I regret to begin this review on a sad note, but we send our condolences to the family and girlfriend of Echo Lake's drummer, Pete Hayes, and to Pete's bandmates. Peter died last Thursday and we learned of it on Sunday. So the release of this album, which should be a time of great joy for the band, undoubtedly is colored by sadness.
Imagine My Bloody Valentine infused with affecting female vocals and extra attention to melody. A nice idea, right? Well, London's Echo Lake think so as well, and have executed it to great effect on Wild Peace, a dream pop album with a distinctive aggressive edge. The result is an impressive debut, brimming with confidence and purpose and showcasing an excellent set of songs.
"Last Song of the Year" is one of the more pop-oriented songs, with an infectious Stone Roses-style guitar riff and a Spectoresque wall of sound --
The title track, "Wild Peace" is one of several beautiful slower songs that highlight Linda's vocal powers. Other songs, such as "Another Day", are chameleons, shifting between girl-group sweetness and a shoegazey sonic tapestry.
"Young Silence" displays the raw sonic overdrive reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine --
If this is your introduction to the band, don't feel behind the times. At this point, their fan base is largely in the UK. However, I expect that to change with Echo Lake. I expect that more than a few tracks here will compete for spots on your summer soundtrack. Then you can relax and watch this band get big over the next few years.
The members of the band are Thom, Linda, Pete (R.I.P.), Kier, and Steve.
Echo Lake is out in the UK on 6/25 on No Pain In Pop and in the US on Slumberland on 6/26.
Website
Twitter ( @echolakeband )
Slumberland Records
No Pain In Pop
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