Lost Animal

***It's not every day you hear about a new Lost Animal album. In fact, it's been ten years between drinks. So what happened, and where's frontman/mastermind Jarrod Quarrell been for the last ten years? Amongst a sea of rock bands, LA is essentially a solo act. Simply put; LA is JQ. But on the other hand, amongst an ocean of solo acts, LA possesses the grandiosity of a full band, punk in spirit, but without being fast, or heavy. Armed with keys and synths, timbres align more with what a toucan might listen to, as opposed to what's heard commonly throughout Melbourne's gig economy. Strings are gently plucked and horns are tenderly blown. These are the colorful brush strokes that decorate the upper frequencies. They're the ticket to a far-away land -- exotic, and potentially very dangerous. The album examines the underbelly of what a ten year journey might rub up against. As one may expect, a lot of that action is below the belt. Rewinding, a few things have happened in the past ten years that are worth illuminating. Shags is no longer commandeering the bass full time. Though he does make an appearance on a couple tracks. The main difference from present day to yesteryear LA is Dan Luscombe (The Drones). Luscombe has jumped into the role of producer (and also part of the live band). One could say he's a producer of the Spector-ilk: playing a hands-on approach and assisting Quarrell's song crafting. He may have suggested to add a chorus or two, but the chord progressions remain distinctly Lost Animal. But the album's defining feature is arguably Quarrell's lyricism. He may not cross-examine where he's been, but his voice does unmask where he is: absolved and reincarnated. The decade-long journey has resulted in him looking inwards and unlocking himself. The album's many mantras suggest that he may be a bird (I'm a Bird Now), or that he is living on another planet. Whatever and wherever he may be, Give Some Get Some invites the listener to reflect on their own journey over the past decade. Because the game's got a price.