Past Lives (L.S. Dunes album)
{{Infobox album
| name = Past Lives
| type = studio
| artist = L.S. Dunes
| cover = L.S. Dunes Past Lives.png
| alt =
| caption = Standard cover
| released = {{Start date|2022|11|11}}
| recorded =
| studio = Studio 4 Recording (Philadelphia)
| genre =
| length = 43:21
| producer =
- L.S. Dunes
- Will Yip
| next_title = Lost Songs: Lines and Shapes
| next_year = 2023
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Past Lives
| type = studio
| single1 = Permanent Rebellion
| single1date = August 26, 2022
| single2 = 2022
| single2date = September 23, 2022
| single3 = Bombsquad
| single3date = October 21, 2022
}}
}}
Past Lives is the debut studio album by American supergroup L.S. Dunes. It was released on November 11, 2022 by Fantasy Records and distributed through Concord. Three singles preceded the album's release: "Permanent Rebellion", "2022", and "Bombsquad".
Background and recording
The seeds for L.S. Dunes were sown during rehearsals for Thursday's 2020 Christmas livestream, where guitarists Frank Iero and Travis Stever engaged in "serendipitous, impromptu jam sessions" alongside Thursday bassist Tim Payne and drummer Tucker Rule, where they had an "instantaneous" chemistry. Although there weren't originally plans for an album, the members of L.S. Dunes continued writing songs and convened in person for the first time in mid-2021, with time booked to record at the end of that year.
The band had fully formed and individually recorded their parts on Past Lives before landing on Anthony Green as a vocalist, who wasn't aware who was in the group when he began recording vocals.{{Cite web |last=Chesler |first=Josh |date=September 28, 2022 |title=L.S. Dunes is the Anti-Supergroup Born Out of Memes & Friends |url=https://www.spin.com/2022/09/ls-dunes-past-lives-interview-riot-fest/ |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=Spin}} Past Lives was produced by Will Yip who tracked the band at his Studio 4 Recording space in Philadelphia. A month before studio time in September, Iero slipped from a ladder and broke his wrist which delayed the session to December.
Composition
Past Lives is a post-hardcore and emo album.{{Cite web |last=Oleinik |first=Marie |date=November 8, 2022 |title=L.S. Dunes: Past Lives Review - well-executed good music from seasoned musicians |url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/albums/ls-dunes-past-lives-well-execited-post-hardcore |access-date=November 11, 2022 |website=The Line of Best Fit}}{{Cite web |date=November 11, 2022 |title=Essential Releases, November 11, 2022 |url=https://daily.bandcamp.com/seven-essential-releases/essential-releases-november-11-2022 |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=Bandcamp Daily}}{{Cite web |last=Singer |first=Quentin |date=November 11, 2022 |title=November 2022's Rock Release Radar |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/quentinsinger/2022/11/11/november-2022s-rock-release-radar/?sh=44e1ee0e690e |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=Forbes}}{{Cite web |last=Shadows |first=Em |date=November 11, 2022 |title=Sh*t That Comes Out Today - November 11, 2022 |url=https://www.metalsucks.net/2022/11/11/sht-that-comes-out-today-november-11-2022/ |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=MetalSucks}}{{Cite web |last=Sacher |first=Andrew |date=November 11, 2022 |title=Album Reviews: LS Dunes, Dream Unending, GloRilla, Wizkid, more |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/notable-releases-of-the-week-1111/ |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=BrooklynVegan}} The album opens with "2022", a track which originally appeared on Green's solo album Boom. Done. (2022) but was removed from digital versions of the album.{{Cite web |last=Sacher |first=Andre |date=September 23, 2022 |title=L.S. Dunes (Circa Survive, My Chem, Thursday, Coheed) share powerful new song "2022" |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/l-s-dunes-circa-survive-my-chem-thursday-coheed-share-powerful-new-song-2022/ |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=BrooklynVegan}} It is a "somber"{{Cite web |last=Shumaker |first=Shannon |date=November 10, 2022 |title=LS Dunes Past Lives Review |url=https://preludepress.com/featured/2022/11/10/ls-dunes-past-lives/ |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=Prelude Press}} and "hypnotic" song.{{Cite web |date=November 8, 2022 |title=Artist Interview: Tucker Rule of LS Dunes |url=https://www.getalternative.com/artist-interview-tucker-rule-of-ls-dunes/ |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=The Alternative}} The song has been described by Green as "the most fucked-up" and "personal" he ever wrote.{{Cite web |last=Hadusek |first=Jon |date=November 11, 2022 |title=L.S. Dunes (MCR, Coheed, Thursday, Circa Survive) Dissect Past Lives Track by Track |url=https://consequence.net/2022/11/ls-dunes-past-lives-track-by-track/ |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=Consequence}} "Antibodies"{{efn|Referred to as "Antidotes" by Dork.{{Cite web |last=Mair |first=Rob |date=November 10, 2022 |title=L.S. Dunes - Past Lives |url=https://readdork.com/albums/l-s-dunes-past-lives/ |access-date=November 11, 2022 |website=Dork}}}} is a "frenetic" and "driving" track, which was the first they had completed work on. "Grey Veins" is a "masterful" emo composition with a "massive" chorus, high vocals and "thundering" drums. "Like Forever" features "bouncy, intricate" guitarwork by Stever, while "Blender" has a prominent bassline.
The album's title track has Green howl the lyric "I'm not all my mistakes, no matter what they say about it...". "It Takes Time" is a "powerful" song, while "Bombsquad" features "garotte-sharp" political observations inspired by Green's disgust with Donald Trump and the January 6 U.S. Capitol attack. "Grifter" is a "chaotic" song, while "Permanent Rebellion" is a "blast" of punk rock with "soaring" guitar work. The album's closer, "Sleep Cult", pays homage to 1950s doo-wop.{{Cite web |last=Law |first=Sam |date=November 9, 2022 |title=L.S. Dunes: "We didn't realise how much we needed this band until we started writing for it" |url=https://www.kerrang.com/l-s-dunes-we-didnt-realise-how-much-we-needed-this-band-until-we-started-writing-for-it |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=Kerrang!}}
Singles and promotion
To coincide with the band's formal unveiling, the album was made available for pre-order and its cover art and track listing was announced,{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Ellie |date=August 27, 2022 |title=Members of My Chemical Romance, Coheed And Cambria, Thursday and more form supergroup L.S. Dunes |url=https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/members-of-my-chemical-romance-coheed-and-cambria-thursday-and-more-form-supergroup-l-s-dunes-3299080 |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=NME}} along with the release of "Permanent Rebellion" and its accompanying music video as the album's lead single on August 26, 2022.{{Cite web |last=Lindsey |date=August 26, 2022 |title=L.S. Dunes Releases First Song "Permanent Rebellion" |url=https://www.nerdsandbeyond.com/2022/08/26/new-supergroup-l-s-dunes-releases-first-song-permanent-rebellion/ |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=Nerds and Beyond}}{{Cite web |last=Pallais |first=JP |date=November 11, 2022 |title=L.S. Dunes - "Past Lives" |url=https://everythingisnoise.net/reviews/l-s-dunes-past-lives/ |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=Everything Is Noise}} "2022 was released as the second single on September 23, 2022.{{Cite web |last=Richards |first=Will |date=September 24, 2022 |title=Supergroup L.S. Dunes share fierce second single '2022' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/supergroup-l-s-dunes-share-fierce-second-single-2022-3316312 |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=NME}}{{Cite web |date=September 23, 2022 |title=Credits / 2022 / L.S. Dunes |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/248706092/credits |access-date=November 12, 2022 |publisher=Tidal}} "Bombsquad" was released as the third single on October 21, 2022,{{Cite web |last=Deville |first=Chris |date=October 21, 2022 |title=L.S. Dunes Share New Song "Bombsquad": Listen |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2203624/l-s-dunes-bombsquad/music/ |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=Stereogum}} alongside a live video of a performance at Dreamland Studios in Woodstock, New York.{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Ellie |date=October 24, 2022 |title=L.S. Dunes tackle hatred and fear on biting new single 'Bombsquad' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/l-s-dunes-tackle-hatred-and-fear-on-biting-new-single-bombsquad-3334215 |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website=NME}}
Past Lives was released on November 11, 2022 by Fantasy Records and distributed through Concord. To support the album's release, YouTube Music advertised Past Lives on the Nashville Sign billboard.{{Cite tweet|number=1591208703415681024|user=lsdunes|title=Thanks so much to @youtubemusic for the support! Listen to 'Past Lives' now on #YouTubeMusic 🦂 https://t.co/qLJwJXaDfV https://t.co/idknD1uXnJ|date=November 11, 2022|access-date=November 12, 2022}}{{dead link|date=September 2023}}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| MC = 74/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/past-lives/ls-dunes|title=Past Lives by L.S. Dunes Reviews and Tracks|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=November 30, 2022}}
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{Cite web |title=L.S. Dunes - Past Lives Album Reviews, Songs & More |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/past-lives-mw0003799954 |access-date=November 30, 2022 |publisher=AllMusic}}
| rev2 = Clash
| rev2score = 8/10{{Cite web |last=Swingle |first=Emily |date=November 11, 2022 |title=L.S. Dunes - Past Lives |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/l-s-dunes-past-lives/ |access-date=November 11, 2022 |website=Clash}}
| rev3 = Dork
| rev4 = Kerrang!
| rev4score = {{rating|4|5}}{{Cite web |last=Hingle |first=James |date=November 16, 2022 |title=Album review: L.S. Dunes – Past Lives |url=https://www.kerrang.com/album-review-l-s-dunes-past-lives |access-date=November 20, 2022 |website=Kerrang!}}
| rev5 = The Line of Best Fit
| rev6 = New Noise
| rev6score = {{rating|5|5}}{{Cite web |last=Curtiss |first=Ryan |date=November 8, 2022 |title=Album Review: L.S. Dunes - Past Lives |url=https://newnoisemagazine.com/reviews/album-review-l-s-dunes-past-lives/ |access-date=November 11, 2022 |website=New Noise Magazine}}
| rev7 = Sputnikmusic
| rev7score = {{rating|3.8|5}}{{Cite web |date=November 7, 2022 |title=Review: L.S. Dunes - Past Lives |url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/85855/L.S.-Dunes-Past-Lives/ |access-date=November 11, 2022 |publisher=Sputnikmusic}}
| rev8 = Wall of Sound
}}
Past Lives received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 74, based on six reviews. BrooklynVegan{{'}}s Andrew Sacher opined that the album "exceeds expectations" for a supergroup, characterizing it as "personal, impactful music". Sam Law of Kerrang! thought the tracks contained "flickers of familiarity" that were "in service of breaking new ground". Writing for Dork, Rob Mair praised Green's "typically powerful performance" but criticized the songs "Blender" and "2022" for being more "pedestrian" than others.
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_writing = L.S. Dunes
| headline = Past Lives track listing
| title1 = 2022
| length1 = 4:30
| title2 = Antibodies
| length2 = 3:29
| title3 = Grey Veins
| length3 = 4:26
| title4 = Like Forever
| length4 = 3:20
| title5 = Blender
| length5 = 4:29
| title6 = Past Lives
| length6 = 4:10
| title7 = It Takes Time
| length7 = 3:26
| title8 = Bombsquad
| length8 = 3:51
| title9 = Grifter
| length9 = 4:42
| title10 = Permanent Rebellion
| length10 = 3:13
| title11 = Sleep Cult
| length11 = 3:45
| total_length = 43:21
}}
Personnel
L.S. Dunes
- Tim Payne – bass guitar
- Tucker Rule – drums
- Frank Iero – guitar
- Travis Stever – guitar
- Anthony Green – vocals
Studio personnel
- Will Yip – production, recording production, mixing, record engineering
- Anneliese Parenti – engineering
- Justin Bartlett – engineering
- Ryan Smith – master engineering
- Vince Ratti – mixing
Associated performers
- L.S. Dunes – production, recording production
- Billy Perez – music production
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for Past Lives ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| Australian Digital Albums (ARIA){{cite magazine|title=The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 21 November 2022|magazine=The ARIA Report|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|issue=1707|page=10|date=November 21, 2022}}
| 44 |
|---|
| {{album chart|Scotland|21|date=20221118|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|UKDigital|59|date=20221118|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|UKRock|5|date=20221118|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2022}} |
| scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2022-11-26/|title=Billboard 200: Week of November 26, 2022|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 22, 2022}}
| 174 |
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|2860939|type=album|Past Lives}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Fantasy Records albums