Peace and Light works better on paper than it does as a single. Covering an album track, two live songs (one a cover of
the Smiths), and a home demo, the execution isn't good enough to make for a compelling listen. "Peace of Mind" is one of the high points from the band's
Beneath the Rhythm and Sound album. Vocalist
David Schelzel slurs the chorus with charm, and the music bounces with the band's ever-present jangle. "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out," a cover of the
Morrissey/
Marr classic, is strangely lifeless in this live presentation. The band gets things right if they're looking for a carbon copy of the guitar chords, but
Schelzel injects little emotion, making it a wasted cover. Perhaps the band was scared to insult fans of
the Smiths, because it's a robotic performance. "Don't Believe Everything You Hear," a live version of another song from
Beneath the Rhythm and Sound, also falls rather flat. Set against the cover that precedes it, it sounds like a pale imitation of
Morrissey's "Interesting Drug." "Sea of Green" presents an interesting surprise: in demo form,
the Ocean Blue sound like
Lush or
the Chameleons. Peace of Mind is for die-hard fans only, as the two live songs reflect none of the might and majesty of the band's performance abilities, and the demo is only worth a brief listen.