Maggie Collins

Arts and Entertainment Editor

Music is food for the soul and rejuvenates us in unique ways. It can put feelings we don’t know how to express into words or compel our lousy day to disappear into the spaces between the notes. Most of all, music allows us to escape our overwhelming world for at least a couple of songs. Everyone has different preferences for the music that works for them, but it has a comparable impact, regardless of genre. Illiterate Light has proven to be one of those bands for many people, with around 53,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. 

They released their new EP, Aloe, on Sept. 15, featuring four new songs and serving as a thematic antidote to their 2023 album Sunburned. The related titles lead me to believe that this EP represents the hydrating and cooling aloe that soothes an irritated and red sunburned feeling in our souls.

The distinctive beats and the variety of styles between the four songs are what first caught my attention. The band wrote the first song, “Don’t Settle Down,” amidst the public protest of the Stonewall Jackson monument being torn down in Richmond, Virginia. It has an official video on YouTube that features band members Jeff Gorman and Jake Cochran playing guitar and drums with sparklers in the background, bringing the whole head-bopping experience together. 

The second song, “Always Always,” has an older rock sound similar to the Beach Boys. There is still a heavy use of guitar and drums while keeping a mellow feel. Uniquely, the drummer, Jake, leads this song. The video for this song showcases Jeff and Jake performing in what looks to be a quarry with a lake. While the scenery is unusual, it perfectly fits their personalities and the song.

Next is “Cheap Divorce.” Accurate to its name, this song is more melancholy. However, it still maintains a beat that keeps you tapping your foot. The band has said a depressing billboard advertisement inspired the song.

Last on the EP is “All of Us,” which stood apart from the rest of the songs. The press release states it is “filled with rambling proverbs and mystical musings” while maintaining the alternative rock sound.

I will admit that this music was much different than I usually listen to, but I quickly enjoyed the rhythms it offered. I appreciate the various themes and styles displayed across just four songs. No two are the same, which can allow a diverse array of people to enjoy their music. The music videos for “Don’t Settle Down” and “Always Always” were excellent at heightening the songs’ meanings, and I find myself visualizing them in my head every time I listen to them. 

Illiterate Light not only produces excellent studio music, but they are also great live performers. From their music videos to recordings of past concerts, I can see they bring abundant energy into any room they play in. They even built bike-powered stages, allowing the fans to participate in bringing the experience to life and conveying a new and greener way to put on a show.

They started their U.S. tour on Sept. 8 in Blacksburg, Virginia, ending in Charlottesville on New Year’s Eve. During their travels, they will stop in Greensboro on Friday, Sept. 29, at the Flat Iron. Even if this is not your style of music, I’m confident anyone could enjoy some aspect of their live show. 

Listen to the new EP, Aloe, here: https://orcd.co/aloe Tickets can be purchased directly from their website: https://www.illiteratelight.com/tour