Lanterns

"Lanterns, a good, shouty post-hardcore band along the lines of Cursive"

- Troy Johnson
(San Diego CityBEAT music editor//Host of Fox Rox T.V. Show) - www.sdcitybeat.com

Lanterns

www.myspace.com/wearelanterns

Profile Views: 20,839

Plays: 27,409

Friends: 3,589

Headline: “FIERCE POP SONGS!”

Best Comment: “dude... in the best way possible.. you make me want to crap my pants... and when i crap my pants.. i mean.. I CRAP THEM FOR YOU!”

Lanterns lists the “flux capacitator” as their major influence, but in their blog they admit they’re listening to Les Savy Fav—a much less creative influence, but more appropriate. Like Fav, this is distorted, epic indie-rock with guitars that stab like pine needles through a cheap T-shirt. In the middle of a swarm of warped guitars, the vocals on “Sweet Weapons” are shouted, occasionally in frantic harmony, not unlike a more aggressive Q and Not U or fellow San Diego band The North Atlantic. “Birds and Matches” is their idea of a ballad—which is a whole lot noisier than, say, Richard Marx. It leads with a low-toned guitar and bass line and epic guitars that sound like some sort of warped alarm at a top-secret government agency.

The band recently finished a U.S. tour to support a split 12-inch with fellow San Diego punk band This Flood Covers the Earth, which was put out on Boston indie label History Major Records. They’ve also got a video of them playing live in Duluth, Minn. On it, they sound like a band playing behind a wall in a room that’s completely submerged in water.

Regardless, the music is good and these guys tour—an essential exercise for any band that wants to go a little bit further than playing a Communist vegan benefit show at the Che Café. Like they readily boast in their “About” section, they’re “galvanizing audiences everywhere.”
—Troy Johnson

10-25-06 - www.sdcitybeat.com

Lanterns.

SDP: So what’s up with the period at the end of the name (lanterns.)?

Lowell Heflin (Lanterns.): We are fucking Lanterns. (period)

SDP:Can we can a little background on the band? When you formed, previous projects (if any), what your goals are, etc.?

Lowell Heflin (Lanterns.): Lanterns. came into existence sometime in early January, 2006. All of us at some point had previously served time in the band Panic in the Streets, and after Panic had dissolved we took the opportunity to start over again with new songs and new vision.... Something that was more representative of us as individuals in both sound and substance.

SDP:How would you describe your sound and what type of music fans do you think it appeals to?
Lanterns

Lowell Heflin (Lanterns.): Our music is what it is. It comes from a real honest place; it isn’t deliberate or tailored to appeal to any genre, trend or demographic and I think that people can see that in the songs and in our live performances. I’m not sure you can paint the fans of our music into any boxes, just like you can’t paint our band in one either...

SDP:How has the response been to your split with This Flood Covers the Earth? Is it your first official release?

Lowell Heflin (Lanterns.): We just got home from a 2 month tour across the United States with a few dates in Canada and Mexico in support of the split and the response has been very positive!

SDP:Are there any message you try to get across or a feeling you want listeners to be left with after hearing your music?

Lowell Heflin (Lanterns.): Everyone is free to interpret it how they want, but I personally think of each song as an act of defiance, a call to love, a call to do something whatever it is... That’s why we love to play live… It is real visceral and sincere...


SDP:How’d you guys get hooked up with History Major Records? It seems odd a new San Diego band would be putting stuff out on a Boston based label…

Lowell Heflin (Lanterns.): It had something to do with a Sunny Day Real Estate blog, web lurking, and Charlie from This Flood Covers the Earth... We didn’t actually meet Jerry (who runs the label) until we played a
show they set up for us after the split was released in Boston.

SDP:Are there any plans for a full-length coming up?

Lowell Heflin (Lanterns.): Well, we have a 7” our friend Eric at DOOD! Records is putting out in the spring... We start recording that in December with Alex Newport. We are also looking to have release an e.p. shortly after right before summer.

SDP:What’s your take on the current San Diego music scene? What’s good about and what needs improvement?

Lowell Heflin (Lanterns.): We don’t feel a real sense of community or camaraderie among bands, and fans. We all need to participate and own our scene... It just seems like there is a general sense of apathy... But it is definitely getting better and hopefully we can be included in that positive change.

SDP:What else is coming up for the band?

Lowell Heflin (Lanterns.): Lots and Lots of touring next year... That and hopscotch. I guess everyone is just going to have wait and see.

SDP:Anything else you’d like to add?

Lowell Heflin (Lanterns.): We hope Rivers Cuomo is on the next season of Dancing with the Stars


Thanks!

mp3s: http://www.myspace.com/wearelanterns - www.SanDeigoPunk.com