Arcade
Into The Light (Wooden Man)
by Marc Hirsh

originally published in Space City Rock, Winter 2005

Man, anybody who picks up a copy of Arcade’s Into The Light expecting to hear the early-’90s hard rock band formed by Ratt’s Stephen Pearcy is gonna be pissed. Of course, since the abovementioned group of music fans is probably outnumbered by the folks who actually worked on Arcade Mark One’s albums, the four indie-rock ladies from Muncie, Indiana who comprise Arcade the Younger should be in the clear. Good thing, too, because with songs like “Black As…” (which, like much of the album, mines the guitar dialogue and uncertain rhythm of Sleater-Kinney songs like “Get Up” for inspiration) and lead singer Carrie Conley’s vocals echoing the bored detachment of Debora Iyall, the band’s sonic touchstones are a little more left of center. Unfortunately, Arcade’s lyrical sense isn’t so hot, with awkwardness and groan-worthy conceits abounding; “No Good,” for instance, is a neat little punk tune that is completely undone by a chorus built around two horrible analogies. There’s some enjoyment to be found by ignoring the words, though, as the second chorus makes a valiant effort at righting a sinking ship by stripping down to vocals and handclaps, and “Into The Light” is a terrific, full-blast the-bar-is-closed-and-this-is-our-last-song number. Into The Light’s not perfect by any stretch, but for a band finding its voice, it offers hints of an interesting future yet to come. For a decade-old offshoot of a second-string ’80s hard rock band, it’s a goddamn revelation.

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