Wakin' Up the Dead

Because of the controversy generated by Shaded Pain, Michael Knott had a difficult time convincing a record label to fund future endeavors. Left with little alternative, he decided to pool his funds and release the second L.S.U record independently. As a result, one of the things Wakin' Up The Dead suffers from is low production value. The other is a blurring of the crisp vision that made Shaded Pain such a revelation. Wakin' Up The Dead is more guitar-driven than its predecessor, but it lacks some of the vitality and drive. Knott's partner, Brian Doidge, left the band in the interim between records, and so L.S.U. became more of a solo venture. Still, moments of Wakin' Up the Dead eclipse the eerieness of Shaded Pain, particularly the stark "Ocean Blue" and raving-lunatic verses of "The House of Love". This is also the first time Knott experimented with doubling and tripling the vocal track, making his ominous baritone so much the creepier. Though Wakin Up The Dead is more reliant on thick guitars than its predecessor, the album boasts L.S.U.'s first bona fide pop single, the optimistic, uptempo "Touch. ~ J. Edward Keyes, Rovi