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Lucius (band)

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Lucius
Lucius in 2022
Lucius in 2022
Background information
OriginBrooklyn, New York
Genres
Years active2007–present
Labels
MembersJess Wolfe
Holly Laessig
Dan Molad
Peter Lalish
Past membersAndrew Burri
Websiteilovelucius.com

Lucius is an American four-piece indie pop band. The group was founded in 2007 by lead vocalists Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, joined by drummer Dan Molad, guitarist Peter Lalish, and, formerly, multi-instrumentalist Andrew Burri.[1] Originating in Brooklyn, the band relocated to Los Angeles in 2015.[2][3]

They have released three studio albums with Mom + Pop Music, including their most recent, Second Nature, in April 2022.[4] Their music has received critical acclaim from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, NPR and The Village Voice. Paste named them as one of the best live acts in 2015.[5] Wolfe and Laessig have also contributed vocals for artists such as Roger Waters, Harry Styles, Jeff Tweedy, Jackson Browne, John Legend, Mavis Staples, John Prine, Sheryl Crow, Grace Potter, Goose, The War on Drugs, Brandi Carlile, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Brandy Clark, and Joni Mitchell.

History

[edit]

Songs from the Bromley House and band formation (2005–2011)

[edit]

Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig first met in 2005 as students at the Berklee College of Music and began performing together.[6][7] In 2007, they founded Lucius after moving to Ditmas Park, Brooklyn to pursue a musical career.[6] The two lived in an old Victorian mansion which had a 60-year-old recording studio and vintage pianos inside.[8]

In 2009, Wolfe and Laessig self-released Songs from the Bromley House, a biographical ode to the house and the experiences that they had in their Brooklyn home.[9] During this period, they were joined by producer Doug Wamble.[10] The band made a one-time pressing CD of the album and has not released the album since.

Shortly after the release of Songs from the Bromley House, Wolfe and Laessig connected with Dan Molad. By 2010, the three were collaborating on future Lucius music. During this period, Pete Lalish was introduced by Molad, and the two soon joined Lucius, making it a four-piece. About a year later, Molad met singer and guitarist Andy Burri who was invited to join the band. Following this, in 2011, most of the music the band had already made together was re-recorded and later released as their debut EP.[7]

On July 9, 2020, Lucius announced they would be digitally re-releasing Songs from the Bromley House to raise funds for businesses affected by the COVID-19 virus. Wolfe told fans the news during an "Ask Me Anything" portion of their livestream series, Turning It Around: A Community Rebuilding Concert. The album, she said, would be up for purchase on the band's website for a limited time along with several other unique items created especially for the streaming series.[11]

Lucius EP and Wildewoman (2011–2015)

[edit]
Lucius performing at Blueberry Hill in 2013

The quintet released a self-titled EP in February 2012. Lucius received several placements in TV shows including Grey's Anatomy and Catfish: The TV Show. The band did a Tiny Desk Concerts performance in January 2013 which is hailed by fans as one of their most iconic performances to this day.[12] That same year, the Silver Sound Music Video Film Festival + Band Battle awarded the "Go Home" video as Best Animation.[13] Their song "Until We Get There" gained significant popularity after its feature in season 2, episode 24 of the TV show New Girl.

The band toured the EP throughout the first half of 2013 while finishing the recording of Wildewoman–produced by band member Dan Molad. Mom + Pop Music released Wildewoman in North America on October 15, 2013. It received favorable reviews from Rolling Stone and Consequence of Sound. The album was released worldwide on March 31, 2014, via Play It Again Sam. The Guardian described it as "60s girl group-inspired songs doused in a tonic of baroque pop and saccharine folk."[14] The record was praised for its eclectic mix of musical styles that ranged from retro pop to reflective folk.[15]

The song "Until We Get There" was featured in the film If I Stay and was included on the 2014 soundtrack.

During their world tour between the fall of 2013 and the end of 2014, Lucius also played music festivals and opened for artists including Tegan and Sara, The Head and the Heart,[16] Sara Bareilles,[17] Andrew Bird, City and Colour, and Jack White.

The deluxe version of Wildewoman was released in October 2014. It features live recordings and covers, with one version of their song "How Loud Your Heart Gets" produced by Spoon's Jim Eno for Spotify. The band ended their world tour with a sold-out show at Terminal 5 in New York on December 6, 2014.[18]

Good Grief (2016– early 2017)

[edit]

The band's second album, Good Grief, was released on March 11, 2016. It was co-produced and engineered by Grammy-winning engineer Shawn Everett, and was mixed by Tom Elmhirst. Songs were inspired by the band's two years on the road with Wildewoman,[19] and written in late 2015 when the band relocated from Brooklyn to Los Angeles.[20] Departing from their previous sound, the album focused on "moody Eighties-synth melodies and raw lyrics about the hardships of marriage."[21]

The deluxe edition of Good Grief features the band's cover of The Kinks' song "Strangers" which gained attention from a crowd-sourced video of the band performing in Petaluma, California in August 2014.[22]

In July 2015, Wolfe and Laessig performed with Roger Waters and My Morning Jacket at the Newport Folk Festival.

The band has also performed tracks from Good Grief on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Late Night with Seth Meyers. "Born Again Teen" and "Dusty Trails" were featured on the fifth episode of Cameron Crowe's show Roadies. In the final episode of the first season, Wolfe and Laessig performed the Lowell George song "Willin" with Jackson Browne.[23] In September 2016, Andrew Burri departed from the band.[6]

In September and October 2016, the band performed with Waters and his band for three shows in Mexico City and the Desert Trip Festival in Indio, California.[24]

On November 25, 2016, the band released a two-song 10 inch vinyl record titled Pulling Teeth which contained two B-sides–"Pulling Teeth" and "The Punisher".

Nudes and Touring with Roger Waters (mid 2017–2021)

[edit]

The band released their first compilation album, Nudes, in March 2018. The collection features acoustic versions of songs from the band's back catalogue, new songs, and a duet with Roger Waters.[25]

Wolfe and Laessig joined Waters to sing backup vocals on the Us + Them Tour. The pair also sang a featured duet based on Clare Torrey's wordless vocals in The Great Gig in the Sky. The tour covered North America, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, South America, and Mexico. The world tour began in Kansas City in May 2017, and ended in Monterrey, Mexico in December 2018.

Second Nature (2022–present)

[edit]
Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe in 2023

After years of collaborations, Lucius returned to their own music with their fourth studio album, Second Nature, on April 8, 2022. Second Nature was produced by Dave Cobb and Brandi Carlile and released on the Mom + Pop Music label. The lead single "Next to Normal" was released simultaneously with the album announcement on January 11, 2022,[4] followed by three other singles "White Lies", "Heartbursts", and "Dance Around It"–a dance song that features Sheryl Crow and Brandi Carlile.

In a press release, Lucius member Jess Wolfe stated that the album derived from the personal experiences of grief that she and the rest of the band experienced during the pandemic, further adding that the album's musical direction was intended for the band to "[dance their] way through the darkness".[26]

Second Nature earned Lucius a nomination for Best Pop Record from The American Association of Independent Music.[27]

On November 2, 2022, Lucius released "Muse" as a single.[28]

Lucius toured Second Nature on their headlining North American tour throughout 2022 and 2023. They also toured with Shakey Graves throughout summer 2023[29] and supported Gregory Alan Isakov in the fall.[30]

Lucius supported The War on Drugs and The National in Summer and Fall 2024. During the tour Lucius performed "I Don't Live Here Anymore" with The War on Drugs.

Collaborations

[edit]

Outside Lucius, Wolfe and Laessig have been involved in many albums as guest vocalists.

Film and television

[edit]

Lucius have composed music for multiple film and television projects. They scored the soundtrack for Jake and Amir's web series, Lonely and Horny, released on Vimeo on April 8, 2016.[31] In January 2017, the band scored Zoe Lister-Jones' directorial debut Band Aid, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Lucius also wrote and performed an original song called "What's the Use in Crying?" in David Byrne's film Contemporary Color (2016).[32]

In May 2022, Lucius performed "Dance Around It" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert alongside Sheryl Crow and Brandi Carlile.[33]

In addition to their three 2023 Grammy nominations for Album of The Year (In These Silent Days), Record of the Year ("You and Me on the Rock"), and Best Americana Performance ("You and Me on the Rock"), Lucius joined Brandi Carlile on the Grammy stage for a performance of "Broken Horses".[34]

Other

[edit]

Lucius have released music as part of tribute projects. The band covered "When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky" for the compilation album Bob Dylan In the 80s: Volume One and "Uncle John's Band" for the Grateful Dead 2016 compilation album Day of the Dead. In November 2018, Lucius contributed to a 7" vinyl series called the Fug Yep Soundation, launched in memory of the late Richard Swift. The series aims to raise awareness for addiction and "bring community to those suffering" by donating to musician-focused organizations MusiCares and Music Support UK.[35]

In 2021, samples from the song Madness[36] were featured in an installation with visual and sound artist Samuel Stubblefield, to be released in 2022.

Reception

[edit]

Lucius has been lauded by The New York Times for their "luscious, luminous, lilting lullabies",[37] praised by NPR for their "charisma and charm,"[38] and described by Rolling Stone as "the best band you may not have heard yet."[39]

The Guardian featured Lucius as its New Band Of The Day on February 14, 2014, and described them as "the missing link between Arcade Fire and Haim... How can they fail? They won't."[40] Economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman is a noted fan of the band and has featured their music in his blog.[41][42]

The two frontwomen are also known for their synchronous style that exudes an "idiosyncratic visual persona"[43] in their choice of dress, stage set up, and performance. The two even shared the same hairdresser,[44] although they have switched to identical wigs.

In December 2018, Lucius' album Nudes was named by Rolling Stone as one of "11 Great Albums You Probably Didn't Hear in 2018."[45]

Most recently, Billboard regarded Second Nature as "Full of lush production that's complemented by the chilling harmonies of Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig".[46] Variety proclaims that, with Second Nature, Lucius is "no longer 20 feet or even a couple yards from stardom, but re-claiming the spotlight for themselves."[47]

Current members

[edit]
Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius performing in 2016
  • Jess Wolfe – lead vocals, bass synth (2007–present)
  • Holly Laessig – lead vocals, keyboard (2007–present)
  • Dan Molad – drums, backing vocals, production (2010–present)
  • Peter Lalish – guitar, backing vocals (2010–present)

Former touring members

  • Andrew Burri – backing vocals, multi-instrumentalist (2011–2016)
  • Josh Dion – drums[48]
  • Casey Foubert – guitar[48]

Touring members

  • Solomon Dorsey - bass, backing vocals[49]
  • Alex Pfender - guitar, keys, backing vocals[49]
  • Jacob Peters - guitar, backing vocals

Discography

[edit]

Albums

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Details Peak chart positions
US
[50] 		US
Alt.
[51] 		US Indie
[52] 		US
Rock
[53] 		BEL
(FL)
[54] 		UK
[55] 		UK
Indie
[56]
Songs from the Bromley House
  • Released: November 13, 2009
  • Labels: Self-released
 — — — — — — —
Wildewoman 150 — 36 — — 101 15
Good Grief
  • Released: March 11, 2016
  • Labels: Mom + Pop, PIAS, Dine Alone
 92 13 6 15 161 — 31
Second Nature
  • Released: April 8, 2022[4]
  • Labels: Mom + Pop
 —[A] — — — — —[B] —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

[edit]
List of compilation albums, with selected chart positions
Title Details Peak chart positions
US
Sales
[57] 		US Indie
[52]
Nudes 76 12

EPs

[edit]
  • Lucius EP (February 2012)
  • Pulling Teeth Ten Inch Vinyl (November 2016)

Singles

[edit]

As lead artist

[edit]
Single Year Peak chart positions Album
US
AAA
[59] 		US
Alt.
[60] 		US
Rock
Air.
[61] 		BEL
(FL)
Tip
[54] 		SWI
Air
[62] 		UK
Indie
Break.
[56]
"Hey Doreen" 2013 — — — — — — Wildewoman
"Tempest" — — — — — —
"Turn It Around" 16 — — 74 92 14
"Don't Just Sit There" 2014 — — — — — —
"Born Again Teen" 2015 — 33 46 — — — Good Grief
"Madness" 2016 — — — — — —
"Something About You" — — — — — —
"Dusty Trails" — — — — — —
"What We Have (To Change)" — — — — — —
"Pulling Teeth" — — — — — — Non-album single
"Million Dollar Secret" 2017 — — — — — — Nudes
"Until We Get There (Acoustic)" — — — — — —
"Neighbors" 2018 — — — — — —
"Right Down the Line" — — — — — —
"Eventually" — — — — — — Non-album single
"Next to Normal" 2022 5 — 39 — — — Second Nature
"White Lies" — — — — — —
"Dance Around It"[63]
(featuring Brandi Carlile and Sheryl Crow) 		31 — — — — —
"Old Tape"
(featuring Adam Granduciel) 		2024 31 — — — — — Non-album single
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
[edit]
Single Year Peak chart positions Album
US
AAA
[59] 		US
Alt.
[60] 		US
Rock
[64] 		BEL
(FL)
Tip
[54] 		CAN
Rock
[65] 		GER
DL
[66] 		ICE
[67] 		NED
Air
[68] 		SWI
Air
[62] 		UK
DL
[69]
"Coolin' Out"
(Nathaniel Rateliff featuring Lucius) 		2018 — — — 13 — — — — — — Tearing at the Seams
"Back to Me"
(Grace Potter featuring Lucius) 		2020 28 — — — — — — — — — Daylight
"Strangers"[70]
(Black Pumas featuring Lucius) 		2021 — — — — — — — — — — Non-album single
"I Don't Live Here Anymore"
(The War on Drugs featuring Lucius) 		1 16 43 — 38 77 39 24 79 95 I Don't Live Here Anymore
"The Getting By II"[71]
(The Killers featuring Lucius) 		2022 — — — — — — — — — — Pressure Machine
"You and Me on the Rock"
(Brandi Carlile featuring Lucius) 		19 — — — — — — — — — In These Silent Days
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Second Nature did not enter the US Billboard 200, but peaked at number 28 on the US Top Album Sales Chart.[57]
  2. ^ Second Nature did not enter the UK Albums Chart, but peaked at number 33 on the UK Record Store Chart.[58]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Lucius | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  2. ^ Marc Hirsh (2013-02-07). "The voices of Lucius share the same wavelength". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  3. ^ "How Lucius's Second Album Drove Them to Go Above, Beyond, and Nearly Insane". Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  4. ^ a b c "Lucius Announce New Album and Tour, Share Video for New Song "Next to Normal"". Pitchfork. 2022-01-11. Retrieved 2022-02-14.
  5. ^ Stiernberg, Bonnie (8 December 2015). "The 25 Best Live Acts of 2015". Paste Magazine.
  6. ^ a b c Hawke, Heather (22 February 2017). "Issue #16 - Lucius". Decorated Youth.
  7. ^ a b Atlas, Zoë (2013-12-12). "Lucius- 12/5/13- The Sinclair". Sound of Boston - Boston Music Blog. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
  8. ^ Ryzik, Melena (October 11, 2013). "Peas in a Vintage-Soul-Style Pod". The New York Times.
  9. ^ Songs From The Bromley House, Lucius, 2009-11-13, retrieved 2017-04-26
  10. ^ Songs From The Bromley House, Lucius, retrieved 2022-04-13
  11. ^ "Lucius". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  12. ^ Oney, Steve (March 14, 2013). "The Improbable Rise of NPR Music". The Wall Street Journal.
  13. ^ "MVFF+BB 4 Best Animation". Mvffbb.com. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  14. ^ Mokoena, Tshepo. "Lucius: Wildewoman review – catchy 60s-style pop, beautifully sung, but ultimately unconvincing". The Guardian.
  15. ^ Hardy, Tony (October 17, 2013). "Lucius – Wildewoman". Consequence of Sound.
  16. ^ "Watch Lucius make their UK TV debut on Later... with Jools Holland". Mom+Pop. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  17. ^ "Sara Bareilles Announces Summer Tour". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  18. ^ Hughes, Hilary (March 8, 2016). "How Lucius's Second Album Drove Them to Go Above, Beyond, and Nearly Insane". The Village Voice.
  19. ^ Katzif, Mike (March 2, 2016). "Review: Lucius, 'Good Grief'". NPR.
  20. ^ Darley, Andrew (March 8, 2016). "Good In The Grief: An Interview with Lucius". The 405.
  21. ^ Kaplan, Ilana. "How Lucius Embraced 'Good Grief' on New LP". Rolling Stone.
  22. ^ LagunitasBeer (2014-10-06), Lucius "Strangers" (The Kinks) Crowd-Filmed Live at Lagunitas, retrieved 2017-04-26
  23. ^ "Five Questions with Holly Laessig of Lucius". The Bowery Presents. September 21, 2016.
  24. ^ "Great Gig In The Sky - Roger Waters - Desert Trip - 10/9/16". YouTube.
  25. ^ "Lucius Ready New Acoustic LP 'Nudes,' Features Roger Waters". Rolling Stone. 19 January 2018.
  26. ^ "Lucius Announce New Album and Tour, Share Video for New Song "Next to Normal"". Pitchfork. 11 January 2022.
  27. ^ "Libera Award Nominees 2023". Libera Awards.
  28. ^ Bernstein, Scott (November 2, 2022). "Lucius Finds 'Muse' With Groovy New Single". Jambase. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  29. ^ Pearis, Bill (April 24, 2023). "Shakey Graves & Lucius touring together this summer". Brooklyn Vegan.
  30. ^ "GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV EXTENDS 2023 HEADLINE TOUR". GratefulWeb. April 17, 2023.
  31. ^ Crouch, Ian (April 29, 2016). ""Lonely and Horny" and Little Comedy". The New Yorker.
  32. ^ "David Byrne, St. Vincent Blow Minds With Contemporary Color". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  33. ^ Zemler, Emily (May 4, 2022). "Watch Sheryl Crow Join Lucius for 'Dance Around It' on 'Colbert'". Rolling Stone.
  34. ^ "Brandi Carlile And Lucius Performs An Electrifying Version Of "Broken Horses"". Recording Academy.
  35. ^ "Richard Swift Honored With New Subscription Singles Series". Pitchfork. 9 November 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
  36. ^ Lucius - Madness [Official Audio], retrieved 2022-01-05
  37. ^ "Four Word CMJ Reviews: Tuesday and Wednesday". The New York Times. 21 October 2010. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  38. ^ Boilen, Bob. "Lucius: Tiny Desk Concert". NPR. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  39. ^ "Vampire Weekend, Passion Pit, Kendrick Lamar Top Boston Calling". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  40. ^ Paul Lester (2014-02-14). "New Band Of The Day". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-05-06.
  41. ^ Paul Krugman (8 December 2013). "Lucius Live (Personal)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  42. ^ Paul Krugman (15 August 2014). "Friday Night Music: Lucius Does Buddy Holly". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-08-18.
  43. ^ Danton, Eric (17 March 2016). "How Lucius Made the Band Uniform Cool Again". Pitchfork.
  44. ^ Ryzik, Melena (October 11, 2013). "Peas in a Vintage-Soul-Style Pod". The New York Times.
  45. ^ Christopher R. Weingarten; Elias Leight; Sarah Grant; Simon Vozick-Levinson; Hank Shteamer; Will Hermes; Jon Dolan; Suzy Exposito; Brittany Spanos; Kory Grow; David Fricke; Suzy Exposito (2018-12-18). "11 Great Albums You Probably Didn't Hear in 2018". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
  46. ^ Havens, L (April 11, 2022). "10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through The Week: Sasha Alex Sloan, Syd & Kehlani, Banks and More". Billboard.
  47. ^ Willman, Chris (April 7, 2022). "Lucius Doubles Your Pop Pleasure With 'Second Nature,' With Help From Brandi Carlile and Dave Cobb". Variety. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  48. ^ a b Bialas, Michael (2016-11-22). "Start the Insanity: With Lucius, It's All Good Grief". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  49. ^ a b "Pop band Lucius heads out on tour with new album 'Second Nature'".
  50. ^ "Lucius – Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  51. ^ "Lucius – Chart History: Alternative Albums". Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  52. ^ a b "Lucius – Chart History: Independent Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  53. ^ "Lucius – Chart History: Rock Albums". Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  54. ^ a b c "Discografie Lucius". ultratop.be (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  55. ^ Peaks in the UK:
  56. ^ a b "Lucius songs and albums - Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  57. ^ a b "Lucius – Chart History: Top Album Sales". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  58. ^ "Second Nature - Lucius - Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  59. ^ a b Peaks on the Triple A Airplay chart:
  60. ^ a b Peaks on the Alternative Airplay chart:
  61. ^ Peaks on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart:
  62. ^ a b
  63. ^ "Future Releases on Triple A (AAA) Radio Stations". AllAccess. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022.
  64. ^
  65. ^
  66. ^ "Deutsche Download Singles Charts Category: Single". Deutsche Download Singles Charts. Archived from the original on November 13, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  67. ^ "Vinsældalisti Rásar 2 - RÚV". RÚV (in Icelandic). Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  68. ^ "The War on Drugs feat. Lucius "I Don't Live Here Anymore"". Mega Charts. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  69. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100 - 05 November 2021 - 11 November 2021". Official Charts Company. 5 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  70. ^ "Strangers (feat. Lucius) [From "Life In A Day"] - Single by Black Pumas on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  71. ^ "The Getting By II by The Killers on Apple Music". Apple Music (US). Retrieved April 14, 2022.
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