-Clay’s Take-

Seattle sound, are we ready to start dating again?  It has been too long since we have spoken; first it was the time between my Mother Love Bone CD got too scratched for a laser to even recognize it as a readable medium and when I downloaded a digital copy of The Moon and Antarctica.  Now, more time has passed and the years seem to have been kind to you.  I know that what brought us together over 20 years ago was a combination of adolescence and stripped-down rock, but I’m willing to rekindle what we had.  Even if that comes with progressive indie rock.  I am willing to look past that the fact we’ve both changed.

If you are going to give me the rich sounds of New Lungs’ EP Lanterns, then this will work out.  Between the crashing waves of sound in the progressive “The House That I Grew Up In” and the grand harmonies in the punk-pop “Concrete,” I am swept up in the sonic maelstrom of the six tracks of this Seattle quartet.

Like a lot of EP’s, the band tries on several different musical styles, from the forward thinking, to the dreamy, to the hooky.  Beneath it all, Wes Gonzalez’ vocals jut through the din, Antoine Martel’s guitars have a Tim Mahoney/Mike Einziger influenced wail to them, Nick Emard plays a funky bass and Rob Granfelt alternates between tight time-keeping drums and rich fills.

I am completely infatuated with the catchiness of “Concrete,” with the wide range of harmonies in the chorus and march of the punk beat, the crunchy conclusion with distorted power chords and wails, as well as the randomly placed sound of Mario acquiring a fire flower, just for good measure.  Then again, maybe I’m just an old softie when it comes to a good pop song.  The whole EP is worth a listen but this track has captured my attention.  So much so that I’m back on board with Seattle.  I was never really off, but if New Lungs is the newest offering of the new Seattle sound, this relationship will go on much longer.

Check out Lanterns on New Lungs’ Bandcamp page to grab a digital and/or physical copy today and find out what I mean.