Laurel Canyons
Yorkshire
Laurel Canyons is born.
There’s no smoke and mirrors when it comes to Jake Cope (vocals/guitar), Paul Burdett (guitar/vocals), France Lahmar (bass guitar/ vocals) and Arv Teeroovengadum (drums/vocals).
The four-piece from Sheffield make music that can be described as orchestral and grandiose, but their stately melodies derive from an inherent understanding of balance in their artistry. Their songs elate with fragility and strength, as the light and shade of their intricate arrangements are effortless to the ear and breathtaking to watch.
Their presence exudes something truly magical and awe-inspiring. A sheer determination illuminates their being, and infiltrates a sound so resolute and confident, it doesn’t shy away from letting intimate and vulnerable nuances shine.
Their debut EP ‘Now We’re Rebuilding’ will be released on 20th November on Heist or Hit Records, and embodies a raw, unwavering spirit - a little boisterous even - and illustrates how Laurel Canyons have overcome obstacles, taken control, and perfected their craft, only to excel.
The ‘Now We’re Rebuilding’ EP was recorded at Sheffield’s Yellow Arch Studios with Colin Elliot (Richard Hawley, Jarvis Cocker, Paul Weller), where the band experimented to encapsulate the impulse and vigor of their live performance. Almost entirely comprised of first takes, the EP retains honesty beyond its lyrical content to conjure a lived-in ambiance both heartening and unsettling.
With many lyrics ad-libbed or changed during recording, their new direct ethos inspired Cope to delve into personal areas he had previously shied away from, or carefully couched in metaphor. On lead single ‘Owe Nothing’ (released 22nd September) he sings, “the ugly and the overfed, have taken all my songs,” before rising to a haunting falsetto.
Cope’s vocal tenacity illustrates the Achilles heel can be a powerful tool, as his voice quivers on a knife-edge, reels you back in, and soars. A track that was once a lament for a dying relationship, ‘Never Said A Word’ breeds tension, as guitars build to a storm of reverb that the band seem reluctant to end, as the EP concludes with an echoing call of unfinished business.
Laurel Canyons have played extensively around the UK, at home in small venues and in front of large festival crowds. They have received acclaim from such luminaries as Richard Hawley and Steve Lamacq, and have recorded several sessions for BBC Introducing. They have played for wide-ranging artists, including Magazine and King Charles, and are pleased to announce they will be supporting The Crookes on their UK tour this November.
Laurel Canyons’ music cascades, curves, and unravels, and then you realise you’ve found a diamond in the rough.
Laurel Canyons’s tracks
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