posted by Lewi on September 8, 2010
{Editor’s Note: Today we welcome Lewi to the Indieball staff. You can read more about him on Tumblr}
First and foremost, what I like about the Laylanas – apart from their unique image and sound, is that they “shop local”. The cover of their album “Universal” is a montage of headshots of the band’s friends (including yours truly). They play gigs in pubs and bars that supported them when they were first starting out and lead singer Lana Lay – as she prefers to be known, eagerly welcomes feedback from fans on the band’s Facebook page. This longing to give back to those who gave to them and to interact with their fans already set The Laylanas apart from many other emerging indie bands in the UK. The band all certainly looks like typical bohemian musicians. But this History of Art student & Edie Sedgwick lookalike plays and performs music with her Brighton (UK) based band that speaks volumes and shows that a book should not be judged by its cover.
Their music crosses from indie-pop into folk and maybe even bordering on country, with Lana’s silky-smooth voice transcending through these genres and more to glue the album together. Her vocals are powerful and mature and compliment the various paced songs perfectly, ranging from the slower ‘Breathe’ and ‘Gallows’ to the up-tempo ‘Ashen’ and ‘La De Da’, both really working together to provide the listener with a refreshing experience.
‘La De Da’ is the personal highlight of the album for me. The upbeat rhythm and Lana’s energetic but steady-paced vocals conjure up memories of happy Summers once passed, and, although arguably similar to artists such as Laura Marling and Pixie Lott, Lana and The Laylanas is my sunshine on a rainy day.
The Laylanas – La De Da (Downloaded 403 times)
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September 10th, 2010 at 7:27 am
Beautifully executed Lewi! Will look forward to reading more of your reviews!