Richmond’s master of melodic snark, Sammi Lanzetta, has announced her debut EP today, For Avery, which will be released online and on cassette through 6131 Records on October 6th.
The former bassist/vocalist for local garage trio Venus Guytrap, Lanzetta struck out on her own in 2016 where fans quickly noticed her strength as a brash songwriter, utilizing sincere and emblematic lyrics that only fueled her raw alt-rock sound. In May of 2016, she released her first single, the sparse and striking “House Plants,” which RVA Magazine detailed back in RVA #25:
This fiery bedroom pop ditty serves as one of the most declarative songs from the Richmond scene of late. Coming to us from the bassist of local garage act Venus Guytrap, this 122-second odyssey has you heartbroken by abandonment and hardened by bitterness before succumbing to the bright optimism of life that can lead you anywhere, whether it be cathartic musical success or fleeting inanimate intimacy. Gifted emotional clarity is on display here and it allows Lanzetta to skillfully navigate the twisty route that follows a personal defeat, leaving everyone satisfied at the conclusion and anxiously awaiting what comes next.
Photo Credit: Jennifer Olive Challis
Lanzetta will team with independent record label 6131 Records to release For Avery. The record label has put out notable releases in the past from the likes of Joyce Manor, Julien Baker, and Dads, artists that have offered plenty of excitement and inspiration to Lanzetta over the years.
“When I was a teenager, I used to always drive up to see bands like Joyce Manor and Dads,” Lanzetta remarks. “Just a year ago, I ran about a mile from my job waiting tables, still in my work shirt, to see Julien Baker play in an alleyway while I stood behind a trashcan and cried. It’s so crazy to me that I’m joining the place where all these artists started. It’s kind of surreal and I actually feel like I don’t deserve any of it at all.”
For Avery is available for pre-order now via 6131 and Bandcamp, and Lanzetta will headline a release show at The Camel in Richmond on October 12th that also features local acts Piranha Rama and Illiterate Light, as well as Secret Nudist Friends from Philadelphia.
RVA Magazine will have more information on Sammi Lanzetta and For Avery in our upcoming fall issue. In the meantime, check out the EP’s lead single “Circles” via Bandcamp below. The impassioned rock song features caustic takedowns on misogyny and reflective thoughts on growing up, and serves as a great example of the voice For Avery will boldly display.
Top Photo Credit: Joey Wharton Photography
