Highland Kites is an indie folk rock band from Los Angeles, California that formed in 2013. The band is fronted by Marissa Lamar, who serves as the band’s principle songwriter, vocalist, and keyboard player. She is backed by drummer Neil Briggs. This album, titled “All We Left Behind” came out in June and is the band’s debut full length release. It was produced by Raymond Richards, who is also responsible for playing both guitar and bass on the tracks. The band has released one additional EP since their formation, titled “So Vicious” which came out in August of 2014.
If one statement could be made about “All We Left Behind”, it would be that this collection of ten songs is incredibly poetic and introspective. Marissa Lamar’s songwriting skills will strike listeners as very honest, intimate, and possessing a certain aura of depth and melancholy that delineates this album as a true artistic work. The overall ambiance and mix of “All We Left Behind” is very polished yet sparing, usually limited to simple piano melodies that highlight Lamar’s voice and lyrical content. Songs such as “Empty Pages” add a bit more energy into the instrumentation, and the chorus on this track demonstrates added coloring to Lamar’s voice. Highland Kites has a very interesting sound dynamic, Lamar’s vocals are comparable to that of Lorde, but the instrumentation and lyrical content is much more indie-folk orientated toward bands like Mumford and Sons. Highland Kites uses a host of creative instrumentation and effects; everything from electric guitar, to string sections, to synths are incorporated throughout the tracks. However, despite this diversity, “All We Left Behind” seems very unified; there is no wasted instrumentation throughout the album and all of the music seems to correlate strictly to following the lyrical and poetic material composed by Lamar. This is definitely an album that listeners will praise for lyrical creativity and songwriting talent.
The lack of dynamic instrumentation may not be preferable for some listeners. “All We Left Behind” is a very focused album that doesn’t lend itself to much musical experimentation. At times, the tracks can sound a little too stripped down, and the music seems to melt away in lieu of the words. At the conclusion of this album, some listeners will have wished the tracks were less musically conservative. Overall, if you are looking for an album that has a range of instrumentation and creative arrangements, this may not be what you’re looking for.
“All We Left Behind” is a success in terms of its lyrical content, these songs are simply written very well, and will strike listeners as being very personal and sincere. The instrumentation is definitely centered around bringing out the lyrics, and although it may be sparing and lack creative dynamic, the overall atmosphere of this album is very introspective, intimate, and focused. “All We Left Behind” is an excellent debut indie-folk album.
Highland Kites – All We Left Behind
Artist: Highland Kites
Album: All We Left Behind
Label: Independent
Website: http://www.highlandkites.com/
Genre: Indie Folk Rock
Sounds Like: Mumford and Sons, Lorde
Technical Grade: 7/10
Production/Musicianship Grade: 9/10
Commercial Value: 9/10
Overall Talent Level: 7/10
Songwriting Skills: 9/10
Performance Skills: 9/10
Best Songs: Empty Pages, Polaroids
Strengths: Excellent songwriting ability, great overall album ambiance and presentation
Weaknesses: Instrumentally conservative, perhaps too sparing
Reviewed by Owen Matheson