Formed in 2019, Lifeguard are Asher Case (bass, vocals), Isaac Lowenstein (drums, percussion), and Kai Slater (guitar, vocals). At its core, Lifeguard is a punk band. Their music is loud, energetic, visceral and hypnotic. Their songs adeptly balance melody and chaos, rhythm and drone, with hooks and noise held to the same standard. Both have to stick.
On July 7th 2023, Matador Records released two EPs by Lifeguard, each finding the band refining its voice – honing succinct, hooky, and propulsive songs. ‘Crowd Can Talk‘ (initially released in the summer of 2022) and ‘Dressed in Trenches‘ (featuring five unreleased songs). They were recorded in separate sessions but at the same studio (Electrical Audio) and with the same engineer (Mike Lust) within the space of 12 months.
On each record, there are echoes of underground guitar bands from decades past. This is not record-collector music, though. It’s the product of a present-day community. Lifeguard are, first and foremost, a performing band, and their songs stand up in that moment. “More than old records – before that, before anything – we’re influenced by live shows and people around us,” explains Slater. “The inspiration comes from playing shows with people and having that mind-blown moment of seeing some friend play at Schubas or Book Club,” adds Lowenstein. “It’s happening on these tiny little scales of seeing kids play live and [knowing] this is something new and interesting.”
PRESS FOR LIFEGUARD:
“Drawing on alt-rock touchstones such as Mission of Burma and Les Savy Fav, Lifeguard’s sound owes much to the blend of melody and dissonance that characterised Sonic Youth circa Goo, all performed with a youthful brio.” – The Guardian
“Combining post-punk’s propulsive rhythms with progressive rock’s winding melodies, Lifeguard channel the verve and manic energy of making art with like-minded peers and the rush of sharing your bespoke musical world.” – Pitchfork
“Abrasive, sprawling, and strangely hooky, best experienced with the volume cranked up.” – Bandcamp (Best of 2022)