The old 9 to 5
Who could invent a
Better way to waste a life?
Hailing from the beaches of Wilmington, NC, guitar outfit Lauds are united by a love of the water and chiming hooks. They have released a second EP, entitled II, a sprawling, psychedelic, melodic masterpiece of pulsing indie rock and jangle pop with a motorik edge. It’s out now via Fort Lowell Records.
The bass and drums are given equal footing with the guitars in this collection, which vacillate between moments of chorused-out bliss and searing noise-rock catharsis, peppered with catchy hooks. Lead singer McKay Glasgow beckons the listener to get lost alongside him in the sprawling guitar scapes with his gentle croon.
The quintet composed of McKay Glasgow (lead vocals, guitar), J Holt Evans (vocals, lead guitar), younger brother Boyce Evans (keyboards, third guitar), Gavin Campbell (bass), and Ross Page (drums, vocals) play the bulk of the melodies on the album. They recruited friends Ross Page and Gavin Campbell, who helped steer the arrangements when it came time for recording.
Their lyrics, though sparse, are poetic ruminations on everyday life, from questioning the point of the daily grind (Weekend) to pushing through obstacles in search of an elusive freedom (CeeDee Lamb). They pack a lot of emotional punch in these fleeting moments. Despite the brightness of the melodies, these are songs examining deep-seated angst.
Having become a staple of Wilmington’s thriving guitar-rock scene, the band continues to play regularly in their region and hope to expand down the road, both with touring and in the studio.
“We wanted to challenge ourselves in the studio to be more adventurous with the type of sonic textures we were using to color the songs,” says the band. “All of the tracks are still essentially pop songs built around twin guitar melodies but we wanted to see how we could expand our sound by leaning into things like harmonics, feedback, and expressive solos…in the end I think we arrived at a sound that is darker, leaner, and more reminiscent of our live shows.”
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| Photo by Mary Hannah |
