Lights

Description

Having already conquered her native Britain with the biggest and fastest selling debut album of 2010, Lights-- premiering at No. 1 on the U.K. album chart, four hit singles she co-wrote, and a BRIT award -- singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding is ready to make a similar splash in America with her sparkling electro-folk-pop sound. Lights is, as the New York Times put it, "a happy car crash of signifiers: part electro-pop, part soul, part blues, part indie rock, part folk" that mixes heartfelt emotion with other-worldly atmospherics. Anchoring her songs with acoustic guitar, Goulding and her producer, Starsmith, spin cool electronica into dreamy warmth on "Starry Eyed," "Guns and Horses," "The Writer," and "Under the Sheets." "I'm not afraid of pop or electronic music," Goulding says of the euphoric, dance-till-you-drop vibe of Lights, "but I also wanted the album to embrace my love for folk music, not just by my playing guitar on it, but by writing about things that have truly affected me. I wear my heart on my sleeve and am aware of how I'm feeling all the time, so it's impossible for me to write words that are contrived or meaningless." Goulding's lyrics are refreshingly direct as she chronicles the highs and lows of love in her airy, gossamer voice. "Under The Sheets" addresses sleeping around, while "Animal" revels in the feverish state of falling in love. "The Writer" cops to her being paralyzed with obsession over a lover. "I've gotten so many messages from girls who can relate to `The Writer,'" Goulding says. "I think anyone can get to the point where they love someone so much that they just start doing ridiculous things, like smoking or drinking, or dressing differently, I know I've done it." "Guns and Horses" is about falling in love with someone who doesn't really know how to love and wanting to take their pain away. The album takes its title from the song "Lights," which is about Goulding's fear of the dark. "Having a light on always makes me feel safe," she says. "It gives me strength, which is why I named the album after that song." Then there's the first U.S. single "Starry Eyed," which Goulding describes as "one of those rare songs that isn't melancholy and is actually a bit happier. I kind of throw everything to the wind and say, `Who cares about emotions? Let's just have fun,'" she says with a laugh. "I love sad songs, but I also appreciate feel-good songs." A self-taught singer and guitarist, Ellie was raised with her three siblings in Hereford, a cathedral city about 16 miles east of the Welsh border. After her parents divorced when she was five, Goulding moved to the tiny rural village of Lyonshall with her mother and her mother's new boyfriend, a lorry driver. "I basically went from living in the city to suddenly living in the countryside," she says. "At first I hated it, but I slowly grew to love it and became completely fascinated by being surrounded by all this wide open space - it still colors everything I do to this day." Money was scarce, so Ellie shared a bedroom with her two sisters. "It wasn't easy, plus there was the added stress of my dad leaving, but I got along okay," she says. Her first memory of becoming interested in music is wanting to sing the loudest in her school's assemblies. "I was pretty quiet, but I really loved to sing and would use my voice at any opportunity," she says. "We couldn't afford lessons, so I learned by copying other singers, like Lauryn Hill, Beyonce, and Celine Dion; I loved singers whose voices were really powerful." Being a performer, however, didn't seem like a real possibility. "It didn't feel like something that could ever really happen, coming from my background," she says. At 15, obsessed with bands like Deftones, Pearl Jam, and Rage Against the Machine, Goulding taught herself to play guitar. "The minute I could master actually strumming and singing at the same time was when I started writing proper songs," she says. In her teens, Goulding sang one of her own compositions for a family friend, who encouraged her to listen to folk music. She soon became inspired by such artists as Alison Krauss, Fleet Foxes, Joni Mitchell, and Sufjan Stevens. It was while studying Politics, English, and Drama at the University Kent in Canterbury, where Goulding first found the confidence to perform onstage after winning a university talent competition. Gigs in London followed and soon Goulding was looking for a producer to help her flesh out her songwriting ideas. She discovered Vincent Frank, a British electro-pop musician and producer who goes by the name Frankmusik, and got in touch with him via MySpace. "He listened to my demos and really loved them, so we started working together and writing more songs," she says. "I began getting more gigs and that's when I realized I wanted to drop out of university to focus on music." Goulding moved to London and locked herself in her room with a guitar. Songs like "The Writer," "Starry Eyed," "Salt Skin," "This Love," and "Your Biggest Mistake," came pouring out. After a friend sent a link to a MySpace page for Fin Dow-Smith, a remixer, composer, and musician who works under the moniker Starsmith, Goulding sent him a demo she'd done, which resulted in a fruitful working relationship that continues to this day. "Fin understood that it was pop, but a bit more emotional," Goulding says of Starsmith, who's known for his remixes of tracks by Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Passion Pit, among others. "I liked that he was this really cool DJ with really fresh sounds, but wasn't afraid of pop music. Working with him was when I started to have faith in my writing and thinking something could actually come of giving music a go." The two began making tracks an album in the summer of 2009, demos of which caught the attention of the major labels in the U.K. Goulding signed with Polydor Records and released her first single "Under the Sheets," which she later performed, along with "Guns and Horses," on Later...With Jools Holland, a star-making appearance that won her the attention of both critics and fans. In early 2010, it was announced the Goulding had topped the "BBC Sound of 2010" poll, which surveys critics and broadcasters for their top choices for rising stars in the coming year. She also won the Critics' Choice Award at the 2010 BRIT Awards (previously won by Adele and Florence & the Machine). In February, "Starry Eyed" was released as a single (climbing to No. 4 on the U.K. Singles chart), followed by the March release of Lights, which shot straight to the top of the U.K. Albums chart. "I found out that the album was No. 1 while driving through the countryside on my way home from a gig up north," she says. "I was very emotional and, quietly, very proud. I felt like this was just the beginning." And it was. More hit singles followed, "The Writer" and a cover of Elton John's "Your Song," which climbed to No. 2 after being featured in a Christmas commercial for British retailer John Lewis. Goulding hit the road and sold out three headlining tours in the U.K., and performed at numerous music festivals, including Glastonbury, V Festival, and T in the Park, earning rave reviews for her joyful, no-holds barred live shows. Nominated for two 2011 BRIT Awards (for "British Female Solo Artist" and "British Breakthrough Act"), Goulding is gearing up for the Stateside release of Lights. "I'm really excited to come to America and visit new places and see new countryside," she says. "I feel ready to introduce my music and see what people think of it there. I'm hoping they'll like it and be inspired, the way I was when I first heard certain artists. I want to create that excitement you get when you've discovered something special and feel happy to have ever come across it in the first place." Recording information: Audacious Studios, Manchester; Nonsuch Studios, Epsom; The Pool & The Square, London. Photographer: Scott Trindle. It shouldn't surprise any Ellie Goulding fan to know that the British songstress wrote music for the likes of Gabriella Cilmi and Diana Vickers before issuing this full-length debut. That's because Goulding's sound doesn't stretch far from other teen Brit-pop artists of 2010, who are more likely to pull back and dig deep on a record than indulge in the froth of Girls Aloud or Sugababes. Goulding finds a balance between both camps on Lights. Ultimately, Goulding's debut album is something of relevance; it lacks the dramatic crash and bang of Florence + the Machine's Lungs, but is certainly a more restrained, compelling listen than the debut records by Pixie Lott and Little Boots, two artists whose electronic dance-pop is echoed here. Goulding's quite the songwriter, and tracks like "This Love" and "Under the Sheets" suggest a willingness to indulge her creative side, taking left-hand turns and unexpected detours rather than focusing on sure-fire hits, like Paloma Faith's album Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? Sometimes, an acoustic guitar guides the song along. Other times, synthesizers and drum loops take over. Goulding is able to take the best parts of all of her contemporaries' styles and make them her own, coating everything in the breathy flutter of her voice. Fans will probably be drawn more to Bright Lights, a reissued version of this album with seven new tracks, but Lights is strong enough to stand on its own without the bonus material. ~ Matthew Chisling Review: Fantastically refreshing! - I leafed through August 2011's "100 albums for $5" and found her album, gave Lights a listen and decided to go for it. This is my first purchase of Ellie's work, and I must say that it exceeded my expectations. In the era of autotune and rap, this is a refreshing and welcome voice. Ellie's voice is lighter and cuter than fellow English singer Adele's, who has too strong of a voice for me to appreciate. Her songs all have a catchy beat (except for Your Song) with mature lyrics, helping Ellie establish herself and forge her own path in the music industry. At first, I clearly found the first half of the album vastly superior to the second half. However, upon several more listens, the difference is much greater. Track breakdown: Lights (Single Version) - This song has a bazillion remixes for a reason (dubstep is popular for some reason, but I particularly enjoy the Fear of Tigers remix). This song is spectacular, showing off Ellie's incredible vocal range and voice. Keep in mind that this is the Single Version of Lights, not a remix. Regardless, this song is a shoo-in for contender for favorite song on the album. Guns and Horses - Faster-paced than Lights and just as catchy, Ellie continues to prove that she has talent and a good handle on balancing emotional strength with this song. Starry Eyed - This song gushes more romantically than the previous two. A nice but short song. This Love (Will Be Your Downfall) - Takes a bit to rev up, and it's a slower song than Lights. The lyrics are cautious and questioning. A decent song. Under The Sheets - Definitely aimed at a female audience (I identify with the male gender), still a pretty nice song. I love how Ellie coos (I can't think of a better word for it, but her voice goes super-high) closer to the end of the song! It's the perfect thing to autotune. The Writer - A slow, soft song with very powerful emotion. The superior lyrics make this one of the best (or at least most powerful) songs on this album! Animal - As the title hints, this song is quite opposite the one before it. This is a faster, rougher song, especially because of the lyrics. Every Time You Go - This is a decent song. Ellie is kinda all over the place in this one. Not bad, but not outstanding. Your Biggest Mistake - I LOVE this song! Probably my favorite on this album next to Lights. Ellie is again all over the place on this song, but it's more structured so that she builds up to the chorus. Speaking of which, the chorus has two parts ; Ellie's "Oh-oh-oh-oh-ohhh~" in the second half completes the chorus to make an incredibly catchy song. This song demonstrates masterful (not abusive) use of autotune. Love it! Salt Skin - A huge change from the previous song, this is the most 'chilling' of all the songs on this album, if it can be called that. Not bad, but not outstanding. Your Song - I personally believe she sounds better when not performing acoustic solos (which this song is). This is a great song, but it's not among my favorite of hers. Human (desertcart Exclusive) - A fantastic song to round out the album. It takes a bit to wind up, but Ellie's emotional desperation bursts from this song. While the chorus is a bit repetitive, it doesn't detract much from the song. She also coos wonderfully in this song towards the end. Overall, Lights is a steal at $5, and still worth seriously considering if you like "adult pop" (as opposed to teenage pop) with a more feminine-sounding singer (while Ellie has a relatively lighter voice at times, she should not be compared to artists such as Selena Gomez). Ellie's voice and the catchy beats will almost assuredly keep you coming back for more. Review: Unparalled Siren from Across the Pond! - At first glance to the songs you might think this is just like every other album out there from a young and aspiring songstress without much hope of breaking away from the pack. Something to be discarded. But do not be so stupid and naive, you simply HAVE to take a deeper listen. Ellie's voice alone is enchanting. Her sound is like nothing on the radio right now, which is consumed by High School Average voices tuned with Autotune. Ellie has chops, and it is light and airy and layered. She can be breathless and light one minute, and in the next belting away without screeching like the Divas of the world (which is a wonderful change of pace for the ears), Lights is a great album mixing pop and EMD, bringing together an array of musical tastes to one drinking spot. For those who are sampling her for the first time with this album, just wait until you hear Halcyon :) It will blow your mind. While I loved every song on the album (Ellie is a rare commodity for me in that I can literally listen to the whole album with no skipping), there are definite stand outs that have me playing them over and over: 1) Starry Eyed - This one will show you what we mean when we say 'layered voice.' Its a beautiful blend of sugar pop with EMD so you don't get a toothache and a nice beat to tie it all together. Also some great song writing 2) Animal - Don't turn it off, it is NOT what you think it will be from the first few seconds of play. It has almost a slight Ke$ha beat to the chorus and a truly beautiful song lyrically 3) Under the Sheets - Haunting, this one will give you an idea of how Halcyon will sound. Not as radio-generic, perfecting that ethereal yet solid and strong voice technique with a killer hook. 4) Salt Skin - The melody of this one also harkens to what will come with the follow up sensation that finally broke her through (with the smash hit of Lights) in the US. Beautiful layering again, not just her voice but the music as well. This will show you how multilayered and beautifully composed EMD can be. 5) Human - Only with the desertcart version of the album. An amazing addition to this album that everyone should hear. Had Lights taken hold in the US sooner I could easily see this having been released. Of course Lights is on here, which doesn't really need to be heralded. Everyone already loves it. She also covers Elton John's 'Your Song' on this album and it is simply gorgeous. And you can hear her accent come out in it ;) She does Your Song at her concerts and its mesmerizing. If you dig beautiful voices, unique voices, or just looking for something new to lift your spirits give this a go. Listening to Ellie always makes me smile.