Ladies Who Lunch: “Landscapes And Personal Spaces” – Out May 23rd on Loose The Fish Records
aaamusic | On 20, Mar 2011
The landscapes and personal spaces inhabited by Ladies Who Lunch, a four piece alternative-rock outfit from London, are that of hypnotic rhythms and organic textures, overlaid by effervescent guitar riffs and infectious endearing melodies. The outcome is a tightly wound rock sound that alludes to all time favourite alternative bands, never sounding quite like any one of them in particular.
The band’s music is influenced by the American alternative-rock scene of the 90s, but also draws upon British and American folk song craftsmanship to create their own soundscape. REM, Pixies, Pearl Jam, Sonic Youth, Nick Drake and Neil Young have all been cited as influences: blistering guitars and incessant melodies swim atop as intricate rhythms simmer underneath.
Ladies Who Lunch is the realization of a project started in 2009 by Carlé Rocca, who set out to record an EP consisting of a few recent compositions. After an initial writing and recording period, and a brief stay in Seattle breathing in the local music scene, Rocca was joined by old friend and guitarist John Ray as the pair performed acoustic sets around the Islington circuit. Armed with more new songs than he originally expected, and realising that the material deserved a full-length album, Rocca recruited recently acquainted Michal Masnik to lend a helping hand on the drums, and legendary soundcrafter Harvey Birrell (Buzzcocks, Senseless Things, Therapy?) was called in for recording duties. With recording sessions at Southern Studios and Rocca’s own facilities in North London, the album Landscapes and Personal Spaces came to life. More recently, Rocca, Masnik, and Ray were joined by Justin Seeger on bass as the band prepares to hit the stages in support of the debut’s official release on 23rd May 2011.
Alluding to the organic nature of the band’s sound, front man and songwriter Carlé Rocca states that if the songs were sculptures, there would be clay, wood, riverbed stones and some bronze and silver. The songs are indeed sound sculptures, with the metallic grit of guitar riffs stuck on torsos of relentless textures and deceivingly gorgeous melodies, under which much darker lyrical currents run.
A case and point of this is the preview track and first single “Beneath Your Skin”, a guitar-driven up-tempo number with strong pop undertones.
