Birds of Tokyo Light The Way With "Lanterns"

A steady influence in life is important. It can come from a variety of places. Perhaps the teacher who made you love to learn? Quite possibly the friend you can't live without? Aussie stars in training (hopefully to them I presume) Birds of Tokyo, in springing "Lanterns" on the discriminating (or not) public, show they're capable of extending a steady hand through delicate lyrical pieces that fit to make an equilibrium establishing whole. If Birds of Tokyo was the embodiment of a parenting style it would most likely be firm backing up of one's beliefs instead of the less appetizing spare the rod, spoil the child mentality. The unknown can be intimidating. We stick with the devil we know rather than the devil we don't. "Lanterns" epitomizes the slow inhibition loosening pied piper affirmation that's perfect when a day's rough edges are a bit too unwieldy. Ian Kenny sings peacefully. He's respectful of the buttons you don't want pushed anytime too soon. The march Birds of Tokyo has us participating in isn't sprint race short but you grasp that they'll get you there somehow someway. Glen Sarangpany plays a featured role largely because his keyboard playing spreads soft twinkles across the highest limits of the musical depth of field (Sue me. I had a photography class in college. Has to be some spot I can drop a cool reference point from those faintly halcyon days, right?). Argument can be made that you could get your fussy two year old to bring down the volume upon a solid listen to this inescapably touchable effort. Cinema enthusiasts know Sybil had multiple personalities. Birds of Tokyo has two faces named Ian. With any luck, and as my old Magic 8-Ball might put it succinctly, "All signs point to yes". both of them have their wits about them the majority of the time. You've heard me chat about Ian the vocalist. There's also Ian "Whitegoods" Berney, bass player who's the unwavering oar powering this cosmos spanning canoe. A great deal gets said without making the mistake of leaving the amplifiers set to "puree". In the two's company vein you've already been introduced to I give you two Adams, one being the guitarist Adam Spark (please let that not be a stage name!!) and the other drummer Adam Weston. His brand of stick smacking comes as a fine palate cleanser on the heels of many a muscle flexing power display other drummers unleash, kicking subtlety to the curb and warning us never to tangle with them again. Tap after gracefully executed tap. The working parts of Birds of Tokyo achieve optimum sync. Now about them there words. Each drop of youth emphasized potential allows this craft to maintain steady course regardless of the turbulent waters up ahead. We're not privy to the final act of this particular tale but we know, when the time is right, these lads will stand for who they are. "The weight of being so much more" plays up possibilities yet to be realized. Many's the youngster, either through bloodline or self-inflicted madness, who carries the heavy weight of expectations on his shoulders. Motivating factors aren't a bad thing so long as words of encouragement emerge from somewhere. "Lanterns" paints a consistent picture of four guys offstage, crooking their benevolent fingers, urging us to walk the path with them. At story's end some magical surprise could make us glad we exerted the extra effort. We won't know until we pick a course to follow. "Lanterns" is the initial offering from the Perth pack's fourth album "March Fires." It's unquestionably okay to stand in the glow of this light. Whatever edge your day has had, "Lanterns" does a fine job of slowly peeling it off.