Eventide coverDetroit has a long history of being a city of production – from the Ford Motor Company and Honey Baked Ham to Jiffy Baking Mix and Stroh’s beer. It’s no surprise that a hardworking, driven band like Lilac Lungs calls Detroit home. Lilac Lungs – comprised of Emily Torres on vocals, John Birrell on guitar, Terrance Elizondo on bass, and Matthew Jones on drums – is new on the scene, but do not let that fool you. It is clear from their full-length debut, Eventide, that this band has staying power.
From the very start with “Welcome to the Fallout,” Emily Torres’s vocals are the driving force behind the band. Torres’s voice goes from gritty to ethereal, deep to soft in a matter of a few beats. This trend continues throughout the entirety of the album. Emily is the shining star of Lilac Lungs. Her voice has been compared to the power and tone of Hayley Williams of Paramore. I agree with the comparison. I could easily see a collaboration between the two being a huge hit. (If you gals could get on that, I’d be super pumped, for the record.)
Torres’s voice brings life to relatable lyrics that show no hesitation in tackling tougher subjects. In “Guard Dog,” she makes something like anxiety sound like it’s not so bad. She does so with her soft voice and reassuring tone. How often can you bop your head along with a song talking about anxiety? I mean, let’s be honest, it isn’t often. It is the power of her voice that makes listeners sit up and take notice – as they should.
“Uh Oh” is the song many 90s teens can imagine listening to while they got ready to head to the mall with their pals. It’s upbeat and full of good vibes. My favorite, “Fallen For Your Face,” mixes soft, breathy vocals with lyrics like, “Who would I be if I hadn’t fallen for your face?” You can feel the romantic yearnings, pulling all heartstrings from the get-go. And it’s completely well done.
Lilac LungsA lot of Eventide is like that: powerful messages hidden inside synthy-pop rock vibes. From the beginning track to “Young Warrior” at the end, this is one album that picks the listeners up while letting them know that they are not alone. That is what makes an album like this a hit to many. Any time you can pop in an album and feel like each song is written for you in some way, you’re going to form a connection to that album. Therefore, you form a connection with that band.
That said, for me, the instrumentals are over-produced in many spots, and they tend to be pretty forgettable overall. The songs don’t really have a distinct feeling from one to the next. This makes the album feel like one creation on the move instead of a collection of stand-alone, independent tracks. If this was the goal, they nailed it.
For me, there was less of a connection to the overall sound of Lilac Lungs and more of a connection to the lyrics and vocals of Emily Torres. To be honest, sometimes the backing vocals felt forced. In spots, it was as if they felt they had to be there instead of just letting Emily do what she does best. It is understood that in the pop world, that is something that is commonplace (a singer being the forefront of a band). In rock, that’s not something that is seen often. This leads me to believe that this album leans less Alternative Rock and more Pop. This, however, is not necessarily a bad thing.
If genre labels don’t matter to you and you just want a solid, relatable listen chock full of good vibes, check out Eventide by Lilac Lungs. It’s an overall well-produced and relatable album from a band not afraid to talk about ugly things and make them feel beautiful. If powerful vocals are your thing, Emily Torres is your girl. I give this album 3.5 skulls.
Eventide Tracklist
1. Welcome to the Fallout
2. Next to Nothing
3. Uh Oh.
4. Fallen For Your Face
5. Us vs. Ourselves
6. Guard Dog
7. Fine
8. Circle
9. All I Have
10. Young Warrior
