A little angst goes a long way, and in {$Arrington DeDionyso}'s case, he got a whole career out of it. It would be foolish to expect him to be mellowing out after more than a decade in the business, and {^Lost Light} delivers the tense goods you'd expect. The stripped-down-sounding trio of {$DeDionyso}, double bassist {$Aaron Hartman}, and drummer {$Rives Elliot} plays taut {\funk}-{\punk} rhythms behind the frontman's yelps, which sound like a fire-and-brimstone sermonizer who's definitely taken a turn for the darker side. It's music of integrity, but not of great variety, recalling some of the more {\atonal} aspects of the early New York {\punk}-{\new wave} scene, perhaps with a funkier bent and an even gloomier outlook, as if {$Jandek} had decided to get a real band together. Images of closed doors, vampires, immersion in threatening waters, "10,000 tigers gnashing teeth," and the like permeate the songs, the hellish organ of {&"Cold Water"} adding to the sense of impending doom. Not a cheerful listen, no siree. But the band isn't all about vocal thrash, throwing in arty instrumentals to keep listeners a little off balance -- {&"Music of the Spheres"} has some eerie upper-register tinkles and wildly upward zoom guitar slides atop the thud, and {&"Cold Water, Deep Underwater"} is a little like the most way-out early {$Velvet Underground} instrumentals in its gnarly guitar textures. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide