Everything happens in cycles, yeah? Music especially is this glorious living organism that goes through changes, reboots styles, and then goes somewhere new and even more exciting. Right now, there seems to be a resurgence of a lot of the sub-genres that made the ’90’s stand out with Grunge/Alternative and Nu-Metal making another go at trending in the now. Looking For A Light, the latest offering from Los Angeles’ Tombstones In The Eyes, dwells in the former category and focuses most of its’ energy toward that Jesus Jones, Lush, shoegaze aesthetic to give listeners something fresh yet familiar.
But I digress!
The return of “What’s In A Name?” is here mostly because it’s an easy header but also points out what a kick ass and unique moniker Tombstone In Their Eyes is and luckily for us, the tunes they create collectively is even more kick ass than that. From the instant “Quarantine Blues” really kicks in, listeners are treated to this hazy wall of sound that washes over all like a dreamy fog that’s both deafening and defining in regards to the Tombstone In Their Eyes sound. Sludgy and fuzz-soaked with all the Alt you could muster siphoned straight from the ’90’s, the kick off to Looking For A Light answers what it would sound like if Lush or Ladytron made a Desert Rawk record.
“Ship on the Sea” really dials in to some truly laid back vibes with some wailing guitar sounds from John Treanor hearkening back to classic Pixies. Hell, the whole of the Observe & Report soundtrack is represented here melded with modern Dream Pop that Rogue Wave do so well. “Hey” is a big ball of fuzzy Rawk driven by Stephen Striegel’s drums and accented by a throbbing bass line while the title track is a glistening, glowing thing of quintessential Alt-Rawk beauty and essential listening in the Tombstones In Their Eyes catalog as these heavenly vox from Treanor and some synthetic synchronicity from James Cooper elevate the track to the next level of awesome.
“I Can Hurt all the Time” is timeless as it drifts in the ether focusing on a repetitive hypnotic hum that permeates throughout and mesmerizes as it grows, “Seeing Eye” enthralls and entices with Streigel’s huge drum bashing at its’ gooey center as a direct counterpoint to Treanor’s vacuous vocal refrains building towards a big breakdown before ‘Wrong”, by comparison, presents a different beast altogether with a quieter guitar line that’s no less mesmerizing throughout this penultimate ditty. Ending it all with a scream rather than a whimper, “Maze” is all thunderous drumming and guitar drones that swirl around like a swarm of bees with Treanor’s lush vocal delivery at the core bringing to mind The Brian Jonestown Massacre or Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at their groove-oriented trippiest but tweaked by Tombstones In Their Eyes’ modern musical brilliance.
Looking For A Light lands through Kitten Robot Records (Physical copies will be available via Somewherecold Records) on April 20th with pre-orders available now when you head here. For more on Tombstones In Their Eyes, follow them on ye olde socials by clicking here, here, or here.