Chicago’s Light Pollution is almost a walking paradox of what music is becoming these days. Stuck between predilections for the analog and the convenience of digital, Light Pollution has all the requisite staples of a lo-fi indie-pop band without becoming a caricature of what those often catch-all terms have come to represent. Check them out Friday night at Courtyard Café with I Need Sleep
Instead of continuing to compare Light Pollution to the likes of Grizzly Bear or Sufjan Stevens, or even attempting to draw parallels between their pop sound and Phil Spector’s wall of sound (which in many ways is one of the big centers of inspiration for this new breed of indie pop, in my opinion), let’s take a look at the remarkable list of acts that Light Pollution has shared the stage with in their few years.
To date, the list includes the Cool Kids, the Smoking Popes, Constantines, Headlights, Murder by Death and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, among countless others name-dropped on their MySpace account. The simple fact that Light Pollution has made these impressive rounds in their few years together is worthy of acclaim in its own right. Where they go from here should be even more exciting.
But their emphasis, and often overuse of reverb, combined with their singer’s vocal similarities to that guy from the Strokes, are another story. Nonetheless, they have a very alive, ambient, and pulsating feel that should translate very well into the live arena of Courtyard Café.
Knoxville, Tenn.’s I Need Sleep are also on tour with Light Pollution, but offer a different take on the indie pop sound. Far more percussive and lively, I Need Sleep has a sound that could only come from somewhere like Knoxville. Their sense of humor also takes center stage with song titles like “Jelly Hammer” and “Mushy Mushy.”
With a small armada of members, you can expect the kind of energy that comes from a gospel revival or a snake handling sermon as they may easily steal the show.
The show starts around 9 p.m. and cover is usually $5.