photo by joey wharton - "Hold my mind / Hold it in your arms tonight / Hold it til the bleeding dries / Enough that I can weep / Tie me down / Push my feet against the ground / Push your hand against my mouth / Enough that I can breathe..."
Somehow rock duo Illiterate Light makes pain and the numbness of melancholia feel upbeat (even hopeful) on the emotionally complex 'Heaven Bends'. One reason for this is the utterly compelling sonics. The big synth bass lines, gorgeously caustic guitar sounds (and soaring lead), the drum beat that drives hard but feels somewhat aloof and the vocal aesthetic that feel bruised up but ultimately so beautiful. While the entire song is impactful, after the music twists, spirals inside out there is a spoken / screamed bridge that drives me mad, fills me with both adrenaline and sadness. It feels like a gut punch and is the crazy glue that bonds me to this track. See the lyrics below:
"Birthday, panic attack / With friends that forgive and forget / Screamed so loud, the whole town heard / It was raining, and I was sunburned / And the barn was burning bright / There was nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide / And I've broken down before / But this time / Something in me died / Yeah, something in me died / Yeah something in me died / Something died..."
When the chorus finishes out the song it feels even more heavy after that screamed, spoken bridge.
What a moving, groovy song.
-Robb Donker Curtius
https://www.instagram.com/illiteratelight/
https://twitter.com/illiteratelight
https://www.illiteratelight.com/
Illiterate Light has been stretching boundaries and upending expectations with a captivating blend of soaring indie rock, swirling psychedelia, and atmospheric folk that calls to mind everything from Neil Young and My Morning Jacket to Fleet Foxes and Band of Horses. Gorman plays guitar with his hands and synth bass with his feet, while his musical partner, Jake Cochran, plays a standup drum kit, which captures the scintillating energy that’s fueled their journey. Hailed as “a perfect addition to your summertime playlist” by NPR, the band honed in on their distinctive sound and identity over years of relentless touring, earning dates along the way with the likes of Shakey Graves, Rayland Baxter, Mt. Joy, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Futurebirds, and The Head and The Heart in addition to high-profile festival slots at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Newport Folk, and more.
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:
https://www.instagram.com/illiteratelight/
https://twitter.com/illiteratelight
https://www.illiteratelight.com/
Illiterate Light has been stretching boundaries and upending expectations with a captivating blend of soaring indie rock, swirling psychedelia, and atmospheric folk that calls to mind everything from Neil Young and My Morning Jacket to Fleet Foxes and Band of Horses. Gorman plays guitar with his hands and synth bass with his feet, while his musical partner, Jake Cochran, plays a standup drum kit, which captures the scintillating energy that’s fueled their journey. Hailed as “a perfect addition to your summertime playlist” by NPR, the band honed in on their distinctive sound and identity over years of relentless touring, earning dates along the way with the likes of Shakey Graves, Rayland Baxter, Mt. Joy, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Futurebirds, and The Head and The Heart in addition to high-profile festival slots at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Newport Folk, and more.
Illiterate Light, duo, indie rock, alt rock, alt pop, dreamy, heavy rock, emotionally deep, driven, somber beautiful vox, 'Heaven Bends',
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