Lights "Siberia"

     Our favorite cartooning, space-explorer returns for a second go. This time the expedition may be closer to home, but it is still pretty far away as she explores Siberia. I must say I like her distinstinctive voice, and her saccharine delivery may be too cute for words, that just makes you want to give her the biggest hug, or maybe cry yourself to sleep, but that could just be me. Her debut was a fun and a full of songs gooda for The Listening, and while the whole album was a little too sweet to be ingested more than once at a time; her second one was a little different.  I loved her single choices, all great songs, and I will pretend that she had two more singles that were just playing hide and seek in the february air. I liked a couple more, but let's see if you can figure them out. The title track still has her distinctive vocals, but she toned down the cuteness (or the autotune) that is sailing on icy seas, spacey keys, distortion-ridden beats, and dreamy backing harmonies. Let's clap your hands to this intro, and  the chorus seems to have distorted keys follow, "Where the Fence is Low." Once the percussion hits the ground it just keeps on running as if it just committed a crime and needs to run from the cops, and our beautiful friend LIGHTS is trying to catch up to him. Would you roll your eyes if I said that this song keep me on my "Toes?" I know several girls that make sure I keep my eyes open, but might unsuspectingly bring me to the lions if I did not pay attention.                                                                 The undulating keys, and the touch of unharmony accompanied by the best vocal performance/delivery yet on this record. If I like it that much I should just make a "Banner" that says "Congrats LIGHTS! You CAN Sing." I love the honesty in this song "However much you've got on your plate/You're as good as you reciprocate," and you should reciprocate; even if the return may be low. I mean "We all pretend to keep/Our tongue out of our cheek/Everyone's the fool they seek," and even though "Everyone Breaks a Glass" the production values of this song are far from broken and brittle Holy F***!  I didn't know they invited their friend Shad to help out. "Timing is Everything," and unfortunately most of us are not born with the skill to gauge when it is the right time, and I might be part of the majority that don't have that skill either, but doesn't our songstress sound like electronic/synthpop's answer to Vanessa Carlton? I thought of Robyn two tracks ago! The vocals of "Peace Sign" might have the power to stagnate the stir, while the song could score a gathering to peacefully disagree with something. "Cactus in the Valley" is more like one of those heart to hearts with a piano in a recording studio.                                                                                                                    My gosh! The "Suspension" is killing me!!! "Totally incorrect usage dude." I must not be close enough, but I'm close enough to hear that blippy breakdown and that she uses some more autotune. So if the breakdown is classifed as dub-step than I must listen to more of it; I just equate that stuff w/ skrillex, so instead I can say something more refined?                                                                                                               It seems that the "Flux and Flow" has brought our animated space explorer back from the abyss of space to the depths of the ocean only to be rescued by the wordsmith known as Shad with a short verse, but it's better than drowning in sorrow and being taken away in a hearse. Seems like we're ok. Wait, what is that? An audio portal that will take us to the "Fourth Dimension" that is a cross between dub and dream-pop. "This isn't about seasons,/Or about rhyme and reason/Trying to be smart but my 0's and my 1's /Only show starts in my toes and thumbs." I wonder if this next track was written before or after her engagement to Beau Bokan; whether yes or no the song is beautiful the way it is. One more song to go "and Counting." I would seriously like some peace and quiet because this final song is full of reverb, distortion, controlled cacophony and noise that might drive people crazy; especially if they were listening to it for forty days nonstop since 'Day One,' but if you listen closely there is some beauty amidst all the tonal appearance of the horrid. It is kind of like an onion, if you peel off some of the layers and listen to it carefully you will hear the beauty within; some people may seem to have a horrid personality, but if you do the same thing you may wonder '"how the heck did I live without 'em?"                                                                                                               My sister is a fan, but liked her debut better. The sound has been said to be a little grittier, and I agree; it still has the same innocence and appeal, but is not as sickeningly sweet. We all like candy, but too much, gives us a bad stomach ache; we'll leave it at that.