Vancouver’s indie rock quartet, The Lunas, released their new EP A Curious Life on June 9th and it’s gooood….
Frontman James Priestner, a former teenage hockey star en route to the NHL faced a personal and professional dilemma at a young age after discovering a passion for the arts while backpacking through Europe, Thailand, Southeast Asia and Japan. He explains, “Getting out into the world, meeting people, and seeing things firsthand made me realize there was a lot more out there than the rink and stopping hockey pucks.“ 50 countries later this Vancouver-based foursome delivered an EP that will delight you if you like Cage The Elephant and Modest Mouse. Aside from Priestner, Ian Cardona is on drums and vocals; Lubo Ivan on guitar; and Chad Watson on bass and vocals. The result is cathartic alt-rock with ominous textured verses that yield to choruses that soar with arena-ready melodicism.
The A Curious Life EP processes deeply personal struggles and life experiences with elegantly emotive lyrics and song structures that pair moody verses with uplifting hook-laden choruses. “I like to observe, put myself in other people’s shoes, and imagine their raw internal dialogue as they work through experiences and emotions,” Priestner says.
The EP’s leadoff single, “Until I’m Dead,” boasts jagged alt-rock hooks and an arty swagger. The track’s pent-up emotionality points to an internal struggle interpreted by its accompanying video which wrestles over complex life and career choices. Do you take the safe route with a conventional career path, or do you forge a creative path and head out for the unknown? It’s an intriguing message given Priestner’s own life path. Other highlights include the steamy, blues-tinged “Wicked Ways” and the jangly indie-pop of the instantly memorable title track.
Listen via Bandcamp:
https://thelunas.bandcamp.com/album/a-curious-life