Lawn are a duo from New Orleans. The band, comprising of Mac Folger and Ruy De Magalhaes, recently released their debut album, Blood on the Tracks, follow up to 2016 EP Big Sprout. The Lawn sound is difficult to pin down, not least because Folger and De Magalhaes swap the role of lead across the album’s twelve tracks, giving the whole thing an unpredictable and off-kilter feel. Recorded to reel to reel tape, and with very little overdubbing, what can be said is that Lawn take the immediacy of raw and spiky post-punk and temper it with golden 60s melodies, creating something that has both bite and heart.
Short staccato jags of guitar open ‘2000 Boy’, a repetitive line that every so often tumbles into a fluid tangle. The chorus, when it eventually arrives, is strangely affecting, Folger’s vocals rich with nostalgia as he sings:
“Take me to your show
some day find your rhythm
you’re 2000 boy
show him that you’re with it”
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De Magalhaes then takes over vocal duties, first on ‘Rats’, where he gets to show off his hectic warble, and then on the title track, it’s Parklife-style easy conversational style, peaking in a yelped chorus. This back and forth continues throughout, from the driving nocturnal post-punk guitar and breathless yelped vocals on ‘My Boy’ to the psych-tinged jangle of ‘Jackson’, Lawn refuse to settle into a groove. It’s no mean feat, balancing such diverse influences and two frontmen, but Lawn do it brilliantly. What could be confused or jarring instead feels fresh and inventive, and gives you plenty of reason to keep on hitting that repeat button.
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You can get Blood on the Tracks now via Forged Artifacts and the Lawn Bandcamp page. Due to our tardiness, the pink cassette edition is sold out, but be sure to snag a download.
