Post by jptheprofessor on Dec 10, 2006 23:06:34 GMT -5
LEDBETTER HEIGHTS - THE LIGHT THAT BURNS. (no label) Three years after their formation, Shippensburg-based foursome Ledbetter Heights has unveiled their debut album, The Light That Burns. The group distills elements of rock, soul and funk into a hard-hitting modern-flavored sound over the album's ten tracks. Consistent with their live performance, Ledbetter Heights' studio sound is highlighted by the soaring and emotionally-charged voice of singer/acoustic guitarist Nick Staver, and bolstered by the sharp and powerful drumming of Tim Carr. Beefing up and fleshing out the sound are driving rhythms and busy riffs from guitarist Kevin Shannon (since replaced in the group by Brian Stoner), and hard, lean bass lines from Matt Franzoni. The songs themselves mostly contain simple but effective melodies and hooks that get to the point quickly, topped with catchy chorus harmonies. Ledbetter Heights easily demonstrates their knack for hard rockers with the opening track "Your Secret's Out," the slightly funkier "Pressure" and "Forgive Me," the stern "The Price" and the album closer "Thru n Thru." The group displays milder and more soulful textures on such numbers as "Home," "There She Goes" and "Rain Tonight." And the uptempo "Stop Running" shows a slight, Byrds-like retro flavor. Ledbetter Heights's execution is tight, rigid and efficient; and their presentation is charged as they ride each song to an impassioned crescendo. Recorded at Racetrack Sound Studios in Gettysburg and mixed by Paul Chiacchierini, the album mostly sounds lean, hard and basic with the drums and guitar given slightly more voice and edge. This basic approach, with only slight polish and studio fill, enables the album's harder rocking moments to achieve full impact, but sacrifices some warmth in favor of edge on the milder-toned numbers. Ultimately, though, The Light That Burns. is a good bare-bones debut that establishes Ledbetter Heights' melody-geared, hard-rocking musical turf; and it sets a solid foundation for the group to elaborate and develop from. (The CD can be obtained by visiting Ledbetter Heights' website, www.ledbetterheights.com.)