New Music Tuesday: Local H – Lifers [Album]

Hello Folks! Welcome to another New Music Tuesday for that ass! While these segments are becoming more and more infrequent, please know that the consumption of music is life and well here at TWS headquarters. And with the current state we are in, it feels like we should start sharing some of the amazing records that have been passing through our inbox. We all need any sort of entertainment we can get these days, right? So with that being said, let’s get a little loud, Folks!

Today we are talking about the classic alt-rock duo Local H. Their name should ring a bell, considering they are 30 years deep into the game of making loud yet melodic tracks that hit  loud and proud. Local H has always been a little on the outside of their contemporaries, and it’s always been a positive thing I would say. Being just a little bit louder, a tad bit more wilder, and a thousand percent more self-aware than most, this is a band that has been relentless in their pursuit of loud. And a few decades has not slowed them down a god damned bit!

Lifers, as the kid’s would say, fucking KNOCKS. This album is a collection of build ups with actual payouts, which should seem like an obvious attribute, but sadly it is not. Local H shows that experience in this game has come to fruition as the albums plays effortlessly and poignantly with their classic grunge-adjacent sound that can literally rattle a pair of Air Pods out of one’s ears.

Photo by Julia Simone Paul

While an album like Lifers should really be listened to in its entirety, front to back, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to point out a few highlights. But, it is important to note that while I have a few favorite tracks from this album, it’s more like moments. Moments that I thoroughly enjoyed whilst giving this album a few dozen listens. “Turn the Bow” is a prime example of the aforementioned build up with pay offs. “High Wide and Stupid” is a comical look at society and the digital chaos that ensues on a daily basis. And “Beyond the Valley of the Snakes” is somewhat operatic playhouse that culminates in a great bit of screaming.

So Folks, if Lifers is any indication as to what a legendary group like Local H is still capable of doing, I dare say that there may be a bit of hope left in the world. And I am very excited to see what the next 30 years has in store for these heroes of the loud.

Lifers will be available via AntiFragile Music on April 10th, 2020. Check out the band’s WEBSITE for details.