Family Average: 6/7

I would have to say Laveda has one of the most fun band names to say. I have been sitting here for like ten minutes trying to write a nice intro, and all I can hear in my head is “Laveda-Laveda-Laveda-Laveda”. Gosh it is just too much fun. Anyway where am I? Laveda is a duo hailing from above our city, in the Albany NY region. They crank out explosive Shoegaze music. We all say that word a lot so I am linking an explanation of the genre here. This is for all of you who are not familair, and maybe think we all just like shoes or something. Today the family had a listen to “Dream. Sleep.”

Listen along on Spotify and read on to find out:

I’ll go ahead and say I think this song is a jam. I’m a sucker for some heavy strumming and surprise keyboard moments. The voices on the track float above the foundation of guitar and drum beats. Listening to it two times I only know half the words with the phrase “You told me not to be afraid” landing clear as day. There’s a forward momentum throughout that’s magnified as the song ends, like a dream, so abruptly my ears wanted more.

7/7

Oh yeah. This song is good. When the song began I was immediately hooked as it brought me back to when I was really into Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine. The song starts off with an almost required soft, repetitive guitar riff that’s almost comforting to me as a fan of the genre. As it crescendos into the verse the song sets itself apart from just being another wannabe shoegaze band.

 The vocals are almost ethereal with this wispy aspect that makes it hard to dislike. The instruments do a great job of supporting the vocals and not overpowering them, which I have seen a lot of times from smaller bands. The combination of everything really makes the song what it is, as nothing really overpowers anything else. Everything works together so well that it was hard to really focus on just one thing. The song really made me want more, and I can’t wait to see what other stuff they have in stock.

6/7

I see you Laveda. I see this classic shoegaze getting served up to me on a, I guess it would be a shoe. That would be the only way to appropriately serve someone shoegaze. On a shoe, or on a plate that had a breakup letter underneath it. Gosh just a genre that fills me with so many feelings. This was a great track though. I can easily run down the list of all my usual compliments of nailing the genre. Wispy vocals, soothing melodies, driving bass line. All these things are great, but they did some other stuff here that I thought kind of set it apart.

 For one they use these really punchy electronic drums. The kind that make a DEUH sound. Do you know what that is like? Maybe not, go listen and come back. Another thing I like was the way the turned the guitar into this looping screaming machine towards the end of the song. The verse was also a nice change from the norm. It was nimble and quick where usually they are loud and slow/grinding.

 Is there an album coming of this soon? If there is I would like to have one near me.

6/7

This song hit me so hard that I couldn't figure out what to say about it. I slowly realized that it had put me in some sort of lo-fi induced trance; a sort of stream of consciousness explosion in which I was somehow flying and floating and feeling everything but nothing at all. It's comprised of a slew of sounds and delicious noises that evoke an immediate, visceral reaction. That sweet subtle click bookending the piece, the sonic and layered progression of noises, all bleeding into a sudden rush of palpable guitar and smudgy vocals. I was propelled, ebbing and flowing through the synthy crescendos with such a force, such energy. And all too quickly, I'm flatlined with a sudden stop, left reeling and ready to hit play again. It's a sonic beauty and I can't wait to see what else this duo puts out.

6/7