It has been a busy few months for Ohio pop punks Light Years: signing to Rude Records, announcing a UK tour with Neck Deep, State Champs and Creeper for 2016 and recording this, their sophomore LP.

‘I’ll See You When I See You’ is the work of a band at ease with their sound; a product no doubt of their bubbling popularity but also a continued alliance with producer Will Yip. Although the ambition on show is, at times, limited, the end-product is largely indicative of a progression in maturity since September 2014’s ‘Temporary’ EP.

Starting as they mean to continue, openers ‘Are You Sure’ and ‘Rearview’ are amongst the show stealers; catchy to the extreme, deft in delivery with effortless nods to their predecessors. And yet, despite this, ‘I’ll See You When I See You’ is not a record of overinflated melodies and gratuitous breakdowns, but instead one of thoughtful and considered conveyance. Whilst the album addresses the familiar themes of heartbreak, loss and disappointment, Light Years tackle these with an acquiescent and hopeful narrative led by Pat Kennedy’s reassuring vocals, something most evident during the ridiculously infectious ‘The Summer She Broke My Heart’.

‘I’ll See You When I See You’ does run out of steam towards the end, with the likes of ‘Lost Grounds’ and ‘I Wish I Could’ feeling a little one dimensional, but more often than not the minimalist delivery lends itself to what Light Years are trying to achieve.

The Cleveland quartet care little for the current trends and direction of the punk scene; not only is that to their credit, but it also makes for an album that is honest, nostalgic and likeable in equal measure, and one with all the qualities to be enduring.

4/5

‘I’ll See You When I See You’ by Light Years is out now on Rude Records.

Light Years links: Facebook|Twitter|Bandcamp

Words by James Lloyd (@ct4james)