The Lava Brothers
We make pop-rock-folk-alt-various. Grandpa wrote the Batman TV song, which is cool.
Listen to "Here Lies the Moment," out now: https://linktr.ee/thelavabrothers
Josh Lava: songs, vocals, keyboard, drums, guitar, production
Jesse Lava: songs, vocals, guitar
Gabe Lava: bass
We play pop-rock-folk-alt-various.
This is right around the climax of the new song. Stream & like it: https://linktr.ee/thelavabrothers
Jesse Lava Gabe Lava Josh Lava
Photo by Dorey Kronick Art & Design
Dreamy & dark, with pretty harmonies.
25/11/2023
I stayed up through the morning
To handwrite words to remember her by
I sigh
The bigger the heart, the bigger the lie
“Stuck,” the Lava Brothers
Photo
23/11/2023
Thanks for it all.
Photo by Dorey Kronick Art & Design
21/11/2023
You touch your head when you’re nervous, I try not to smile
I always call your bluff
I only hope you understand I adore you
And you are good enough
From “You Are Good Enough,” 2008
17/11/2023
Hello. Been a minute.
15/11/2023
The Lava Brothers Home page of The Lava Brothers, an alternative, folk, indie, other / not classifiable, pop, rock, songwriter group from Chicago. We make "sophisticated and soulful pop," said one review. We're grandsons of jazz and “Batman Theme” composer Neal Hefti – and
We rarely play together. Jesse and Josh stare at ProTools and track parts one at a time. Gabe visits Chicago occasionally and lays down bass. This video is from last year. Here’s hoping there will be more. If and when there is, it will of course be .
19/08/2022
18/06/2022
Hear our tribute to Paul McCartney on his 80th today. Arguably the best melodist of the past century — he wrote “Yesterday” literally in his sleep, FFS — he’s also a visionary and risk-taker. We can thank Paul for the Sgt. Pepper concept (and thus the start of the album era), the popularity of orchestral arrangements in rock, the shift to melodic bass playing in rock, an assist with the rise of looping, the Abbey Road medley and cacophonous swells on “A Day in the Life,” a contribution to the beginning of hard rock and heavy metal with “Helter Skelter,” and, as a solo artist, early adventures in DIY and lo-fi, early foundations of modern day indie pop, and a model of trying new genres to stretch oneself. Happy birthday, Paul. We love and revere you.
It's Not Sentimental by The Lava Brothers
13/06/2022
Raised in the faith.
Josh vents with synth wankery.
08/05/2022
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. May you be at rest.
My phone’s on vibrate for you.
28/03/2022
We are about to do a thing. Stay tuned.
Photo
Chasing the demo.
15/03/2022
Lyrics.
Tracking guitars for an upcoming release. For the engineering nerds, we committed two cardinal sins of acoustic guitar recording: we used a dynamic mic (😱) blended with a heavy amount of the DI signal (😱😱). But that’s because we think it works for this tune. We hope you’ll agree. Stay tuned.
Tracking drums on a total hodge podge kit for a soul inspired jam dropping shortly. For the drum/gear nerds — went single headed on the kick and tom for extra punch, and went super fat with the Tama Drums STAR solid maple snare (arguably my favorite snare drum). On top I’m blending Neumann K184’s with an AEA Ribbon Mics and Preamps R84 for the sweet spot of clean detail + warmth and mojo. We think you’ll like this one, stay tuned!
From Josh:
Extended free piano improvisation for your evening listening pleasure. One of my goals for the new year is to humble myself at the altar of music and become a true student again, and to that end I will be putting out content that represents my work in progress rather than curating the most ‘impressive’ moments. Hence I am posting this in its entirety, warts and all, and I’ll try to make these regularly as a measure of growth (or lack thereof!) Feel free to skip around to the fast and loud parts if you must, but also feel free to settle in.
This new song (link in comments) is special to us. Beatles music got Jesse through the early days of the pandemic, serving both as comfort food and inspiration: it led Jesse to ask his brothers to become a band again after 12 years. "It's Not Sentimental" is a wistful tribute to one of the Beatles – Paul McCartney. It's packed with lyrical and musical references to him and the group. We'd love for you to listen.
10/01/2022
Song for Paul McCartney out Friday.
09/01/2022
Five days.
08/01/2022
Teaser or threat?
05/01/2022
Josh tapping into the pensive side of Bruce Springsteen with the great Michael McDermott at Park West
📸: Rockin' Nature Photography by Ron Horne
03/01/2022
One of Josh’s goals for the new year is to return to the woodshed on piano, the first step of which is to revisit some fundamentals. It doesn’t get more foundational than the 2 and 3 part inventions by Bach, Josh’s favorite musical mind of all. Clips coming soon!
Merry Christmas from The Lava Brothers! Here’s Josh taking a stab at Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas.” The cool kids insist this is the *only* good Christmas song, and while we wouldn’t go that far, we can’t dispute it’s a singular classic. Enjoy and be well!
24/12/2021
“My Last” is on Spotify, Apple, all the things. Check it out if you haven’t yet? Link in bio.
22/12/2021
Chords of “My Last.” Want to learn it? Song link in bio.
Nerd out about key changes in “My Last,” our latest single.
“ChEcK uS oUt On SpOtiFy!” 😂 😞
So pretty.
Heard "My Last" yet? It's a ballad about letting go of love. Would you stream & like it? We hope you are moved.
Photo by Dorey Kronick Art & Design
"My Last" is out: linktr.ee/thelavabrothers. Folk music about finally letting someone go. Stream & like it. We hope you find it beautiful.
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