This for you non-metal-loving types out there. I was just listening to this album and thought some of you may like it.
I first heard this band via 311. While recording their last album, Nick sent me a CD with some demos on it, one was called "Age Of Consent." I thought it an odd song for 311, it was this strange (for 311) little song, kind of dark and melancholic, but with an almost-Carribean-like sway, you know? I then found out it wasn't a 311 song, but a Neverending White Lights tune. The song was to be on an upcoming CD called Act 1: Goodbye Friends Of The Heavenly Bodies.
The album is the product of Daniel Victor, an apparent musical genius who alone wrote and recorded his first song at age six. I'd never heard of him, that's for sure. The album contains three acts consisting of 16 songs total. The first track is sung by Victor himself, and he has an excellent voice, sort of David Gilmour, sort of Thom Yorke. He also plays all the instruments on the album—which are too many to name. The remaining fifteen songs features the following guest vocalists (one per track except for one song that features two):
Chris Gordon (Deckard)
Nick Hexum (311)
Chris Gray (The Black Maria)
Judah Nagler (The Velvet Teen)
Scott Anderson (Finger Eleven)
Daniel Greaves (The Watchmen)
Nathan Larson (Shudder to Think) *
Jason Martin (Starflyer 59) *
John Campsey (Sleepway)
Sharky Laguana (Creeper Lagoon)
Dallas Green (Alexisonfire)
Matt Talbot (Hum)
Raine Maida (Our Lady Peace)
Todd Kerns (Age of Electric)
Jimmy Gnecco (Ours)
Marco Solo (Supergarage)
* On the same track.
Surprisingly the album flows extremely well considering each song sort of has its own distinct personality. Victor wanted to bring diverse artists together and fit them into a seamless musical concept. He succeeded. For the most part the album can be compared to Radiohead (though a vague comparison it is), but some songs take on a more rock tone. Lots of orchestration, lots piano and acoustics, lots of melancholia, sort of depressing. Hehe.
Anyway, it's a really great album, definitely not for the "tr00" metalhead, though. Give it a listen...
FROM WHAT I ONCE WAS (Yousendit WMA feat. Daniel Victor)
ANGELS & SAINTS (Clip feat. Chris Gordon of Deckard)
HOW COULD I SURVIVE? (Clip feat. Sharky Laguana of Creepy Lagoon)
AGE OF CONSENT (Clip feat. Nick Hexum of 311)
ANGELS & SAINTS (Youtube Video feat. Chris Gordon of Deckard)
THE GRACE (Youtube Video feat. Dallas Green of Alexisonfire) *
* Not an official video, someone synced up some anime shit to the song because they were depressed or something. Weird.
Website:
http://www.neverendingwhitelights.com
