Toronto’s psychedelic rock wonder Quest For Fire returns with album #2. Lights From Paradise is no radical departure from last year’s generally stellar debut, but it has some new developments. The primary difference is that the band pays even closer attention to melody than before – no unfocused jamming here. Instead the band works its psylocibin riffs with almost gentle finesse, letting them breathe even when the musicians crank up the intensity on “In Place of a Storm” and “Hinterland Who’s Who.” That’s not to say the band doesn’t rock hard at times, as it most certainly does – just that the violin-laced folk rock of “Psychic Seasons” or the soaring acid pop of “Strange Vacation” likely wouldn’t have found homes on the first record. The contrast between the churning guitars and the lush vocals brings to mind shoegazer rock, though QFF is unlikely to be mistaken for My Bloody Valentine acolytes. QFF’s evolution remains safely within the boundaries of psych rock, but it’s successful and welcome all the same.
http://www.myspace.com/questforfireband
http://www.teepeerecords.com
