Ultra Lights is an indie rock band based out of Atlanta, GA spearheaded by singer-songwriter John Robinson. Robinson’s song writing style brings out a familiar yet uniquely punchy sound that touches on early 90’s college rock and 70’s proto-punk influences. His lyrics describe classic tales of the human condition; dreams of escape, getting wasted, inevitable failure, and every now and then, rising triumphant. Ultra Lights’ tightly written anthems attempt to bring on a sense of collective revival within a rsteadily evolving and chaotic world.
The 2023 debut of Ultra Lights as a four piece band comes after a five year gestation period of writing and dabbling in new sounds. While writing timeless ear worms has always been a part of his musical path with projects such as Turf War (2008-2014) and Illegal Drugs (2016-2019), Robinson’s new sound with Ultra Lights has a genuineness and maturity that only comes from patience and persistence. With influences like Modern Lovers, Pavement, Wire, and Archers of Loaf, Ultra Lights brings fresh guitar licks and perennial hooks that cut right to the core and offer a sense of redeeming honesty to rock and roll.
The project didn’t have a name for a few years (though there were ideas) and the clumsy post-pandemic years made finding official bandmates a much longer, drawn out process. Finally things came together in Summer of 2023 when longtime bud Gus Fernandez of projects like Pony League, Cute Boots (and many others) signed up to play drums, and John met Alex Wharton, a work buddy turned band bassist, while working the restaurant grind. John then asked wife Leela Hoehn to join the band as the second guitar player to complete the group, making this the couple’s first musical project together.
Ultra Lights’ second single Wasted Again b/w Scene of the Crime is out now via Chunklet Industries.
PRESS:
Stream Southern Slacker Indie Band Ultra Lights’ Excellent Self-Titled Debut EP
Ultra Lights play ’90s slacker indie with a bit of classic rock swagger and a pinch of Southern flavor. One listen through “It’s Your Funeral,” the opening track on the Atlanta quartet’s self-titled debut EP, will inevitably elicit Pavement comparisons, between John Robinson’s snotty-sassy vocal delivery and the brilliantly simple, slightly off-kilter high-register guitar leads by Leela Hoehn and Robinson (formerly of Turf War and Illegal Drugs). But there’s some Stones and Stooges in these six tracks, too — and maybe some Strokes and Fontaines? And as long as I’m hitting you with the RIYL, while copping to the Malkmus love, Robinson himself cites touchpoints like Modern Lovers, Wire, and Archers Of Loaf.
The Ultra Lights EP brings together three 7″s previously released by Atlanta’s venerable Chunklet Industries. The music’s not breaking any new ground, but if you miss when indie rock had a kick to it — and sometimes perhaps even some hip-swinging, hallucinatory, shout-to-the-rafters vibes — then I heartily concur with Evan Minsker at see-saw: “Stop sleeping on this band.”
Ultra Lights: Ultra Lights [Chunklet]
Over the past several months, Chunklet has unveiled the first series of EPs from Atlanta’s Ultra Lights. They immediately presented themselves as a band to watch—an exceptional way with hooks, dripping with attitude, seemingly around for a long ass time. I think I’ve written about them all, but this 12” compiling them all is a crucial buy if you don’t already have the singles. Stop sleeping on this band. (And if you haven’t been sleeping on this band, you’re probably as stoked to have a 12” with all these songs as I am.) PSA: The Crayon Cats record this week is a similar deal—previously released, newly compiled, very good.
- See/Saw
Ultra Lights featured in Record Plug
An excerpt:
“Ultra Lights already feel like one of the essential bands of my lifetime. This might seem ridiculous considering their slim discography, but when a group delivers deliriously catchy songs at a Buzzcocks-like clip, hyperbole and a handful of early accolades are the obvious conclusion. From the outside, there’s nothing Sisyphean about their success, no get-in-the-van struggles that epitomize (and to some, satisfy a prerequisite of) the indie experience. Instead, Chunklet Industries’ Henry Owings fell in love with their music at their second show, subsequently releasing “Nostalgia” b/w “Clockin Out” and “Wasted Again” b/w “Scene of the Crime”, two chronically out of print 7-inches that remind us of what’s so glorious about the format. Catchy, sophisticated melodies compete with power-line thick lead guitar for your attention as you dance around your living room, wishing you’d written these songs.
As fated as this music and its attendant joy feel, they should come as no surprise when you consider the catalyst, front man and songwriter John Robinson, who’s no overnight sensation. Before forming Ultra Lights with Alex Wharton (bass and backing vocals), Gus Fernandez (drums), and his wife, Leela Hoehn (guitar and backing vocals), he spent time playing in Turf War from 2008 to 2014, followed by Illegal Drugs from 2016 to 2019. After those bands fell quiet, Robinson took time to catch is breath and wait for something else to coalesce.” - Charlie Farmer
‘Scene of the Crime’ in Post-Trash
“Ultra Lights are a four piece punk/garage group from Atlanta, GA with a handful of singles to their name and "Scene of the Crime," their latest release, delivers a jolt of nervy and melodic menace. The guitars of John Robinson and Leela Hoehn dive around each other with abandon as Robinson's vocals have a cutting and snide delivery that plays well with this mid-90s guitar fueled piece of indie rock. "Scene of the Crime" will remind you of a group like Archers of Loaf, of which there is a nice smirking lyrical/instrumental nod of the cap to that particular forbearer of this driving angsty vein of indie rock celebration. Ultra Lights show themselves to be a tight band that are primed to scratch an itch for those craving playful melodies that unabashedly revel in throwing their cares to the wind and a desire to get you on your feet and to join the musical party.” - Kris Handel
