Light Wires

The Light Wires

The Light Wires

Sofaburn

Guitarist and songwriter Jeremy Pinnell would later go solo, but this is an album he made between 2001-2003 with a crack band: Andy Hittle on guitar and vocals, Rick McCarty on drums, and Mike Montgomery on bass and vocals. Mike also recorded and mixed all the songs, which Alan Douches mastered.

The music is adult rock turning to folk and alt-country, and about 15 years ago this album would’ve found a home on AAA radio; this is what that format sounded like before they embraced indie rock. And it's a well-deserved home for this album, which is taut, crackling, firm, gentle, never heavy-handed or melodramatic. It’s a bit like Springsteen, as well, but modest in scale, never overblown the way the Boss can be at times.

While it’s a little unclear if the songs' characters are addressing one woman or a series of relationships, the ache in Pinnell’s voice is genuine. He can’t help what’s he feeling, whether it’s love or heartache, even as he tries, and even as he’s decided by the end of each song that he is in love, he also isn’t quite sure he has it right. This makes the songs resonate with sadness. One can’t help but feel for him, and hope that he will get it right for good.

So anyone who is a fan of this kind of music, pick it up. You’ll relate to it and find that it really is a great album.

Andrea Weiss