Bright Coloured Lights
Open Your Eyes 7"

THE REVIEW

We are in 1992.

Pam Berry and Mike Schulman, respectively vocals and guitar, returning from the Black Tambourine project and following the departure of colleagues Brian Nelson, who moved to Velocity Girl, and Archie Moore, to Heartworms, decide to establish a continuation of said band, a sort of evolution. Well, evolution it probably wasn’t. But a worthy second act where the first signs of wear start to show, yes indeed. So they recruit two members from Lorelei, both on bass (!), and the unknown Geordie Mess on drums. They start well, the lineup is strong, stronger than that of Napoli (???), but they don’t last long. They last for this single and nothing more.

The seven-inch is composed of three tracks which, supported by Berry's fitting melodies and sounds both dirty and fascinating (above all, "Leave You Behind") primarily crafted by Schulman's ungainly guitar - later involved in the Powderburns project, where he would have a greater chance to unleash his wild streak -, they quickly capture the listener, dragging them into a dreamy, hazy, and engaging atmosphere at the same time.

In essence, Pam's charming vocality, somewhat naive - and thus in stark contrast to the ramshackle sounds spewed from Schulman's amplifiers -, skillfully guides us through sometimes gloomy scenarios ("Count the Raindrops"), made of noisy branches and almost entirely unsuitable for her nearly angelic language.

As if the Ronettes were blithely performing their "Be My Baby" in the mud and cacophony of distortions, guitar feedback, and disoriented reverberations, rather than applause and frantic delirious shouts.