An impressive lineup of vintage gear and raw talent thrusts this western Massachusetts band’s third album, Let’s Do Lunch, into the 21st century. Comprised entirely of songs tracked with vintage equipment on a Tascam 4-Track cassette recorder (remember those?!), they manage to sound new and familiar at the same time—but there’s no denying the modern, indie-pop DNA. “This record is different for us,” explains keyboardist Gabe Bernini, “because while recording we used such limited technology that we were able to be much more productive. Without the luxury of having endless recording options, we found that we really like the sound that comes out of us just playing together as a band. Most of the record is made up of second and third takes that were recorded in the same sitting as the writing.” With no place to hide amidst an analog backbone, their expertly performed musicianship is front and center. “I Love You I Love You” is a standout, as is “Scrapsy.”

LuxDeluxe imports many of music’s most popular roots and those influences are interpreted cleanly. Far from sounding dated, the warm sound has a contemporary, catchy vibe and rock quality. The drums are a real standout, crashing and crunching along the rich vocals, spot-on harmonies, and smart lyrics, all woven through some serious musical talent. A bright sounding Clavinet keyed by Gabe Bernini pings fluidly alongside solid guitar chops by Caleb Rosazza, and a steadfast bass line courtesy of Jacob Rosazza.

LuxDeluxe live

The your-in-the-room feel to the album is replicated in energetic live performances; this band puts on an extraordinarily fun show. “New England is a great place to be a touring band,” says Bernini. “Our touring strategy for the past year has been to stop touring all the way to Colorado and back and instead keep hitting cool music cities that are closer to us, more often. We’ve been playing Boston, New York City, Burlington, Philly, Washington DC, and other close-by cities over and over to build our audience, which has been a really great way to make fans and keep them busy!” Fronted by dynamic showman Ned King, LuxDeluxe is engaged and polished like only a band that’s played together for ages can be. Come prepared to participate and dance your ass off, because this is a band having a good time. Catch them on their upcoming tour with a swing through some of New York’s finest joints, finally landing in New England with a Massachusetts gig at Festival at the Farm in Canton.

LuxDeluxe is: Ned King – vocals, Jacob Rosazza – bass, Caleb Rosazza – guitar, Gabe Bernini – keys, Jake Edwards – drums
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The post LuxDeluxe Delivers appeared first on Take Magazine.

When Lucius passed through Massachusetts for two shows last week, it was a homecoming of sorts for Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe, mirror-image lead vocalists for the band. The pair met at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where they developed the blended vocal style that now defines the band’s vibrant indie pop sound.

Rocker JD McPherson took Lucius out on their first tour in 2012; four years and two critically-acclaimed albums later, he joined them again on the road for this leg of the tour. It’s a full circle that marks the rapid rise of Lucius, from playing Brooklyn open mic nights (every Tuesday for two years), to headlining sold-out theaters around the world.

Beloved by NPR and Rolling Stone alike, Lucius plays to audiences that run the gamut from teenage hipsters to hip retirees. “Our mixture between pop music and something very live and percussive and quirky appeals to not just young people, but all sorts really,” Wolfe says. “It’s really special for us. You look out in the audience and you never know what kind of person you’ll see. I love that.”

Tour life has been a near-constant for Lucius since their 2013 debut release Wildewoman, so it’s no surprise that 2016’s Good Grief includes a strong vein of madness. “We didn’t have a lot of breathing room, emotionally or literally,” Laessig explains. “So when we came off tour, we drove from New York to LA to write and to get away, and we began unloading everything. The craziest, darkest ones came out, and then the more uplifting songs came later, to balance it.” “The purging came first,” jokes Wolfe.

Photo by Piper Ferguson | Courtesy Lucius

Almost 12 years after they first started singing together, Laessig and Wolfe remember their time at Berklee as much more than a technical music education. “It was good to have all the classes about technique, ear training, and the mechanics – but more importantly, it was the community for us, finding people we could play music with and click with,” says Laessig. Both fondly remember “caf shows” in a low-ceilinged basement cafeteria, where students would perform in the center of the floor every night of the week. Some of it was highbrow, some of it was Spice Girls.

After Boston, the pair found another supportive songwriting community – Brooklyn, where they eventually joined up with multi-instrumentalists Danny Molad, Peter Lalish and Andrew Burri for the band’s full lineup. And for the past three summers, they’ve headed to Newport Folk Festival for a musical community that’s second to none. “There’s something in that land, in that place…it feels idyllic,” Wolfe explains. “You always sound the best when you’re there, you always feel the best when you’re there. It’s the only festival where you feel safe to be entirely free – moving around, watching something, being a part of something that’s not yours, collaborating…it’s beautiful.”

Of their many collaborations at Newport, one in particular (with Roger Waters and My Morning Jacket) set them up for more time out on the road – Laessig and Wolfe will be backing up Waters for a run of massive shows. “80,000 people in Mexico City will be our warm-up!” Laessig laughs.

Top image by Piper Ferguson | Courtesy Lucius
Tour schedule

The post Lucius Looks Back While Moving Forward appeared first on Take Magazine.