Her Name In Lights
Into The Light Again
Laughing Outlaw Records

Here's another new release from Laughing Outlaw. It has an alarming front cover, a bee or some other flying insect into (or out of?) the light. The accompanying press sheet reveals that lead singer, songwriter, guitar and piano player Mary Wyer has recorded no less than three John Peel sessions. Not bad, not bad at all ... The involved musicians were originally brought together for a studio-based project to record some of her songs. They found the sessions so enjoyable they decided to keep going as a permanent band.

At first the overall impression is a singer-songwriter album. And yes, Into The Light Again includes several acoustic guitar based songs. But there is more to it. 15 songs and one short piano instrumental "Prelude" that might fit nicely at the start of an album by Tori Amos. Here are some great pop tunes ("Here She Comes" and "Car" are only two), even a few fuzz-pop goodies, in particular "Wicked Girl" with an overwhelming electric guitar solo in the best Sex Pistol tradition. The final track "She Said" has some melancholic guitar playing and mood that remind me of those great early low budget films by Hal Hartley 15 years ago. I also sense a resemblance, to some extent, with a few of the refreshing British new wave bands around 1980 (well, nowadays post punk is probably the correct label) with female members, The Raincoats, even Young Marble Giants...

Into The Light Again is not your average pop or rock album dealing with classic topics like cars, girls and happy love. Here we're talking cars, boys and miserable love! "I loved you more than you loved your car ...". Though the album is not without some humorous highlights. The only cover version included is "Sex Bomb". It's down to earth and quite the opposite of Tom Jones' version, but as funny.

Although the songs wander off in different directions, the album stands as an entity. Especially the exquisite guitar playing keeps it together. Into The Light Again is a solid basis for further expansions.

Check out more info, downloads, stills from the upcoming video for "You Know I Really Loved That Boy" etc. at the band's home page.

Copyright © 2005 JP