Ludlow Lions (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
———————————————————————————————————————————–
No Stories CD (Self-Released)
Release Date: March 16, 2010
*also Available as Free Donation-Based Download
01. Keyboard Teeth (mp3)
02. Scopes Climbs A Tree
03. And You Lean Out (mp3)
04. We’re So Proud Of Doom
05. New Cold War
06. Treasure Of The Guerra Madre
07. I Didn’t Know
08. Song For Matt Quinn
09. My Compass
10. There’s Always A Wishlist
11. Weight Of Sound
12. It’s A Personal
Preview
———————————————————————————————————————————–
Warm, nostalgic tones ripple through the twelve tracks contained within No Stories, the ambitious and undeniably charming debut full-length from Brooklyn’s Ludlow Lions. The songwriting on display is tightly wound and perfectly crafted, often relying on the less-is-more aesthetic. Yet the band is never afraid of complexity or dense layers of sound that often crest into menacing waves of dissonance. It’s this contrast – the moments of pure, sweeping pop music thrown against a fuzzed-out post-psychedelic backdrop – that give No Stories its unpredictable edge and ultimately pushes it past being just another really catchy record.
Not that being catchy is a bad thing. Primary songwriter and lead vocalist / guitarist Brendan Coon’s love of bands such as XTC, Guided By Voices and The Pixies shines though these pulsing, dynamic indie rock cum power-pop numbers. He’s certainly the centerpiece on No Stories, with a voice that easily hits the highs, confidently nails every soaring harmony and glides sweetly though each memorable chorus. It’s a lush, satisfying take on a style that is eminently listenable, but co-collaborator Jordan Melkin (guitars) brings a technical knowledge and appreciation for noise rock while bassist Oscar Albis Rodriguez injects a punk edge that springs from years spent in Nakatomi Plaza. As pastoral and sweeping as No Stories can be, there’s a surprising amount of volatility on display as well.
Opener “Keyboard Teeth” storms in with succinct instrumental blasts, feedback-drenched chords and Coon’s bold, pitch-perfect vocals, while “And You Lean Out” begins with a whisper, contemplative and tender, before a punchy beat and blustery guitars propel the song into darker territories. A jangly riff peppers the sky-high melody on “We’re So Proud Of Doom” and “New Cold War’s” up tempo swing and bouncy rhythms are kissed with an ever-so-subtle twang. “My Compass” is stripped down and spartan, until heavy, static-laden guitars barrel over a repetitive and spirited chorus of “When we get to dry land …”
No Stories is an undeniably intelligent record, with subtle restraint by a band who can let loose with a hailstorm of discordant noise at the drop of a hat. It’s introspective when needed but it shimmers and bristles with electricity at each turn. Album closer, “It’s A Personal,” is perhaps the perfect embodiment of everything that is great about Ludlow Lions: Coon’s seraphic voice drifting over a haunting guitar line, the rest of the band waiting to erupt in a haze of squalling distortion and white noise. Whether you prefer the sweetly satisfying power-pop approach or the one that relies more on vim and vigor, No Stories will keep you firmly glued at the edge of your seat for the duration.
“This heavy, mostly mid-tempo, pulsing, catchy rock group are indeed lions and not lambs.” – The Big Takeover
“Ludlow Lions have stolen the spotlight with No Stories … a brilliant delivery of sweet and lyrical confessions.” – Indie Music Universe
“We’d recommend No Stories for anyone, whether one is looking for something fresh, something friendly or just
something to blow their mind.” – The Owl Mag
No Stories was produced and engineered by SF Norton (Son Volt, TV on the Radio, Apollo Sunshine) and mixed by SF Norton and John Agnello (The Hold Steady, Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth) at Headgear Recording Studios in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The record was originally released in 2009 as a donation-based digital download, but the band will officially release the CD version on March 16th, 2010. For more information go to www.ludlowlionstheband.com or www.beartrappr.com/ludlow-lions.
———————————————————————————————————————————–
Press Contact: Chuck Daley / Beartrap PR / chuck@beartrappr.com / (704) 649-7128
