Illiterate Light, a musical duo made up of guitarist and vocalist Jeff Gorman alongside drummer Jake Cochran, recently released “Aloe,” an EP that was concocted partly alongside their sophomore album “Sunburned” (released earlier this year in January). The small band is relatively popular, participating in festivals such as Beachtown Weekend while continuing their own tour throughout some lesser-visited venues in the United States.
In a world full of increasingly electronic sound and somewhat unintelligible lyrics, Illiterate Light moves away from this and uses real instruments and crisp vocals alongside meaningful lyrics that focus less on just pure noise and more on being meaningful. This is reflected in “Aloe” prominently, with songs featuring themes regarding the current political climate of the United States.
In an interview with Style Weekly, Illiterate Light discusses the first song from “Aloe,” entitled “Don’t Settle Down”. Gorman notes that the chorus was written to represent the way he felt about the conflict around the removal of Confederate statues. The song calls for people to get out on the street and “don’t settle down,” and is a rallying cry for modern-day racial justice. In recent music history, there has been very little produced that is a direct call to action. This song paints a picture of what we’ve seen during the summer of George Floyd right up until the present day: police brutality, tear gas, rubber bullets and the relentless fight of those who seek justice.
Another favorite from the EP is “Always Always,” which features vocals from Cochran. While this might have been a step outside of his comfort zone, he pulled it off wonderfully. Cochran’s voice is more traditionally indie, reminiscent of Vampire Weekend or Phoenix, which is also reflected in the bright indie pop instrumental. The lyrics take the listener through the life of a young family and the romantic moments within the monotony of daily life. The repeated refrain of “Always Always” is earworm-adjacent, and should land Illiterate Light on the playlist of most eclectically-inclined college students.
The final two songs, “Cheap Divorce” and “All of Us” are slower tracks, dealing with heavier emotions of finding yourself and evaluating your place within the collective whole. The sound is more similar to Coldplay’s “Charlie Brown,” which is a refreshing balance to the peppier tracks that make up the first half of “Aloe.” They are easy staples to a mellow playlist for studying or falling asleep. The contrast between the first two and last two tracks serves as a dichotomy, much like the title of their recent album compared to the current EP. The “sunburn” of the high-energy tracks is soothed by the “aloe” of their slower counterparts.
In total, Illiterate Light deserves more notoriety than it currently gets. The band’s unique mix of folk, experimental rock and indie provides a variety of sounds that are unmatched by most bands on the scene today. Alongside their lyrical prowess and vocal succinctness, it is easy to imagine them as the track to a new TikTok trend, the song for the opening scene of a coming-of-age movie or the centerpiece of a party playlist. Hard-to-please music lovers might consider giving Illiterate Light’s “Aloe” a try – there truly is something for everyone.
