Lucius is an American four-piece
indie pop
Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and sub ...
band. The group was founded by lead vocalists
Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, joined by drummer Dan Molad, guitarist Peter Lalish, and, formerly, multi-instrumentalist Andrew Burri. Originating in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, the band relocated to Los Angeles in 2015.
They have released three studio albums with
Mom + Pop Music, including their most recent, ''
Second Nature'', in April 2022.
Their music has received critical acclaim from ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'', ''
NPR
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
'' and ''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the crea ...
''.
''Paste'' named them as one of the best live acts in 2015. Wolfe and Laessig have also contributed vocals for artists such as
Roger Waters,
Jeff Tweedy,
Jackson Browne
Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States.
Emerging as a precocious teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he h ...
,
John Legend
John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career by working behind the scenes, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Eve ...
,
Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples (born July 10, 1939) is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer, actress, and civil rights activist. She rose to fame as a member of her family's band The Staple Singers (she is the last surviving member of that band). Durin ...
,
John Prine
John Edward Prine (; October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death. He ...
,
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues. She has released eleven studio albums, five compilations and three li ...
,
Grace Potter
Grace Evelyn Potter (born June 20, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter and musician who formed Grace Potter and the Nocturnals in 2002. Potter released her debut solo record ''Original Soul'' on 2004 via Grace Potter Music. Potter and her b ...
,
Goose
A goose ( : geese) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera ''Anser'' (the grey geese and white geese) and '' Branta'' (the black geese). Some other birds, mostly related to the ...
,
The War on Drugs,
Brandi Carlile and
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, sometimes referred to as POTR, is an American country rock group based in California. The band consists of Lukas Nelson (lead vocals, guitar), Anthony LoGerfo (drums, percussion), Corey McCormick (bass guitar ...
.
History
''Songs from the Bromley House'' and band formation (2005–2011)
Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig first met in 2005 as students at
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...
and began performing together.
In 2007, they founded Lucius after moving to
Ditmas Park, Brooklyn
Ditmas Park is a historic district in the neighborhood of Flatbush in Brooklyn, New York City. The traditional boundaries of Ditmas Park, including Ditmas Park West, are Ocean Avenue and greater Flatbush to the east, Dorchester Road and the Pros ...
to pursue a musical career.
The two lived in an old Victorian mansion which had a 60-year-old recording studio and vintage pianos inside.
In 2009, Wolfe and Laessig self-released ''Songs from the Bromley House'', a biographical ode to the house and the experiences that they had in their Brooklyn home. During this period, they were joined by producer Doug Wamble. The band made a one-time pressing CD of the album and has not released the album since.
Shortly after the release of ''Songs from the Bromley House'', Wolfe and Laessig connected with Dan Molad. By 2010, the three were collaborating on future Lucius music. During this period, Pete Lalish was introduced by Molad, and the two soon joined Lucius, making it a four-piece. About a year later, Molad met singer and guitarist Andy Burri who was invited to join the band. Following this, in 2011, most of the music the band had already made together was re-recorded and later released as their debut EP.
On July 9, 2020, ''Lucius'' announced it would be re-releasing ''Songs from the Bromley House'' digitally to raise funds for businesses affected by the COVID-19 virus. Wolfe told fans the news during an AMA portion of the streaming event. She said the album would be up for purchase on the band's website, along with several other signature items created especially for its livestream series, ''Turning It Around: A Community Rebuilding Concert''.
''Lucius'' EP and ''Wildewoman'' (2011–2015)
The quintet released a self-titled EP in February 2012. ''Lucius'' received several placements in TV shows including ''
Grey's Anatomy
''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into se ...
'' and ''
Catfish: The TV Show''. The band did a
Tiny Desk Concerts
Tiny Desk Concerts is a video series of live concerts hosted by NPR Music at the desk of ''All Songs Considered'' host Bob Boilen in Washington, D.C.
The first Tiny Desk Concert came about in 2008 after Boilen and NPR Music editor Stephen Tho ...
performance in January 2013. The Silver Sound Music Video Film Festival + Band Battle awarded the "Go Home" video as Best Animation. Their song "Until We Get There" was featured in season 2, episode 24 of the TV show ''
New Girl
''New Girl'' is an American television sitcom created by Elizabeth Meriwether and produced by 20th Television for Fox that originally aired from September 20, 2011, to May 15, 2018. The series revolves around a kooky teacher, Jessica Day ( Zoo ...
''.
The band toured with the EP throughout the first half of 2013 while finishing the recording of ''Wildewoman'', produced by band member Dan Molad.
Mom + Pop Music released ''
Wildewoman'' in North America on October 15, 2013. It received favorable reviews from ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' and ''
Consequence of Sound
''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook ...
''. The album was released worldwide on March 31, 2014, via
Play It Again Sam. ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' described it as "60s girl group-inspired songs doused in a tonic of baroque pop and saccharine folk." The record was praised for its eclectic mix of musical styles that ranged from retro pop to reflective folk.
The song "Until We Get There" was featured in the film ''
If I Stay
''If I Stay'' is a young adult novel by Gayle Forman published in 2009. The story follows 17-year-old Mia Hall as she deals with the aftermath of a catastrophic car accident involving her family. Mia is the only member of her family to survive, ...
'' and was included on the 2014 soundtrack.
During their world tour between the fall of 2013 and the end of 2014, they also played their own shows and music festivals. Lucius opened for artists including
Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara () are a Canadian indie pop duo formed in 1998 in Calgary, Alberta. The band is led by identical twin sisters Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin (born September 19, 1980). Both musicians are songwriters and multi-instrumenta ...
,
The Head and the Heart
The Head and the Heart is an American indie folk band. They were formed in the summer of 2009 by Josiah Johnson (vocals, guitar, percussion) and Jonathan Russell (vocals, guitar, percussion). The band also includes Charity Rose Thielen (violin, ...
,
Sara Bareilles,
Andrew Bird
Andrew Wegman Bird (born July 11, 1973) is an American indie rock multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Since 1996, he has released 16 studio albums, as well as several live albums and EPs, spanning various genres including swing musi ...
,
City and Colour
Dallas Michael John Albert Green (born September 29, 1980) is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who records under the name City and Colour. He is also known for his contributions as a singer, rhythm guitarist and songwr ...
, and
Jack White
John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975), commonly known as Jack White, is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the duo the White Stripes. White has enjoyed consistent critical and popular success and is widely c ...
.
The deluxe version of ''Wildewoman'' was released in October 2014. It features live recordings and covers, with one version of their song "How Loud Your Heart Gets" produced by Spoon's
Jim Eno
Jim Eno (born February 8, 1966) is the drummer and one of the founding members of the Austin, Texas band Spoon. He is also a record producer and a semiconductor chip designer. Eno is not related to sound engineer and record producer Brian Eno; ...
for
Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
. The band ended their world tour with a sold-out show at
Terminal 5 in New York on December 6, 2014.
''Good Grief'' and ''Nudes'' (2016–2021)
The band's second album, ''
Good Grief'', was released on March 11, 2016. It was co-produced and engineered by Grammy-winning engineer
Shawn Everett
Shawn Everett (born July 6, 1982) is a Canadian music engineer and producer best known for his work with Alabama Shakes, Kacey Musgraves, The War on Drugs, The Killers, and Julian Casablancas. Everett has won six Grammy Awards.
Early life
Ever ...
, and was mixed by
Tom Elmhirst
Tom Elmhirst (born 8 June 1971) is a British mix engineer. He has worked with artists including Adele, Beck, David Bowie, Cage the Elephant, Lady Gaga, Residente, and Amy Winehouse, among many others. Elmhirst has received numerous accolades ...
. Songs were inspired by the band's two years on the road with ''Wildewoman'', and were written in late 2015 when the band relocated from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. Departing from their previous sound, the album focused on "moody Eighties-synth melodies and raw lyrics about the hardships of marriage."
The deluxe edition of ''Good Grief'' features the band's cover of
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhyt ...
' song "
Strangers" which gained attention from a crowd-sourced video of the band performing in Petaluma, California in August 2014.
The band has also performed tracks from the album on ''
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' (often shortened to ''Ellen'' or ''The Ellen Show'') is an American daytime television variety comedy talk show that was created and hosted by its namesake Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it was prod ...
'', ''
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
''The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'' is an American late-night news and liberal political satire talk show hosted by Stephen Colbert, which premiered on September 8, 2015. Produced by Spartina Productions and CBS Studios, it is the second ...
'', and ''
Late Night with Seth Meyers''. "Born Again Teen" and "Dusty Trails" were featured on the fifth episode on
Cameron Crowe
Cameron Bruce Crowe (born July 13, 1957) is an American journalist, author, writer, producer, director, actor, lyricist, and playwright. Before moving into the film industry, Crowe was a contributing editor at '' Rolling Stone'' magazine, for w ...
's show ''
Roadies
Roadie refers to support personnel who travel with a band on tour.
Roadie or roadies may also refer to:
* ''Roadie'' (1980 film), a 1980 film starring Meat Loaf
* ''Roadie'' (2011 film), a 2011 American comedy film
* ''Roadies'' (TV series), an A ...
''. In the final episode of the first season, Wolfe and Laessig performed the
Lowell George
Lowell Thomas George (April 13, 1945 – June 29, 1979) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer, who was the primary guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and founder/leader for the rock band Little Feat.
Ear ...
song "Willin" with
Jackson Browne
Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States.
Emerging as a precocious teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he h ...
. In September 2016, Andrew Burri departed from the band.
On November 25, 2016, the band released a two-song 10 inch vinyl record titled ''Pulling Teeth'' which contained two B-sides, "Pulling Teeth" and "The Punisher".
The band released their first compilation album, ''Nudes'', in March 2018. The collection features acoustic versions of songs from the band's back catalogue, new songs, and a duet with
Roger Waters.
''Second Nature'' (2022–present)
On January 11, 2022 the band announced their fourth studio album, titled ''
Second Nature'', would be released on April 8, 2022 on the
Mom + Pop Music label. The lead single "Next to Normal" was simultaneously released.
Collaborations
Outside Lucius, Wolfe and Laessig have been involved in several albums as guest vocalists.
* "Sonsick", "Bar", "Crueler Kind", "Sonsick", "The Count", "Oh Darling" & "Daedalus (What We Have)" (
San Fermin) – ''
San Fermin'' (2013)
* "High As Hello", "Wait for Love", "Low Key", "Slow Love", "Nobody Dies Anymore", "I'll Sing It", "Where My Love" & "I'll Never Know" (
Tweedy) – ''
Sukierae
''Sukierae'' is the debut album by Tweedy, a side project formed by Jeff Tweedy and his son Spencer. It was released on September 23, 2014, and features 20 new songs. The album is promoted by a new band touring under the Tweedy name.
Backgroun ...
'' (2014)
* "It's Time to Come Home", "Traces of Our Tears", "Stardust", "1000 Season", "Damaris", "Irrational Things", "Thought of Sound", "Song of Remembering", "Seven Years" & "The Future" (
The Rentals
The Rentals are an American rock band fronted by vocalist Matt Sharp. Sharp has been the only consistent member since the group's inception. The band's best selling single is "Friends of P" (1995). The Rentals released two albums, ''Return of t ...
) – ''
Lost in Alphaville
''Lost in Alphaville'' is the third full-length studio album by The Rentals, released on August 25, 2014, through Polyvinyl Records. The album is available on CD, vinyl, cassette and as a digital download. It marks the band's first full-length ...
'' (2014)
* New Haven (
Chadwick Stokes and Lucius) – ''The Horse Comanche'' (2015)
* "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, And Understanding" (
Shovels & Rope
Shovels & Rope are an American folk duo from Charleston, South Carolina composed of husband and wife Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst. Combining threads from their individual solo careers, Shovels & Rope blends traditional folk, rock and roll ...
) – ''Busted Jukebox, Volume 1'' (2015)
* "Picture of a Man" (
Dawes
Dawes may refer to: Places
* Dawes (Parish), New South Wales, Australia
*Dawes Point, New South Wales, Australia
* Dawes Arboretum, in Newark, Ohio, U.S.
*Dawes County, Nebraska, U.S.
* Dawes Township, Thurston County, Nebraska, U.S.
Other uses
*D ...
) – ''
We're All Gonna Die'' (2016)
* "Penthouse Floor", "Love Me Now", "What You Do To Me" & "Surefire" (
John Legend
John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career by working behind the scenes, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Eve ...
) – ''
Darkness and Light'' (2016)
* "Déja Vu", "The Last Refugee", "Picture That", "Is This the Life We Really Want?", "The Most Beautiful Girl", "Smell the Roses", "Wait for Her" & "Part of Me Died" (
Roger Waters) – ''
Is This the Life We Really Want?
''Is This the Life We Really Want?'' is the fourth solo album by the English rock musician Roger Waters, released on 2 June 2017 by Columbia Records. It was produced by Nigel Godrich, who urged Waters to make a more concise, less theatrical al ...
'' (2017)
* "Defibrillation" (
The Barr Brothers
The Barr Brothers is an indie folk band founded in Montreal, Quebec in 2006, consisting of two American brothers Andrew (drums, percussion, vocals, keyboards) and Brad Barr (guitar, vocals), as well as bassist Morgan Moore, pedal steel guitaris ...
) – ''
Queens of the Breakers'' (2017)
* "Lucky Penny" (
JD McPherson) – ''
Undivided Heart & Soul'' (2017)
* "I Remember Her" (
Ingrid Michaelson) – ''
Alter Egos EP'' (2017)
* "Pain" (
The War On Drugs) – ''
A Deeper Understanding
''A Deeper Understanding'' is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band The War on Drugs. It was released on August 25, 2017, through Atlantic Records. The album was mixed by engineer Shawn Everett. The album won Best Rock Album at t ...
'' (2017)
* "Set Me Down On A Cloud", "Die Alone", "Fool Me Once", "Carolina", "Forget About Georgia" (
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, sometimes referred to as POTR, is an American country rock group based in California. The band consists of Lukas Nelson (lead vocals, guitar), Anthony LoGerfo (drums, percussion), Corey McCormick (bass guitar ...
) – ''Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real'' (2017)
* "Come Again" (
Kurt Vile
Kurt Samuel Vile (born January 3, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He is known for his solo work and as the former lead guitarist of rock band the War on Drugs. Both in the studio and during li ...
) – ''
Bottle It In
''Bottle It In'' is the eighth studio album by American musician Kurt Vile, released on October 12, 2018 through Matador Records. It features contributions from Kim Gordon, Cass McCombs, Stella Mozgawa of Warpaint, and Mary Lattimore.
The album ...
'' (2018)
* "Mistakes We Should Have Made" (
Dawes
Dawes may refer to: Places
* Dawes (Parish), New South Wales, Australia
*Dawes Point, New South Wales, Australia
* Dawes Arboretum, in Newark, Ohio, U.S.
*Dawes County, Nebraska, U.S.
* Dawes Township, Thurston County, Nebraska, U.S.
Other uses
*D ...
) – ''
Passwords
A password, sometimes called a passcode (for example in Apple devices), is secret data, typically a string of characters, usually used to confirm a user's identity. Traditionally, passwords were expected to be memorized, but the large number of ...
'' (2018)
* "Babe I Know", "Coolin' Out" (
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats) – ''Tearing At The Seams'' (2018)
* "Giving You Away" (
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, sometimes referred to as POTR, is an American country rock group based in California. The band consists of Lukas Nelson (lead vocals, guitar), Anthony LoGerfo (drums, percussion), Corey McCormick (bass guitar ...
) – ''Forget About Georgia EP'' (2018)
* "There's a Light" (
Jonathan Wilson) – ''Rare Birds'' (2018)
* "Don't" (
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues. She has released eleven studio albums, five compilations and three li ...
) – ''
Threads'' (2019)
* "Shoulder Charge", "Football to the Path" (
Jesca Hoop
Jessica "Jesca" Ada Hoop (born April 21, 1975) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, who writes and performs in diverse musical styles. She has released six studio albums of her own, as well as live, acoustic and dual albums with other ...
) – ''Stonechild'' (2019)
* "No Need to Argue" (
Hannah Georgas
Hannah Georgas (born 30 August 1983) is a Canadian pop/rock singer-songwriter, based in Vancouver, British Columbia. She was nominated in the categories of "Best New Artist of the Year" and "Songwriter of the Year" at the 2011 Juno Awards, and ...
) – ''No Need To Argue'' (2019)
* "Love is Love", "Back to Me", "Reposession", "Desire", "Please" (
Grace Potter
Grace Evelyn Potter (born June 20, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter and musician who formed Grace Potter and the Nocturnals in 2002. Potter released her debut solo record ''Original Soul'' on 2004 via Grace Potter Music. Potter and her b ...
) – ''Daylight'' (2019)
* "Treat People with Kindness" (
Harry Styles) – ''
Fine Line'' (2019)
* "Straight to Hell", "Ordinary Man (feat. Elton John)", "Holy for Tonight" (
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...
) – ''
Ordinary Man'' (2020)
* "I Don't Live Here Anymore" (
The War On Drugs) – ''
I Don't Live Here Anymore
''I Don't Live Here Anymore'' is the fifth studio album by American indie rock band The War on Drugs. It was released on October 29, 2021, through Atlantic Records. The album received widespread acclaim. "Harmonia's Dream" was nominated for Best ...
'' (2021)
* "You and Me on the Rock" (
Brandi Carlile) – ''
In These Silent Days'' (2021)
* "Howling" (SYML) (2022)
Other
Lucius have composed music for multiple film and television projects. They scored the soundtrack for
Jake and Amir
Jake and Amir is an American comedy duo made up of podcasters and former CollegeHumor writers Jake Hurwitz and Amir Blumenfeld. The duo came into prominence in 2007 when they began writing and starring in the web series ''Jake and Amir.'' Th ...
's web series, ''Lonely and Horny'', released o
Vimeoon April 8, 2016. In January 2017, the band scored
Zoe Lister-Jones
Zoe Lister-Jones (born September 1, 1982) is an American actress, and filmmaker who co-starred as Jen Collins Short in the CBS sitcom ''Life in Pieces'' from 2015 to 2019. She is also known for her roles in the television shows ''Delocated'' (20 ...
' directorial debut ''
Band Aid'', which premiered at the
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,66 ...
. Lucius also wrote and performed an original song called "What's the Use in Crying?" in
David Byrne
David Byrne (; born 14 May 1952) is a Scottish-American singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, writer, music theorist, visual artist and filmmaker. He was a founding member and the principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of ...
's film ''
Contemporary Color'' (2016).
Lucius have released music as part of tribute projects. The band covered "When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky" for the compilation album ''
Bob Dylan In the 80s: Volume One'' and "
Uncle John's Band
"Uncle John's Band" is a song by the Grateful Dead that first appeared in their concert setlists in late 1969. The band recorded it for their 1970 album '' Workingman's Dead''. Written by guitarist Jerry Garcia and lyricist Robert Hunter, "U ...
" for the
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, Folk music, folk, country music, country, jazz, bluegrass music, bluegrass, ...
2016 compilation album ''
Day of the Dead
The Day of the Dead ( es, Día de Muertos or ''Día de los Muertos'') is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. It is widely obser ...
''. In November 2018, Lucius contributed to a 7” vinyl series called the Fug Yep Soundation, launched in memory of the late
Richard Swift. The series aims to raise awareness for addiction and “bring community to those suffering” by donating to musician-focused organizations
MusiCares
MusiCares Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1989 and incorporated in 1993 by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Meant for musicians to have a place to turn in times of financial, personal, or medical crisis, ...
and Music Support UK.
In July 2015, Wolfe and Laessig performed with
Roger Waters and
My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket is an American rock band formed in Louisville, Kentucky in 1998. The band consists of vocalist/guitarist Jim James, bassist Tom Blankenship, drummer Patrick Hallahan, guitarist Carl Broemel, and keyboardist Bo Koster. The ...
at the
Newport Folk Festival
Newport Folk Festival is an annual American folk-oriented music festival in Newport, Rhode Island, which began in 1959 as a counterpart to the Newport Jazz Festival. It was one of the first modern music festivals in America, and remains a foca ...
. In September and October 2016, the band performed with Waters and his band for three shows in Mexico City and the Desert Trip Festival in Indio, California. On Sunday May 21, 2017 Wolfe and Laessig performed on stage during Waters' final dress rehearsal held at
Meadowlands Sports Complex
The Meadowlands Sports Complex is a sports complex located in East Rutherford, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The facility is owned and operated by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA).
The complex currently con ...
, NJ. They sang backup vocals on Waters'
Us + Them Tour
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
throughout North America, which began in Kansas City on May 26, 2017, and ended in Vancouver on October 29, 2017.
In 2021, samples from the song ''Madness'' were featured in an
installation
Installation may refer to:
* Installation (computer programs)
* Installation, work of installation art
* Installation, military base
* Installation, into an office, especially a religious (Installation (Christianity) Installation is a Christian li ...
with visual and sound artist Samuel Stubblefield, to be released in 2022.
Reception
Lucius has been lauded by ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' for their "luscious, luminous, lilting lullabies", praised by NPR for their "charisma and charm," and described by ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' as "the best band you may not have heard yet."
''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' featured Lucius as its ''New Band Of The Day'' on February 14, 2014, and described them as "the missing link between
Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band, consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, alongside Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury and Jeremy Gara. The band's current touring line-up also includes former core member S ...
and
Haim
The name ''Haim'' can be a first name or surname originating in the Hebrew language, or deriving from the Old German name '' Haimo''.
Hebrew etymology
Chayyim ( he, חַיִּים ', Classical Hebrew: , Israeli Hebrew: ), also transcribed ''Ha ...
... How can they fail? They won't." Economist and ''
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' columnist
Paul Krugman
Paul Robin Krugman ( ; born February 28, 1953) is an American economist, who is Distinguished Professor of Economics at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, and a columnist for ''The New York Times''. In 2008, Krugman was th ...
is a noted fan of the band and has featured their music in his blog.
The two frontwomen are also known for their synchronous style that exudes an "idiosyncratic visual persona" in their choice of dress, stage set up, and performance. The two even shared the same hairdresser, although they have switched to identical wigs.
In December 2018, Lucius' album ''Nudes'' was named by ''Rolling Stone'' as one of "11 Great Albums You Probably Didn’t Hear in 2018."
Current members
![2016Lucius](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/2016Lucius.jpg)
*
Jess Wolfelead vocals, bass synth
*Holly Laessiglead vocals, keyboard
*Dan Moladdrums, backing vocals, production
*Peter Lalishguitar, backing vocals
Former member
*Andrew Burribacking vocals, multi-instrumentalist
Touring members
*
Josh Dion – drums
* Casey Foubert – guitar
* Alex Pfender - guitar
Discography
Albums
Studio albums
Compilation albums
EPs
*''Lucius EP'' (February 2012)
*''Pulling Teeth Ten Inch Vinyl'' (November 2016)
Singles
As lead artist
As featured artist
Notes
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Musical groups from Brooklyn
Indie pop groups from New York (state)
Musical groups established in 2005
Mom + Pop Music artists
Dine Alone Records artists