Personnel: Aja Volkman (vocals); Rich Koehler (guitar); Dan Epand (drums, percussion).
Recording information: Battle Born Studios, Las Vegas, NV; Gravity STudios, Chicago, IL; Kung Fu Gardens, Los Angeles, CA; Sonic Ranch, Tornillo, TX; Sound City, Los Angeles, CA; The Boat, Los Angeles, CA; The Hobby Shop, Los Angeles, CA.
Photographer: David Myrick.
Los Angeles alt-rock trio Nico Vega set their sights on pop stardom, enlisting multiple producers to help craft their hooky second album Lead to Light. In the five years since their 2009 self-titled debut, they've added a pair of EPs to their catalog, which saw their evolution from jagged-edged, guitar-based rockers to more of a pop act with an attitude. As before, the entry point for Nico Vega is the intense voice of singer Aja Volkman, who vamps, howls, and coos throughout this varied, 15-track set. Tapping Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds to co-write and produce the fun, riffy lead single "I Believe (Get Over Yourself)" along with the Blondie-esque party anthem "I'm on Fire," they've traded in some of their snarl for more charming melodic fare in search of a hit. Much of Lead to Light follows suit with the Tony Hoffer (Beck, M83)-produced tracks "No Home" and "Back of My Hand" tapping into the contemporary pop zeitgeist with a couple of the album's more enjoyable and melodic songs. Tim Edgar produced the remaining eight cuts, several of which harken back to their edgier sounding early work ("Fury Oh Fury" and "Lightning"), while others like "Good" and "Lucky One" lean more on low-key, atmospheric moodiness. ~ Timothy Monger
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