All Things lucid

All Things Lucid kicks off Suburbs On The Moon with "Over The Top," a catchy and funny look at playing the local club scene, and quickly moves on to the clever social satire of the country & western-flavored title track....Southern rock of "Jameson" shakes things up again. (www.allthingslucid.com)
– Terrence Flamm - Illinois Entertainer

"For your style of music, you do it perfectly!" - Steve Smith A&R of Aware Records and judge of 2007 Chicago Backline competition

"Chicago" from All Things Lucid is a rootsy, acoustic ode to urban aimlessness. Recalling the voices of a thousand troubadours before him, Miles Benjamin sings "Put on your Chicago face and smoke another cigarette/Sold my soul to a retail store so I could pay the rent/And oh mom I got drunk again/But don't worry mom cause it's just a city trend." Sure, it's a familiar, even prosaic refrain. But it nails the contradiction of young big city life: You have to feign sophistication when you're just a frightened, confused, lost kid. And that realization can seem awfully profound at the time.
-Amy - Shake Your Fist

Although All Things Lucid has been putting out music since 2005, their latest album marks their first self-titled release. All Things Lucid keeps in true following with the band's sound and style but ups the ante with a little something new. This was my first All Things Lucid album, so many of my observations may not be new or fresh from previous reviewers. A first listening experience can either make you embrace a band or disown them, and All Things Lucid was by far the former.

The band's increasing fluency in sound captures you right away. Lead singer Miles Benjamin has one of the more unique voices in the Chicago area. It's not smooth but it's not caustic, not soft but not gritty. It's not nasally, guttural, or throaty. It has it's own category of timbre and quality that is rarely found but greatly liked. Benjamin's voice on "Take it Easy Joe" and "The Lesson Learned" leads you in like a barker at a carnival into a song that will "astound the senses" or "boggle the mind." All Things Lucid has a certain bluesy quality mixed with good ol' fashion rock and roll - none of that fake pop crap you hear on the radio that tries to pass as such - and Benjamin's voice weaves easily between the band as well as the addition horn and string parts.

The recording quality is also fantastic and adds a lot to the band's finished product. Since All Things Lucid is meant to be purchased on vinyl, each track has a warm sound with more definition than a digital release or CD could offer. Even just listening to it on your iPod you can get a true sense for the direction that All Things Lucid wanted to go with their sound. It's rare to find a band that doesn't want to slap a glossy coat of high-end production on their album with no regard for how it'll affect their final product and call it a day. You can hear the extra effort All Things Lucid put into their album, and it makes a hell of a difference. A great album to kick of the New Year for Chicago music. – Amy Dittmeier - Deli Chicago

Kilo Records' founder, Miles Benjamin, grew up in Rockford and moved to Chicago in 2004 to pursue the arts. Since the birth of Kilo Records in 2005, their team of artists have been shaking up the Chicago indie scene and causing quite a stir. Now four years and four bands later, Benjamin is bringing the family of artists to showcase and share with Rockford, IL. The groups have been described as explosive, thriving, raw, and original. All Things Lucid, Michael Kostal, Rachele Eve, and The Loneliest Monk will be performing on the evening of November 15th at Kryptonite, located at 308 W State St. The event will kick off at 9PM.

Rock n' roll group All Things Lucid, who was the first band to be signed to the label in 2005, has been tearing up venues around the Midwest with their dark stories of struggle, success, freedom, and addiction. They are now recording their fourth record in Kilo Records' exclusive studio, expected to be released early next year...

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... - Jam Production

mp3.com - 01-20-08 - mp3.com