Light - Light (Reissue) (1978/2019)

THE NORTH'S premier band in terms of pulling power even if their Republicwards jaunts have been irregular and plagued by misfortune (i.e. they were meant to paly Daiymount but got caught in a crossfire of misunderstanding misarrange-ments), Light have been properly recruited to the studio for their first album - a Northern first if my memory is accurate, since no rock album has previously emanated from Ulster studios. (Letters please if I be wrong).
For that alone, this is an important event. But for un-initiates, what's in the grooves?
Well, Light veer towards pomp-rock albeit with a certain Northern funkiness which means they can't be completely pigeon-holed. As such, their inclinations demand an extra studio gloss and although the cosmopolitan sophisticate could dismiss their production in terms of say, Yes, plaudits are due to Light and more particularly their engineer George Docherty for the sound achieved. Whatever the international cavits, it's the best production excepting folk (and that's unelectric and therefore easier) IVe heard from this island. Next time around, however, they could accept and adopt to their circumstances by going for a ballsier guitar and rhythm sound.
So from the outset, the album boasts the superior Ulster technique not only in production but also in the playing. Where it weakens is in the songs, as melodically Light can't claim any major originality, owing many debts to various "progressive" influences, with few special re-routings to the tunes.
And when they cover on "Summertime", guitarist and leader Jim Armstrong uses it to display his voice-box, the track coming out too much as an exercise in technique rather than a restatement; set beside Nina Simone or Miles Davis to name but two and you'll see its limitations. He took on too heavy competition.
Lasting longest in the memory is "Harland The Wolf' a dockside lament of love lost as The Ulster Prince' moves off to Lancashire; also "Ray's Song (The Dancer)", for the rock renaissance in The Pound.
And The Pound can take this review full circle. Ten years ago, the troubles snuffed Northern rock, blighted the careers of a generation of musicians who would have made their way out to higher and better things. The Pound was the first fight-back. And in the beginning was the Light. I don't accept everything on this album but there's a spirit and a stamina in the story behind its making that can't be gainsaid. Respect it.~Bill Graham