LBT is one of our favorites. This alt-rock quartet from the heartland of America is the type of band that makes you throw away your preconceived notions of what great rock or great pop or great music should be. In addition to writing unique music and carving out their own sound, they also do a wonderful job of supporting other musicians and causes - something that a lot of bands could benefit from.
At it’s core, music should be honest and compelling. It doesn’t have to be technically brilliant - it just needs to connect. Far too often, we (as consumers) get caught up in trying to find that perfect riff or tone or hook that fits nicely into our three minute lives. In doing so, we pass over the true artists - ones that create for the sake of the craft, for the sake of themselves and (dare I say), humanity. Lizard Brain Trust falls into that category (along with other bands like Touch the Clouds, The Qwarks, SWEETS and The Blue Winter). This track, “Ghost World,” is part of an upcoming LP - here’s our review:
The song is a bit of poem - a recitation over three chords in the key of e minor - with a host of ambient tones and sound effects that add weight and effects to the lyrics. Absolutely love the fuzz tone we hear right from the start. Sounds like on old Mustang or Jazzmaster, through a beat-up VOX and one crunch pedal. Dig the thickness. Doubling the lead vocal can be a risky adventure, but they pull it off perfectly here not only because of the tone of voice, but also the context of the lyrics - singing about living in a ghost world where feelings are uncertain is perfect for this vibe. Love how they perfectly add in a descending piano line in conjunction with the “floating down hallways and sleeping till noon” line - perfect addition. The “howl at the moon” line is perfectly matched with what sounds like an old Juno square patch, bent with a pitch wheel or portamento. Great arrangement and production there.
As we progress deeper in the lyrics, a huge bass tone comes rolling in - with a set a lower register piano octaves that seem to cut the track in half between the spoken word section, and an audio explosion of their ghost world and a dirty, floating guitar solo, but not so heavy that you can’t follow the line. It ends with what sounds like a mystical train coming down the tracks, right into our subconscious before it abruptly ends and we wake up. Thank god I was sober when I was writing this - who knows where the hell my mind would have ended up!
