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By Chris Clark :: Cover photo by Tobin Poppenberg
The nomadic life is not for everyone. Many succumb to the pressures of a life on the road. The unexpected bumps and turns prove to be overwhelming for the greater majority of would-be jam music acts, but some manage to keep pushing forward, escaping major catastrophe and ultimate demise along the way.
For Lotus, the constant touring and bedlam that is the life of so many aspiring young bands seems to have finally begun to pay off. Eventually any band on the live music circuit has to reach that "make-it or break-it point," and with the release of their third album, The Strength of Weak Ties, (released April 4th on Harmonized Records) the Philadelphian organic electronic quintet may have pushed over the proverbial hump.
"We're really excited to get the album out," says Lotus bassist Jesse Miller. "The new album is definitely a lot different than stuff we've done in the past. There are all sorts of new tools, samples, and production techniques we've never used before."
What becomes most apparent throughout the entirety of The Strength of Weak Ties is Lotus' maturation as a band and as individual musicians. While Nomad, the band's second album, flowed smoothly from start to finish, it left a taste of "there could be more" on the listener's palate. Though still good, it felt like a live band taking their live sound into the studio, and it came out sounding like a glorified bootleg. All the talent and head-bobbing grooves were present, but a sonic void remained after all was said and done. With the new album, Lotus ventures deeper into their songwriting and compositions, leaving little room for the "what if?" Clear and concise, it offers a diverse portrait of what a band known for their live shows can produce in the studio setting. Finally, they have created a work of art that will appeal to a target audience outside of the jam scene, while still catering to and captivating the faithful "old schoolers."
"When we first started out, we were really into anything funky. Now we're returning to our roots as a rock band and fusing that together with electronic elements. As we've come along, we've added more and more of these electronic elements," says Jesse Miller.
Luke Miller by Doug Allsopp |
Calling Lotus a rock band may catch some off guard, but a rock band they are. Before any of the ultra-technological, post-modern gadgetry, samplers, and synthesizers, Lotus maintained a jazzy, organic sound. Mike Rempel, the band's crafty lead guitarist, has stayed true to his sometimes delicate, sometime ripping guitar style. Chuck Morris (percussion) has added a HandSonic and other intricate grains to fill-in spaces, as do the Miller brothers, who write the vast majority of the band's ever-expanding song repertoire. Although the sound has been driven by an eclectic fervor for futuristic flavor, Lotus has remained genuine to their core. When the dust settles, they continue to be a rock & roll band with a range of jazz, funk, world, and electronic textures further amplifying and coloring an increasingly polyphonic product.
The difference is that Lotus now enjoys a much more complete sound. Whereas a few years ago all the potential was there but the sound just hadn't caught up yet, today that potential is being fulfilled and is starting to thrive. Luke Miller, who now splits his duties between various keyboards, synthesizers and effects-laden guitars, has fueled a great deal of the group's progression, both in the studio and in the live settings. Drummer Steve Clemens continues to be a driving force on both the acoustic and electronic drums, enabling the band to switch between styles and tempos at the drop of a hat. Combined with bassist Jesse Miller, the band offers a precise and beat-driven rhythm section whose culmination allows guitarist Rempel ample space to show off his talented chops whenever the timing is right. Put together, Lotus is fully capable of taking it to the next level. It's this whole group mentality and collective sound that Lotus presents that can be attributed to the band's rising success.
"We've always had a wide array of sound," says Lotus keyboardist-guitarist Luke Miller. "It's the culmination of the rock thing with the electronic."
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