Shoot Out The Lights: Lets Get Lost
The new album
Review by: Moose
Shoot Out The Lights, or SOTL, is a rock and roll band formed here in Cincinnati, Ohio circa 2009. Josh Muddiman on raspy throaty vocals and guitar, Elaina “Laney” McCormick vocals and keys, Matt “Mook” McCormick lead guitar, Joshua Howard bass and vocals, and Alan Topolski on drums round out this band that at its simplest form is just rock and roll. This is their second album which was self produced at All Nighter Studio by Tommy Capel.
SOTL brings a soulfulness to their style of rock and roll whereas the listener you truly can just get lost. The melodies are crisp and clean via the keys and guitar tones. The vocals and lyrics well formed around those melodies, and through this album they bring their styles all too the forefront, and by rock and roll standards this album can hold it’s own. These fine folks in SOTL are bringing a refreshing style of rock and roll to Cincinnati. They bring you into their space. There place where they formulate and construct straight to the teeth rock songs.
They all share in the songwriting process. Something that Joshua Howard and Josh Muddiman both told me under a night sky about two months ago. Making this a shared experience in making music with everyone involved. Lightening the load and making this more like a family. While recording this album they wanted to switch it up a bit. Moving “Mook” over to lead guitar and Josh Howard over to bass. Was a move by their own account “that may have brought demise to other bands” opened the door for more “thunderous and melodic bass grooves and fiery guitar riffs.” By doing this you can hear a band that is coming into their own. The growth of playing together is evident on this album.
Now as for the album itself. I was graced with the pleasure of getting an advanced listen, and these folks stay true to their roots with the rock and roll, but also, have songs that stay true to the jazz, blues, and country roots of Cincinnati their hometown. I did find myself getting lost in these songs. Whether it was lyrically, the melodies, or just the combination of the two they melded their roots and styles into about an hour long of nine tracks that flow just like our river, or with the weather about to warm up an album great for taking on your road trip.
Some may say rock is dead, but that is just a matter of perspective, and with SOTL this is definitely not the case. There brand of rock brings it home. They amp it up at the live show, and it quite simply is straight up rock and roll. They bring it back where it came from and are showing us where it can go. Rock and roll is many things, and can be many things, but SOTL has found their way of doing it. Has found within themselves how they can make it work, and it most certainly does.
Their new album “Lets Get Lost” is releasing on March 14th with a release party at Northside Tavern here in Cincinnati, Ohio. You can also find them at:
sotlmusic.com
facebook.com/sotlmusic1
twitter.com/shoot_lights
reverbnation.com/shootoutthelights
