Photo courtesy of Kate Blaising
Heavy As the Sun is Löwin’s second release but marks a rebirth in sound for the Austin based quartet. While Royal Jelly (released in 2013) asserted the band as a member of the Austin rock scene, Heavy as the Sun emerges with a more shimmery pop aesthetic on intro tracks “Sake” and “Maybe It’s Over.” Songwriter/singer Sara Houser switches from guitar to keyboards (her primary instrument) to create a uniformly synth centered record. “I wanted the focus of this record to be more lyrically and melodically driven and for me those ideas come the most naturally when I’m playing piano,” explains Houser.
That being said, Heavy as the Sun doesn’t lack dynamics or the bombastic post rock moments that are more present in Löwin’s earlier releases. Amidst the glitz are songs like “Hard to Love” which starts off with heavy hitter Chris DeGeorge and Nate Ribner’s signature bass fuzz but then builds into a B52s inspired banger.
Guitarist Michael Sanders shines on “Sloop” and “The Wheel” with tones reminiscent of Real Estate and Johnny Greenwood alike. The aptly titled final track “Burn For You” is a slow burner containing the album’s titular line. The song begins minimally with clean guitars and a bouyant melody but finishes strong with a My Bloody Valentine-esque climax peppered with stacked harmonies from Houser.
Heavy as the Sun was recorded in Austin, TX with the help of Stuart Sikes (Big Orange), Carey McGraw (Post Mayan), Adam Mason and mastered by Max Lorenzen. It will be released online February 26, 2019 with vinyl soon to follow.
Löwin
“...an anthemic exploration of inspiration and creative drive...”