Music

An Exaltation of Laarks

Eau Claire indie band Laarks launch their debut album

Andy Plank, photos by Nick Meyer |

    Patience is a virtue. Just ask Laarks, the Eau Claire indie-rock band who just put the finishing touches on a self-recorded debut full-length that took the better part of two years to make. “We were figuring stuff out as we went along,“ says Ian Jacoby, the mastermind behind the band’s songs, as well as the vocalist and lead keyboard player. “There was a lot of stuff that we had to rerecord a whole bunch of times because we didn’t get it the first time. It turns out it was probably worth doing over and over again, but it was a super slow process.” If any one indie band in Eau Claire may need complete control over the way its album sounds, it’s probably these guys, whose twisted sense of dramatic rock could be hard for someone else to tackle. Laarks’ sound doesn’t originate from its Wisconsin habitat, instead it nestles somewhere between the dark, post-punk, dance-rock of the UK’s Editors and Seattle’s cleaner, angsty, ocean-washed pop band Death Cab For Cutie. “The whole point of us doing it ourselves was so we could make sure we liked everything and not be rushed,” says Kyle Flater, guitar/keyboard player. “If something didn’t work we could just mess with it until it sounded good.”

Two years later, Laarks finally has their album in hand. An Exaltation of Laarks showcases not only the complexities of Jacoby and company’s songwriting, full of winding progressions and mood swings galore, but also an array of drummer Brian Moen’s intricate engineering skills. “No matter who you have producing it,“ Jacoby says, “even if they’re the nicest person in the world, it’s going to reflect them as much as you on the recording. Brian definitely put a big stamp on it.” Songs start and end in a bath of guitar swells and muddled keyboard bleeps. Drums get run through layers of effects and filters, and vocal lines are harmonized and constantly shifting panels to attack from different perspectives. The 10 tracks fit together because of it, embracing the same artistic concepts and making the album feel more like a finished puzzle than separate pieces. Laarks is unveiling An Exaltation at two shows, and after so long in the making, they’re coming out with guns blazing. “We’re trying to do a lot of light and projection stuff at the show,” Jacoby says, “because we kind of want it to be special. You only get one CD release show … or two I guess … and we want to go balls out.”

    Laarks + The Daredevil Christopher Wright + Small Cities • March 13 • Grand Little Theatre, 102 W Grand • 7pm • $5 • all ages

    Laarks + The Daredevil Christopher Wright + Meridene • March 14 • House of Rock, 422 Water St. • 10pm • $5 • 21+

Enjoy a free (Volume One exclusive) download here. (PC users right-click to save. Mac users control-click to save.)