The tapes of Dead Lawn’s debut album were snatched from the flames as their hometown of Altadena, California burned. The band’s gear was reduced to ash, but the songs remain and they’re something special. If you’re one of those people who gets your dopamine spikes from chord changes, rummaging through dusty record bins for your next fix, then this album will sustain your will to live. Think Robyn Hitchcock, Guided By Voices, R.E.M, The Kinks. It’s old-school songcraft, stripped down to the essentials. The album was recorded to tape – whole takes, no clicks, no editing. I wouldn’t call it lo-fi, but Dead Lawn doesn’t slow down to add flutes. 

Nate Greely writes, plays guitar, and sings lead. It was in his house, now an empty field of poppies, that the band was hatched. Having established an indie pedigree as lead singer and songwriter of Arlo, bass player in The Elected, and guitarist in an incarnation of The Seed with Sky Saxon, Nate has returned to frontman mode with this new batch of songs. John Burke of WIG, Hail Citizen, and STaR mAPs plays drums and sings harmony while Jeremy Keeler of Sanglorians plays bass. And that’s it. A three-piece that offer hooks in an 80’s-90’s indie vein with minimal ornamentation. Their live shows attest to the road-tested depth of their musicianship.

The first single, “New Ways to Let You Down,” distills the band’s essence, an upbeat mix of jangly guitars and groovy rhythms. “Infidel” lands on the punkier side while “Hound” stays moody and obscure. “The Mouths of Charlie” picks you back up with danceable beats and absurdist lyrics. Explore for yourself, the moods are varied but melody is always central and you won’t find a bad song. 

Contact

Email: thehuntingaccident@gmail.com

Instagram: deadlawnband

Bandcamp: deadlawn.bandcamp.com