Lake Francis

Tonight Is Lost

Written by: TL on 07/05/2014 13:32:53

When Copenhagen quintet Lake Francis open the debut album "Tonight Is Lost" with a song called "A New Sound Is Coming", I must admit that I think they're getting ahead of themselves somewhat, considering that what follows on the ten tracks the album contains is fairly conventional indie/alternative rock, which does show some merit however, via a professional sounding production job and an eclectic array of elements borrowed from a long list of indie rock's greats through the past ten years or so.

With a relatively sharp, Brit-rock-ish croon, the vocals narrate proceedings with a tone somewhere between Thom Yorke and Brian Molko, while the instruments mainly balance a cool Scandinavian melancholia alá Kashmir (aka. Denmark's Radiohead) and a more ominous post-punk depression which reminds me of The Twilight Sad's threatening rumble. The threat mostly remains distant however, while the songs roll comfortably through traditional structures with an "eyes locked on the horizon" feel that reminds me of Stereophonics' classic "Dakota".

There's a sense of character here then, although one that clearly needs to develop into something more striking if the band hopes to gain momementum, so for the time being, their success is likely to depend on their luck in the songwriting game. Here "Lost And Found" is recognisable via a hook melody that's reminiscent of Placebo's "Follow The Cops Back Home" and "Lost Boy" has a good, up-beat mix of Kashmir and Kings Of Leon going for it. Conversely however, the four minute jam sitting at the backend of "Most Of The Time" seems out of place for the kind of record "Tonight Is Lost" is for the rest of its runtime, and similarly the album closer "Stop" feels like a solemn closing chapter to a cohesion that wasn't present in the relatively individualistic preceding tracks.

Most of all, if I am to diagnose "Tonight Is Lost" with something, it would be that Lake Francis don't seem resolved as to whether they want to write an intricate and cohesive record or to write one full of straight up indie-rock singles, so instead they've tried to make the record a bit of both, and had limited success with this. It makes for a listen that feels solid the whole way through, but never really gets spectacular, and you find yourself hoping that the band will try to arrange their darker, wallowing post-punk elements in a way that contrasts their widely appealing chorus-intentions in a more contrasting way. So far their efforts feel a bit too middle-of-the-road, and it means that while "Tonight Is Lost" is totally enjoyable, it's unlikely to make Lake Francis a band to stand out in the indie rock landscape at large just yet.

6

Download: Lost And Found, Lost Boy
For The Fans Of: Kashmir, Placebo, The Twilight Sad, Stereophonics
Listen: facebook.com/lakefrancis

Release date 14.04.2014
Self-released

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