Like a decent bottle of wine, you’re not too sure exactly how to
\nenjoy Floating Opera’s latest release,
\nBurning Lighthouse<\/i>. Because the album will likely contain
\nthe most lush and musically gorgeous textures you will hear this
\nyear, part of you wants to let it linger in your CD player at home
\nfor maximum enjoyment, much like swishing wine around in a glass
\nand sniffing it, instead of drinking it from the bottle. However,
\nBurning Lighthouse<\/i> contains enough rocking moments to make
\nit an ideal soundtrack for a late summer drive.<\/p>\n
Floating Opera formed initially as a side project Mercy Rule and
\nthe Millions, two bands from Lincoln, Nebraska who each scored a
\nmajor-label release in the ’90s. While both bands hung up their
\nguitars later in that decade, Floating Opera continued to record.
\nSince forming in 1993, the band has had more than 30 musicians
\ncirculate in and out of the studio during their ten-year career
\n(sort of like the way Queens of the Stone Age record their albums,
\nonly with lush harmonies and pop orchestration).<\/p>\n
On the surface,
\nBurning Lighthouse<\/i> almost sounds too gorgeous to criticize.
\nThe complex musical orchestration automatically conjures
\ncomparisons to the Beach Boys’
\nPet Sounds<\/i> era as well as Elvis Costello’s more
\nsophisticated recordings. The storytelling in most of the songs
\nfeels like a collection of short stories in a literary magazine.
\nThe album even has an alternative version to one of their tracks to
\nclose out the album, giving it a thematic, albeit slightly
\ncontrived, overall feel.<\/p>\n
There are moments where the lavish musical ornamentation of
\nBurning Lighthouse<\/i> threaten to careen the band off into
\npretentiousness. However, the percussion (shared duties by Ron
\nAlbertson and Paul Tisdale) and crunching guitar work by Jon Taylor
\nusually produce enough of a thunder to rattle your speakers. If
\nthat wasn’t enough, members of the New York hardcore experimental
\nact Liars pop in for an appearance.<\/p>\n
Some of the most immediately appealing songs on
\nBurning Lighthouse<\/i> develop when the hard rock chops of the
\nband mesh with pop orchestration. “Believer,” a song that has the
\nfeel of one of Led Zeppelin’s sweeping epics, is a perfect example
\nof the band’s ability to effortlessly fuse different styles
\ntogether without sounding like a novelty. Lori Allison’s vocals are
\nable to mold into whatever style Floating Opera pursues on this
\ndisc. It also helps that Heidi Ore lends her pipes to some of the
\nmore uptempo tracks, such as “Agnes in Furs” and “Shapes I Brought
\nBack With Me.”<\/p>\n
At times,
\nBurning Lighthouse<\/i> sounds like it’s too sophisticated to be
\nenjoyed as a good rock album. Yet, after a few listens, the pop
\nmelodies are as irresistible and catchy as some of the poppiest
\ntracks on radio. Fortunately,
\nBurning Lighthouse<\/i> is sweet enough to have you craving
\nseconds without giving you a toothache.<\/p>\n