It's a well-accepted trajectory for musicians with a noisy past to "go soft" when they strike out on their own. Normally, it takes a good 10 years or more to get walls of amps and feedback out of one's system, but for Lightspeed Champion's Devonte Hynes, it took far less time. The Test Icicles disbanded before getting a chance to take shape, but the group left a thrashy dance-punk impression in its path.
As Lightspeed Champion, Hynes assumes the role of the troubadour. It's a fitting change, effectively marrying lush Britpop with countrified rock. Lightspeed Champion's promising debut full-length, Falling Off the Lavender Bridge, just came out.
Copyright 2008 XPN
