Over the past couple of years, White Laces have done a lot to solidify their position as one of the best indie rock groups in RVA. This year, their goal is to take things beyond the borders of our fair city, and they’re doing so in a big way, both with their current tour opening for Philly’s The War On Drugs and their recently completed second album, Trance.
Over the past couple of years, White Laces have done a lot to solidify their position as one of the best indie rock groups in RVA. This year, their goal is to take things beyond the borders of our fair city, and they’re doing so in a big way, both with their current tour opening for Philly’s The War On Drugs and their recently completed second album, Trance. Trance, which was recorded with Jeff Zeigler (Kurt Vile, Nothing, Purling Hiss) last winter, follows up the band’s debut LP, 2012’s Moves, with a forward-thinking and expanded sound that nonetheless retains all of the best qualities White Laces have had from the beginning. Their use of synth textures is multi-layered and unpredictable, always adding important ingredients–but the band’s glittering guitar riffs are still the essential element of their sound, and work well with the melodic counterpoints added by Landis Wine’s vocals.
All of this is clearly audible on the first track released from Trance, “Skate Or Die,” which was premiered last week by Stereogum. That site’s Tom Breihan says “Real Estate fans will probably appreciate” the track, but if, like me, you’re not a fan of the fuzzy, inoffensive Jersey indie crew, don’t be scared off–White Laces have much more to offer than those guys. Take a listen to “Skate Or Die” below, and don’t let the bees get you!
White Laces are currently touring the US with The War On Drugs. They’ll be in Phoenix, AZ tonight, but they’ll be back in the area for the final day of the tour, which takes place at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC on Friday, April 18. We’d tell you where to get tickets, but sadly, the show is sold out. Trance is tentatively scheduled for release sometime this summer, but as of now, White Laces have not agreed to terms with a label, so as Tom Breihan says, “if you’ve got a label, maybe you should holler at them.”
