Home sweet home
Is it wrong to inherently question the motivations of a band based solely on the fact that they’re from LA?
I only ask because I’m noticing a common thread emerging from Lemonwilde’s debut EP, Red Room. The band plays a brooding, atmospheric rock and roll that, as many reviewers have already noticed, seems tailor-made for motion pictures. But is it a case of art or artifice? Is it a natural direction or is their writing influenced by the fact that they work in the heart of America’s TV and movie industry? Do they write songs for themselves or for studio music directors?
I feel bad about questioning the motives of the gentlemen in this group, because regardless of motivation they’ve written a surprisingly well-developed, mature, and genuinely interesting little record. Dark and broody seems to be the order of the day around here, and Lemonwilde fit that description. They have a very unique sense of drama about their music that is very admirable. They further develop it by incorporating electronic elements into their tapestry of sound, but not in a way that seems cloying or smacks of effort.
I think “Finding Jesus In Math” is the best example of what these gents are capable of. The song has wonderful tension and build, some dynamic bass work, and keyboard and piano parts that help build up to the burst of guitar fireworks at the climax. Lyrically it isn’t breaking any new ground, but the bleak view of love is definitely in keeping with the general aesthetic of the track.
Its an engaging, albeit short, listen that shares some common threads with mope-rock groups like Elbow and Muse. If that’s your cup of tea you could certainly do far worse than this EP, but I think the true test comes from the LP. If Lemonwilde can maintain their consistency across a full-length album then we might have a real contender on our hands.
As for the question posited at the beginning of this post, listen and decide for yourself.
The band is providing the EP in its entirety for free on their otherwise minimalist website. If you dig it, head to iTunes and pay for it. You can also read some entertainingly hyperbolic reviews on their album page.
