LiquidLight at the Doug Fir Lounge on April 28, 2015—click to see a whole gallery of photos by Drew BandyLiquidLight’s appeal is youthful no doubt, but they don’t exactly portray themselves as a youthful band in the way their latest single, “Get Up/Get Around,” unfolds.
There’s a simple nostalgia laced within the single that immediately brings to mind similarities to early Jimmy Eat World and Modest Mouse, shades of the ideas of alternative pop music that first began to make waves among fans. Combining those early alternative influences of catchy choruses punctuated with the timeless questions of “Who am I?” and “What am I capable of?” stimulate the passions of having found your ability to stand for yourself.
Yet, this isn’t the early 2000s and the kids who grew up with those first honest representations of alternative pop rock are well into their 20s or 30s by now. By experimenting with those traditional influences, LiquidLight’s latest single broadens their fan base by catering to those who lived during the days gone by of authentic alternative music and the impressionable Portland youth whose taste is, essentially, yet to be determined.
“I’m lucky without you around and I just know I’m feeling good,” vocalist Anthony Medici croons mid-song before launching into a brief interlude of breezy guitar riffs to further stimulate that feeling of relief. The chorus quickly punctuates the mood with catchy, high-driven chords and Medici’s chants to: “Get up, get up, get around.” This mantra mirrors the band’s experience of acting in accordance to your own needs.
Prepping for the release of their long-awaited debut album on November 4, the band are nothing short of enthusiastic.
"The recording of Uninitiated came together quite fast. We wanted to keep our thick guitar sound while stripping down some of the layers we are known to use, to make it punchier and with more attack," Medici and bassist Cory West remark. "It feels great to debut Uninitiated. Right now is an interesting age for music and most people seem fairly confused about which format works the best for a release these days. But having grown up loving full albums, it is definitely rewarding to put something out that is a complete statement with good flow from track to track. It was certainly designed to be that way."
