L.S. DUNES
Past Lives FANTASY RECORDINGS
Alt rock allstars prove to be the sum of their parts
IT READS LIKE the start of a music-related joke: what do you get if you cross Thursday, My Chemical Romance, Coheed And Cambria and Circa Survive? The answer is supergroup L.S. Dunes, whose formation just prior to the pandemic left fans of all four feeder bands salivating at the prospect of what could appear from their collective minds.
Debut Past Lives is the fruit of their labours and, given the talent involved, comes with high expectations. Second single 2022 is the album opener, a song that sways between modern punk and alt rock while Anthony Green seems on the verge of tears throughout. It’s a bright opening that continues with Antibodies,
Frank Iero’s distinctive guitar tone coming through loud and clear. Songs like It Takes Time and the punchy lead single Permanent Rebellion hark back to the earlier days of emo, especially with Anthony’s anguished tones in the former as he sings, ‘Collect, collect, collect my anger, matter over mind, one day at a time’.
Understandably, there are moments where the group’s history comes to the foreground a bit too much.
Like Forever is very much in line with Frank Iero’s main project, specifically My Chemical Romance’s formative years and the I Brought You My Bullets… debut album. Meanwhile, Bombsquad demonstrates the progressive expanse that guitarist Travis Stever is famed for in Coheed, condensed into just under four minutes.
However, while L.S. Dunes wear their influences on their sleeves, none of the songs sound like they were left over from recording sessions for the members’ primary outfits; they all have an identity of their own, even if a couple aren’t particularly strong. As a result,
Past Lives is a solid debut that sparkles with potential, although it may fall a little below what some may have hoped for.
■■■■■■■■■■
FOR FANS OF: Thrice, Finch, No Devotion
ELLIOT LEAVER