LaVire - 'Chasing Sunsets' EP

The band are enigmatically, Chloé (Vocals) the two Aarons (Guitar) and (Bass), and Adam (Drums). Surnames appear to have been dispensed with.

There’re three new songs on the EP all delivered with enthusiasm and excellent playing, singing and production.

‘One Way to LA’ kicks off the EP and has an accompanying video that you can see on YouTube. Starting like it’s been poorly recorded the song truly kicks in at the five second mark. It’s a great introduction to the band as they showcase many of their tricks, driving tempo, rocking vocals (with breaks of snarling discontent), bass and drum locked in tight and the guitar riffing through behind the vocals. The song lyrically tells of how the desire for fame and fortune beyond your reach will ruin us. The more that we have the more that we want.

‘Save Yourself, Kid’ starts off with the kind of snarled vocals you’d expect from Rammstein. That Chloé can deliver that and then turn on the kind of rock performance you’d expect from Izzy Hale and turn on the sweetness and soft vocal of the ‘one by one’ refrain shows that they are a special vocalist. I had expected the credits to list two distinctly different singers. The song’s a tale that has been told many times in many ways. Here the grown version of the protagonists yearns to get back to their younger self and beg them to enjoy their childhood for as long as they can and not to rush to become a ‘grown up’.

‘Fairweather Friend’ flips the coin over musically with Chloé’s vocals starting off in a more delicate style before unleashing themselves on the chorus. The ‘softer’ of the three tracks here it offers a nice change of pace and allows the band to stretch out a little. Guitar Aaron delivers a great short and sweet solo on it. It’s not quite the song the title suggests as the ‘fair weather’ friend in question is the singer’s inner consciousness that tells them they aren’t that good, and seeds doubt and makes them feel miserable and depressed.

Released in late May ‘Chasing Sunsets’ is the third EP from LaVire. It follows on from 2022’s ‘No Truth To Tell Pt1’ and 2023’s ‘No Truth To Tell Pt2’. It’s a great though brief introduction to the band.

LaVire are already being hailed as ‘one to watch’ and I wholly agree with that. The talent and imagination they show on this EP and in their videos are of the highest order.

Anyone who’s taste leans towards Halestorm, Biffy Clyro, Paramore, et al are going to find this band right up their alley.

If you’re in and around the Edinburgh area you can catch LaVire at Rockinburgh 2024 on the 29th of September at La Belle, Hasties Close, Edinburgh EH1 1HJ, where they’ll be supporting Empyre.

Right, I’m hooked and off to listen to the ‘No Truth To Tell’ Eps.