, "Sailors," when the band slows to a lumber to sing about a lost friend and secrets untold.
One secret that needs to be told is that Vigilantes Of Love is an exceptional band with an excellent new record. Let someone know.
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Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Brian A. SmithSometimes you hear a record that makes you lose your objectivity. As a critic, you think "I can't just rave about a record without finding something wrong with it!" Summershine, the latest gem from Vigilantes of Love, made me work awfully hard to find anything negative. In fact, I would say this album ensures that I will deliver my annual rant to anyone who will listen, along the lines of: "VoL…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Aaron BellTime for some brutal honesty... I have never been a huge fan of Vigilantes of Love. I have enjoyed their stuff; they were good, but didn't connect with me like they had with so many other critics. I enjoyed them, but their work never made it into my "always playing" list. I cordially went along with the crowd on the topic of VoL. I accepted that they had a way of touching a nerve in many critics,…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Lisa ReidAfter following a band for a number of years, one might expect an "off album" at some point. Not so with the Vigilantes of Love; they never fail to delight, and Summershine is no exception. The lineup for this CD is the longest-running in the band's history: Bill Mallonee on lead vocals and guitar, Kevin Heuer on drums and percussion, and Jake Bradley on bass. While the sound of the new CD is…Similar sounding releases
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