GUIDING LIGHTS

Did I just ride down a slide made of razor blades and fall into a vat of Jack Daniels?

There's 4 recent discoveries that should blow your sonic minds this week. First: Trixter, the last of the hair rock bands just released a new album! WTF? Who saw that coming? Second (and in the same arena): Nelson released a new album, too! [pause] ... NELSON, for the sake of all creatures great and small! I don't know what to make of this. My emotions are confused and flabergasted all at once. I feel giddy, angry, confused and curious all at the same time. It makes by body hurt and feel funny. And that's not all folks: for the hair metal hat trick dejour -- Bullet Boys released a new album, also! If you're like me it's an uncanny, quasi-optimistic day to be alive. This is now solid proof that the fun glam years of music were not killed by Grunge? it simply went into hibernation.

The fourth thing -- which blew my mind more than the aforementioned -- is the mere fact that one of the coolest releases last year, Guiding Lights from Skyharbor, is being overlooked here on PA. Ten lashes with the cane. To the stockade. No soup for you. Long reprimands short: get this album now! You like Karnivool, Dead Letter Circus, Aeon Zen, Nothing More, Tessaract or Breaking Orbit? This belongs in your collection if it isn't already.

Skyharbor is parts nu-metal, math rock, djent and electronica. The best parts from all rolled into one with great sonic production. Excellent vocals with well crafted lyrics weave melodiously through your brain synapses and elevated your consciousness into having direct contact with the embodiment of eternity itself. It's heavy man. It's deep and profound and perfect on all fronts; recording; production value; musicianship; space; harmony; and that little secret ingredient only a few bands will ever realize (and you don't know the secret, if you did the proverbial they would kill you). The guitars ying yang with purpose. They crunch hard, tube amps on 11, and yet, they can find a serenity that wills you to float in the smoky matmos of giant lava lamps long forgotten. It's the soundtrack for a modern day Barbarella, the future soundtrack of our enlightened selves. Listen long and listen loud. This album can't be praised enough and should not go unnoticed here. That would be criminal.

...much like Nelson releasing an album in this day and age.

Wishful concert pairing: Karnivool for sure.