Time 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, and was disappointed that they had not broken out to the mass fame that their talents warranted, but I never heard the "thing" that had so many critics fawning over them. Then I heard Summershine. Now I am connected.
As with most VoL releases, I was intrigued, hoping that maybe this time I would hear what everyone was talking about. So I agreed to take a listen. The opening track was enough for me to say "I finally get it!" "You Know That (Is Nothing New)" is a great opening track, with its acoustic guitar and drums thumping a steady, delightful beat into my ears, along with beautiful, poetic lyrics:
Moonlight be a friend tonight
We're all wrecked up on these dreams
Holding on a bit too tight
I've got splinters from these moonbeams
If it seems we're falling down
If it seems we're falling through
Darlin' you know that is nothing
Darlin' you know that is nothing new
"You Know That (Is Nothing New)" leads very nicely into the rest of this gem of an album. Another highlight includes the ode to confusion and dismay, "I Could Be Wrong (But I Don't Think I Am)," which goes through the trials of not really knowing what's going on in a relationship or how to interpret
the "signs."
That track leads into my personal favorite on the album, "Along For The Ride," a beautifully haunting piece with a slow guitar and vocal delivery that is heartbreaking and sad. It's an emotional investment song that seems to be built for the "night driving mixed tape" alongside David Gray and Travis.
This album is fantastic. With little else to say beyond that, I am now a fan, and I am now excited about future releases; not just to see what the hype is all about, but rather because I am finally connected.
5 tocks
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 Tony LaFianzaThe 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…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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