Fear and Doubt

Should you happen to favor Gerard Love’s songs in Teenage Fanclub, chances are good that you’ve already caught wind of the Love-fronted band Lightships. For the uninitiated, Lightships is less of a solo project and more a Scottish all-star indie band featuring Bob Kildea of Belle & Sebastian, Tom Crossley of The Pastels and International Airport, and original Teenage Fanclub (and BMX Bandits) drummer Brendan O’Hare. The EP’s title track opens sounding a bit like Bandwagonesque-era Fanclub until Love’s hushed vocals enter with a Byrdsy guitar chime, creating soothing melodies that are easier on the ears than cashmere earmuffs. Love sings “Silver and Gold” in a sublime whisper before ramping up his voice in the chorus to keep pace with what sounds like a guitar ripping leads through a '60s fuzzbox. These seesaw dynamics blossom into aural pyrotechnics toward the end, as the song unfolds with pillowy vocal harmonies and layered instruments. Through the murky mix and dubby drum delay of “Cavalcade,” it’s evident that Love has a gift for birthing unforgettable melodies.