Album Review: Lecarla - Silent City

On a night when Kerrang! once again completely misjudged who to nominate and award their ‘prized’ gongs to by missing countless up and coming British bands, new boys and girls Lecarla can sit safe in the knowledge that perhaps by next year their name could be being bandied about in contention. For those who like their female fronted rock to fit somewhere between the twee faux-rock stylings of Paramore and the operatic tosh of Lacuna Coil, Lecarla find a middle ground in some sort of mix between early Four Year Strong and Matchbook Romance.

Immediate stand outs are lead single 'DILLIGAF' and 'This is the Interval', the latter containing the best and worst vocal work on the album with vocalist Lizzy Dent and bassist Nikki Brightman harmonising seriously well before being rudely interrupted by the wildly unnecessary screaming from drummer Steve North. Despite this the song is carried on the strong vocal work and a hook that seems oddly familiar but difficult to fully pin down. 'DILLIGAF', an equally strong track, has shades of Northstar before falling into some more familiar work, perhaps reminiscent of a Senses Fail or Open Hand.

Interview: Lecarla

Since forming in early 2009, Milton Keynes' Lecarla have played shows with The Blackout, We Are The Ocean, Go:Audio, Attack! Attack!, All Forgotten, as well many other established British bands. More recently the five-piece released a new EP, 'Silent City' and made a video for 'DILLIGAF', which was directed by Lawrence Hardy (You Me At Six, Enter Shikari, Young Guns).

Lecarla is made up of lead singer Lizzy Dent, rhythm guitarist Hannah Whitmarsh, lead guitarist Joe Alfano, bassist Nikki Brightman and drummer Steve North.

The band talked to Alter The Press about the new EP, influences, filming the video and their future plans.

Alter The Press: You guys formed early last year. So you're a fairly new line-up. How did you all find each other?
Lecarla: Well Lizzy, Hannah and Nikki were in a previous band together which split up, so wanted form a new one needing a drummer and guitarist. That's when they found Joe on a musicians wanted site and Steve through auditions and the rest is history.

ATP: Why did you name your new EP 'Silent City'? What exactly is that reference to?
Lecarla: Naming the EP seemed to take a very long time. All of us kept throwing out random names and words to try and come up with something, but nothing stuck. But then we thought of 'Concrete City' at first (based on Milton Keynes) but didn't quite have a ring to it, so we changed it to 'Silent City', which we all felt fitted in much better with out artwork and style of the CD.