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Lightspeed Champion ain't my...erm, champion
Yep, gona start a debate on the holiest of cows around right now.
...ahh, the classic, much revered tome that is the NME has devoted its front cover AND a double page spread to the notoriously dull, lullaby teen heartthrob that is Lightspeed Champion.
For those that don't know them, please feel free to join the masses (please note: masses) and check them out on myspace.
To me, Lightspeed Champion reminds of a brief musical spell, that considered the tortured but cute acoustic artist (think 'Dashborad Confessional') its mightiest of hidden treasures.
To be perfectly honest, i've only very briefly taken the time out to see what this great hype is about,
(though i did stumble upon a 'secret' gig at the old blue a few months ago. Celebrities in tow - Peaches geldof, Alexa Chung, singer from Klaxons a veritable 'who's who' of pointless people):
the billboard posters of Dev Hynes, the front page spread of Dev Hynes, the numerous articles in the music press of... yep, you guessed it! Dev Hynes.
Now comes into the question of over saturation and very, very good p.r. Is Lightspeed Champion any good? Is Dev Hynes secretly Jesus? And...is the record worth 10 of your hardest earnt pounds?
I can't answer those questions. Go check it out for yourselves.
However i will add this connumdrum into the mix...
Would anyone care about Lightspeed Champion were it not for Dev's old band 'Test-icicles'? I doubt it. Its all about knowing the right people and getting a fucking awesome p.r. company on your side. I've seen plenty of much better 'solo' artists push their form of power-pop to no avail. ('monroe's heart' anyone)
I don't know Dev, and probably never will. But its just comes down to this, an old addage, that seems to apply most in London:
"Its not what you know, its who you know."
And it seems Dev knows quite a few of the right people eh??
x