On High Rotation : Lake Street Dive - 'Bad Self Portraits'

Lake Street Dive are perhaps my favourite discovery of the year. They are an indie-jazz/soul outfit hailing from Boston. All four members met while attending the New England Conservatory of Music in 2004 with the idea of creating unrestricted country music. Since formation, the genre has differed slightly from that original intention however still remains loyal to its roots.

Bad Self Portraits was released 2014. It is not the bands first release but it is by far their greatest. They've really come into their own sound, "We want it to sound like the Beatles and Motown had a party together" says drummer Mike Calabrese. The end product is a remarkably successful endeavour to obtain that. A perfect combination of old and new. 

13 seconds into the title track on the record, a self-deprecating ode to a lost love, Rachel Price's vocals capture and enrapture your attention. Track two ('Stop Your Crying') and four ('Rabid Animal') are my current favourites but it is the sort of album that continues to produce a new favourite on every listen. 

Price's vocals, however impressive they are, do not overshadow the band. The insightful lyrics and energetic backing melodies showcase this group as a whole, not a one woman show. And besides, who could ignore Kearney's upright bass. If you could, you wouldn't want to.

Lake Street Dive are a breakout band on the rise and I for one want to be part of the explosively soulful journey.