Last month saw the release of the sophomore album “Desert Bloom” by Earthquake Lights which has soared in popularity since its release. Earthquake Lights have really managed to make an impact with this album, bringing an interesting listening experience to all who hear it. The release of “Desert Bloom” follows up the band’s a capella version of the second single from the album, titled “Another Star”.
Earthquake Lights are a five-piece alternative rock band from New York City, consisting of Myles Rodenhouse (lead vocals and keyboard), Cameron Underhill (guitar and backing vocals), Evan Douaihy (lead guitar), James DiGirolamo (electric bass), and Steve Helms (drums). They all met in college and soon dropped their first EP “Bangups and Hangups” in 2012, which gained momentum quickly, earning placements in a national NBA/Tissot ad campaign and an Alex Gibney documentary show “Edge of Eighteen”. In doing so, Earthquake Lights worked hard on writing new songs, with their perfectionism being key in the creation of 10 songs, leading to the release of their debut studio album “Distress Signals”, seven years after the release of their debut EP. The LP features broadway jazz players on brass, and strings from Abbey Road studios in London, and went on to receive critical acclaim and placement in Isabel Sandoval’s award-winning film Lingua Franca. It’s been four years since their debut album and Earthquake Lights have proven that when you put in the hard work over a number of years, the music that’s created and produced is next level and their incredible streaming numbers are proof of that. Their most-streamed track on Spotify is “Off and Away” with 3.2 million streams, closely followed by a number of tracks from their new album “Desert Bloom” which has become a viral sensation over the last month. This band know exactly what they’re doing and they are bringing it with everything that they drop.
Talking about the new album, “Desert Bloom”, lead vocalist of Earthquake Lights, Myles Rodenhouse said: “It is very much a record of deadlines and pushing our creative process forward. It was tough but really important and healthy for us because we found out a bit about ourselves and how we create.”
The band went on to talk about the single “Another Star”, which is inspired by the spacecraft, Voyager, stating: “It’s something that was once so relevant but has become dated and now exists far removed from anything that truly cared about it.”
Stream “Desert Bloom” by Earthquake Lights on Spotify here:
The album starts off with “Empty Sky” which introduces listeners to their euphoric pop sound with subtle elements of alternative rock mixed in, yet making the orchestra energy the main vibe of the track. It sets the standard of the following tracks, leading into the incredible “Another Star”. This second track is smooth and clear, with Myles Rodenhouse’s vocals crisp and drifty allowing the production to transport the listeners into a gentle space journey casually drifting along with melodic rhythms, symbolic drum chords and impressive piano progressions. Next up is “Snow”, keeping with the flowing aspect of the previous track, allowing the piano to take the spotlight as the relaxing track doubles into a progressive emotional vibe. The fourth track is the title track, “Desert Bloom”, focusing more on their alternative rock band atmosphere as they start the track with guitar chords followed by drums and Myles Rodenhouse’s heartfelt vocals delving into the imagery of the desert and plants that bloom amongst the sand – it metaphorically stands for the album as a whole and really showcases how against the odds, the band continues to bloom and go viral.
In contrast, title-wise anyway, “The Flood” is the fifth song on the album, which strips back the sound even more so than we thought possible, giving the lead vocalist the spotlight and adding soul and heart as the lyrics metaphorically discuss how someone can leave things in ruins, with Myles Rodenhouse impressing with beautiful runs, incredible falsetto notes, and flooding the track with emotion. We hear orchestral strings accompanying his voice as subtle guitars, keys, and drums amplify his passion for the track. This is followed by “Quarter to Midnight”, a rhythmic beat track that brings a bit of groove to the “Desert Bloom” album and showcases Electric Lights’ versatility. The seventh track is “Out of Sight, out of Mind”, allowing the band to delve into alternative orchestral rock fully allowing the instruments to be at the forefront as the vocals bring quality and definition.
The penultimate track is “The Dregs”, which starts off with a piano instrumental, and continues with a gentle atmospheric vibe as orchestra strings flow in creating a rhythmic journey as brass orchestral elements join in which all come to a head before flowing back out again leaving us with some tender vocals and the piano chords. The last song is “Off and Away”, which is Earthquake Lights’ most-streamed track on Spotify, and it starts off with a deep piano chord and rhythmic drums before Myles Rodenhouse’s soulful vocals kick in around meaningful lyrics that are beautifully crafted and creative as we hear about someone leaving and taking off, apparently not needing us anymore. The band showcases their amazing musicality and production as they enhance the song with a variety of instruments adding value to the story and emotion of the track, which is relatable to so many of us.
Listen to our favourite song from the album, “The Flood”, here:
“Desert Bloom”, the second studio album from Earthquake Lights, is available to download and stream, right now, across all platforms.