The music of LAPÊCHE owes a debt to lots of the bands you loved in the Nineties but that's not to say that the band is a revival act. What that first sentence intends to convey is that LAPÊCHE make indie that's beefy and full of power, but which is also smart and emotive. Blood in the Water, the group's new album out today, was recorded by J. Robbins (Jawbox, Channels, Office of Future Plans), and it's safe to say that if you like any of the bands he's in, you'll probably groove to this one too.
"Finally Trying" soars right out of the gate, while "Hopes for the Past, Regrets for the Future" owes so much of its strength to the vocals of Krista Diem. Her voice anchors this stuff, giving it heft and resonance that other such hard alt-rock might not have. "Cool Job" tempers the force of this band's output, adding in cello by Gordon Withers and backing vocals by Robbins to what is one of the moodier highlights here. If you said that this one sounded like Jawbox, I don't think anyone would be complaining too much.
Along with vocalist and guitarist Krista Diem, things are held together Drew Diem (bassist), Drew DeMaio (guitarist), and Jeff Gensterblum (drums). The four-piece has the kind of attack that was favored in the late Nineties by Superchunk and other giants of American indie, but LAPÊCHE manage to make this all fairly distinctive. "B. Gentle" is complex and expansive, even as other cuts here ("Bells", "Elbow Grease") hit the ground at full speed. LAPÊCHE imbue these familiar styles with enough that feels new to keep a guy like me engaged. There's no re-inventing the wheel here but this is nicely tuneful stuff that blends a harder edge with warm vocals and good riffs.
Blood in the Water is out today via New Granada.
More details on LAPÊCHE via the official Facebook page.
[Photo: Riot Act Media]