Light Coma is a three-piece band out of Chicago who released an album back in August of 2011 called Countermeasures. It was recorded straight to tape by Greg Norman at his Studio Greg Studios II. I have to say, I believe this kind of "no frills" approach to album making can work wonders for bands who truly want to capture their actual sound, as opposed to turning the recording process into a fucking spectacle of edits and artificial digital effects. Set up the microphones, let the tubes warm up, plug in, hit record, and run with the take that feels the best. Capture the moment, the vibe. Keep it simple. Don't waste time on bullshit and allow the band and recording to sound human; it's something we definitely don't hear enough of these days. The results in this case? Top-notch minimalist rock that uses restraint like a wrecking ball.
Clocking in at just under a half hour, this album is a strong cohesive effort. Falling into that category of albums that hit harder when listened to straight through; Countermeasures creates an undeniable mood, with each song purposely and perfectly lending itself to the next. One of my favorite aspects of this album is that the tonal choices made by the band seem to have been very well thought out. The songs breathe, but are still heavy. This allows the dynamics to transition seamlessly within each song, and from song to song. How about that, huh? A band displaying all around good taste in the song-crafting department. These bands are few and far between; and here, we have found one in Light Coma.
Clocking in at just under a half hour, this album is a strong cohesive effort. Falling into that category of albums that hit harder when listened to straight through; Countermeasures creates an undeniable mood, with each song purposely and perfectly lending itself to the next. One of my favorite aspects of this album is that the tonal choices made by the band seem to have been very well thought out. The songs breathe, but are still heavy. This allows the dynamics to transition seamlessly within each song, and from song to song. How about that, huh? A band displaying all around good taste in the song-crafting department. These bands are few and far between; and here, we have found one in Light Coma.
"This Is Gonna Break Your Heart", "Remake" and "Call The Doctor" are game changers. "20 Hours and 2" closes the album out beautifully.
You can/should purchase Countermeasures over at Bandcamp.
And then, drop the band a message demanding that Countermeasures be released on vinyl...it's the right thing to do.
And then, drop the band a message demanding that Countermeasures be released on vinyl...it's the right thing to do.
