Lights' Little Machines Album Review

Lights is one of those artists who has had a steady rise to fame and I admire her for always staying genuine and never selling out.  She's got to be my favorite female musician.  I believe she should be a role model to all girls, rather than the typical pop stars of Hollywood.

I've been a fan of hers since 2009, but I really fell in love with her 2014 release, Little Machines.  I remember when I got the album in the fall of that year, I instantly connected with it.  It has a certain depth I hadn't heard in her music before.

No matter what time of the year it is, when I listen to this record I always feel that magical hint of autumn.  Lights has a unique singing voice that is hauntingly beautiful.

My absolute favorite song from this album is "Muscle Memory".  I remember when I first heard the lyrics I instantly related to them because she's talking about being home alone and imagining seeing her husband who is away on tour.  The song unfolds like a movie and I can picture what her surroundings are as she's seeing an apparition-like version of her husband and feeling like she's not alone.  I would listen to it when I was home alone because my husband goes on hunting trips and it was a story I put myself into.  That kind of story telling takes real talent and it's so refreshing in this age of generic pop.

"Speeding" is another song I never get tired of.  I get such a feeling of empowerment and freedom when I listen to it.  Lights has said she wrote the song "Running with the Boys" about being young and feeling nostalgic and I feel like that's the whole vibe of this album.  Every song is a high quality creation, and some of my other favorites include, "Same Sea", "Oil and Water", "Don't Go Home Without Me", "Child (Bonus Track)", "Lucky Ones (Bonus Track)", and "From All Sides (Bonus Track).

I bought the album on iTunes and those three bonus tracks came with it.  I'm thankful I was able to get them because they're an awesome addition to the album.  I also got the vinyl and unfortunately, those tracks are not included.

Vinyl insert page.

Little Machines may be in the "pop" category, but it's nothing like what they're playing on the radio.  The lyrics have real meaning and you can tell they come from Lights' heart.  The songs do have an electronic sound, but they're quite different than any electropop I've ever heard.  I absolutely love this album and even though it's been out for a couple years, I still listen to it on a regular basis.  It's fall right now so it's the perfect time to discover it if you've not yet experienced the gorgeous complexity that unfolds in the many layers and depths of this masterpiece.