Review / 200 Words Or Less
Lighten Up
I'd Rather be Snoring

Brain Drain (2007) Michael

Lighten Up – I'd Rather be Snoring cover artwork
Lighten Up – I'd Rather be Snoring — Brain Drain, 2007

Philadelphia is always shooting out new hardcore bands. Lighten Up is one of the more recent products of the city of endless hardcore. The members of this four-piece likely have extensive collections of Revelation and Dischord records, or at least that's what one would guess while listening to their music.

I'd Rather be Snoring is five tracks of super fast-paced hardcore with a dash of melody in it. Stylistically I would compare Lighten Up most closely to Paint it Black. They both play fast paced hardcore that is obviously aggressive, but at the same time showcases a tender size. Lyrically the band tackles topics of concern that would plague a kid in his mid-twenties that is super into hardcore.

This is a promising release from Lighten Up, though it is still rough around the edges. They've been writing since this was originally recorded over two years ago, so look out for their full-length that drops later this year.

6.5 / 10Michael • February 14, 2008

Lighten Up – I'd Rather be Snoring cover artwork
Lighten Up – I'd Rather be Snoring — Brain Drain, 2007

Related news

Lighten Up Post New Song

Posted in MP3s on May 5, 2009

Recently-posted album reviews

Bevis Frond

Horrorful Heights
Fire Records (2026)

God loves Nick Saloman, and from the heavens, the expulsion of the beloved archangel fell and spawned Horrorful Heights. A 20-track double-album behemoth. Eighty-eight minutes of musical mayhem. Who does that anymore? nobody. As they edit themselves down to make nice, safe Spotify playlists, Nick just dumps the whole glorious attic on your head like the wicked witch of the … Read more

Nine Pound Hammer

Too Outlaw For Outlaw Country
Reptilian Records (2026)

For nearly forty years, Nine Pound Hammer have occupied a strange corner of American music that very few bands have ever managed to touch. They're too loud for traditional country, too country for most punk bands, too dirty for radio rock, and frankly too stubborn to care where anyone thinks they belong. That's exactly why Too Outlaw For Outlaw Country … Read more

Fuming Mouth

The Ringing Bell”
Triple B (2026)

There are plenty of bands capable of writing crushing death metal. There are plenty of bands capable of writing punishing hardcore. Very few can occupy both worlds without sounding like they're simply alternating between genres. Fuming Mouth have spent years refining that balance, and The Ringing Bell feels like the moment where every piece of their identity locks together. Anyone … Read more