Lakes - Fire Ahead (2014)

California is nicknamed the golden state; famous for dazzling beaches and decadent lifestyles. The boisterous sounds and glitzy lights of the Los Angeles music scene only aid to distract from the amazing talent spread across the West Coast. Lakes, a melodic rock band from San Luis Obispo are one of the wonders lost in the lights. While you may not find them on the cover of Rolling Stone or headlining the Hollywood Bowl, their fresh new album Fire Ahead will leave you no-less in awe than that of the vibrant hues from a California sunset.

Lakes have gradually soldiered on behind Seth Roberts’ direction for a decade now but finally solidified their current lineup of Roberts (vocals, guitar), Jacob Wick (guitar, backing vocals), Jeremy Wells (bass, backing vocals), and Matt Covington (keyboard, auxiliary, backing vocals) shortly after the release of their debut full length The Agreement in 2010. Rather than rushing in to begin work on fresh tunes, they approached the music when the desire arose. This deliberate method of organically growing the songs has resulted in the band’s strongest work of their career.

The album is measured in perfect balance illuminated by the album’s endcaps. The title track ushers the album in with an ethereal aura, capturing you from the first note. Its match is met when the reprise concludes the record with a mirrored ambiance. It also asserts the anthem that Roberts recounts throughout the album embodied in lines from the title track such as “maybe the flame and the seed, they’re singing the same melody; maybe it’s beautiful through and through.” The lyrics provide an in-depth perspective into Seth’s personal struggles and triumphs in an emotionally transparent way. The genius in their storytelling is that while they are immensely personal, they are also expressed in a universally relatable way. WhenLakes Promo 3 he sings about love in ‘Yellie,’ you could easily apply lines like “held me up like a cornerstone, now my heart is yours” to your own significant relationships. Seth’s close connection with California is also quite prevalent which was forged through relocation from his residence in Atascadero to Los Angeles and back. ‘Goodbye Santa Monica’ exemplifies both perfectly. It doesn’t just read as a narration about his return trip, he recites a lovelorn letter to the city and its encompassing memories.

Where the band truly shows their growth on this release is not just Seth’s heart-on-sleeve words but the integral music behind it. Lakes has never lacked riveting melodies or lively backing vocals but their entwined strengths are tighter than ever on Fire Ahead. Each song has a role in sonically weaving together a seamless quilt. ‘Hold On’ teems with warmth and exuberance while ‘Armacost Avenue’ rolls across your ears with soft, fluid melodies. The darker moments on ‘Hide Away’ and ‘My Misery’ get balanced with the driving ‘Holiday.’ Crisp percussion helps anchor every song while letting the other instruments shine at all the right moments.

Frustration most often manifests in moments of haste. Whether it’s running late to work or anxiously scrambling to prepare for unannounced company. Luckily Lakes have taken the time to map out every detail and the larger picture reaps the benefits. The album’s anthemic highlights are massive yet organic. The more delicate tunes are composed but never dull. There is a harmonious symmetry in the music that is rarely achieved on record. Fire Ahead is not only a personal testimony of Seth Robert’s past, it’s a manifest that the band’s future is burning brighter than ever.