Ellie Goulding - Lights (10 tracks) +Album Reviews

Hotly anticipated debut that really shines

Warren C. Moore III | Huntsville, AL United States | 03/18/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first became aware of Ellie Goulding's vocal talents not through the usual channels, but through dubstep remixes by the likes of Jakwob that appeared on the scene even before the first inkling of the commercial availability of "Lights". I immediately adored the versatility of Goulding's voice, by turns lilting and powerful, with a clarity and delicacy that truly tickles the ears. The complete album delivers on the promise of these early tracks ("Under the Sheets" and "Starry Eyed" in particular). What we see in the LP that was not as apparent in the early "singles" is that Goulding is just as good with Autotune switched off. You will be humming along to the memory of the gorgeous harmonies of tracks like "The Writer" days later ("I'd rather pretend // You'll still be there in the end"). And that's just the beginning. This is a must-have for 2010."

Pop so shiny, it dazzles...

Nse Ette | Lagos, Nigeria | 03/16/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"23 year old Ellie Goulding, originally a Folk/Pop singer who embraced a more electronic sound, came out tops of the BBC's sound of 2010 poll, and won the critics award at the Brits, all without releasing an album.

So is she any good? I'm usually wary of over-hyping but I'll say her album is a pleasant surprise! Ten tracks (a number that seems de rigeur these days) comprising shiny Pop songs with a faint whiff of Folk. Opening "Guns and horses" is a good example, with her pixie-like voice a cross betwen Lykke Li and Björk.

The twitchy "Starry eyed" features reverb and vocoder effects, nice guitars, and an incredibly infectious chorus (as well as the catchy refrain "Next thing, we're touching"). "This love (Will be your downfall)" is a haunting ballad of undeniable charm (awash in sweet harmonies), while "Under the sheets" features swirling synths to dizzying effect.

Her Folk roots shine through on "The writer" which is a lovely guitar ballad. Also guitar festooned is "Every time you go" which starts off with finger snaps. "Wish I stayed" is an echo laden midtempo Pop song not as densely layered as much else.

There is absolutely no filler on this album. "Your biggest mistake" is lovely guitar Pop, "I'll hold my breath" a lovely guitar ballad, and closing is the midtempo "Salt skin" with lovely harmonies and skittery beats.

Definitely one to watch in 2010."

Great cd... Unique Artist

Geoffrey | Florida | 05/15/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The first 2 songs - Guns & Horses and Starry Eyed are pure ear candy, can't get enough and the other songs are growing on me as well. It's tough to put into words but she has that true artist uniqueness capable of truly great things. Hopefully she will find the best possible producer (not knocking the present one) and keep getting better."

"This love will be your downfall..."

Cale E. Reneau | Conroe, Texas United States | 03/18/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It wasn't too long ago that I was happily entrenched in my little world of indie rock music, willfully fearful of more mainstream genres that would force me out of my comfort zone. Whether the result of maturity or a complete musical regression on my part, I've found myself more and more in love with pop music as time has passed. So what began as happy little obsessions with Of Montreal and Stars soon evolved into an unrepentant love for Ke$ha or Miley Cyrus (some songs, let's not get ahead of ourselves). My latest musical love affair is with British dance-popper, Ellie Goulding, whose debut is drawing deservedly mixed reviews. But however rough around the edges Lights may be, it is difficult to deny the greatness of some of these songs.

Lead-off "Guns and Horses" is a perfect example of this. A potent blend of guitar pop and dance music, it serves as a perfect introduction to her music, and may be the finest track that the album has to offer. Her voice, which could pass as Leigh Nash's from time to time, is highly impressive here as it presents a melody that constantly evolves and rarely lets up. Her "I would/I would" melismas are vocal gymnastics at its best! "This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)" is equally impressive despite ditching the guitar and going for a straight up dance sound. Starsmith, who produces the majority of Lights does some of his best work here, but Ellie's lyrics are equally entrancing. She sings of self-doubt in a relationship; questioning every good thing and wondering if they are deserved. In the chorus she proclaims, "This love is be and end all/ This love will be your downfall," which paints a dark, but familiar picture for the large majority of us.

The album's first single, "Under the Sheets" is just as dark as its predecessor, only this time the subject matter turns to a purely physical relationship. Starsmith's production is through the roof on this one, filling every second of the track with something interesting to listen to (such as Goulding's "like all the boys, boys, boys" parts). I find it strange as a first single, simply because there are better songs on here, but it's solid nonetheless. Where Lights goes downhill isn't in these high production, dance songs, but rather when Ellie turns to ballads or the expected filler track. For example, "The Writer" is a wholly boring and uninteresting song, but not something entirely unexpected on a pop album such as this. Likewise, "Every Time You Go" and "Wish I Stayed" are standard pop songs, and may find love from other people, but there's nothing particularly great about them.

But the album does close out strong with three solid tracks that remind the listener why they made it this far into Lights in the first place. "Salt Skin" in particular, is a phenomenal song; unrepentant in its style and with production values that are absolutely mesmerizing! There's this brief moment that leads into the final chorus where the music drops out and Ellie is left to harmonize with herself, and it is one of the album's more magical moments because of the sheer energy and beauty that it presents! It energizes you and and makes you want to start the whole experience all over again, which is something any great pop album should do. While Lights may not be "great" so to speak, it is surprisingly solid for a debut in this genre. The moments where Ellie shines are where her lyrics and music combine to form something that is entirely unique to herself. What brings the album down are the more formulaic moments that everybody knew were coming, but nobody really wanted. If anything though, Lights serves as an awesome introduction to a talented musician; one who deserves to be heard if only for the fact that she's infinitely more talented than the majority of her peers. If you're like me and find yourself developing an affinity for girly pop music, Ellie Gouldling may be an artist to check out. I recommend it!

Key Tracks:

1. "Guns and Horses"

2. "This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)"

3. "Under the Sheets"

4. "Your Biggest Mistake"

5. "Salt Skin"

6 out of 10 Stars"

Search - Ellie Goulding :: Lights

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