Portland, Oregon’s Ten Million Lights are a four piece who are set to release a new EP, Shine So Bright, on October 2nd. This past spring the band holed up, in the shadows of Covid-19 and all of the protests over social injustice, and put together this intensely personal and emotional five song EP.
Ten Million Lights create dreamy guitar pop, a la Ride, that is infused with a heartier rock-n-roll vibe, like the legendary Swervedriver, or 90s UK acts such as Midway Still or Bivouac, as well as contemporaries like Philadelphia’s Nothing, or the UK’s Wishbone. They’ve been at this for about ten years now, with two albums and several EPs under their belts, finding catharsis along the way through their noise, energy, and heartfelt lyrics.
This Wreckage
is honored to be able to premiere Ten Million Lights’ newest single,
“Comatose,” as a lead up to their EP’s release.
“Comatose” is a stunning song about love in the face of tragedy. The song opens with a burbling bassline provided by Russ Ellis, before erupting with Paul Hardie’s dramatic drum crashes, then settles comfortably into songwriter Ryan Carroll’s yearning vocals, which are complimented perfectly by Eric Block’s chiming guitar flourishes throughout each verse. The breathtaking chorus perfectly captures the poignant feelings of witnessing the bright sun breaking through menacing storm clouds and the inherent hope that can be drawn from such an experience.
For Ryan, this was an especially personal experience. A friend of his had been in a coma and Ryan was wrestling with the various emotions that come with that. He was concerned over the possibility of losing his friend, as well as his friends’ partner’s well-being. He goes on to describe the genesis for the song: “I remember sitting in my car, one of those cold winter days, and thinking to myself how I hoped she would find some peace inside herself for what was happening. I heard the radio weatherman predict that a storm was coming and that our gray overcast skies would soon be filled with wind and snow. Just then I got word that he had started to breathe on his own and wouldn't you know it the sky parted, the sun came out, diamonds appeared all around me in the frost, I turned my face into the sun and breathed in the cold winter air all while feeling the warmest feeling in my soul.”
"Comatose" will be available on September 4th, but stream it here first!
https://soundcloud.com/10millionlights/ten-million-lights-shine-so-bright-03-comatose/s-pee9fnge5Ag
