News of the Universe

La Luz's 2024 release has more of their signature sound (spooky, surfy, beautiful fem vox harmonies); this release has more cosmic overtones, and features some heavier influences: the band has been through some roster changes, and frontwoman Shana Cleveland has been recovering from a cancer diagnosis soon after having a kid (she's now cancer-free, fwiw); great, great stuff as always

1. (00:53) ***** Brief trio harmonizing, not really a song, but haunting and optimistic, sunrise-y
2. (4:14) ***** Nasty doomy guitar riffs repeating to start, very mod into vox, so cool "in a strange world"
3. (3:27) ****** Spacey and more lonesome pipey vox; stabby guitars, into more hopeful chorus "I'll be there with you so soon..."; lovely clapping
4. (3:32) ****** Forelorn sing-songy; lovely chattery doot-doot-doot chorus, spooky and lush
5. (3:15) ***** Spooky but hopeful sound, lovely lush chorus, sounds like emerging from cave; funky organ solo
6. (3:24) *** Sideways faux-atonal vox verse; fuller chorus
7. (3:51) *** Funky intro, mostly instrumental "la la la" chorus, simple but atmospheric
8. (3:04) ***** Doomy intro, into lush, slow doo-wop sugar-sweet dirge... "yep yep yep yep yep"
9. (3:13) *** Slinkier synthier 80s organ intro, oblique vox, ends up in echoey soup
10. (2:40) **** Torrid drum intro... spacey, fast, reedy, plucked deadpan vox "change is the only law..."
11. (2:00) *** Instrumental; squonky synth plunking intro, simple and repeating
12. (1:32) **** Very sweet short strummy acoustic ballad, very nice, if not the classic La Luz sound