Lightspeed Champion is the "bandonym" of Dev Hynes, formerly of the noisy dance-punk band, the Test-Icicles. I'd never heard of the Test-Icicles before I heard this album, but let's just say that after hearing samples of their music, I know that I would never buy it. Hynes seems to be going down a much more mature musical pathway with this new endeavor. Lightspeed Champion offers a far more musical experience as we hear elegant song-writing, tongue-in-cheek lyrics and a full arsenal of instrumentation coloring the music. Hynes employs everything from strings, to winds, to pedal steel, to banjo, to mandolin, to organ. The album starts with a short intro-track that segues into "Galaxy of the Lost," a catchy poppy song that features a really great little guitar lick. Then we get "Tell Me What It's Worth," another great radio friendly single. Following that is a short interlude track, followed by the 10 minute "Midnight Surprise," which is a great well written epic, though it could use a few listens to really sense how it fits together. "Devil Tricks" is particularly creative, vocals accompanied almost exclusively by a string quartet, going back and forth from a pizzicato to bowed texture. Then the album takes another step to radio-friendliness with "I Could Have Done This Myself," which is followed by "Salty Water," using only piano and different weaving vocal parts in haunting harmonies. Then my two most favorite cuts, the driving "Dry Lips" and the fantastically sardonic break up song, "Everyone I Know is Listening to Crunk." I don't have to keep going track by track. You get the gist, this is some great, really creative stuff. Really every cut on this disc is incredibly wonderful. This one is one of those few albums out this year that I can't seem to get enough of (the other three so far are Bon Iver, The Punch Brothers and Plants and Animals, and I'm pretty sure that Vampire Weekend will make the list once I get my mitts on it). This music may not have the depth of something like Bon Iver, but it is certainly fun and well-written pop music. To say the least, I'm really excited to hear more from Dev Hynes.
I think this album for some reason reminds me a lot of The Dears. If you were to take one look at the album cover, you'd think Lightspeed Champion is a novelty act. But you'd be wrong. There's a hell of a lot of depth and pathos to this guy's music. It is, at times, rather strong stuff.
It was still in my CD player until yesterday by the way. I only just bought Tinderstick's new album. But I assure you, this album's worth the money.
Great album... a much needed departure from the norm and a pleasant return to music as an art form.
