Listen: Nightlands - "So Far So Long"

I'm going to be completely honest with you: When I was first introduced to Nightlands, the solo project from War on Drugs/former Sondre Lerche band member Dave Hartley when he opened for Sondre Lerche last year, I wasn't feeling it. The band used vocal effects that made them sound more robotic than one had any right to, especially after Kishi Bashi and before Sondre Lerche who charm with endearingly raw vocals. I was disappointed as until that point I had never been let down by Sondre Lerche approved band before. And yet for some reason I still bought a copy of Nightlands debut Forget the Mantra that night. I haven't listened to it yet but when news of a sophomore record came yesterday, I remembered it.

Had I made a mistake? Had I judged too harshly? Apparently. Because while I've still yet to listen to Forget the Mantra, "So Far So Long", the first single off Nightlands upcoming sophomore record Oak Island is a blissed out, sleepy ramble that's rather satisfactory. If Dave Hartley can create something so simple yet so pleasantly enjoyable, he obviously earned that SL seal of approval. In 4 minutes and 19 seconds, my opinion on Hartley changed completely. Who knows, maybe the Nightlands live set just wasn't my thing? All I know is that with "So Far So Long", Hartley earned himself second chance. And rightly so.

Check out "So Far So Long", the first single from Nightlands upcoming sophomore album Oak Island out January 22nd on Secretly Canadian.