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Lacerda - For Love And Hope
When I first received the tracks from Lacerda's new EP "For Love and Hope" I was running late for a meeting, so I threw them on my iPod and ran out the door for the boring drive to the middle of nowhere. Thank the lord I did that! I tossed my iPod on in the car and listened to the six-track EP as I drove in to town. Twenty-five seconds onto the interstate, my normal anxiety and road-rage were replaced with rocking out and a huge grin! This is the perfect driving music, upbeat with belt-able melodies and pounding drums...
Track 1: Uppers and Downers - The opening song slams in with an awesome guitar melody that sets the tone for the whole album and only goes up from there with lyrics that I can't wait to learn so I can sing along! I can definitely see this song becoming a staple on my driving playlist, my cleaning playlist, ... pretty much all of my playlists. I couldn't help myself from doing a bit of dancing in the drivers seat. (Not safe, don't follow in my bad example, kids!)
Track 2: Yega - I have to admit, that Yega may be my favourite track on the EP. Reminiscent of the old days of Better than Ezra and Lucky Boys Confusion, the song immedately transported me back to high school and a semi-care free time. After I returned home from my meeting and gave the EP a second listen I was able to follow along with the lyrics that I received as well and I have to say I was even more impressed with the song!
Track 3: Dirt Pheonix - Immediately this song played into my love of stereophonic sound, so I was already in love with it by the time the ten second mark hit... by the time that the vocals came in I was gone, I'm a sucker for boys who can sing, I mean really sing... and Lacerda has the whole package! Amazing musicians, great vocals, awesome lyrics... it's all there!
Track 4: Beauty Is Skin Deep But Ugly Goes Straight Down to the Bone - I'll tell you what, this band really knows how to get straight down to my core, the song opens with a sick drum beat that gets you rocking out before anything else hits. It continues to surface throughout the song to tie to together in a perfect balance of instrumentation. This is another track that I loved from the start, and fell even more in love with when I was able to read along with the lyrics.
Track 5: Table Tennis For Two - Combine the ego of Fall Out Boy lyrics and the singable melodies that have been a constant throughout the EP and you have "Table Tennis For Two", hot guitar riffs, synthesizer, melody to belt out, a refrain that you find yourself anticipating if only so that you can belt it out in the constraints of your car, getting the greatest looks from the cars that you pass on the highway.
Track 6: Let Go - This is a bittersweet song, on the one side, it's just as amazingly well done as the previous five tracks, on the other side, it's the last one on the EP! Once the song ended I found myself wanting to hear more from this amazing band. What can I say about this song other than it's absolute perfection for someone like me, with a need to just have a good time and dance and sing and listen to phenomenal music!
Lyrics Highlights:
"your soul is dead so update it, sell it and celebrate it. I'm a sellout, I've calculated what it would take and now I'm there, I'm in the clear but I got nowhere, this is all I have before I go." - Uppers and Downers
"You're on cloud number nine, my god it hurt so much when I fell from heaven. I'm god's gift to you sugar, I'm so sweet, just one bite and you'll be addicted to me." - Table Tennis For Two
"Don't argue, I know what I saw. This can't be happening cause I've been mourning your loss, I keep running, I keep chasing, I keep losing myself to your thoughts, to your loss." - Let Go
"You're on cloud number nine, my god it hurt so much when I fell from heaven. I'm god's gift to you sugar, I'm so sweet, just one bite and you'll be addicted to me." - Table Tennis For Two
"Don't argue, I know what I saw. This can't be happening cause I've been mourning your loss, I keep running, I keep chasing, I keep losing myself to your thoughts, to your loss." - Let Go
As far as the band itself goes, I am thoroughly impressed! For such a young band, they are developed to the point that most bands take years and two or three albums to accomplish. Everything works together for an amazing listening experience... as far as my credentials for who am I to review music? I'm nobody. I don't have any credentials, but I know music, I know good music, and Lacerda most definitely supplies good music! I'll be eagerly watching their myspace "Show Dates" space for a show in Chicago, because if a simple six-track EP can brighten my day the way it did, I can only imagine how amazing a live show would be.
Read Sound Faction's interview with Lacerda Here
