SFL Music Magazine – Album review of LAVOLA – Leaving Paris
Lavola continue in expanding their indie rock sound on the follow-up to their debut EP, 2010’s Black Sea of Tree’s with Leaving Paris. The disc also marks the recorded debut of drummer Brian Weinthal in the band as primary writer and guitarist Julian Cires handled percussion on Black Sea of Trees.
If you’ve seen the band live in the past eight months locally, you’re probably already familiar with the live incarnations of these tunes, such as the raucous disc opener, “The Queen is Dead” and the angst-filled “Masochist.” Musically, “Masochist” actually kind of brings to mind Pearl Jam’s “Rearviewmirror” than your standard indie rock tune due to its driving nature, up until the point that vocalist Julian Cires shrieks in the songs outro as drummer Brian Weinthal bashes away at his cymbals like a madman.
The band creates an interestingly somber landscape on “I Never Said,” but change gears on the most rocking song on Leaving Paris, “We Were Heroes For The Day.” On Leaving Paris, Lavola have really stepped things up sonically as a band, and this disc is truly the evidence of their evolution