It’s a mystery how they do it, but LANY has the heart-wrenching ability to break you into a million pieces and make you fall in love all within the span of one song. Since the band started creating some buzz in 2015, they’ve effortlessly made their way into the hearts of adoring fans around the world while selling out shows and delighting listeners with new music along the way. The release of their self-titled debut album feels triumphant, marking not only a new chapter for the trio but a new beginning in the magical story that is LANY.
Nothing short of beautiful, the band’s debut tells the tale of hidden emotions now out in the open set to chill-inducing synthpop reminiscent of the late 80’s/early 90’s meets The 1975 and Tears For Fears. If you’ve ever found yourself crying in the shower over a breakup (“The Breakup”), falling madly in love with your best friend (“ILYSB”) or on a flight desperate to see someone you’ve made a connection with but feel you don’t deserve or vice-versa (“Tampa”), this record will feel like home – and let’s be honest here: those are the best kinds.
The album opens with “Dumb Stuff” – an interlude-ish electro-pop dream preparing us for the story to come, seguing effortlessly into the breezy “The Breakup” where singer Paul Klein bares his soul on how we all think we’re better off without a relationship, but once it’s gone for good, inner-hell ensues.
“Super Far” delves into being in love alone as the other person shows zero interest in affection or reciprocation while “Overtime” comes barreling in with a swirling synth progression that’s guaranteed to be a crowd favorite live. “Flowers On The Floor” keeps the momentum going while the deliriously adorable “Parents” shares a snippet of a voicemail from Jake Goss’s mother after he shared a photo of a tattoo on social media in honor of his love for his parents. If this one doesn’t make you smile like a noob, check yourself.
“13” takes place right before a breakup, where you know it’s about to end but you still try to salvage whatever you can despite the inevitable. “Hericane” could possibly be the aftermath when it all ends and you’ve gone through all of the stages of pain and grief, leading into anger. Next track, “Hurts,” feels like a continuation of both tracks.
Current single, “Good Girls,” is a summer road trip dream set to Klein’s signature lyrical sensibilities with dreams of California looming in the background while “Pancakes” will literally make you crave pancakes with that special someone. Perhaps the best part of having a song like this on their roster is that we’ll now have people screaming “PANCAKES” at their shows. It’s the little things, folks.
“Purple Teeth” brings us back to the release of their I Loved You. EP, displaying how far they’ve come in only three short years and how special their sound is to fans while the aptly-titled “So, Soo Pretty” blends beautifully with closing track, “It Was Love.”
It’s needless to say that LANY’s debut captures the band’s flawless abilities to emote the sounds of falling in love and the pain that goes with it. But we’ve never doubted them and with this new gift we’ve been given, we know that next time around will be just as magical. We’re gonna savor this one for a while, though.
Album available now here.
