Francis and the Lights

It’ll Be Better (Cantora)

By Megan Martin
Published: July 31st, 2010 | 7:00pm

It took several listens and lots of research to begin to grasp the concept of Francis and the Lights, a New York-based synth-pop group led by the eccentric and talented Francis Farewell Starlite. In the past, Starlite and his Lights have been noted for their ‘80s retrograde sound and meticulous mastering of studio production work, which touches on something that has yet to be brought back to mainstream music. Whereas a lot of groups are taking influences from old school rock ‘n’ roll and throwing in a dancey disco flavor; the Lights seems more influenced by the adult-sounding bands of the ‘80s. Lots of piano, synthesizers, and percussion, bringing to mind Phil Collins’ No Jacket Required.

Maybe eccentricity works, and maybe that’s what audiences today subconsciously want: something to jolt them out of the banal post-punk/disco flavor of every hipster party on the planet. It’ll Be Better is poppy, catchy, and sticks in your brain, and from the looks of Starlite’s shows, there’s a pulse in his performance. But any way you slice it, the record is just too reminiscent of the cheesy pop music mom listened to during aerobics. However obvious the talent is, the enjoyment of hearing it is missing.

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Francis and the Lights official Web site

Francis and the Lights MySpace page

Cantora Records