by Joe Mis
– Sr. Columnist —
Following a very successful crowd-funding campaign, the hard rocking trio calling themselves Lucid Fly has released their first full-length album entitled Building Castles in Air. Their fans and supporters will not be disappointed as this one has been a long time coming. Lucid Fly has been kicking around the music scene since 2001, and their highly polished debut sounds like it was recorded by a veteran band, as well it should.
Building Castles in Air is a 10-track release of all new, all fresh music. Kudos to the band for not rehashing, re-recording, or simply repackaging their existing EPs as so many other acts seem to do. They have a number of EPs under their belt – Adapting to Gravity (2005), The Escape Stage (2009), and Stasis (2015) – each being a solid evolutionary step towards the band’s current state. Lucid Fly’s experience also served them well on the other side of the studio equipment as this album is self-produced. The 10 tracks have a clean, consistent sound despite being recorded at a number or studios up and down the West Coast, and the true creative and musical intent of the band is allowed to shine. Musically difficult to pigeon-hole, Lucid Fly delights in mixing elements of Progressive, Alternative, Gothic, and Hard Rock into a rich and varied tapestry of sound.
“Billowy and Broken” opens with a laid back instrumental passage and becomes a slow rocker featuring solid lyrics about finding the silver lining in the darkest cloud. Nikki Layne’s vocals are crisp and clear, and the band’s performance technical and tight. “Circles into Squares” is a more Alt/Prog rocker that will immediately remind listeners of Coheed and Cambria thanks to Doug Mecca’s intricate guitar work and an interesting use of varied tempos. “Mascot” has a little more of a Rock edge, perhaps more akin to Evanescence – and the many layers of sound and angst-ridden lyrics hang together beautifully. A powerful instrumental opening makes the social commentary of “No I In Voice” equally powerful, and the varied timings add depth and interest – but on this one, the band may have pushed the variations a bit too far and never seems to settle into a true groove. Immediately following is “Ribbons,” a heavier tune that is all about groove and flow thanks to some great coordination between Aaron Ficca’s drums and Mecca’s guitars.
“Visions of Grandeur” is the band’s “epic” song – arguably the best on the album. It displays the talents (and passion) of the band at their finest – complex guitar lines merge with intricate drum lines and multi-layered vocals to create something greater than the sum of its parts. “Follow Through” follows, a mellower moody track built on slick guitar rhythms and soaring vocals. “Next to Strange” is another very alternative heavy track with a bit of a Flyleaf sound to it, while “The Opposite” is a slow, moody piece with heavy underpinnings. “Paperthin” is a song of contrasts with vocals and music often moving in cross tempos and opposite directions, and features Mecca’s guitars at their best.
Overall, Lucid Fly’s Building Castles in Air is a very good album. Layne, Mecca, and Ficca are all strong performers and they work very well together. The trio has definitely matured since their early days and has evolved into technical and tight performers with a flair for the dramatic. Good song structure, interesting lyrics, excellent engineering, and complex arrangements make this album a true joy to hear. The only thing missing is a real barnburner tune, a high energy track where everything is turned up to 11, but the 10 tracks that are here have enough grunt to captivate even the most jaded listener.
Creative and complex, Lucid Fly’s Building Castles in Air is a true labor of love. The enthusiastic performances, flowing melodies, and depth of talent displayed here make one wonder how much higher Lucid Fly can fly…
Highly recommended!
Genre: Alternative, Progressive Rock
Band:
Nikki Layne (vocals)
Doug Mecca (guitars)
Aaron Ficca (drums)
Track Listing:
1. Billowy and Broken
2. Circles Into Squares
3. Mascot
4. No I In Voice
5. Ribbons
6. Visions of Grandeur
7. Follow Through
8. Next To Strange
9. The Opposite
10. Paperthin
Label: Independent
Website: www.lucidfly.com
Hardrock Haven rating: 8.5/10
