Lacuna Common

Oxford indie rock quintet Lacuna Common have released their second EP, Godspeed; a riotously fun collection of five tracks that sees the band expand on the strength of their 2021 debut It's All Talk and captures the raw energy that the band have been known for displaying in their live shows.

Having disappeared into a period of hibernation shortly after their debut outing, the three year hiatus has brought the band back with a sense of rejuvenation, armed with additional recruits in the band and a stronger sense of identity in their songwriting.

The band teased their return earlier this year with two singles in 'Needles and Threads' and 'Pool House', both of which showed off this heightened sense of melody and earnest lyricism, but without sacrificing the bite that was present across their earlier work that earned them praise from multiple outlets such as DIY, So Young and Dork, as well as a coveted spot on the NME 100 Artists to Watch list in 2020.

With 'Pool House' serving as the EP's opener, the band make it clear that they intend to immediately hit the listener with a furious burst of intensity reminiscent of their early singles, and takes the tried and tested indie rock sound and embellishes it with tightly woven guitar lines. Capturing this spirit is something that the band aimed to use to remind those who were previously fans of their work what they're capable of.

While this doesn't stray far from how Lacuna Common have sounded in the past, the record moves swiftly onto 'Milk Teeth' - a track that showcases the sonic developments that the band have driven themselves towards since regrouping. The driving rhythms that propel the track along with the synths underpinning them are somewhat Devo-esque and are reminiscent of the journey towards dancier sounds that contemporaries like Home Counties have made in recent years. 

First single 'Needles and Threads' comes at the midway point armed with jangling and reverb-laden guitars, not to mention some of the most personal lyricism that frontman Alfie Franks has penned for the band. Speaking on the shift towards writing from this perspective, he states that "other songs we have released have all been fictional characters or stories I’ve told through other people’s eyes", and that this was "one of the first songs I have written where I really have my heart on my sleeve".

Continuing in the same vein, 'Margarita' boasts overlapping guitar lines and shows off the gentler side of the band. While the band are striving to keep the energy of their early work intact, it's not without them acknowledging that there exists a need for them to show off a more refined and mature approach to their songcraft which 'Margarita' demonstrates with gusto.

Finishing off the record, 'Newspaper Ad' is the most ferocious track of the five and possesses a real burst of post-punk fervour; hurtling along at high speed with snarling vocals that resemble the earlier efforts of bands like Parquet Courts and Iceage. In striving to generate "a bigger, more rounded sound that we all believe in and feels like the sort of music we all want to create", Lacuna Common have succeeded in turning Godspeed into not just a return for the group, but a statement that they're here to stay and intent on showcasing this continued growth for a long time yet.

Recorded in the summer of 2023 alongside producer Chris Barker [Premium Leisure, Willie J Healey], Godspeed was assembled in just a couple of days, which the band say lent itself well to their approach of capturing them at their most raw and forced them not to get weighed down in the minutiae of adding studio elements. For Lacuna Common, their live sound is the band at their most immediate, and ensuring that the record was reflective of this was paramount to achieving the sound they were aiming for.

Known for their live energy, the band have recently played shows to mark their return at their spiritual home of The Jericho Tavern in Oxford and at Next Door Records in London, and have previously enjoyed support slots for big names on the indie circuit, including the likes of Biffy Clyro, Sports Team, Hinds and Willie J Healey. The band have also made appearances at iconic festivals such as Truck and Outer Town.

Lacuna Common are Alfie Franks (vocals, guitar), Tom Eveleigh (bass, vocals), James Evans (keys, percussion), Lewis Kimber (guitar) and Gabriel Blythe (drums).