Dylan Kight
Athens, Georgia, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2006 | SELF
Music
Press
Some albums are just made for kicking back on sultry summer nights. Some albums are destined to be played on the long road trips to the middle of nowhere. And some are perfect for both. Dylan Kight’s latest turnout, The Nightbird’s Revolt, is a catch that will reverberate in the skull during those long hours while shooting the breeze with old friends or being stranded on the side of the highway. Either way, the sophomore release from the introspective Georgian pairs perfectly with some cheap wine and a hot southern night—minus the mosquitoes.
At a Glance
At the first spin, The Nightbird’s Revolt is deceptively upbeat. But upon closer inspection, it is quite darker and much, much deeper. The peppy electric choruses are at odds with the poetically melancholy lyrics; pensive musings that could even put Conor Oberst to shame. Kight weaves his words in such a way that it leaves the listener feeling exposed and vulnerable, yet strangely comfortable with the fact that he seems to knows even the most guarded secrets of the inner soul. Kight’s clear and vibrant tenor (which calls to mind the voice of Death Cab for Cutie’s frontman Ben Gibbard) wraps around a bruised heart like a security blanket.
Highlights
“A World Beyond This” is an echo of a past that the world has had: it is a ballad of bygone days and the what-ifs that never happened—“But whatever happened to/The things we said we’d do/Time forgets and leaves you blue” sounds like a tune everyone has sung at some time or another. The metallic “Fadin’ Into the Night” could be a typical bar song—basic rhythms with prominent guitar and lonely crooning “Please don’t go/It’s a lonely life/When you live all alone”. A hint of picking that could vaguely resemble bluegrass allows the intro to “Daydream Deferred” to bring attention to this rocking little track; plus, the line “Angels of the night unleash the hounds of hell” is just purely irresistable.
Kight could almost come off as a New Dylan, with just the faintest dash of southern rock. Not backwoods enough to be in league with Lynard Skynard, not twangy enough to be country, The Nightbird’s Revolt could into that vague, enigmatic category of folk rock, but the word “alternative” suits it well.
Why Listen
The Nightbird’s Revolt is far from perfect—as are most albums. A little more instrumental variation could go a long way with this album, and some dramatic dynamics would keep the tracks from blurring together. And Kight himself can sound a little strained at times. But maybe it is precisely the fact that this album is not some manufactured, cookie-cutter, corporate brain wash that makes this the right spin for a bruised heart—the jagged edges and relaxed atmosphere that it breathes hits home right at the most unexpected moments.
Last Thoughts
As Kight reflects in his notes on the album, “We would come out of the studio or rehearsal place to get fresh air or go home and there were these birds that were losing their minds. I started to identify with these birds and it was like they were following me during the making of this record. There are deeper shades to things we experience and I think it's there if you to be in that moment but you have to let go. You need to find out things for yourself and see them your own two eyes. … I haven't heard the birds since we finished the record...so maybe in the end we all do find peace."
Kight has a point…maybe in the end, it is possible to find peace.
- Brittany Brown with Suite 101
"Places in Between, the new EP penned by local singer/songwriter Dylan Kight, is a no-frills exercise in stripped down acoustic music. It's a genre with a storied tradition, but too often its modern purveyors resort to familiar chord changes with little lyrical body to substantiate a glaring lack of melodic creativity. Thankfully, Kight is no knockoff artist. Though his doleful front-and-center delivery can call to mind such singers as Ryan Adams, dude is earnestly his own on such winding love songs as "Jericho," where he posits: "In a world of lies/You gave me truth." Kight's strength is in making universal sentiment personal — something every singer/songwriter attempts, but few convincingly pull off. "I will follow you down every road/Just to show how human I am," Kight yelps in "I'll Follow You," a defining statement if ever there was one. Places isn't perfect, or new, but it does what it does with a quiet potency."
(3 out of 5 stars)
- Creative Loafing
"There's a small triumph in finding joy in our more melancholy moments. Dylan Kight seems to be one of those folks capable of such triumphs. On his debut solo disc No Destination But Heartbreak Avenue, his youth is belied by a vocal timbre and lyrical depth that team up to do more than just walk us through stories of love and loss. We're guided through to the other side, and although we may not emerge unscathed, at least we're better off with a little more seasoning. Repeated listening reveals more musical layers: Stonesy guitar growls, jazzy chord work, melodies that tickle memories, and other little complexities that make it unfair to label this just plain old 'folk.' Overall, it reminds me of some of the more magic moments of British folk rock. You remember -- back when it had balls..." - joerockhead.com
Dylan Kight
The NIghtbirds Revolt
Featured Download: "Arcadia" MP3
An uncertain revolution lies at the heart of The Nightbirds Revolt. Wrought with an almost low-fi directness, with raw guitar riffs serving as a kind of pen-and-ink sub-terrain for Dylan Kight’s lyrical poetics—think a younger Ryan Adams channeling his beloved Replacements minus the crackling energy—Revolt is a dark song cycle which ironically references the sun in over half its offerings. This retro vibe finds its surest footing in “Rise and Fall” and “Ocean Room,” if at a decidedly lower volume and velocity than its post-punk predecessors. With the exception of “Arcadia,” the sole acoustic and surprisingly uplifting final track, Kight sighs his way through this set, sounding downtrodden yet still more moving and affective than Adams at his saddest. —GMG - Performing Songwriter Magazine
"The Nightbirds Revolt is worthwhile".."Be sure to check out Ballad Of Clarence Marshall and Arcadia" - Wildy's World Blog
Discography
~Albums~
The Nightbirds Revolt (2007)
No Destination but Heartbreak Avenue (2006)
~EP~
Places In Between (2010)
Sweet Misery (2006)
Photos
Bio
Dylan Kight hails from Atlanta, GA. He began recording 4 track demos as early as the age of 14. He cut his teeth playing in garage rock bands in his teens. All the while recording his still unpolished form of british inspired folk music in his basement. This is something that is still prevalent at the core of Kights sound. His unique blend of americana and British pop music.
Dylan Kight got a break when local studio owner, Chuck Jopski, let him record during the "down" hours of the studio. Kight took the opportunity and recorded 2 solo albums and an EP. Which all received regional press. During this period Dylan toured regionally and worked with countless bands on stage and in the studio.
In the spring of 2010 Kight worked with David Barbe to make arguably his best work to date, Places In Between. 6 songs recorded in one day and an additional day to mix. Kight and Barbe created sparse but moving foundations for some of Kight's most personal work to date.
Dylan Kight has had the honor of sharing bills with The Cave Singers, Tim Easton, Hotel Lights (of Ben Folds Five fame), Matthew Ryan, Jennifer OConnor, Bain Mattox, The Ravenna Colt(of My Morning Jacket fame), Roman Candle, Langhorne Slim & The War Eagles and Bobby Long to name a few. Dylan has been a member of Daydream Deferred, Casamino, The Trangressors, The Morgan Rowe Band, The Exile Circus, & The Atlantis to name a few.
Band Members
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