Just as 1992’s “Delaware” casts a long shadow over the fan’s memories, the album cast a long shadow over the composition of “Hard Light“. The band, just as collaborative in their song writing as ever, sought out a sound that acts as a spiritual sibling to their legendary debut without a simple copy and paste. “Hard Light” certainly stands on its own; the songs are meticulous, dreamy but not lackadaisical, hazy but not occluded. “Delaware” was a successful attempt to capture lightning in a bottle through in-the-moment experiments revealing the band’s reverence for all things 4AD. It was confessional, sometimes even angsty. “Hard Light” benefits from a version of Drop Nineteens that can take their time composing just the right rock songs, even if that means the album lacks certain spikes that were once immense on their debut. That said, it’s hard to miss those spikes when the “Hard Light” sound is so arresting.
The album has plenty of guitar. While Greg Ackell and Paula Kelley’s vocals, from their lyrics to their interplay, are a world unto themselves, it’s hard to look away from the gnarly chord formations that swell and swirl. The title track—which also serves as the opener—offers a sonorous canon of guitars flashing above like celestial bodies before Ackell and Kelley enter in hushed repetition: “Time, it’s of the essence.” Lead single “Scapa Flow” enters with a slacker riff that feels lifted from Lush-era Snail Mail before erupting into syncopated conflagration. “Rose With Smoke” is all about the processed guitar, plodding its way through in a psychedelic march. Then there are more closely held lines, like those that open “T,” the seven-and-a-half-minute closer and one of two love songs dedicated to Ackell’s girlfriend. The other, “Tarantula,” is on the up-tempo side, brushing against post-punk, with a gorgeous optimism heard in the voice, the guitars and the drums.
So, what does a modern Drop Nineteens song sound like? If their follow-up “National Coma” is to be believed, a modern Drop Nineteens song can sound like, well, anything. “Hard Light’s” answer to the initial question should elicit a sigh of relief: A modern Drop Nineteens song sounds like a grown-up “Delaware” track.
The album’s 11 tracks play to the band’s strong suits as they return from an extended hiatus, dwelling in shoegaze territory while adding a handful of excursions into baroque pop and post-punk that prove the band has a strong compositional foundation. It’s a smoother ride than “Delaware”, for better or for worse, but not without edges. Drop Nineteens have not lost all of their style; if anything, they’ve gained some finesse.
The Fat Angel Sings 