Streetlight Lullabies

<i>Streetlight Lullabies</i> is the first solo effort by Tomas Kalnoky (aka Toh Kay), lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist of the ska-punk band Streetlight Manifesto. Featuring solo acoustic renditions of Streetlight Manifesto songs (plus two songs originally recorded with his former band Catch 22), the album should appeal to fans while attracting new listeners; in fact, you needn’t be familiar with the originals to enjoy these indie-folk gems. Turning the songs inside out, he transforms them from boisterous, horn-fueled anthems into introspective musings. Though his fine fingerpicking gives the album texture, the sparse arrangements put the focus largely on his lyrics and hushed vocals. It’s a testament to his lyrical skill that the words retain their power even when not delivered with Kalnoky’s usual raspy hardcore bark. “Watch It Crash,” “The Big Sleep,” and “A Better Place, a Better Time” in particular benefit from the quiet delivery by making their moving stories easier to absorb. <i>Streetlight Lullabies</i> shows Kalnoky as a versatile songwriter capable of getting his songs across at any decibel level.