Now It's Overhead

Dark Light Daybreak

BY Michael EdwardsPublished Feb 16, 2007

If you were to look in the dictionary for the definition of a patchy album, there’s a real good chance the cover of Dark Light Daybreak would be staring out at you. It shouldn’t be a surprise really because neither of its predecessors have suggested that Now It’s Overhead are capable of recording anything else and this, their third album, moves closer to that definition. Despite the fact they are on the cooler than cool Saddle Creek label, or the fact that fellow Athens native Michael Stipe gave them the rub on their last album has really helped them. And maybe that’s why they’ve decided to change their sound somewhat on their third album, trying for a more epic, bigger sound that only works on occasion. Those anthemic songs are the most successful though, such as the slow build on the opener "Let the Sirens Rest” or the staccato guitar on "Walls.” That’s where Now It’s Overhead is at their most frustrating — every great song is followed by two pedestrian numbers that suggest that the band should perhaps stick to EPs in the future because they probably have enough good material here to fill at one EP and not much else.
(Saddle Creek)

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