Kilowatthours was a Louisville, KY, act with a taste for math rock complexity and a lineup that was never fully stable other than the core of singer and guitarist Chris Renn and drummer Ben Lord. Following a move from Kentucky to Brooklyn and the implosion of yet another
Kilowatthours lineup, Renn and Lord finally gained a set lineup with bassist Dan Hewins and multi-instrumentalist
Doug Keith and decided to rename the band to celebrate their new solidity. It was a wise move, because
Light Rides the Super Major is not just another
Kilowatthours release under a new name, but a genuinely different musical direction. Much more melody-oriented without sounding like they're trying to be the next
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah,
Light Rides the Super Major features more concise pop song structures and a greater singing role not only for Renn, but for Hewins and
Keith as well. What remains from
Kilowatthours is a fondness for atmospheric noise for its own sake, which doesn't just decorate the songs but is a fundamental building block in the manner of
Sonic Youth. Indeed, a combination of vintage
Sonic Youth guitar sounds (think
Sister through
Dirty) married to an upfront, often dance-oriented rhythm section in the current indie rock fashion is probably the simplest way to describe
Up the Empire. If that description sounds a bit reductive, that's unfortunately for a good reason: the main thing
Light Rides the Super Major lacks is compelling songs for these cool sounds and tricky rhythms to latch onto. Lyrically obtuse and melodically weak tracks like "Sad Sad Shouting" and "This Machine Blows Minds!!!" are the norm, making
Light Rides the Super Major a first step toward a potentially fruitful new musical direction, but not a particularly enjoyable listen in and of itself. ~ Stewart Mason