Lighthouse

Chafik and Yasmine are brother and sister, and they both sing, play guitar and keyboards and write on this record by LIGHTHOUSE, the band he formed back in Rennes in March 1991. But their music, far from reminding of the new chanson soloists like KATERINE or Dominique A, nor the acoustic, melancholic bands as SPRING or LOONS, it rather places them as the final link of an imaginary line of classic, majestic, timeless pop, clearly British but with a universal influence, which begins with THE BEATLES and ends up with JACK or THE AUTEURS, going through David Bowie and Syd Barrett.

LIGHTHOUSE made their debut on May 1992 with the mini-LP “Alone Together”, released on the prestigious French company Rosebud, the same which one year later would release the album “Lighthouse”, where their beautiful soundscapes were wrapped up by the strings of the Orchestre de Bretagne. As a matter of fact, when they opened the festival “Les Transmusicales”, in Rennes, they did it with a string section, though they couldn´t take it with them when they supported PULP or, more obviously, when they went to the States to play New York or the “South By Southwest” festival (in Austin, Texas).

After the release of the CD-mx “Fighting” on Rosebud they recorded “Born A Nice Kid”, a record which was formerly released on their own label (Glam Records) and later on was proudly re-released on our catalogue, and on which Chafik’s masterly composition is perfectly helped by his sister’s voice and songwriting. A record which conquers you from the very beginning, with that anthological opening formed by the first three songs: “You Talk Too Much, Bitch” (or how to be rude in a coy, smart way), “The Witch” (with Yasmine’s fragile voice reminding us of THE SUNDAYS or Suzanne Verga) or the delicious piano, both grave and childish, of “Whoever”. From here, we can just expect such an outstanding record as “Born A Nice Kid” is, soaked in the sonorities of “Abbey Road” or “Hunky Dory”, but not forgetting THE BREEDERS’ “Pod”.

A record with modern sound and attitude, but inheritor of a solid pop and rock tradition, reminding of and renewing such classics as LOVE, THE KINKS or T. REX. Sweet psychedelia which plunges you into a side-world, romantic and dreamy, and lets you discover unsuspected shades on every new listening, increasing each time the listener´s pleasure. LIGHTHOUSE´s pop is a model of the genre: their education and musical culture let them forge that intimate style which is not alien to that of FELT or THE SMITHS, and at the same time taking care of the lyrics, telling stories and expressing feelings, something most non-Anglosaxon bands don’t do when they sing in English.

In 1999 LIGHTHOUSE would release a new album: “Gone fishing”, in French label Limbo Disc .

Discography in elefant:
ER-1033 “Born a nice kid” CD 1997