There’s a certain enchanting quality to frontman Anthony Green as he shares the sense of magic he finds in Ireland. Guitarist Frank Iero observes his close friend with a mix of amusement and familiarity, chiming in with his own comments. Yet, Iero chuckles knowingly as Green's thoughts drift, declaring, “Ireland has a magical, mystical vibe. There are fairies here. There’s real magical stuff. Traditional Irish music contains some incredible storytelling, with powerful melodies and songs. As he noted, some songs follow a linear narrative, and the music here is rich with grandeur,” all while warning not to “talk about ghosts in these old Irish buildings, as they might summon something.”
Green's articulate expression of his wonder for the magic found in Ireland and in music goes well beyond what’s revealed in L.S. Dunes’ latest album, ‘Violet’. With five influential figures in post-hardcore leading this new project – Frank Iero and Travis Stever on guitar, Tim Payne on bass, Tucker Rule on drums, and Anthony Green as the vocalist – their exploration of genres, sounds, and structures expands on the groundwork laid by their previous endeavors as post-hardcore pioneers. Straddling the line between post-rock and post-punk, the tracks create an immersive, atmospheric experience, showcasing the innovative creativity of the alternative scene.
Eccentric, resilient, and insightful, L.S. Dunes’ new effort, ‘Violet’, may seem vastly different from their debut, ‘Past Lives’, but it genuinely retains the same core values upon which the band was built. Their work probes the human psyche and its ties to creativity in all forms, pushing musical boundaries where L.S. Dunes view them as nonexistent: “There are no rules. There’s no right or wrong; it’s just about what resonates with you. It’s quite subjective, you know? What I enjoy may not be what you enjoy. The reason I pursue this and want to keep creating is purely for my own soul’s sake; it’s not something tangible,” begins Iero. Whether that creativity stems from something concrete or purely emotional, it produces a kind of magic: “You breathe, you walk, you create, you craft songs,” Green agrees.
In a dimly lit room atop the 3Olympia in Dublin, Anthony Green and Frank Iero sit closely together, beginning with expressions of their love for Ireland amid the excitement of their first night on tour. Opening for Rise Against on their UK and European tour, they kicked off in Ireland, giving Green and Iero a chance to explore the city beforehand. Green was captivated by the enchanting atmosphere, and it’s clear how this inspiration influenced ‘Violet’: “There’s so much magic in music when it comes to connection, what draws you out of your comfort zone, and what unfolds when you’re in a flow state.”
Through the flow-state that shapes ‘Violet’, specks of mystery, doubt, inquiry, and hope emerge throughout the entire album. The instrumentals vividly interpret and embody the emotions conveyed by the lyrics, leading Green to describe the process of writing the record as feeling like “touchdown after touchdown – I’m not into sports – but from the very first moment I began working on the album… It felt joyous every time. It’s like when you write something and think, ‘I absolutely nailed it! I can’t wait for my parents to read this! I want all my old classmates to see this!’ That’s how I felt each day leaving the studio, even when things weren’t completely there, I trusted that this group would elevate it beyond what I could have achieved alone.”
Green expands, “As an artist who loves creating, there’s a limit to what I can achieve when I’m just in my own mind. I can come up with something interesting, but when you have someone around who’s exceptionally talented, you’re inspired to do more than you'd do solo… Surrounding yourself with four inspiring individuals enhances your output in ways that sitting alone with your thoughts can't. I’ve spent my life searching for collaborators, and I’ve been fortunate to work with many great artists, but this situation felt like love at first sight.”
Initially formed during the pandemic while the band members were in different parts of the US, they began crafting concepts for ‘Past Lives’ solo. However, with the new album, they took fresh paths both physically and sonically, “We lived in a house nearby the studio while recording,” Iero explains. This setup was atypical for L.S. Dunes, considering “everyone has families and other commitments,” along with previous obligations to bands like Thursday, Coheed & Cambria, and My Chemical Romance, as well as past projects with Saosin and Circa Survive. To label L.S. Dunes merely a labor of love doesn’t do justice to the significant efforts required to connect amid their various commitments – “And at some point, you've got to consult
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Frontman Anthony Green possesses a certain enchanting quality as he shares the sense of magic he feels in Ireland, alongside guitarist Frank Iero.