Gregg Yeti & The Best Lights: Heart Palpitations Of The Rich & Famous

Syracuse stalwart Gregg Yeti is front and center on this record, one featuring a few friends who hauled this album along. Yeti initially comes off like Xavier Rudd on the roots-y, earthy “Deal With You Perfect” although the mix here is incredibly poor with the bass come through the speakers quite distorted. It’s a thoughtful song though with a supporting choir which gives it an uplifting quality. But for the majority of the record, Yeti channels the likes of Pixies or Frank Black (or both) for some memorable moments. The mix is vastly improved on during “Body Like a Fever” that has a warm, inviting roots-rock feeling at its core as Yeti’s raspy vocals guide the tune’s direction. Listening to the record, the DIY motif is in full effect during the lo-fi indie nugget “Adventures in Bad T-Shirts” with Jessica Rudy providing sweet vocals and harmonies. Melodic is probably the best word to describe this record, as Yeti shifts gears downward for the light but summery “Laughter Be Your Slave” but the highlight might be a song Yeti doesn’t even have vocals on as “Half on the Way” resembles a pretty, picture-perfect number The Delgados should have gotten around to. And the heavenly “Colonize Your Eyes” is a thoughtful, reflective song that should hit a nerve with most listeners. Never one to waste a song, Yeti assures the homestretch is not filler with “My Narcoleptic Sara” sounding like a fine collaboration between Neko Case and R.E.M.