New sonic impulses to activate your senses…

24 February 2018

Belgium‘s striking collective TUBELIGHT, led by singer/songwriter Lee Swinnen has just released their sophomore longplayer, titled EXPERT BY VIRTUE, THEREOF. The band makes a truly spectacular, sonic U-turn. From dark, psychedelic musings on their debut album Heliosphere to The Fall inspired wickedness and the Velvet Underground‘s raw
jam electricity and eccentric stories on the new record. I was speechless after one spin.

A true tour de force with a rip-roaring result. Swinnen sneers and spits, at times, like
the late, great genial badass/narcist Mark E. Smith did whole his turbulent life with one notable difference, the fact that Swinnen actually can sing (Isolation / Snake Oil Salesman / Reverberate – Ribbit Parade). At times it feels like the LP was recorded in 1967 in New York City in Andy Warhols’ Factory club (Nervous Jim / Complexity / LSD Coy Boy). Yes, ladies and gents, trust me, I’m euphoric for the right reasons. And on top of it the revamped line-up nailed it live, yesterday in my hometown Ghent (Belgium) at their album release party. Now a 5-piece with Ray Manzarek‘s spiritual grandson on organ Tubelight played a non-stop stunning set with a I Wanna Hit bravado. TUBELIGHT is dead! Long live TUBELIGHT!

Here’s EXPERT BY VIRTUE, THEREOF…

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Yesterday’s album release frenzy in De Ruimte, Ghent…

Nervous Lee…

Fully automated…

Catchy complexity…

Setlist…

TUBELIGHT: Facebook / Label: Fons Records

(concert pics by JL/Turn Up The Volume!)