Did I just find my Sunday afternoon summer soundtrack? I did. Letters of Transit, the latest EP from Columbus band Strangers in Daylight, has a 60’s-like Brit pop sound that’s the perfect music to listen to pool-side while drinking a champagne-heavy mimosa.
My favorite songs happen to be the first two on the EP. “Forsythe” and “Virgin Mary” are reviewed below.
“Forsythe”
There is definitely a Brit Pop influence, but this track also has a summery, Beach Boys sound. It’s impossible to think of anything but sunshine while listening to this song. I am adopting the lines, “Everybody wants to be young, everybody wants to be us” as the theme for myself and my friends this summer. Adding another chorus to the abrupt ending of the song would tie up the loose ends instead of leaving us hanging. My only complaint is that it’s too short!
“Virgin Mary”
I listened repeatedly to this song. It was by far my favorite song on the EP, although it had the same annoying abrupt ending as Forsythe. It seems to be the tale of an unstable relationship without trust from the singer’s point of view. It just feels as if there should be more after the song ended. Coming in at a whopping two minutes and three seconds, this song needs a better transition to the end of the song.
Another notable song is “Canada (Alternate Version).” I am also happy that the bass parts come through, provided by Jamarr Michael Mays, in this EP. There are too many albums and concerts where the bass unfortunately fades into the background. This EP was sent to us by way of Twitter from Columbus band, Earwig. Honestly, even after the numerous posts on Facebook from fellow local musicians about this EP, I probably wouldn’t have taken notice (Thanks for sending, Earwig!).
Ideally, I would like to see this band play with the likes of The Regrettes and Dirty Girls on a sunshine filled patio. Can we make this happen sometime in the near future?
You can check out Strangers in Daylight tonight, Thursday, at Rumba Café at 2507 Summit St. for The Noel Gallagher After Show Party. Sean Vox (The Streamers), Sigmon, Deadwood Floats, and Black Phantom Thousands are also performing.
Visit Strangers in Daylight on the web. Like them on Facebook. Take a listen to their new album here or buy it here.