In Rewind: the National Lights

Holding strong near the top of my favorite albums of 2007 list is the debut from The National Lights. The Dead Will Walk, Dear first came to my attention sometime last year after hearing one of its songs, “Midwest Town”, online. The album was finally released this past February after several delays, and did not disappoint. You can read my full review HERE, but in short, singer-songwriter Jacob Thomas Berns has crafted a haunting and mature song cycle that stands with some of the best pure folk records I’ve heard. The songs revolve around imagery inspired by the American Gothic writing of Flannery O’Connor and the traditional murder ballad, combining the two to create a record both subtle and conceptual. The dark lyrical content is augmented by the beautiful melodies Berns and harmony singer Sonya Maria Cotton create, as well as the comfortable, understated arrangements contributed by producer Chris Kiehne.

Do yourself a favor and check out a few tunes from The Dead Will Walk, Dear:

MP3 :: Buried Treasure
MP3 :: Midwest Town
(from The Dead Will Walk, Dear)

Berns has also sent along word that the band was working steadily on the follow up to The Dead Will Walk, Dear during the time spent waiting for its release. Who The Sea Will Keep is still a work in progress, but in some cases songs are completely finished. No time table has been set up yet for its release, but Berns hopes to have some demos up on the website in the near future.
---------------------------------------------

Check out the interview I conducted with Jacob Thomas Berns earlier this year by clicking HERE.

Visit The National Lights website HERE and their myspace HERE.

Purchase The Dead Will Walk, Dear from Amazon HERE.
---------------------------------------------