 | The Laughing FEVER (CD) |
Bio:
Recorded over the course of a near year, FEVER is the debut album by Austin band, The Laughing. The record follows the band's EP JUNGLE, recorded almost a year before FEVER and a precursor to the full-length, both literally, and creatively.
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Hi-Res Photos:
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Hi-Res Cover Art:
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On The Web:
www.wearethelaughing.com
www.myspace.com/thelaughingmusic
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Laughing/125581596999
Bio (Continued):
Of the title, band leader Logan Middleton explains, "'Fever' was the title of a book I discovered as a child that had extensive accounts of my now deceased grandfather's work as a missionary doctor in West Africa and his discovery and treatment of highly fatal disease known as Lassa Fever."
With an aural aesthetic pulling from somewhere between early Roxy Music and the stretches of contemporaries such as Animal Collective, The Laughing has quickly attracted the attention of audiences looking for a little dance in their rock as well as a little art in their pop. Over the course of a couple of thematic EPs (TIGER CRY [2007] and the previously mentioned JUNGLE [2008]), The Laughing evolved and honed not only their sonics but also their methods, developing a sound which is a blend of psychedelic rock and noise infused art-pop. Now set to self-release their proper full-length debut, FEVER, The Laughing has created a record that draws heavily from the past, while warping and manipulating those elements into something altogether new.
Though grounded in a traditional rock line up of guitar/vocals (Logan Middleton), bass (Sean Neesely), drums (Grant Van Amburgh), and organ (performed on FEVER by Austin Jenkins and Logan Middleton), The Laughing also utilizes a vast array of percussion, bells, dulcimers, ukuleles, synths, clarinets, flutes, blankets of noise and lush harmonies. Varied instrumentation and ornamental arrangements adorn core song structures and melodies that take cues from the likes of Harry Nilsson, Os Mutantes, Jorge Bem, Silver Apples, Love, Roxy Music, Sonic Youth, 13th Floor Elevators and more.
Borrowing from some of the production tactics of classic dub recordings, with a small dose of noise rock, The Laughing has constructed an album of songs that bears only slight resemblance to its broad spectrum of influences, in turn creating something special and unique. FEVER is a collaboratively engineered effort by the likes of Erik Wofford (Black Angels, Voxtrot) working at Cacophany Recorders and Danny Reisch (The Lemurs) working in his East Austin home studio. Additional tracking was accomplished by Middleton himself working in his apartment, slicing and manipulating the core material. The resulting work juxtaposes the warmth of analogue tape and vintage effects with the infinite otherworldiness of digital.
The Laughing has performed with artists such as MGMT, Dirty Projectors, Yeasayer, The Ting Tings, Tokyo Police Club, and Tapes N Tapes. See the band live at this year's FUN FUN FUN Fest in Austin, TX in November as well on an upcoming US tour to be announced.
Press Quotes:
“By pairing new-wave hooks with hints of art-school neurosis…. The Laughing is poised to be this year's hottest ticket in town...” - The Onion
“Austin’s The Laughing captures the smiling mope of Robert Smith, mixes it with heavy doses of primal thunder, and then turns late-career Talking Heads jungle love inside-out. It’s equally sexy and weird, catchy and danceable” - Earfarm
“The Laughing throw a mix of heavy synth and drums into a den of theremins, glockenspiels and a killer baritone sax that offsets Logan Middleton’s quivering Kasher-esque howls. The Laughing is more than just a little perplexing, irreverent and crazy. So, naturally, we love them.” - Austin Sound
“An enticing smorgasbord of sounds with a distinct exotic feel.” - Austinist
"An utterly unexpected pleasure." - Austin American Statesman
"If there is a look to have in indielectro these guys [The Laughing] have it. Quick beats combine with synth, guitar, and sax make for a good sound, but the live show is what you wanna see. This band is first on the list to understand presence on stage. You get the crowd on your side first, and then rock the crap out of them." - Sounds Like Austin