The Life Electric

In 2011, former Action Verbs frontman Joey Chehade joined forces with members of the indie rock band Gold Star Morning. The musical charge between Chehade and Ben Leang (guitar), Cory Bean (bass), and Joel Silloway (drums) was undeniable; so much so that they decided to form The Life Electric. Now on their third release, The Real You, The Life Electric has established a sound that fuses a little bit of psych rock, a lot of sincere pop and a dash of a disco beat. Chehade describes his music more accurately: “[It’s] big stadium rock songs with a soft, sincere pop underbelly.” He adds, “This album especially, songs are jumping from genre to genre. You will be singing along without that guilty aftertaste. Don’t worry. We mean what we sing.”

Chehade and Leang talk to Myspace about how they formed (thanks to Myspace!), being Boston musicians, and what Donald Drumpf means to them.

Hometown:

Joey: I’m from a town right next to Worcester, Massachusetts called Shrewsbury. Great place to grow up.

Ben: I’m from Kokomo, Indiana. It’s a typical small town in the Midwest. Some great things, some not so great.

Homebase: Joey: Right now we all call Boston home.

How did you all decide to form a band together?

Joey: We all shared a mutual friend and sound engineer, Chris Thomas, who I had worked with on a few EPs with my old band Action Verbs. Ben and Cory had worked with on an album for their old band Gold Star Morning. Action Verbs was coming to its natural end and I wasn't quite sure what to do next. Come to find out through Chris that GSM had ended and was looking for new singer to complete an album they had been working on. I listened to what they had done so far and was blown away. I happily auditioned and here we are. A couple of not great situations that ended up better than I think either of us could've imagined.

Why are you called The Life Electric?

Ben: Well… it sounded nice (laughs). But to me it represents an aspiration for a life that’s greater than what we currently have. All of us have lives that could be, you know, just okay if we weren’t doing music, but we recognize that we need and want to be in a band that makes great music.

What was it like coming from bands that had been successful into a new project? What do you bring from Action Verbs and Gold Star Morning into The Life Electric?

Joey: I hold a very fond place for Action Verbs. I was able to really start getting comfortable writing and singing with a group of great guys who shared different musical and stylistic influences. Like most things in life, confidence will make or break what you do. It’s tough to be confident when you first start out because you’re essentially singing these very sincere poems to your friends, most of whom didn't even know I was in a band. Luckily, Action Verbs allowed me to say ‘fuck it’ and just sort of figure out who I was as a writer and singer.

Ben: I think we were naive in thinking we could pick right back up where we left off, but the reality was that we were starting almost completely over. Gold Star Morning ended up being such an uphill battle in many ways, so everything we did had a learning curve to it. It was like boot camp. When TLE became a reality, I’d brought that work ethic along with me.

Why is your album called The Real You?

Ben: We realized after the album was complete that all the songs had something to do with finding the best in someone, either with ourselves or in relationships. So in the title track, the song is essentially about finding the true, authentic self. I heard somewhere that you become who you are by the age of seven, so the lyrics were kept very basic on purpose, almost juvenile. You can be a “dancer”, a “diva”, and we can be “like family.”

Who are your biggest musical influences?

Joey: Classic bad answer is that I like everything. It’s true. However, I would say Elvis, The Beatles, Pearl Jam, Frightened Rabbit, the first two Weezer albums, Radiohead, The Platters, The Wrens, The National, U2 and on and on.

Ben: The Beatles for sure, from the beginning and still to this day. U2 is huge for me in their sonic landscapes. David Gilmore’s a big influence to me. And when I realized I couldn’t sing like Freddie Mercury, I try my best now to be the Freddie Mercury of guitar.

Does being from Boston influence your music?

Joey: I love Boston. I love the music scene in Boston. Even when you’re away for a little while, it always feels like coming back to a family when you stop by a show. I can’t count the number of excellent bands we’ve had the good fortune of playing with. As far influence goes, I would say that this city lets you be who you want to be as long as your not being an asshole. That may seem silly, but when you’re making music and you don’t have to worry about some imaginary audiences judging you, it goes a long way towards a better product.

Who would you love to collaborate with?

Ben: Dave Grohl. Or Paul McCartney.

Joey: Eddie Vedder.

Drumpf or Trump? What are you feeling this election season? Would you ever infuse politics into your music?

Ben: We don’t really side with one particular party or another, but in this case, it’s most certainly 100 percent Drumpf. For one, I love John Oliver. But two, we have no tolerance for hate speech in this band. Otherwise, I think we’re more interested in universal topics to explore in our songs. I wouldn’t rule anything out in the future, but that’s where we are right now.

Joey: Donald Drumpf is a very tan actor and decent business man with a large head start from his dad. I’m not against anyone taking any advantage they can to be a success, but to pretend that he is a self made man is absurd. I can’t imagine another time in our country where this wouldn't considered a very funny joke, and yet here we are. His off the cuff nonchalant racism is weird but also scary for the amount of traction that it gets. I don't want the US to turn into our drunk grandmother just waiting to spout off about immigrants at the dinner table. Any ideology based exclusively in fear is guaranteed to not turn out well.. I’ve always felt a little put off when a band gets overly politicized. Not that I don’t often agree with what they are saying, but more that you can almost feel the air get sucked out a room when a famous musician starts rallying for a cause. Often I think it can do more harm than good. Only the truly great ones can walk the line of entertainment and politics. I don’t think we’re there yet.

If you were a hashtag, what would you be?

Joey: #rockstarjesus #bigsweatymansings.

Ben: #ridiculous-O-face-guitar.

Do you have an awesome Myspace-related story as a musician?

Ben: You know, before Joey joined up with us, he did his research and found my original demo of The Real You on my Myspace page. And he’s like, “what’s this song?” I had to tell him our old lead singer refused to use any songs that he didn’t write the melody for, so it went unused for years. He couldn’t believe that someone wouldn’t want to use that song, he liked it so much. It showed me that even before we really got to know him, Joey had the right attitude going into this. So yeah, I think it all started with that Myspace demo. - Myspace

Hello MD readers! I was catching up with some fellow musicians and they posed perhaps the most simplest of questions: “Why did you choose drums?”

I really couldn’t put my finger on the answer until a few years ago. I started to realize that my curiosity for sound was consuming all of my free time. I started playing drums when I was about nine years old. When I was younger, at any live show, I would always listen more intently to the drummer. The energy these drummers had seemed unbelievable, and I couldn’t help but smile at any new rhythm I heard. Eventually, I started to develop my hearing, and the drums became a very complex melodic instrument. This was everything to me, and it drove my passion for many different percussion instruments.

That passion and curiosity for new sounds motivates me to keep learning and gigging. So much so, that I recently traveled to Guinea to learn more about the djembe. I wasn’t sure exactly what I was getting into—I wouldn’t have Internet, I needed to get a plethora of shots, and it would be difficult to have any connection to back home—but I knew I’d be immersed in whole new world of rhythm.

I studied under the master Dembefola Famoudou Konate, and was blown away by the immense vocabulary of rhythms he knew. These rhythms told stories about Guinean history and everyday life. Famoudou honored his village and teachers through playing and preserving the tradition. Guinean musicians do not notate their music, so when a master passes away, any rhythm he did not teach goes with him. This is one factor that drives the musicians to work hard and practice every single day.

My practice routine consisted of three hours of practice in the morning learning traditional songs, and three more hours of technical practice in the afternoon—repetition, repetition. After the first week there, I was able to hear more of the subtle difference in style between the different artists. Famoudou was able to get such a variety of color out of one drum with his tone and slap sounds. Having different timbres and interesting rhythms is why I almost had to play the drums; they are my best instruments to converse with.

Now that I’m back home, it’s interesting applying what I learned from Guinea to rock music. Playing with the Life Electric allows me to explore many rhythmic ideas and release a ton of energy. Each gig we have feels like we’re picking up a past conversation and sharing our ideas with the audience. We have a new record out called The Real You, which mixes a lot of genres together. It’s fun to be able to switch up styles and different feels all in the same set.

Thank you for reading and check out our newest single “Gone, Gone, Gone” here:

Check out the bands FB page at facebook.com/thelifeelectric. - Modern Drummer

No one really knows what it takes to find “The Real You”. The Life Electric, however, are hellbent on finding out.

“I’d heard somewhere that we essentially become who were are as people by the age of seven,” says the Boston rock band’s frontman, Joey Chehade. “The core of what makes a person great is usually a very basic thing, so both the lyrics and music were kept very simple as well.”

Simple, but effective: The Life Electric are putting another round of “super” into this Tuesday with the Vanyaland premiere of “The Real You”, the soaring, rocket-fueled title track off their upcoming album, due March 25 via Zippah Records. It takes what the Life Electric do best — anthemic, uplifting rock and roll that’s hard to contain in a Soundcloud soundwave — and adds modern electronic flair and vintage ’80s synth-pop squeals. And it’s a proper reflection of what the Life Electric have in store on their new release, the band’s sophomore album and follow-up to 2013’s Calico EP.

“It’s about getting past people’s emotional baggage to get to their true, authentic self,” says Chehade, adding: “We noticed that it encapsulated a central theme with all of the songs [on the new LP]. The whole album’s about finding the best in people, including ourselves.”

So who is “The Real You”?

“That, my friend,” Chehade says, “is the million dollar question.”

Listen to “The Real You” below, and celebrate the Life Electric’s new album with the record release party March 25 at Great Scott in Allston, a Lysten Boston event with When Particles Collide and Oh Malô. Flyer below designed by Daykamp Creative. - Vanyaland

Coming straight out of Indie/Alternative rock heaven is The Life Electric’s second full-length album – and their newest work since 2013 (and it’s definitely an album you’re going to get hyped on.)

The Real You is the production of Boston bred quintet, and an exciting, mature sound to add to their discography. With formation in 2012, the band previously released two works, an LP and an EP, consecutively – The Life Electric in 2012 and Calico in 2013. Which makes The Real You an exciting piece of work, awaited with much anticipation.

For a recap (if you didn’t know, or already do) the band is comprised of Joey Chehade (vocals), Ben Leang (guitar), Cory Bean (bass), and Joel Silloway (drums) – and are reminiscent of sounds like U2, and vocals similar to the emotional movements of The Killers!

However, I’d have to say these guys have really struck some gold in The Real You. The new LP is a collection of 11 unique tracks. What I can say is this: The Life Electric is using the skill, technique, and well-done ideas they produced in previous work, but better!

I really enjoyed that each song was exploring different sound variations, as well as how different instruments worked with vocals. I also sincerely appreciated and enjoyed (so much) how focused this album felt in content. The Real You listening experience seemed like I was listening to a story – comprised of moments one experiences when being in love with someone, when leaving someone, when wanting someone.

However, if we want to pick favorites, my absolute most favorite track from this album is “Ladders,” because of that smooth, almost jazzy intro. The Life Electric knows how to set moods, and I fell into each song like experiencing a different season – happily, of course. Also, if you can (which you should) definitely check out title track, “The Real You,” because you’re in for a treat – a real anthemic, captivating track that is utilizing what sounds like a more electronic synth-y sound!

I would say that this album faces a more alt-rock feel than previous works, which is ok. I’m excited by it, you should be excited by it, and I’m pretty sure The Life Electric is excited about it. As I said earlier, it’s important for the continuous growth of music, and that is happening definitely with this long awaited album.

My advice: check out The Real You, especially if you’re looking for some quality new alt-rock (because we’ve been deprived), but also if you just want to hear some great new tunes.

(Also, check out “Innocence,” I’m sorry, I’m still listening because it’s great)

Rating: 8/10 - Half Beat Magazine

Welcome back to the week, but we have a pick me up for you all courtesy of Boston five-piece band The Life Electric. We are happy to premiere the band's forthcoming 11-track album The Real You right here before it is released this Friday, March 25 via Zippah Records.

The album has a consistent theme held together by frontman's Joey Chehade's strong and booming voice. It can switch from the hard, gritty and fast tracks like the title track "The Real You" the longing, slow ballads like "Everest" and "Ladders," which touch on the long journeys that love can take you on.

The album draws influence from the modern rock one might expect, but also some 80s disco and Red Hot Chili Pepper flecked guitar in "Spark."

"The Real You is the debut album from The Life Electric under Zippah Records," says the band to Music Times in an email. "It's a collaboration with producer Brian Charles that resulted in smartly written songs that blends out uplifting, modern rock with a heavy dose of 80's keyboards."

The album starts fast and then dips into the slower track before picking back up with the proggy, 1980s influence towards the end on "Thinking Cup" and "Perfect Soul." This eventually ends with the epic grand finale "A Ghost" where the whole band gets involved on vocals but with a softer touch this time.

This is the first album from The Life Electric since their 2012 self-titled debut. This was followed up by their Calico EP in 2013, which allowed them to go on tour with artists like Neon Trees, but have since gone quiet with releases.

They now have a brand new album coming on Friday. Stream the LP exclusively below. - Music Times

With spring just around the corner, the season for new album releases is quickly approaching. Alongside greats like The 1975, Hands Like Houses, and Tonight Alive, sits indie-rock band The Life Electric. The group, which hails from Boston, is on track to release its newest album entitled The Real You on March 25th. The eleven-track album, including the band’s single “Gone, Gone, Gone,” combines electro-pop with the ever so popular indie-rock. With a touch of modern disco, The Real You is sure to change the game in terms of breaking genre barriers.

The Life Electric, who formed in 2011, includes former Action Verbs vocalist Joey Chehade. Joining Chehade is guitarist Ben Leang, bassist Cory Bean, and drummer Joel Silloway. The Boston-based band debuted in 2012 with its self-titled album, The Life Electric. Since its initial release, the band has opened for acts such as Neon Trees and Marcy Playground.

When it comes to a band like The Life Electric, it is hard to pick one specific genre to describe them. The Life Electric takes hints of various genres and mixes them all together to produce a unique sound. Listening to The Real You, it’s evident that multiple inspirations are behind these songs. From songs that remind me of Five Finger Death Punch, to songs that remind me of Staind, the question remains - what genre do we call The Real You?

The album’s first song, “Gone, Gone, Gone,” is the band’s most recent single, and I clearly see why. With catchy lyrics and strong vocals, why wouldn’t it be a hit? Since I first heard it, the “Gone, Gone, Gone,” I had previously known by country star Phillip Phillips has quickly been replaced with the “Gone, Gone, Gone,” of The Life Electric.

I’ve listened to the entire album repeatedly, and can’t seem to get over how unique and captivating each individual song is. Having the ability to cross the line between genres is something that The Life Electric has mastered. “The Real You,” “Everest,” and “Ladders” are my top three picks off of the album. The third, fourth, and fifth songs, respectively, have a melancholy melody that is both distinctive and intriguing. With lyrics that are meaningful and relatable, there is nothing to dislike about this album (other than the fact that it doesn’t come out for two more months). The third song, “The Real You,” seems to discuss digging into someone to find out who they truly are - hence the title “The Real You.” Following “The Real You,” “Everest” is purely unique in both sound and lyrics. Any expectations I had for the album were easily surpassed just by this individual song. The final song to land a spot in my top three, “Ladders,” has an intro that draws in the listener, and, before you know it, you’re in love. “Ladders” is unlike any song I have heard from mainstream pop artists, and that’s why it stands out the way it does. The uniqueness and pure talent of Joey Chehade, combined with the guitar skills of Ben Leang, make for an unmatchable duo. This band is pure, raw talent, which isn’t seen much in today’s music scene.

Be on the lookout for The Life Electric’s upcoming album, The Real You, dropping on March 25th, 2016

Review by: Lexi Shannon - Plugged in Promotions

Indie music has become more integrated into popular music, 2016 giving this genre the opportunity to be more widely appreciated. With summer approaching, indie music with a beachy vibe is attracting even more attention. Boston Indie band, The Life Electric cater to this demand with their upcoming album, The Real You. Tracks like “Gone Gone Gone” and “Ladders” have the summery, beachy vibe that music audiences are searching for. The band’s style self-described as “Rock that will massage the knots out of your neck and then kick you in the crotch” is accurate. The Real You is a whirlwind of an album, focusing not just on hard indie or rock, but integrating disco and slow tracks to give the album variety and making it more likable to a diverse audience. The Life Electric’s sound is refreshingly unproduced, with raw vocals and solid guitar tracks not needing the aid of any synthesizers. If you are looking for fresh new indie music that keeps you on your feet, check out The Life Electric’s new album, The Real You, out March 25th. - Beyond the Stage

Boston indie-rock quintet, The Life Electric are gearing up to release their new album, The Real You this year. With already a few songs released ("Heartbeat" and introspective track, "Gone, Gone, Gone," which can be heard below) The Life Electric are already gaining quite a bit of momentum in 2016, with even more plans for the rest of the year. We recently caught up with the band about The Real You and their goals for 2016.

Can you tell us a little bit about The Life Electric for any readers who may not be familiar?

Joey [vocals]: The Life Electric is a rock band out of Boston MA. We’re a small local band making big songs. We aim to make the catchiest earworms we can while still keeping it interesting for our audience. We want people to sing along but not feel dumber for having done so.


You guys are gearing up to release your new album, The Real You this year. What does The Real You mean to you?

Joey: The Real You came out of a extended period of change for everyone in the band. We all went through the good the bad and the in between, and came out with a bit more perspective than when we started. The Real You is a reflection of all that change. From my perspective each song explores who we are at given moment. Are we what happened, what’s happening, or what is going to happen (or what we think is going to happen)? It’s probably a combination of all of those things. It’s fun to take a step back and try to figure it out though.

Ben [guitar/keys]: Yeah, and you’re not conscious of these songs capturing that period of time for us, but that’s almost always how it comes out. With that perspective, now that the album’s done, I’m proud of many of the themes that run through it. Searching for the best in relationships, in yourself, seeking catharsis… they’re universal pursuits, but we approached expressing them in a way that’s uniquely ours.


How would you say that The Real You compares to your previous releases? What changes or noticeable areas of growth can listeners expect to hear on this album?

Joey: What’s most apparent to me is having listened to the album so many times is how Ben & Cory (bass) went way out of their comfort zones to explore different genres and styles without turning the album into something that’s not us. Brian Charles, from Zippah, produced the album. He took what was us, musically, dipping out toes into genres we liked but hadn’t explored yet as a band and pushed us to jump in and embrace all these different ways of attacking specific songs. We’re better musicians for it and the album is so much better for it.

Ben: Working with Brian and recording everything in the studio was like playing in the big leagues. I think the songs are smarter, better produced, and hopefully catchier. We also had the luxury of having a wealth of songs in our catalog, so we were able to choose the strongest, most cohesive ones of the bunch.


Was there anything you wanted to experiment with or touch on with this album?

Joey: I guess this sort of ties in to the previous question. We were very excited to work with one of the best producers out there and we really let him guide us. We tried a ton of different approaches for each song. Having a steady hand that we all trust leading the way, allowed us to drop any presumptions we had about what kind of band we are and what kind of band we should be. For me, this recording process helped me to realize that we can explore in every direction and, in the end, we will always be us. So, to answer your question, I think our experiment this time around was to get as far away from ourselves as we could and see what the walk back brought out in us. It worked out really well.

Ben: I think something that’s interesting was just how much wasn’t a digital effect or a plug-in. All those crazy delays and effects were recorded real time as the parts were being performed. Even the synthesizers were recorded as audio. But it was a lot of fun having a bunch of guitars at my disposal. And I finally got to play a real mellotron! Of course the first thing I played was “Strawberry Fields Forever.”


You recently released the first single from The Real You, titled, “Gone, Gone, Gone” - can you tell us about the track? What makes it special to you?

Joey: “Gone, Gone, Gone” is one of those songs that happened quickly and that we all knew would at least be in the running for our first single. In my mind, it’s what I hope for in any uptempo song we write. It’s hooks on hooks and sounds huge. Lyrically, though, it’s a tiny little story. Two people together all there lives looking for the next best thing. The years pass and one of them starts to see the pointlessness of obsessing over the new as opposed to enjoying what you have, while the other keeps on searching for what’s next. It’s special to me, because I feel like at any given moment I could be either one of those people. Sometimes it feels like if you stop searching then you’re giving in to the passage of time. And other times it feels like the whole point is to stop and enjoy things while you still can.

What have you learned or how do you feel that The Life Electric has grown with the writing and recording of The Real You?

Joey: I think we were able to reevaluate and recommit to each other and to the band. Recording can feel like a long slog and it can get frustrating. When you hear the finished product, though, it all feels worth it. Being in a band lines up pretty well with those feelings. It can all feel a bit overwhelming, sometimes like it may too much, but when you get a chance to perform and share what you’ve been working so hard on, it’s worth it a thousand times over. This process helped us remember how worthwhile creating music with your best friends can be.


What has been the most challenging part about creating this album? What has been the most rewarding?

Joey: The challenge is getting things right. There are parts of this album that we worked on for hours upon hours. Will someone who downloads or picks up our album notice that Ben spent two hours finding a specific tone for a backing guitar part that is artfully buried in the mix? Probably not. Would they notice if that wasn’t there? Hopefully, at the very least, they’d notice something was a little off. Like when you’re little and someone besides your mom makes a grilled cheese. Do you notice that you’re mom uses a tiny bit more butter when you’re 5 inhaling that sandwich? Probably not. Do you notice when your friends mom doesn’t? Damn straight you do... sorry, I’m hungry. The reward is getting it as right as we can so we’re not serving up the weird grilled cheese.


On top of The Real You coming out this year, do you have any other big plans for 2016?

Ben: Our album release show is March 25th and we’re very excited for that. We have a lot of stuff in the works that we’re not quite ready to talk about, but we you will be seeing our faces outside of Boston & New York very soon.


Thank you for taking the time to chat with us! Is there anything else you would like to add?

Ben: We appreciate the questions and we hope you dig the music! Thanks so much! - The Prelude Press

Examiner.com recently sat down with Boston based band The Life Electric. The band, who has been on Boston's rock scene since 2011 has released the Calico EP and their self titled album. The band is now on the verge of their proudest moment yet--their third album entitled The Real You, a collection of emotional, story-telling rock songs that evoke that Americana rock scene that's been missing from the pop saturated music world.

Examiner.com's Robert Frezza talked to lead singer Joey Chehade and guitarist Ben Leang on how the band initially got together, the state of rock music, and the influence of David Bowie.

Is the Life Electric still based out of Boston? Or did the band venture out to Hollywood?

Joey Chehade: No, we are still very much east coast and have yet to make that jump to Los Angeles. I do not know if we ever will. I don’t know what the future will ever hold, but right now our interest is in staying on the east coast.

Ben Leang: We have a lot of friends out in L.A. and we would love to be out there as much as possible, but Boston is home. We know everybody here. It’s a good place to find ourselves.

How did the band get together originally?

BL: We were in separate bands that dissolved at the same time. A mutual friend of ours helped us connect with lead singer Joey Chehade, who tried out for the band seven times. Clearly Joey was the strongest one by far though.

JC: I think it was based on a personality thing. Lead singers are generally lead singers.

What direction is the new album The Real You aiming for? It sounds very rock arena-esque.

JC: I think you are pretty spot on because the feeling the band wanted to create is arena-style rock songs, where people are really feeling it.

BL: We share a lot of the same influences with our producer, Brian Charles. Obviously David Bowie was a huge influence on many, if not all of the songs.

It seems like many rock bands are underdeveloped these days and record labels put out one to two songs off albums.

JC: I agree that rock bands are underdeveloped today. It’s difficult, but bands need at least one hit. They don’t even need a whole album. There are also a ton of good bands out there under the radar that the public do not get to hear.

BL: From what we see, from local clubs, bands are not being invested in, especially with the decline of the music industry. I think Adele is the exception—she is doing timeless music.

Who are the band’s influences? I hear a lot of Foo Fighters in the band.

JC: We get that a lot. I really like the Foo Fighters. Early Beatles, Radiohead. Everything I like is really melodic.

BL: The Beatles, U2, and Spoon are major influences on us.

Speaking of emotion, who/what was the first single, “Gone, Gone, Gone” off The Real You about?

JC: The song is about always looking for the next big thing. If you do that without any sort of perspective, you miss everything else that is happening in the moment. I set the song up for a couple. One half of the couple wants to stay and the other half is ready to leave the relationship and is on that constant search.

The Life Electric was born in 2011—what is your biggest accomplishment thus far?

BL: Our biggest accomplishment right now is our new album. Another big accomplishment was that we opened for the Neon Trees.

JC: The best is yet to come. The album is something we are very proud of when it is released.

The Life Electric’s new album The Real You is out in March. - Examiner

On a foggy Friday night in Allston, Boston-based alternative rock band The Life Electric stood outside the Great Scott music venue, eagerly waiting to perform alongside groups Oh Mai and When Particles Collide.
Life Electric released its second LP, “The Real You,” last Friday, March 25, and was excited to celebrate with an energetic performance.
“[The Great Scott] is like our second home at this point,” said guitarist Ben Leang. “We were just here three months ago.”
According to its Facebook page, The Life Electric formed in 2011, bringing a sound that’s been described as a combination of modern disco, rock and reminiscent ofThe Flaming Lips.
“It means we are being sincere,” Leang said of the description. “It’s an approach. I think we give everything we have […] we leave it all on stage. In the studio, we didn’t make everything so perfect […] we recorded straight to the computer as opposed to doing a lot of processing afterwards.”
The Life Electric formed after Leang and bassist Cory Bean’s original band, Gold Star Morning, fell apart. A sound engineer who had worked with Leang suggested meeting with current lead singer Joey Chehade, whose previous act, Action Verbs, had broken up around the same time.
“I felt bad for Joey,” said Bean. “We put him through the ringer with auditions and stuff, but I feel like we probably pretty much knew from the first practice that this was going to work out.”
Since then, The Life Electric has released two albums and one EP and have welcomed two newcomers, Duey Ducharme on keys and Joel Silloway on drums. Its most recent album, “The Real You,” dropped last Friday, March 25.
“Our songs sound better written, better produced and smarter,” Leang said.
Bean said the title track, “The Real You,” has existed for nearly 10 years.
“What I like about the album is that a couple songs came from Ben’s vault of songs that he had written before we had even started,” Bean said. “It’s just really weird to think about.”
“The Real You” greets listeners with an energized beat in the opening track “Gone, Gone, Gone,” which was released as a single in 2014.
Its gritty rock undertones are mixed in with a pop-techno melody and revive a sound that could be lost in a collection of alternative rock songs from the early to mid 2000s.
Songs like “Everest and Thinking Cup” sport rougher, rock-heavy sounds from the group, highlighting scratchy, distorted guitar, heavy bass lines and tenor vocals. The album’s melody becomes a bit more soothing during tracks like “Ladders” and “Innocence,” yet still show off Chehade’s vocal range.
The Life Electric has opened for numerous acts, including Neon Trees, Cracker and Marcy Playground. The band performed at Boston’s Rock and Roll Rumble music festival and played at South by Southwest music festival in 2013.
The Life Electric hopes to continue rocking across the state and into the national spotlight.
“We just want more,” Leang said. - The Huntington News