The Quiet And The Confident: A Review Of The New Album From Lightning In A Twilight Hour (Ex-The Field Mice)

By Stan Cierlitsky

I can't believe I've never written a review of anything Bobbby Wratten has done. I have been a big fan since about 1990 when I first heard The Field Mice's "Sensitive" off of the Sarah Records compilation Air Balloon Road. He has released so much beautiful music over the years, from The Field Mice to Northern Picture Library, to Trembling Blue Stars, and now to Lightning in a Twilight Hour. His newest Lightning in a Twilight Hour album is called Colours Yet to Be Named, and it's released today on the epic Elefant Records.

The new era of Lightning got off to an amazing start on September 6th when the single "There's More to Life Than Crooks" dropped. It had vibes of Trembling Blue Stars' "The Rainbow", or The Field Mice's "Missing the Moon". A glorious epic indie dance track with perfect his/her vocals. This time he was joined by classic collaborator Anne Mari Davies. These perfect his/her vocals kind of took me back to the Northern Picture Library days. I was a little surprised when I saw the track listing for the new album and saw that this song wouldn't be on it. It left me wondering what Mr. Wratten had up his sleeve.

Well, I'm still not sure why it was left off, other than that it definitely had a bigger poppier sound compared to what made it to the album. But that's not to say that the album doesn't stand perfectly without it. And speaking of poppy, lead track "Red Comet", sung by Anne Mari, might just be my favorite song on the album. The galloping beat is just perfect, and the beautiful lyrics and harmonies are just quintessential for any Rob Wratten project. Anne Mari is credited with singing lead vocals on four songs, along with various other duties. Another longtime collaborator Beth Arzy (Aberdeen, Trembling Blue Stars, Jetstream Pony, etc.) sings lead on the hauntingly beautiful album closer "Folk Radio". I think I have been listening to Beth almost as long as Rob, and every time I hear her voice it takes me back to the first time I heard her voice with the Sarah band Aberdeen. This song makes me very nostalgic in a good way.

There are a couple songs on the album that I love where Rob takes center stage. "Every Flame a Sunset" is so good. Michael Hiscock (The Field Mice, The Gentle Spring) lends his bass to a perfectly crafted Rob Wratten classic. Hiscock is credited with playing bass on seven tracks on Colours Yet To Be Named. He is such a nice addition to other longtime collaborator and producer Ian Catt. The other great Wratten track here is "The No-Sound of Falling Snow", which is a little slower than the others, but is still just beautiful. The slow emotive guitar on this one leads the way.

There is another Anne Mari-led song I wanted to highlight and it's called "The Quiet and the Confident". It's a sad, beautiful love song about longing. "You will be someone else's, and I will be no one's." The lyrics really remind me of Wratten's first Trembling Blue Stars album Her Handwriting, a record which is probably the most beautiful but saddest album I've ever heard.

A record which blends longing, with indie elements, Colours Yet To Be Named is highly recommended. This continues Bobby Wratten's artistic journey, while allowing the ex-Field Mice to add new shades to his music. The results are very lovely indeed.

Colours Yet To Be Named by Lightning in a Twilight Hour is out on Elefant Records.

[Photo: Beth Arzy]