Discovering the Trailblazers of Soul Pop
With the multitude of artist announcements each year at SXSW, inevitably someone manages to sneak past me when preparing for the fest. Thankfully, when it happened to me in 2018, the stars aligned and rectified this mistake.
It was a gorgeous, sunny March day in Austin for SXSW. I had posted up on Rainey Street for the day as I was targeting multiple showcases there for the day. I popped over to Banger’s Beer Garden to catch lovelytheband and morgxn as they were both on the under card for the StubHub showcase. It was my favorite week of the year, and the combination of no work, the music, and the weather had me feeling fantastic. Since I didn’t have anything else scheduled until the night showcases, I decided to stick around and soak in the sun and some beers.
There isn’t too much of a crowd at this point, and I’m still up front from the previous acts. While conversing with my neighbors and asking who all they are planning to see for the week, I found they were also unfamiliar with the next band.
There’s some activity on stage. There’s a crew of 8 people milling about , prepping and tuning instruments. I see a keyboard, a couple of guitars, and the drums are being set up. There’s a trumpet (nice, I love a horn section). There’s a saxophone. There’s… another saxophone?! My interest was piqued.
Lawrence had taken the stage. They were ELECTRIC. Their stage presence is phenomenal, and it is clear that they are having as much fun on stage as the crowd is listening to them. Helmed by brother/sister duo Clyde and Gracie Lawrence, this soul-pop juggernaut is a force to be reckoned with.
Think Stevie Wonder’s “Superstitious” meets the Isley Brothers’ “It’s Your Thing” with dual vocals reminiscent of Randy Newman and Aretha Franklin. The combination is invigorating. It will have you cheesing and dancing even if you don’t want to.
Lawrence the band was one of my favorite discoveries of 2018.
At the end of the year, they released Living Room. This sophomore album expanded upon the elements they introduced with their debut album, Breakfast, to truly come into their own identity while redefining the genre. The elaborate vocal arrangements of Clyde and Gracie dance elegantly around the horns, guitar, drums and keys.
Lawrence was the first artist to sign with Beautiful Mind Records, the label of Grammy-winning producer/songwriter/artist Jon Bellion. His influence can already be seen/heard in the band’s most recent productions, and to say I’m excited for their next album would be the understatement of the year.
Regrettably, their tour dates in Austin this year were postponed due to the current climate, but hopefully they are able to reschedule soon. Keep an eye out for them in your city, and if you’re in Austin, make it a point to join me once a new date is set. You won’t want to miss it.
Happy listening friends.
Spread the music. Spread the love.
Cheers,
-Travis
Get a taste for their sound with this 4 song performance in a Boston radio station’s performance studio.
Words don’t do Gracie Lawrence’s voice justice. Hopefully this acoustic/gospel rendition of their most recent single, “The Weather,” will paint a better picture.
