by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
Over the past eight years, Laser Background has pretty much cemented Andy Molholt (Coughy, Speedy Ortiz) as a DIY psych-pop veteran. Every time his Philadelphia based project has a new effort, the music is impossibly better, regardless of how much you might have loved the previous record. With the upcoming release of Evergreen Legend, due out May 1st, Molholt has done it again, carrying all there is to love about Laser Background’s catalog and shifting into the next plane of existence once more with what can only be described as his most focused set of songs yet. With the always exceptional duo of Julian Fader and Carlos Hernandez (Ava Luna) recording and mixing once again, the team have created something that sounds both lush and sharp at it's edges, spiked pop that drips in and out of this reality.
Lead single “Cerulean 20%” is joyously warped and whimsical, stumbling between sweetened and distorted pop, stuttered rhythms, and the occasional texturally crushing riff. Molholt manages to create something so adept and alien that it simultaneously feels psychedelic, heavy, and well… funky in composition. The song (and album) offer themes of tip-toeing between self-doubt and self-confidence, often the two coming hand-in-hand with the life of being a touring musician. Molholt’s lyrics paint that malaise with a poetic and surreal quality, offering details from “I sneezed on my shirt” to “some days I feel so misunderstood, nothing I say comes across as it should.” We’ve all been there and whenever that rut comes calling, at least we’ll have Laser Background to help us out it. The singles video was directed by Grant Bouvier.
Tour Dates:
4/3 - Baltimore, MD - True Vine (solo)
4/4 - Harrisonburg, VA - Macrock (solo)
4/5 - Philadelphia, PA - Ortlieb's (solo)
5/1 - Boston, MA - Dorchester Art Project ∆
5/2 - Winooski, VT - Waking Windows ∆
5/3 - Montreal, QC - Sotterenea w/ Yum
5/4 - Toronto, ON - The Baby G
5/5 - Detroit, MI - Trumbullplex
5/6 - Indianapolis, IN - State Street Pub
5/7 - Chicago, IL - Sleeping Village
5/8 - Milwaukee, WI - Cactus Club
5/9 - Minneapolis, MN - Mortimer's ▧
5/10 - Omaha, NE - Drips
5/11 - Denver, CO - Rhinoceropolis
5/12 - Salt Lake City, UT
5/13 - Boise, ID - Regal Beaver
5/14 - Seattle, WA - Barboza
5/15 - Vancouver, BC - KW Studios
5/16 - Portland, OR - Firkin Tavern
5/17 - Eugene, OR
5/18 - Arcata, CA - Blondie's
5/20 - Sacramento, CA
5/21 - Oakland, CA - Crystal Cavern
5/22 - Los Angeles, CA - The Hi Hat ◐
5/23 - Tijuana, BC - Diablito's ◐
5/24 - San Diego, CA - Soda Bar
5/25 - Phoenix, AZ - Trunk Space
5/26 - Austin, TX - Hotel Vegas
5/27 - New Orleans, LA
5/28 - Nashville, TN - Drkmttr
5/29 - Atlanta, GA - TBA
5/30 - Athens, GA
5/31 - Tallahassee, FL - The Wilbury
6/1 - Miami, FL
6/2 - Orlando, FL - Stardust Video
6/3 - Columbia, SC
6/4 - Raleigh, NC - Kings
6/5 - Washington DC - Pie Shop
6/6 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle
6/7 - Brooklyn, NY - Alphaville
∆ w/ Honey Cutt
▧ w/ Nadine
◐ w/ Jonny Kosmo