NEW EP: Daylight Hours - Brand New Tomorrow

If you haven’t heard of Daylight Hours then I suggest heading to their Facebook Page and listen to their stuff, because they’re definitely worth it! I’ve been waiting for this EP since the boys asked me to review it a few months ago. I was a little excited when they asked and was only more than willing to have a listen, and to my surprise I really enjoyed their sound.

***

Me and You

I’ve been playing this track on repeat since it came out a few months ago. Me and You is their first single from the EP and it’s got a great feel to it. Talking about an unlikely encounter that develops into love, the lyrics and their message are enveloped beautifully in the array of their musical accompaniment. The music matches the beach reference and it’s one you want to get up and dance to. Following an instrumental opening to the EP, the strong vocal start was a perfect introduction.

The Bright and the Young

This track is definitely rockier than the first track. What I love this song is the mid-section where Phil and Adam do a call and response where the accompaniment pulls back, leaving just the vocals and the drums with a dash of a guitar riff. Since the lyrics refer to an unstable relationship where there’s a bit of chase between the boy and the girl, the pace of the song suits the story behind the lyrics. It’s one crowds will surely jump up and down to, not mention head-bang to!

Definitely Maybe

Slowing things down a little, but continuing the story of a dysfunctional relationship, Definitely Maybe pulls back and let’s the vocals take over this track. There’s an excellent guitar solo towards the end that makes you want to sway, actually this entire song (though it still has it’s rock elements) leads you into a swaying motion – which is nice after two high-energy songs.

Here In My Arms

Featuring Jake Bosci, this track has a beautiful melody and has a more positive message in regards to love. It goes back to Me and You and talks about being in love with someone. Stripped back even more from the previous song, Here In My Arms is a song that begs couples to slow dance on the dance floor. It’s sweet and delicate, one that I think would be perfect for a movie one day. I have to say this is my favourite song in the EP – not because it’s a romantic song, but because the lyrics and the accompaniment are a great combination.

Closer

The EP closes with a rockier ballad, which is perfect because it’s not too fast or too slow – it’s just right. Listeners are back to the head-banging and the jumping, but can still have a moment to appreciate the words being sung. It’s not a very long song, but it’s long enough to close the EP in a way that leaves you wanting more.

Overall

This EP is one of the best I’ve heard in terms of the arrangement of the songs. Fast to slow to moderate – and it works! I love the fact that you don’t really notice the instrumental tracks, I mean you do, but it sounds as though they’re part of the previous or the following song, which is great – flawless even. The only issue I have with this EP is that it’s an EP and not and album! I seriously wanted more to review! Hahaha! But I do recommend it – it’s worth every dollar you spend.

Get it here: http://itunes.apple.com/album/brand-new-tomorrow/id480079370 or here: http://www.daylighthoursmerch.bigcartel.com/

sL Star Rating: 4 stars

Next on sL: The latest from Molotov Jukebox

FILM: In Time

In a world where time is the currency, it’s all about looking at Darwin’s theory of “natural selection” in a different light. Genetically modified to stop aging at 25 and only having a year left to live afterwards – unless you could earn more time to live a little longer – suddenly the question, “What do you do in your spare time?” means a lot more than saying, “Oh, nothing much.”

For Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) earning his time means having enough to live day-by-day. In a twisted hand of fate, Will finds himself with all the time in the world when a stranger (Matt Bomer) gives him a century to live. With more than enough time to do anything he wants, it’s time to fight for justice; it’s time against those who live forever and allow others to die daily.

The Story

The concept of “time as the currency” is perfect for this day in age. It really questions what you would do if you knew your time was constantly running out. It also takes on the idea of being able to earn more time, that is, being able to earn more hours in a day or loss more hours in your day.

I loved how the retained the reality of the more time you have the more you have in your life. More time to relax, more material things to enjoy, more places you could go or the complete opposite. You have to work more to have more time; you have to do everything faster so you can relax a little later – this film adapts the construct of socioeconomic status within the constraint of time.

Really made me think about what I do with my time and how I “invest” it.

The Cast

Amanda Seyfried just gets better and better with every role she plays. After surprising us all with her vocal abilities in Mama Mia, her dark and mysterious role in In Time shows another side to her. Playing the damsel-in-distress at first, Seyfried portrays the stifled heiress, Sylvia Weis who lives on the empire that her father, Phillipe (Vincent Kartheiser) perfectly. Seyfried’s ability to be both mysterious and daring removes her from the innocent blond we remember from Mean Girls. Her fiery red-hair suits her well and gives her a more matured look that separates her from her previous dumb-blond role – which obviously is a positive thing for her.

Justin Timberlake gets a massive KUDOS from me in his success on the big screen. With The Social Network and Friends With Benefits gracing the big screens in the last eighteen months or so, we’re no stranger to seeing the pop start put away his dancing shoes and entertain us with his acting skills instead. I have to say I thought his performance was brilliant. He was believable as “a man on a mission” and conveyed his emotions really well. He was suave when he need to be and aggressive when he needed to be as well.

Cillian Murphy is the most convincing villain/hero type I have ever witnessed on the big screen. His facial expressions were what won this film over for me. Careful not to dominate Timberlake’s leading role, but at the same time conscious of the dynamics between their characters, Murphy perfectly conveys that no matter what happens time must be measured by the zone. I have to say that the cinematography of constant close ups for Murphy’s character, Raymond Leaon, was excellent since his decisions were written all over his face.

Alex Pettyfer has come a long way from his action debut back in 2006 with Stormbreaker. With I Am Number Four also coming out this year, playing the head gang member of the “Minute-Men” is like a walk in the park for the young actor. Pettyfer’s ability to be arrogant and somewhat “wise” in how Fortis does his “dealings” with other people time is magnificent. Playing the “bad guy” this time around shows a great growth in Pettyfer’s abilities and will take him a long way in this industry. We’ll be seeing him a lot more I presume.

Overall

In Time is perfect for both men and women. There’s not too much romance and there’s not too much action so you can all have a good night out with friends. There’s not that much blood either since death is like a jolt – like a bomb that goes off internally within the human body that tells you that you’re time’s “up”. It’s a modern day Bonny and Clyde that makes you think.

sL Star Rating: 3 stars

Next on sL: Daylight Hours’ New EP: Brand New Tomorrow