For years now I feel as though most people have only known Colony House by their silhouettes, but it’s time for music lovers to find the light with the release of their third album, Leave What’s Lost Behind, and make this band part of their regular listening rotation.
The band’s first two albums, Only The Lonely and When I Was Younger, are both stellar albums – yet I feel they went highly overlooked by the industry. Colony House is one of the few bands I find that I can listen to any of their albums from start to finish and enjoy every single song, and love the journey that the music takes me on.
While I had known of them due to their first single, “Silhouettes,” being played on the radio, I became a fan when I saw them open for KALEO at one of the Lollapalooza after shows in Chicago (if you are in Chicago, the Lolla after shows are the way to go to get a better and smaller experience with many of the bands playing the festival – as long as you are ok with going to shows that don’t start until 11pm or later throughout Chicagoland). Colony House is a great live band, so be sure to check out where they are stopping on their tour within the next few months.
The newest album gives me life with the music and messaging throughout. The band has gone and delivered yet another powerhouse of an album from start to finish.
“These times we live in can feel so dark and divisive. It gives us some sort of comfort and hope to consider/remember that we are all in this together. Everybody is looking for some light!” – Caleb Chapman (Colony House front man)
The album opens with “Looking For Some Light,” a powerful and emotional start to what is overall a great third album from the band. Shivering strings crescendo into a beautiful symphonic opening, which later explodes into pounding, emotionally driven, drum beats with lyrics that speak volumes to the human spirit and what we all struggle with.
“Oh, and when the world is weighing on your shoulder
When the sorrow’s heavy on your soul
Carry on and sing it like a soldier
Saying, ‘Come on! Come on!
We’re gonna make it home!’ ‘Cause everybody’s looking for some light“
This isn’t the first time the band has delivered a song that is so timely and valid to me in my own life, as I’m sure these songs speak volumes to many others as well. Previous album songs, “Cannot Do This Alone” and “Moving Forward” also grabbed me right by the heart. This song is a wonderful opening to the messaging that this album is all about, both lyrically and musically.
Title track, “Leave What’s Lost Behind,” combines strong synthesizer themes with wonderful vocals and harmonies and lots of influences from bands like, The Killers. This track follows up one of three musical interludes on the album, “Runaway” (Pts. 1-3), each one a quick, but lovely, transition.
While Colony House surely has their own sound, you can feel influences from other bands sneaking into various tracks throughout. “Original Material” reminds me of tracks from Saint Motel, “Julia” really throws in themes that give me some Vampire Weekend vibes, and the heavy synthesizer in “Trying” really gives me some Erasure feels, whether intended or not. The band has said that they take a lot of influence from a large variety of bands – from Coldplay to Sigur Rós to The Killers – and you can surely hear a lot of that influence in their music, all while keeping a sound that is truly their own.
I enjoy that each song has it’s own uniqueness, and there are style changes throughout to keep you guessing – something that the band has done on previous albums as well. “El Capitan” sounds like it could’ve been recorded back in the 60s or 70s with it’s upbeat guitar riffs and dreamy interludes. The album then takes a quick turn back to more of a solemn, pretty, and powerful delivery with “Why Even Try,” which is stunningly beautiful. A mellow turn is taken with “Where I’m From” before picking up again with “Take It Slow,” which once more takes on some classic rock influenced sounds, and is tons of fun!
The album leaves you with “The Hope Inside,” returning to the overall album themes of leaving what’s lost behind and finding the light. The album does a wonderful job of setting a mood and taking you on a beautiful musical journey from start to finish. I have gone back and listened to the album multiple times since I began writing this review, and it just keeps getting better with every listen.
“Maybe there’s a reason why this world spins around in circles
Like it’s giving us another try every sunrise to find purpose
Has it been happening all this time like another breath that goes unnoticed?
I’m leaving what is lost behind to find the light
‘Cause maybe it’s the hope inside that comes alive when it’s all we have left”
Take a moment to sit down and listen to this album from start to finish in track order!
The Indy Review 
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