Tom Gallo is the host of Look At My Records! on Radio Free Brooklyn.
LAPêCHE, the Brooklyn-based four-piece comprised of husband and wife Krista Holly Diem on guitar and Dave Diem on bass, along with guitarist Drew DeMaio and drummer Jeff Gensterblum, are back with their anticipated follow-up to their stellar 2017 debut album, The Second Arrow. The close friends and music industry veterans wasted no time making a splash in 2019 with the release of their latest EP, Spirit Bunnies, and a very exciting summer tour announcement.
The group will be supporting the recently reunited Jawbox for a string of big venue performances starting in June, including a local gig just outside of Bushwick at Brooklyn Steel on June 22.
LAPêCHE is a suitable pairing for the D.C. punk legends, as the group shares a similarly rollicking, yet muddied grunge sound that maintains its edge even when funneled through a more polished indie pop filter.
Recorded in Baltimore at Magpie Cage Studio with Jawbox’s J. Robbins at the helm, the three tracks on Spirit Bunnies certainly have his imprint. The songs are injected with just the right amount of fuzz, but also highlight the group’s more folk and shoegaze influences.
The EP’s lead-off track, “Gracie,” opens with a mesmerizing guitar riff before Holly Diem’s vocals kick in with a melodic power that’s somehow simultaneously ominous and warm. “Somewhat Similar,” is the meat of this trio of songs, showcasing LAPêCHE’s ability to create shadow-y and catchy arrangements with a whirlwind chorus. The closing track on Spirit Bunnies, “Bottom Feeder – Alternate Version,” features a driving bass line that gives the song a dark sensation that is contrasted by Holly Diem’s uplifting lyrics, putting a bow on a short, yet dynamic three-song collection.
You can purchase Spirit Bunnies via Bandcamp. The band’s 2017 debut album, The Second Arrow is also available on vinyl via Bakery Outlet Records. Stay tuned, as the band will also be recording a live session with BTR at the end of April.
You can see LAPêCHE perform live at the following local gigs:
April 6, 2019 at Muchmore’s for the Left Bank Magazine Showcase
June 22, 2019 at Brooklyn Steel with Jawbox
June 27, 2019 at Gold Sounds with The Pauses
For more tour dates, check out the band’s Facebook page.
This week features another lineup of great shows in Bushwick. Here are the gigs to check out:
Wednesday, March 20
Humeysha, Fusilier at C’mon Everybody, 8 p.m.
Humeysha, a Brooklyn-based psychedelic pop artist, is part of a Wednesday night residency at C’mon Everybody. Zain Alam, the primary songwriter of Humeysha, incorporates a wide range of diverse and eclectic influences into his music, including shoegaze, Bollywood dance, and trance with multilingual lyrics that are inspired from his own travels to India, where he recorded the oral history of elders impacted by the partition of India and Pakistan. For the second date of the residency, Humeysha will enjoy support from Fusilier, a Brooklyn based R&B, soul & funk artist with a dark, energetic sound. Fusilier released two EPs in 2018 and an incredibly powerful video for his single, “The Shot.”
Thursday, March 20
Abjects, Cult Fiction, Bloom at Sunnyvale, 8 p.m.
The British trio Abjects are wrapping up their stateside jaunt on Thursday night at Alphaville. The group made the most of their time at South by Southwest, playing a whopping 12 shows in support of their latest record, the guitar-heavy and aggressive-sounding Never Give Up, which dropped last month. Supporting this touring act are Boston-based hardcore act, Cult Fiction, and Chicago power pop stalwarts, Bloom.
Friday, March 21
Human People, Clever Girls, Water From Your Eyes, Tetchy at Our Wicked Lady
Local indie-punk four-piece Human People are playing their last show until the summer on Friday night at Our Wicked Lady. The band just released a brand new video for their song “Jenny,” the second single from their excellent debut album, Butterflies Drink Turtle Tears. Burlington, Vermont’s Clever Girls bring their grunge-y pop to Brooklyn as they approach the end of a March tour. The foursome released their raw and blaring debut record, Luck, in April of last year. Arrive early to catch dance-pop duo Water From Your Eyes and openers, Tetchy.
Saturday, March 22
Shilpa Ray, Holly Overton, Think Tank, Jon Tehel at Secret Project Robot, 4 p.m.
Secret Project Robot plays host to an early evening matinee that’s stacked with a talented and diverse lineup of local artists. Punk songstress Shilpa Ray is quite simply a howling vocal force with a riveting live show that’s an absolute must see for her Patti Smith-like poetics and Indian harmonium. Musician Holly Overton will be performing her multi-disciplinary theatrical narrative, The Woman On The Beach, which blends classical piano, performance art, and visuals. Think Tank, a local experimental, ambient sounding trio will also be performing along with Jon Tehel, a lo-fi, country folk artist.
All images courtesy of bands and mentioned venues.
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