The Orange Lights

Formed from the ashes of early shoegazers Spiritualized (for whom Jason Hart was a touring guitarist) and blue-eyed soul duo the Lighthouse Family, the Orange Lights mix downtempo atmospherics with adult alternative guitar rock. Co-creators Hart (vocals, guitar) and Paul Tucker (keyboards) were first introduced by a shared friend, but it wasn't until both musicians suffered the mutual loss of a friend/relative that their cathartic collaborations began. Tucker encouraged Hart to focus on his vocals (which had gone unnoticed in Spiritualized), and the Orange Lights soon solidified their lineup with the addition of Chris Gittins (bass), Alex Lucas (drums), and Ewan Warden (guitar). Although still unsigned, the quintet attracted the sharp ear of producer Ken Nelson, whose work on the Coldplay catalog had launched that band to international stardom six years prior. Nelson took the Orange Lights under his wing and produced the band's debut album, Life Is Still Beautiful, with the help of co-producer Chris Potter (famous for his work on the Verve's Urban Hymns). Recording sessions ended in late 2005, and the band spent the following year drumming up support for its record, eventually gaining an important ally in American radio personality Nic Harcourt at KCRW. Life Is Still Beautiful was released in September 2007 by the independent Blackbird Records, and the band followed its release with a series of European concerts. ~ Andrew Leahey