LIGHTS — The Listening

Get used to seeing LIGHTS' face and hearing her music everywhere because if one thing comes across when listening to The Listening, it's her potential to be a star.

The Listening is a collection of songs that will obviously appeal to a certain target demographic more than others (16-year-olds wearing Old Navy clothing, as her surprise "February Air" hit showed last year), but there's something on it for everyone.

Yes, these are pop tunes, but they're not the kind of smarmy, bubblegum pop songs that make one's stomach turn (think *NSync, New Kids On The Block, Backstreet Boys, etc). "Saviour" and "River" show her obvious debt to '80s synth pop, while your mom will probably dig "Pretend" and "The Last Thing On Your Mind" as much as you. "Ice" is a quirky, incredibly catchy, dancey tune. LIGHTS will even appeal to the emo kid crowd, as her collaboration with Silverstein earlier this year proved. Metalheads, don't try and pretend she's not your guilty pleasure.

There's not a bad song among the bunch, and The Listening is a collection of self-assured, confident tunes. As such, it's a very nice surprise.

Get it from