Life at Sea expands the palette of Midwestern indie rock with
Is There a Signal Coming Through?, its debut for Lucide. While there's a bit of that quiet/loud sing/yell dynamic happening here, the Chicago combo seems much more comfortable with a shimmer rock sound suggestive of older groups like
the Church or
Wire Train ("Sirens," "End") and new ones like
Starsailor or even
Doves (especially on "She Wants"). Even on something like the jangling "Speedometers & Cigarettes," the production's attention to detail shifts the song toward that ethereal, grainy neo-psychedelic sound so evocative of the late '80s and early '90s. All of this referencing isn't a slight on
Life at Sea -- on the contrary, the group's tasteful touch is very appealing on the surface. It could use some more depth, less of a reliance on lush production or peels of guitar for effect -- the dusty, halting "Colors Fade" could use a counterpart or two. But overall,
Is There a Signal Coming Through? is a strong debut, and one that marks
Life at Sea as willing to drift and explore in a city too often polarized by extremes. ~ Johnny Loftus