The riveting debut album from Lindsey Buck, The Laundry & The Ecstasy presents a gripping array of soul, blues, and rock. Buck — a mother of two who only began formal piano lessons at 40 — channels everyday life into art, pairing confessional songwriting with a dynamic, cinematic sound and a tendency for climactic structural unveilings. With a 10-piece band in tow, including two drummers and bold brass flourishes, she delivers songs that feel both intimate and immense, grounded in raw honesty yet soaring with vitality. Her memorable, commanding vocals stand at the center, bringing an emotional clarity and dynamic presence that anchors the album’s expansive arrangements.
“Breathe” opens the album with a climactic, soulful invigoration. A solemnly bluesy piano tone persists as Buck’s smoky vocals beckon to “breathe” — asking “can’t you see that my heart is on fire?” as the piano work ventures forth. Jazzy rhythms enter the fold as Buck’s vocals intensify with sporadic charm. The piano and rhythm section gradually swell past the mid-point into a brass-y vibrancy, signaling an ardent organ-touched expanse. “Wherever you’re going, I don’t wanna be there,” she howls here. The track enthralls in its dynamic tonal range from understated introspection into a passionate tour-de-force of soulful, jazzy charisma.
The ensuing “Devil Inside Me” builds with more initial fragmented experimentation, infusing angular rhythmic elements and a playful bass line as Buck’s opening vocals declare “got the devil inside me” alongside call-and-response gospel/blues vocal incorporations. Shades of Tom Waits show, aesthetically, in the enjoyably throwback and colorful sound. “Quiet Town” follows, unveiling a touching sense of balladry in its initial ascent — the vocals yearning “I wanna be near you, arms around.” A vibrant sound culminates as piano and brass fall into a title-touting vocal power and stirring send-off, particularly propelled by the brass work.
As suggested by its apt namesake, “11PM at the Iguana Bar” echoes a more bustling night-out feeling in its peppy percussive flair and smooth guitar stylings. “Let’s go to my place on the other side of town,” Buck’s vocals let out, building beautifully into the “lonely for so long” moody observations and eventual frolicking of lively keys, brass, and rhythms.
The subsequent “Down From Here” continues Buck’s knack for complementing piano-set contemplations with eventual rises into jazzy brass tones, here excelling with its late-night simmering and palpable emotion. Also succeeding is “I Got You,” centering around its reassuring, bluesy title-referencing call following depictions of one undergoing personal tumult. Its twangy guitars and hazy keys make for a hypnotic, enthralling sound. The Laundry & The Ecstasy is abundant with quality songwriting from Lindsey Buck.
The Laundry & The Ecstasy releases on September 19th.
