Photo by Sacha Lecca
The Mystery Lights’ Robert Johnson-ian dilemma comes at the finale of its self-titled debut, after the Brooklyn band has spent thirty minutes stirring together good vibes flower power with bad vibes rock and roll. The group makes its sound like the devil is its patron saint, as any good rock band should.
This record also marks Daptone’s first foray into harsher realms via its subsidiary Wick. Marquee acts like Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley prove that throwback music can be deeper and more nuanced than the term “throwback” ever suggested, and like a lot of Daptone’s roster, the Mystery Lights use the past as a springboard. “What Happens When You Turn The Devil Down” opens the garage door on 1966, connecting one troubled era with another, more modern one. But the Mystery Lights’ dance with the devil is dangerous: despite the inherent evil, it sounds too good to turn down.
“What Happens When You Turn The Devil Down” appears on The Mystery Lights, out now via Daptone/Wick. The Mystery Lights play the Parish on Saturday, August 6.
–Art Levy // host, Sundays 10 a.m.-2 p.m., producer, My KUTX