ATP! Album Review: Lemuria – The Distance Is So Big

Buffalo trio Lemuria bring all the stage-diving energy we know and funnel it down to a new piece they have labeled The Distance Is So Big. Coming off the back of 2011’s Pebble, it’s obvious Lemuria is excited to get new material out and this is palpable in their music.

The monster-like shape made of maps comes alive in the intro track ‘Michael and Stephen Moon.’ Who those men are some may never know, but it is a nice transition in to the hard-hitting ‘Brilliant Dancer.’ This ironically named track embodies Lemuria’s style; seemingly dysfunctional sounds clashing together in order to make a chaotic work of art. Bouncers beware of the mosh pit instigators that go by the names of Sheena, Alex and Max.

Both ‘Clay Baby’ and ‘Scienceless’ continue to carry this energy but with a little more structure. We hear more male vocals from drummer Alex Kerns that fit nicely next to Sheena Ozzella’s straightforward approach to singing. ‘Clay Baby’ really shows how well each member compliments each other with their instruments, which is rare in a genre where vocals and drums really over power the listener. ‘Scienceless’ takes the listener to a more Best Coast kind of area. Its sad to see that the vocals were not well refined for the mastered tracks, but it actually adds to the edgy grunge approach of Lemuria.

The trio then takes the listener from coast to coast to even further places with ‘Oahu, Hawaii’ and then to their little ode to Seattle glass-blower ‘Chihuly.’ The band sounded as though they were jamming on an Oahu beach on this sun-kissed track. A little campfire sits in front of the trio as the wail away their lives pressures in the open air of Hawaii. ‘Chihuly’ is about as sharp, crazy, and powerful as one of Chihuly’s pieces. For those who don’t understand, just go to a college library or Google “chihuly chandelier” and be in awe of how Lemuria successfully crafted their sound to parallel the chaos that is a Chihuly piece.

The poppy guitar playing stands out in ‘Bluffing Statistics’ along with the complimenting drums in this track and ‘Public Opinion Bath.’ The lack of clarity in the lyrics is frankly over shadowed by the fact that this band can play. With a little touch-ups on the production and vocals this band could go to grunge-rock royalty.

If the previous track names didn’t make you laugh then here is 'Congratulations Sex.' A little more bass accompanies this song but the slow tempo emphasizes the heavy topic. Being tired of having love fluffed up by pop songs and a romantic comedy while the nonfiction world has to deal with the realities of loud fights and long distances. This is probably the most vulnerable we’ve heard Ozzella on the record but it is refreshing to see that under this rough exterior and high volume there’s a heart that feels too.

‘Survivor’s Guilt’ and ‘Ruby’ were superb tracks to end the album on. ‘Survivor’s Guilt’ had a nice The xx quality in the whispered vocals and soft drums that showed the slow motion version of Lemuria. ‘Ruby’ finally breaks the trend of ending albums on downers. The trio ended their record with energy and empowerment that will most likely be chanted and stage-dived to at their shows.

Lemuria have delivered a sturdy grunge-rock album to the world, and they delivered. While the vocals weren’t all that clear, the group’s seamless playing and energy resonated in to a more than tremendous addition to their discography.

4/5

Jordan Wyman

The Distance Is So Big is available now via Bridge Nine.