’Towards Light’ Album Review - Fake DIY Nov 2007

The Nightjars' drummer, Mr Seamus O'Kane, joined the band having been sacked from his previous band for playing the drums too damn hard. Which was precisely what The Nightjars were looking for. Actually, this makes the Manchester-based four piece sound way too full on - they are loud and proud, but they can also be delicate with plenty of room for Dan Sims and Phil Arnold's delicate guitar frills to breathe and unwind at their leisure.

Unlike the bish-bash-bosh unsubtle stompings of Oasis, The Nightjars take their
influence from the more angular, introspective sounds of fellow Manchester chaps Joy Division and even a smidge of The Buzzcocks. They also leap over the pond to take a sprinkle of Sonic Youth's gigantic wall of guitar sound and even stop off in bonnie Scotland to capture some of the addictive slow-burner angst of Idlewild or Mogwai.

Stand-out tracks on this mini-album include 'No Kicks', with its swirling,
dizzying guitar riff and complex, trip-up rhythm always wrong-footing you,
leaving you in a giggling heap on the floor. 'You Set Me Reeling' is an
intriguing mish-mash that works brilliantly, like early REM covering a folk
dance reel (trust us, it really does work!). 'Stay Focused' starts off sweetly
enough before working itself up into a nuclear powered ball of raging guitars
and furious drumming, a kicking, spitting rant at feelings of being adrift and
alone in the world.

The Nightjars have the kind of inbuilt intensity to capture hearts and
easily become the next stadium-filling megaband. Let's just hope they can retain their wide-eyed innocence and ability to create subtlety as well as huge sounds along their inevitable road to success.

Becky Ross

Rating: 3.5 / 5

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