Being a former Test Icicles fan i know him as Dev, and will refer to him as Dev. Wow! 180 180 - from the "make my ear bleed" dance punk sound of the Test Icicles to the more folk-like sounds of Lightspeed Champion - with the name coming from a series of comic strips Dev did as a teenager in his school maths books.
Having crossed the pond in early 2007, Dev went over to Omaha, Nebraska to record his debut album - "Falling Off The Lavender Bridge". Being a one man band Mr. Champion had to turn to several established musicians from The Faint, Cursive And The Tilly Wall and Emmy The Great. The coming together of so many different musicians of whom have very different influences can be seen throughout the album - highlighted by the showcasing a wide variety of instruments. Violins, Banjos, Horns alongside the sounds of any indie-folk artis - heavy strumming and twinkly synths.
Personally i think the album is brilliant, despite such a happy feel the album is able to convey such dirty and grungy lyrics. Songs like "Midnight Surprise" and "Let The Bitches Die" provide an outlet for Hynes to be rude, provocative and frank, whilst still being able to maintain the light hearted sounds of the record and without having to resort to darker elements or a slower tempo. His songwriting ability has not impressed many...i disagree - Dev's voice is superbly melodic and versatile - the defining characteristic of his songs. These range from straightforward folk ballads, to rock, to harmonic pop. The mid-song banter is suitably inane, but free of swearing. The album emits a comfortable Brit-pop and Omaha-laced country-rock energy.
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