With their debut All The Houses Look The Same dropping almost a year and a half ago, indie rockers Deas Vail have relentlessly toured and promoted their music, and have had next to no down time. Somehow in the midst of the constant busyness, however, the band has managed to pull together five new songs and are releasing them as an EP, titled White Lights. This is a prelude to their sophomore recording, scheduled to be released before the end of the year.

The EP definitely stands on its own, compared to their debut from last year. Not much has changed for Deas Vail, save for a member or two, and the music on White Lights is very much a continuation of what fans came to love about All The Houses Look The Same. The opener, "Undercover," has a well-adjusted rock feel, where lead singer Wes Blaylock pushes his vocals to the brink, which was heard often on the band's debut. The title track appears to be the same way, giving a very catchy feeling throughout, leading into "Last Place" which is a semi-soft ballad, with lyrics talking about humility, "So go for the last place / because the last place will be the first." "From Priests to Thieves" is another soft, ambient song, with touching lyrics and synth sound that leaves you wanting more. The EP's most powerful lyrics come in during the closer, "Balance," where Blaylock sings about Christ being the balance in our lives and uses some biblical imagery as well, "You are the balance / and you are the sails that bring me home / I'm looking for that clearer water / I'll never be thirsty again / If I could just touch the robe, it could all be over / and all of my sorrows could end."

Clocking in at almost 18 minutes, the five song EP is of decent length as well, making it one of the better releases this year in any form. With a decent following since their debut last year, White Lights is just a taste of what this talented five-piece has to offer fans, and makes me look forward to what Deas Vail has in store for their full-length sophomore effort. Don't miss picking this EP up at either a show or through their website.

- Review date: 8/25/08, written by Justin Mabee