Laramie Music
Memphis, Tennessee, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2013
Music
Press
Indie rock never sounded so great as with Laramie. The angelic vocals matched with prestine playing – that’s what you get with this Memphis band. “Whisper” lives up to its name as a soft sung song. As that one continues with the sweet nothings, “Heavy In Your Arms” steps it up just a bit. You can hear a bit of sass in her delivery with this one, a boost of confidence in her words. Then once you stumble upon “The Good Men,” you get this very cool beat to it. I love the way she comes fast with certain parts, but can balance it out with the slower, more drawn out vocals. You get this sort of throwback with “Charlotte’s Waltz” and then get a heavy heart with “Calling You,” all while wrapping things up with the inspiring “Chin Up.” If you’re into bands like The Fray or artists like Fiona Apple, check out Laramie. - Kendra Beltran- Band Blurb
Laramie is a slickly produced pop group fronted by Laramie Renae, a singer and lyricist with a degree from Visible. Laramie released The Good Men EP in late 2013. Renae obliquely involves religion in her lyrics. Her songs do not advance any course fundamentalism, but rather a sobering assessment of character and its consequences. “Charlotte’s Waltz” depicts real world skullduggery in images of bleak apparitions, maybe ghosts or just soulless folks. Maybe both. “Whisper” invokes an old religious saw about renunciation of the world and its temptations but does so in a manner that shows a woman establishing boundaries for herself with a show of strength that is more Old Testament or apocryphal than the conventional take on the Good News. But existential dread remains a haunting presence in the lyrics. This is deeper material than you might expect to find. The backing band is very solid and features other Visible graduates. - Joe Boone- Memphis Flyer
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
Laramie is a captivating indie rock band with roots in Memphis, Tennessee. The group is a diverse combination of multi-talented musicians and writers guided by lead singer and songwriter, Laramie Renae. Jameson Patz is on drums; Alleli Hull is on guitar; Jon Paul Lewis Smith plays the keys; and Nathan Harber is on bass. Rather than being hindered by a challenge, Laramie turns diversity into one of their strongest qualities and uses it as a tool to write dynamic works of art. Band members are given the freedom to express their individual creativity and craft while staying true to the group’s underlying message and overall sound. With each song, Laramie aims to leave a lasting impression and to draw the listener in for a ride that promises to be haunting, raw, and transparent.
Following their formation in May of 2013, Laramie composed and recorded their debut album, The Good Men (EP). The album was released in November after a successful crowd-funding campaign through the global network, Indiegogo. The record, silhouetted as an ideal mix of ambient and indie rock, is now available on iTunes, Amazon MP3, and Spotify.
Lyrically and musically, Laramie finds inspiration in artists such as Florence & The Machine and Evanescence. With undertones from those artists and others, Laramie writes freely and passionately while producing gripping performances straight from the heart. Their music is often described as dramatic, chilling, and eerie. Laramie Renae explains, "Sometimes my music will make people's skin crawl, which makes me laugh. It's all simplistic… nothing we do is very complicated, just intricate." These elements leave the listener mesmerized and eager to hear more.
With stories fashioned into songs that are brimming with emotion, Laramie aspires to continue being a voice for those who haven’t yet found theirs and an inspiration for the silent to speak up and share their own story. Each phrase passionately expressed and every melody thoughtfully written serves to erode the pain that conceals the hearts of many. “Chin Up,” the final track on the band’s EP, The Good Men, best represents the honesty and vulnerability of their work. The album in its entirety, and specifically “Chin Up,” explores life experiences, broken boundaries, violations, and abandonment while compelling the listener to feel every ounce of emotion put into the piece. Their work has the ability to leave you feeling unsettled and at the edge of your seat, but only because honesty and reality in their truest forms are hardly ever pleasant. Renae notes, “People are living without their happy endings and need someone to say, ‘I see you and I understand.’”
Band Members
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