Streetlight Fire – Architects
Record Label: None
Release Date: March 21, 2011
With one of the members being a senior in high school and the other four being just fresh out of high school, Streetlight Fire is a band full of kids undoubtedly talented for their age. In regards to their sound, think The Dangerous Summer style pop-rock meets the atmosphere and vocal style – periodically – of Come Now Sleep-era As Cities Burn. Vocally, this change comes about due to the two vocalists, Joshua Cosico and Keaton Nelson, as each one brings quite a different to the table, complementing one another in a unique fashion (“Larry Bird”). For just a debut record, Architects the blend of melody with atmosphere throughout the record instills the musical talents of the young group.
The first three tracks all reminisce TDS pretty much entirely, with Cosico taking the lead. The cruising “Prospect Park” begins Architects. Driven by swirling guitars and passionate vocals, the track sets the record off on the right foot as the two sing “I’ll take my pride by surprise and flip my conscious on its side / and I’ll take the long way home.” Ambient guitar tones and keyboards begin “Clarity,” playing off fashion of the opening number, while “Something I Needed” hits the brakes with atmospheric guitars and soft drum beats. The meek singing of “I’m not ready to come into being holy / are these expectations justified / or all they based on some hollow lie / a simple hope is all I know” followed by the painful stating of “I am my sins” create a haunting, outstanding track.
On the other hand, the middle of the record allows Nelson to shine, resulting in Streetlight Fire reminiscing As Cities Burn in the vocal department. The chemistry between the two singers ignite the track, leaving another staple on the “favorite track” list. Mellow vocals resonate throughout “Wolves” over soft guitar work and moody piano disposition. Fans of ACB will be all over this track, while the aforementioned “Larry Bird” presses on the gas pedal once again.
The final two tracks close off Architects in ideal fashion. Both “New Chapter” and “Points” embody every aspect of Streetlight Fire into one final flame. The former begins with rocking guitars on this socially conscious number, while the latter slows to a full band effort, with drums, guitars, and vocals in idyllic unison. Being arguably the most emotional track on the record, the youthful “Points” is as memorable as it gets, leaving the line “my dreams are big / and these boxes and papers are too small to contain all my ambition and idealism” cemented into the listener’s head for some time as the track and record come to a close.
All in all, for just a debut record from a group of guys just fresh from high school, Architects conveys great promise for Streetlight Fire in the future. The spark has been set, and there’s a sure fire coming on the way from these California guys.
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