Cali rock band Allah Las announces their latest album LAHS out October 11 on Mexican Summer and their new video for first single “In The Air,” a tongue in cheek half baked version of Weekend at Bernie’s. The band are touring North America this August. Watch the video, stream the full album and view the full tour dates below.
“A ship in harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for” the saying goes. But suppose the proverbial harbor is Los Angeles — a place not particularly known for being the origin of adventures. From the Spanish Conquistadors to the countless starry-eyed nobodies hoping to make it big, LA is usually the destination.
So it’s no wonder the Allah Las became fascinated with both the carefree spirit and glitter-in-the-gutter lifestyle of their hometown. After three records mining its lore and lure (from the desert to the sea) they have become global ambassadors of not just a place but a location.
Having taken their compact California on the road across the world (making stops in North, Central, and South America, Europe, South Africa, Australia, Russia, East Asia and beyond), they couldn’t help but peek through the other end of the telescope.
On their fourth LP, drummer Matt Correia, bassist Spencer Dunham, and guitarists Miles Michaud and Pedrum Siadatian turn their collective gaze outward and toward the horizon. Simply titled LAHS (a reference to a common misspelling of the band’s name), their forthcoming release on Mexican Summer finds the band turning in their most cohesive and ambitious work yet.
The Allah Las seem to be transmitting from a place not found on any map. Those familiar with the band’s work will recognize their skillful melding of melodies and moods, but through that lens we see them venturing into new, exciting territories. Indeed, their growth not just as songwriters, but as performers, arrangers, and producers — is clearly audible.
Correia croons in Portuguese on “Prazer Em Te Conhecer” (Nice to Meet You), which evokes George Harrison while also sounding like a rare 45 from a Brazilian flea market. The breezy sweetness of “Pleasure” could pass for a song by Spanish folk darlings Picnic, were it not for the wistful wisdom in Dunham’s delivery. “Polar Onion” takes us through the inevitable lows one encounters on a long journey, as Michaud laments “drown in the sea, I fill my cup – but it’s not enough”- a caricature of the lonesome cowboy seeking and occasionally glimpsing enlightenment.
One of the most notable evolutions from their previous work is a razor-sharp focus on the groove. We hear the rhythms of Krautrock influencing songs like “Houston” and “Electricity,” with steady and precise drumming that create complexity from repetition. Whilst both “Roco Ono” and “Star” incorporate elements of disco and soul into Allah Las universe, highlighting an airtight rhythm section unafraid to tap their toes.
Opener “Holding Pattern” conveys what the title suggests; you’ve almost arrived, you can see the ground, but you’re not quite there yet. Airy, ethereal harmonies chant the title, holding you in suspense- and eventually give way to an entirely different mood just before the fade- as if telling the listener “we’ve landed safely.” The persistent shuffle of “In The Air” drives the song forward, while Siadatian’s echo slapped voice bounces along on top, describing “images that can’t compare to the real thing in the air.” Electric guitar and mellotron trade licks, mirror each other’s kinetic ascending and descending lines and calling to mind the playful jubilance of Kevin Ayers in his prime.
“We’ve been traveling a lot the past couple years and I think that played a role in influencing the broader variety of songs on this record” Correia explains. And this is precisely what sets LAHS apart from its predecessors — a record inspired less by time, but by place. “LAHS to me feels like a soundtrack to the past 5 years or so. A sort of audio postcard to anyone who wants to listen.” This sentiment is echoed in the album’s artwork — a collection of exotic postcards, postmarked from equally exotic locals (designed by Matt Correia & Robbie Simon).
Tracking was done mostly by the band at their own studio in Los Angeles, allowing them more time and space to experiment with tunes and tones. Producer/Engineer Jarvis Taveniere (Woods) was brought in to help polish it off, resulting in a sound both crisp and clear while keeping with the warmth and atmosphere the band are known for.
The Allah Las have left the harbor. The infectious wanderlust that fuels these thirteen songs continues to propel the group forward across new frontiers, as they collect and catalog all they find and return with plenty of inspiration in tow. With LAHS we not only discover what souvenirs they’ve brought back for us; they’re inviting us aboard and taking us along for the ride.
Allah Las Tour Dates
July 26th & 27th – Pappy & Harriets (Benefit for Joshua Tree National Park),
Pioneertown, CA
August 3rd – CALICO – Love Field, Point Reyes, CA
August 9th – El Club, Detroit, MI
August 10th – Kitchener Blues Festival, Ontario, CA
August 12th – Mr. Smalls Theatre, Millvale, PA
August 13th – Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY
August 14th – The Pyramid Scheme, Grand Rapids, MI
August 16th – Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL
August 17th – Half Acre Beer Company, Chicago, IL
September 14th – Huichica Music Festival, Walla Walla, WA
November 4th – Valley Bar, Phoenix, AZ
November 5th – Meow Wolf, Sante Fe, NM
November 7th – White Oak Music Hall, Houston, TX
November 8th – Trees, Dallas, TX
November 9th – Empire Control Room, Austin, TX
November 10th – One Eyed Jacks, New Orleans, LA
November 12th – The Basement East, Nashville, TN
November 13th – Terminal West, Atlanta, GA
November 14th – Grey Eagle Tavern, Asheville, NC
November 15th – Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC
November 16th – The Black Cat, Washington, DC
November 18th – Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA
November 19th – Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA
November 20th – Brooklyn Steel, Brooklyn, NY
November 22nd – Corona Theatre, Montreal, CA
November 24th – Lee’s Palace, Toronto, CA
November 25th – Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
November 26th – Ace of Cups, Columbus, OH
November 27th – Thalia Hall, Chicago, IL
November 29th – Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis, MN
November 30th – Blueberry Hill, St. Louis, MO
December 2nd – Slowdown, Omaha, NE
December 3rd – Gothic Theatre, Englewood, CA
December 4th – Metro Music Hall, Salt Lake City, UT
December 6th – Neumos, Seattle, WA
December 7th – Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR
December 8th – Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC
December 10th – The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
December 11th – The Observatory, Santa Ana, CA
December 12th – The Mayan, Los Angeles, CA
December 13th – The Observatory North Park, San Diego, CA
December 14th – Pappy & Harriets, Pioneertown, CA
Photo Credit: Tony Accosta
