Electric Cables (Bonus Track Version)

Electric Cables (Bonus Track Version)

The sparkling, summery “Two Lines,” which opens Electric Cables, is at once familiar. Its hazy, vintage vibe recalls the gentler moments of The Velvet Underground, as well as the long-lived indie pop band Teenage Fanclub. There’s good reason for the latter evocation: Lightships is the project of Fanclub bassist/singer/songwriter Gerard Love, joined here by Fanclub members past and present (Dave McGowan and Brendan O’Hare), plus people like Bob Kildea of Belle & Sebastian and Tom Crossley of The Pastels (on flute!). This debut sports pastoral pianos and soothing woodwinds; it almost feels like a nod to spring or new love. The tunes with the most staying power are the breezy “Sweetness in Her Spark,” the electronics-kissed “Every Blossom,” and the perfect blend of power pop and airy fragility that is “Silver & Gold.” Gentle background gales of guitar give “Muddy Rivers” a bit more heft, while dreamy, gossamer delights like “The Warmth of the Sun” and “Sunlight to the Dawn” feel like the downy-soft flipside to the Fanclub’s most catchy, irresistible tunes.

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