Los Angeles-based musician Rob Laufer has written, sung and produced countless songs for movies, TV and commercials. He’s worked with Frank Black, George Martin, Fiona Apple, Johnny Cash, Cheap Trick, Dirk Hamilton, Shawn Colvin and many others. Rob has released 5 albums, and on August 23rd he will release a new solo album called The Floating World, his first release since 2010. Any question about why Laufer has released only a handful of albums is answered with one look at the length and breadth of his work as a musician, songwriter, producer, and actor.
His solo artist muse woke up shortly after Tom Petty’s death and the first songs Laufer wrote for The Floating World happened at that time. While re-listening to Petty’s music, he was struck by the songs’ economy and unfussiness. The message he took away was: “Just write the goddamn song!” Rob is also musical director of the fabled Wild Honey Orchestra, which performs an ongoing series of all-star benefit concerts for the Autism Think Tank in Los Angeles. Most recently the ensemble performed the Kinks’ Village Green Preservation Society album this past spring, featuring over 50 musicians and singers including the Cars’ Elliot Easton, REM’s Mike Mills, Blondie’s Clem Burke, Blur’s Graham Coxon, Yo La Tengo’s Ira Kaplan, and Rachel Haden & Anna Waronker from That Dog.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the title track off The Floating World. Reminiscent of Tom Petty, the Beatles, and even quieter side of Harry Nilsson, the earworm of a tune is a delicate work of power pop. Rob proves once again how skilled he is in the art of crafting delicious morsels of pop music, working in beautiful acoustic guitar and piano for a sound that is at once dreamy, tender and real.
Rob describes the inspiration behind the tune:
“It sounds like I’m trying to mythologize this woman. You never know if these are your real feelings or you’re just trying to get someone to like you. As if placing her in some inaccessible ocean setting were a compliment! ‘Harpoons, torpedos, valentines…all seemed to pass right through her’. That’s my favorite line to sing. It’s all very dream-like, barely makes any sense. But isn’t woman the ocean in our sub-conscious? What does that make men? Micro-plastic?”
LISTEN:
For more music and info visit roblaufermusic.com.
Photo credit: Diana Laufer
