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It’s a hallmark of a great song that it gets stuck in your head, and that you don’t mind it getting stuck in your head. Such is the case for me with Like Lightning’s “Disappear,” which I first heard at the Skylark in 2011. Thankfully, there was a live recording of it on their Bandcamp site, and this enabled me to keep listening. And thus, the song wound up in the book because there was one line that stuck in my head.
“I don’t want to disappear.”
It’s an ordinary phrase all on its own, but when sung over a descending chord progression in a pop-laden rock song, it can linger in the brain for three years and be enough to build a story on.
“I don’t want to disappear.”
Like Lightning is not a pop band though, or maybe it’s better to say they’re edgy pop. It’s rock, of course, a little heavy at times, a little loud, but never overbearing. They play a brand of music similar to Aimee Mann’s new stuff. The groove is solid, and there are at times unexpected things happening on the guitar, odd noises and fades and swells. Good stuff.
And thankfully, they’re still together. They haven’t been the most active band over the past couple years, but they’ve solidified the lineup and are nearly done with a new CD. Look for it next year. And they’ve generously donated the new recording of “Disappear” to The Music Book CD*. Check it out:
And take a while to listen to them talk about music, about being an artist, about band names and transcendent moments and one-note guitar solos and dramatic ship songs.
*NOTE: The Music Book CD is a benefit for the Wishlist Foundation. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of CDs and downloads will be donated to the charity.
UPDATE: Like Lightning will also be playing at the launch party for The Music Book on Sunday, November 2 at the High Dive in Seattle. More details on the Facebook Event Page: The Music Book Launch Party
