Lotus Crush

ROCKSPOSURE REVIEW> Lotus Crush is the creation of former lead Candlebox guitarist Peter Klett and former Driveblind vocalist Terry McDermott. Following some successful writing sessions in Klett’s Seattle studio in late 2009, the pair decided to take the project full on by rounding out the lineup with Candlebox drummer Scott Mercado, and John Luzzi who carried several Seattle bands. Experience is everything in the music business. And when you can multiply this experience by bringing together musicians who have seen the road, industry, and life from different perspectives, the results are often times an incredible collaboration that couldn’t be created inside the box of a band that has gone from start to finish together. After one listen, this perfectly sums up Lotus Crush and the ten track album, “Half Light Morning”, that releases Tuesday, March 1st. Every song on “Half Light Morning” comes from the collective life experiences of the band. “When we write, it's no holds barred,” says McDermott. “These songs represent a lot of hope, loss, coping and our lives in general.” While you may be familiar with some of Klett and Mercado’s work from their days with Candlebox, you won’t find many places that the paths of these two projects cross. Lotus Crush has a fresh sound all its own: nuances of grungy guitars are coupled with upbeat rhythms and very solid lyrics. Case in point is the absolute gem of an opening track, “Black Hole Heart.” A soaring guitar melody brings you directly to your first introduction with the clean voice of Terry McDermott. With electric and acoustic support, the guitar harmony is beyond striking and in excellent contrast throughout the song. The immediate take away from “Black Hole Heart” is the passion that Lotus Crush has for this project. It would be hard to miss with the energy on this track. “Half Light Morning” has a good mix of slower jams to go along with some of the edgier tunes on the record. The lyrical relationship struggles of “Back to You”, “Let Me Go” and “Modern Man” are truly relatable experiences. It’s easy to settle right into the message as Lotus Crush hits their stride musically. Equally sound are the ballads “Sparkling Braces” and “The Last Night,” the latter of which acoustically tells of a soldier’s circle of life. It’s raw, relevant, and as real lyrically as you can get. With the band members’ origins ranging from Seattle to Scotland, the musical influences of Lotus Crush are vast. But regardless of where they got their start, there is no doubt that they all know how to crank up the tempo and rock. “Gunnin’ Hunny” features some aggressive guitar work by Klett and Luzzi with some powerful vocals from McDermott. Mercado’s building drums behind a’ swanky bass line do an excellent job conveying the tension as McDermott screams “I’m gunnin’ for you honey cause I gotta make a change, before it’s too late”. While only a few songs on the album are at this pace, they transition right in with the others as “Half Light Morning” is a very well laid out disc. Of all the songs on “Half Light Morning” nothing sums up their dedication to the band better than “In My Veins,” a gritty rock song proclaiming that the music is all they need to keep going. “Give me the music that runs through my veins, don’t let me lose it it won’t be the same.” cries McDermott as he declares the most important premise of all: Without the music, why bother? And with those words you know exactly why Lotus Crush was born. -Chris Brach, Rocksposure British/American super charged melodic indie rock and roll. Born in Seattle.