FOR ALL THE INNOCENCE

This new LITE album took me by suprise, had no idea they had anything in the works, so I had no expectations at all. Just pressed play and hoped for the best. After a useless, minute-long intro of random noises, the album was off to a good enough start. Tracks 2, 3 and 4 were typical Lite, upbeat math rock with that fun japanese feel they share with their countrymen Te. Track five is another waste of a minute long sample with a decent but easily forgettable guitar riff over it. At track it all changes, from there on, Lite ventures into much more math pop/electronics territories. Although it works well on track number 6, reminding me of the better momment's on Battle's latest release, the tracks after that are too soft, catchy and nothing close to being math for my taste (like the lesser momment's on that same Battles record!)

I ended up keeing 4 of the 11 tracks (or rather 4 of the 9 real tracks if we disregard the two minute long noodings they included on this album) so I'd say it's not even half good. But the songs I did like were on par with my favorite momments of earlie Lite records, so I'll give it a 2.5 rounded up to 3. If you enjoyed Battles new album in it's entirety, then expect to rate it a 4 star album as the poppier and ironicaly LITEr songs are well done, just not what I personnaly enjoy from my math rock bands