Customer Reviews

Lights Out 2

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After having listened to Steve Lawler's opening edition of the Lights Out series so many times that I almost know it by heart, I was really looking forward to this one. Given Lawler's explanation of what the series is meant to represent, you are assured of getting some of the darkest, dirtiest tribal grooves in the market - or so I thought.

Well, it's the sleazy side of clubbing all right, but that doesn't automatically make it cutting edge, as Disc 1 demonstrates. The basslines bang with Lawler-esque regularity, and the screeches of banshee vocals and nerve jangling synth arrays are all there in force. But instead of creating a deep, dark and underground tribal sound, it makes me think more along the lines of Steve-Lawler-on-a-commercial-club-night. Lots of people will like this Disc for precisely this reason - while the sound bears his signature, it is mainstream enough for the casual listener to get involved in.

Disc 2, on the other hand, is wild, wicked, exotic and - at times - flippin' bizarre. Exactly what you want from a Lights Out Vol. 2 disc. This is Lawler at his dark, spooky best, dropping track after track of booming basslines, ethereal chimes and squirming wails. His choice of opener and closer, with Underworld's haunting sound and the retro-melancholy trip that is Jaydee's Plastic Dreams, encapsulates the whole CD in a beautiful mood that is all his own. While this (IMHO) makes Disc 2 a winner all the way, I'm not sure too many people will feel the same - not unless they are quite serious listeners, with some experience with the sound. A lot of people may just get put off by it, especially after listening to Disc 1.

So why only 3 stars? Because this isn't just another compilation - it's a Lights Out. It stands for something, or is supposed to, and while Disc 2 does, Disc 1 doesn't. The pity is that most people won't care too much, and will probably have the totally opposite opinion with regard to which CD cuts the mustard and which one doesn't.

Oh, well - I suppose everybody's got to decide what they want from a mix compilation themselves. As for me:

Disc 1 - 3 stars. Decent stand-alone mix, I suppose, but it simply ain't what this series stands for.
Disc 2 - 5 stars. Demented, seriously tweaked grooves. Hand on to this CD, it's gonna become a sought after classic among hardcore enthusiasts very soon.
Overall Rating - 4 stars. Hell, why not? You're gonna love at least one of them. :-)

Im a big fan of lawler's work and i think this stuff is great. Either you hate the electroness or you love it. I love it and i think its great and a big step in lawler's music. Dont go out for this cd unitl youve heard what it sounds like.

There's ten tracks. But we'll come back to that. For thick, chugging, tribal percussion and a heady sense of seedy escape, Steve Lawler's exemplary catalog would make him the DJ of choice. His four other albums were crackers, and Lights Out 2 promised to (paraphrasing Lawler), go funkier, sexier, and more uplifting so that when combined with a forthcoming volume 3 you'd have a complete 8-hour view of his live sets.

All well and good, except that disc one is awful, spooling out track after track of upfront vocal house and electroclash dross. There's comically bad, strip club-rejected lyrics from Polekat on "Dancin Queen," a sped up Da Da Da flashback with sassy "your love has got me movin" on Danusha "Movin' On," the repetitive title lyric of Presser "2 Black 2 Gay," and - finally - the creatively exhausted discussion of what "house music is" on Faith Sounds "London Night."

More of the same fat squelchy electro surfaces on disc two, with Eurochrome leading the black eyeliner Dead Can Dance revival and What Ever Girl Presents packing a fruity vocal, but you do get ten straight tracks of stonkingly good tribal rhythms to make up for such indulgences. There's exotic drum banging on Indart Colors V Legaz "Remember the Beats," DJ Pierre and David Morales' hard-rockin' "Make it Hot" with a huge bassline, Sahara's simple groove and squiggly synth bobbing of "The Only One" and a clever switch up as the key stabs provide the funky element on "Tide of Dreams" over straighter beats.

Ten tracks may not be much, but it builds to an hour of quality vibes for the Lawler faithful fans. Viewed as a whole, however, Lights Out 2 is a dubious venture into varied musical territory and his least accessible work to date.

This was my first Steve Lawler album. He was interviewed on the DVD "Intellect- Techno House Progressive," and I was intrigued by his approach of mixing tribal, techno, house and trance.

I enjoyed both discs, although Disc Two is my favorite. Both discs start off tribal, before getting housey and from there mixing it up. Disc Two's latter section is my favorite, beginning from Track #8 - "My Girlfriend is a Robot." The middle sections of both discs are somewhat mucky - lacking drive and direction.

Overall, I rate the album 4 stars for its frequent bright moments and strong tribal selections. Reading reviews of Lights Out 1 and 2, Lights Out 1 seems to be the favored product, and I intend to check that out.

Steve Lawler was the last vestige of really good tribal house music....WAS being the operative word here. Despite what other reviewers have said, I don't find any saving grace on CD 2 !! This is not the next generation of Lights Out....and if it is let me off at the next stop cuz this bus is heading off the cliff !! This is pre-packaged velveeta, techno, glitter....it doesn't showcase Lawler's (formerly present) gifts for finding sexy, bumpin' hot tribal tunes that made you want to dance till you drop....nor does it showcase any particularly noteworthy mixing !! Sadly, LO2 is indicative of the overall decline of hot new commercially available house music. Steve used to break from the crowd however LO2 reflects exactly where the industry is going....goodbye clubland...it was fun while it lasted !!

Well it's like the first one, Not everything is super but These cd's will definitly make you shake. And you can't find them everywhere so...

The first installment was Lawler's Finest cd set...Until Lights Out 2! This cd once again shows that there is nothing commercial about the man; every track naturally agressive, yet sensual; but Totally RAW! This mixed set had me dancing from intro of cd1 til the end of the second disk. Any REAL Steve Lawler fan will agree; Lights Out 2 is worth more than a Pot of Gold!

Steve Lawler's first Light's Out is and will always be one of my favorite albums. I had high expectations for this album and he didn't let me down. This album is different from vol. 1, but equally good. Both discs start out with his signature tribal beats, but as he warms up, he moves to the dark, funky tracks, like Kade's If You Want me, UN7's R.R.R, or Jaydee's Plastic Dreams. If you are a fan of Lawler, then I suggest you get this album and give it a few listens. Lawler does it again!

Well, it seems that some people have forgotten that tastes diverge. Of course, Lights Out 2 is not for all, just as many great albums are not for all. Here's the deal: If you are a fan of "progressive house"/tribal AS WELL AS a fan of electro, as well as a fan of some electro-pop, then you will enjoy this eclectic mix. Although not terribly original, I thought the first disc was a LOT of fun and extremely accessible. Sure, some "lesser mortals" or "commoners" might enjoy it, but who cares? It's a party, nonetheless. Why be a house elitist? The whole point is having a soulful good time, right? The second disc is less accessible but extremely groove-laden. It's great for dancing or just zoning out. I'm very sorry if Lights Out 2 isn't purist enough for some people, but it's fun, it's danceable and it's insanely enjoyable. Good enough for me.

one word: dissapointing
Buy NuBreed cd instead or Lights out 1