City Of Lights Cd

Rating

Album: City Of Lights Cd
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Guns And Horses	More Info...	3:35
2)	Starry Eyed	More Info...	2:57
3)	This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)	More Info...	3:54
4)	Under The Sheets	More Info...	3:44
5)	The Writer	More Info...	4:11
6)	Every Time You Go	More Info...	3:25
7)	Wish I Stayed	More Info...	3:40
8)	Your Biggest Mistake	More Info...	3:25
9)	I'll Hold My Breath	More Info...	3:45
10)	Salt Skin	More Info...	4:18

Album: City Of Lights Cd
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Guns And Horses	More Info...	3:35
2)	Starry Eyed	More Info...	2:57
3)	This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)	More Info...	3:54
4)	Under The Sheets	More Info...	3:44
5)	The Writer	More Info...	4:11
6)	Every Time You Go	More Info...	3:25
7)	Wish I Stayed	More Info...	3:40
8)	Your Biggest Mistake	More Info...	3:25
9)	I'll Hold My Breath	More Info...	3:45
10)	Salt Skin	More Info...	4:18

Performer Notes

Photographer: Alan Clarke.
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

Professional Reviews

Rolling Stone (p.66) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "LIGHTS places her vocals and minor-key melodies against producer Starsmith's club-ready mix of synths and brisk, busy electro rhythms. The results are moody, pretty and uniformly catchy."

Spin (p.76) - "[S]he glides through blippy anthems, pumping disco, and delicate grooves with a pixie-ish voice..."

Pitchfork (Website) - "LIGHTS feels remarkably uncontrived, cantering across genres, following personal whims and visions rather than marketing agendas."