Ultra Lights Avoid Any Filler
Chunklet Industries — Henry Owings’ multifaceted design and publishing brand — recently shipped me a vinyl test pressing of the new Ultra Lights album, Pleasure’s All Yours. Since they took the time to send me a physical copy, I tried to respond appropriately — I put it on the record player, got out the big headphones, and listened from start to finish twice.
It’s a filler-free album defined by melodic and combative lead guitar hooks (“Wild on the Outside” is probably the best example). Those kinetic, yet uncomplicated, riffs infuse a real immediacy into all 11 songs, ensuring the whole thing goes by in a memorable flash.
Broadly, the album scratches at a mid-90s alternative sensibility — think elements of Superdrag’s Regretfully Yours — while also crashing against glimpses of shitgaze masters Times New Viking. Meld those two sounds, and you’ve got something close to the Ultra Lights vibe. This is particularly true on “Got Damage” and “Diamond Dreams.”
John Robinson’s singing balances the record effectively, preserving the get-up-and-go energy while avoiding any overeagerness. Although I dig the coolness of John’s delivery, I found his voice to be the most compelling when he reaches a little or switches up his phrasing (“Pleasure’s All Yours” and “Bad Feeling”).
I don’t view Ultra Lights as a pop band necessarily, but I do feel most connected to them during their hookier moments. Maybe that’s why “Nightmares” stood out as my favorite track. The tune has a nice layer of menace and a sticky melody that makes for a perfectly tense hit-and-run single. Structurally, it’s their most interesting, too, particularly during the wind-up before the chorus.
Chunklet/Henry has had an enduring impact on independent music and culture in the Southeast for many years, so I think it’s safe to say you can trust his ear. If he’s hearing something special from Ultra Lights, then we should probably pay attention. And, after spending quality time with Pleasure’s All Yours, I think I’m beginning to understand why he believes in these folks.
The full record drops on July 10. You can check out the first few singles now on streaming platforms and Bandcamp. Also, we’ll be bringing Ultra Lights to Birmingham this Fall for a show at Mom’s Basement, so keep an eye out for more details.
