HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS - LOST LIGHTS
Emo nostalgia is big business these days with many older emo’s screaming “It was never a phase mom!” and handing over fistfuls of cash to relieve the glory days of the genre. Whether that is buying anniversary albums or attending reunion concerts the popularity of the genre is on the rise.
Bring on the kings of emo, Hawthorne Heights, with their new EP Lost Lights. The question everyone’s thinking though is, can they still cut it? Will these tracks ever be as infamous as the emo anthem ‘Ohio is For Lovers’? There have already been three singles released from the EP which gave listeners a good idea of what the emo legends were intent on bringing fans.
The EP is only five tracks long, which for some may not be long enough, and each song is like a little singalong gift for the die-hards that are catchy as hell. With large choruses, there's no doubt that these will be great to play live, and indeed listen to live, and it won't take long for fans to get the hang of the lyrics either.
You can see the growth and development in the band's writing, something that comes with age but don’t worry as they still have that familiar sound throughout. JT Woodruff’s vocals may have gotten a little huskier in voice, though that may be down to his age or be a deliberate sidestep to encapsulate a different sound.
A highlight of the EP is ‘We Were Never Lost’, a track which has a mix of sounds stemming from different genre's influences. Its opening is bold and the lyrics are perfectly overlaid as JT Woodruff gives it his all, making his way through the pre-chorus, chorus and post-chorus with his well-known vocal quality.
The unclean vocals from Mark McMillon on this EP are also a wonder to behold, complimenting Woodruff’s clean vocals so well; listeners can benefit from the wonderful combination of both for the duration of the EP’s short but sweet 15 minutes.
The bands lineup, consisting of Woodruff (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Matt Ridenour (bass guitar, backing vocals), McMillon (lead guitar, unclean vocals), and Chris Popadak (drums, percussion), work so well together that you can only imagine the great chemistry they must have in the studio. This really shines on the EP and it would be a treat to see them live - as would it be to hear these tracks.
Hawthorne Heights may not be reaching new ones - heights that is - but they are still remarkably good at their craft. In fact, with or without the nostalgia kick, Lost Lights holds up in its own right and any band that had this EP in their early discography would be sure to thrive in the industry, with many great albums ahead of them; although it was released fairly late in the Ohio foursomes career, we hope it's a sign of great albums to come.
Cat Wiltshire
★★★★☆