With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

I was lucky enough to be on the mailing list for an excellent 7 track promo CD from the talented Skylights from York. I am very familiar with two of the tracks; “What You Are” and “YRA” which I have previously reviewed for this blog. Both of these are now accompanied by a couple of excellent videos (see below) and are almost instant anthems. On the basis of those two tracks alone it is clear that this is a tight band with a potentially bright future. “Nothing Left To Say” has the same anthemic qualities as the previously mentioned tunes and will be released with an accompanying video next month. They definitely have a DNA link to the better parts of so-called BritPop. Most notably here in “Take Me Somewhere” in which I can hear the melodies of Cast and Dodgy with perhaps the delivery of Oasis at their prime. On top of that the riff here has a late 70s power pop like quality at times.

The CD also showcases three demo recordings. “Britannia” is an epic melodic, fuzzed up banger that has influence from the Verve and especially the Stone Roses. meanwhile “Driving Me Away” does not do what it says on the tin, it drives you towards this rather excellent and very talented band. They show their softer side on the yearning hook-laden “Darkness Falls”. Rob and Jonny Scarisbrick on soaring vocals and pounding bass respectively are aided and abetted by supreme sticksman Myles Soley and axeman extraordinaire Turnbull Smith in a quest for greater success for Skylights. Can they do it? Well on this evidence I reckon they can. In fact with another three or four songs of the quality and calibre of those on the promo means there could be a brilliant début album on the cards.