by: Vance Lambert (aka. DJ Vance)

It’s been 2.5 years since radio station playlists around the country were “Never Going Back To OK.” The Afters, Sanctus Real, and ColdPlay are what I would like to call “Anthem Masters.” They have a knack for making most of their album arena-friendly right from your car stereo. (minus the nose-bleed section and sweaty guy next to you who somehow sings the chorus louder than the 10,000 Watt PA system)  Light Up The Sky has a few shooting stars within it’s beautifully packaged 10 track album.  I don’t have to tell you that the title track is everything you should expect from The Afters – plus a little something more.  By the first chorus, the bad day you’re having has surely been completely obliterated.  I also smell a hint of Brandon Heath in that song too. (and I don’t mean the big guy next to you who still needs a Tic-Tac)  

The Afters have stayed true to their sound for the most part, which you die-hard fans will be thankful for.  But I must forewarn you that their producer must have gotten ahold of GarageBand and RedBull, then had a little extra fun with a few songs. I hear noticeably more programming, synthesizer, and vocoder effects happening on this record!  Take a sneak peek on iTunes at Start Over & Say It Now, and you’ll hear what I mean.  I can appreciate their effort to break up any possible album-monotony though.  Plus, We Won’t Give Up is something straight from 1981!  Rock n’ Roll REO Speedwagon style.  (Children, don’t even bother figuring out who I’m talking about, just get back to your texting… LOL dat V is so funny 😉  

Light Up The Sky is a well-crafted & inspiring album from start to finish, with a handful of memorable tunes that will bounce around your atmosphere for quite some time.  But, I wish I may… I wish I might… that more than the title track would blow me away. (something like 2012 perhaps?)

Rating: B+