Admit One, a foursome from Hendersonville, North Carolina, and former high school jam band released their EP Light Pollution earlier this spring, a follow-up to their 2011 full-length album, People Are Small. And while admittedly the style of these seven tracks isn’t exactly my thing, damn if they aren’t pretty and professional.
The band consists of Ethan Hardin on vocals, guitar, keys and cello; Ben Godley on guitar; Chris Godley on bass and mandolin; and Christian Singleton on drums. Recorded at RFG Studios and Giraffe Studio and mixed and mastered at Popgun Studios, Light Pollution is irrefutably a meticulously crafted and properly done work.
The results are watery, colorful guitars, like Incubus at their softest; airy, intricate arrangements; and delicate melodies and smooth vocals à la Dashboard Confessional. Lyrics clearly revolve around personal and general life experiences, and while Admit One may not call themselves or be called a “Christian band,” the lyrics often suggest that the band looks at the life journey through a religious lens.
The bleary guitar of “Open Eyes” introduces the record, which makes its sparkly, dreamy, softcore way through clean-cut drumbeats, airy cymbals (“Tempest”), low-pitched acoustic guitar (“Long Way Down”) and beautiful piano (“Closed Eyes”).
This record is nothing new; starry-eyed alternative rock has already been done to death. Be that as it may, Admit One doesn’t make a sloppy job of it. Admit One currently has no upcoming local shows, so visit http://www.facebook.com/admitoneband or http://admitoneonline.com/fr_intro.cfm to listen to Light Pollution and other Admit One albums.