11/6/26
It's Thursday and you know what that means.
The last few weeks have mostly been spent doing what we do best, overthinking and polishing arrangements. The main focus recently has been a new song under the working title 'Winter', and another with the working title 'Mystified'.
If you've caught Lucid Liars live over the last few months, there's a chance you've already heard an early version of 'Winter', we debuted it at The Bandstand in Nairn, and dedicated it to one of our favourite people. Always a great night for us there. It's one of those songs that's been slowly evolving every time we bring it into the jam room. It started as a rough idea and has gradually become something that feels like an important step forward in to something a little more fun for us. At our last rehearsal we run through the thing four times, and would have run through another four if we didn't have to pack up.
'Winter' has a much more rhythmic and dance-driven feel than some of the material on the 'Hard Times' album. The groove from Jackwan is doing a lot of the heavy lifting, and we're spending a lot of time making sure every part locks together exactly the way it should. It's the sort of song where one small change to the drums or bass can completely alter the energy in the room, but luckily Jackto has the bass on lockdown. It's one of those songs that was very much "Let's just throw everything at the wall, see what sticks, and figure out how to play it live later". We love that kind of dynamic and thrive when we have to sit down and figure out where to start looping, where to jam out a middle section, and when to extend that chorus.
We're still ironing out the finer details for how both songs are going to work live. 'Winter' is already a lot further along in terms of live cohesion, whole 'Mystified' was mostly written over scraps of songs sent back and forward to each other, where things present themselves naturally as we bounce ideas back and forth. Some rehearsals have felt like huge leaps forward, while others have involved spending twenty minutes trying to work out how one part should move to the next. Such is the glamorous reality of writing new music.
What's exciting is how naturally the songs have been blending some of the influences that have always shaped Lucid Liars over the years. There's still that post-punk edge and melodic atmosphere that people might recognise from our previous releases, but there's also a more upbeat pulse running through it. The goal isn't to reinvent ourselves, but to keep pushing our sound forward while staying true to what makes us who we are. That's always been the challenge afterall. Evolving and keeping it interesting for all of us to actually play without losing the identity that's brought us this far.
Away from rehearsals, we're continuing to look ahead to future live shows and figuring out where these new songs fit alongside tracks from 'Hard Times'. Playing new material in front of an audience is often the fastest way to figure out what's working and what needs to be ironed out.
And finally... here's what's been on in the car.
Turn On The Bright Lights by Interpol — a masterclass in atmosphere, tension and groove. The kind of record that reminds you how powerful simplicity can be. Definitely a big influence on where we're going next.
Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand — sharp riffs, danceable rhythms and wall-to-wall confidence. A reminder that indie rock doesn't have to stand still.
King of Limbs by Radiohead — we've been having a good time exploring rhythm and movement lately, and this album is full of ideas about how groove can drive emotion without sacrificing substance.
As always, thanks to everyone following the journey. We've got plenty more new music coming from the Lucid Liars camp, and we can't wait to share where 'Winter' and 'Mystified' end up.
Until next time.