We’ve already met Laura DiStati on her solo career but Laura also heads a rock band called “Measure” and their debut album “The Air Inside Our Lungs” hits the stores very soon and we’ve been able to wrap ourselves round it and give it a firm two thumbs up!
Opener “Somewhere Outside” introduces us to some lovely electric guitar and keyboard interplay over a gently building rock track that has a muted uplifting chorus and beat that really breaks into its stride for the final hurrah in the last-minute. Laura’s soft hushed vocals suit the melodic rock sound and no instrument feels overpowered. “Point Of You” then uses some beautiful vocal layering over some expert acoustic guitar and light electronic percussion. It harks back to Laura’s solo work only more fluid and full of backbone. It’s utterly sumptuous.
“Down Easy” pushes the piano more to fore with slow plodding chords over minimal guitars and drums that slowly gain momentum with their fizzing and popping. It then bursts into a glorious blossoming for the second half of the track where it all comes together. Measure are masters at the stomping choruses. “Other Plans” is more beat heavy and makes good use of a three chord riff for what is the most radio friendly song so far on the LP. “I Want To Know You” however then takes the single format and rocks it out with a pop drum loop and combines it with slick guitar and keyboard interplay that features heavily on the album. Measure are not afraid to throw in a nice four bar interlude and it shows here.
“Run” is more of a drum marching rock dirge – but in a good way. It’s about the slow pounding rhythm against the warmth of the guitar, chimes and vocals. It does get drowned on opening listens though compared to the more immediate tracks such as the following “Make You Love Me” which has such a wonderfully understated chorus with lovely guitar motif’s spearing off underneath the main melody. The closing track “Fireworks” reminds me of Emmy Rossum’s album only a bit more plugged. There’s a vocal sample used for the keyboards and it gives the whole track an ethereal quality that works beautifully with Laura’s vocals and the excellent percussion loops.
Measure’s debut album may only contain eight tracks but they each stick with you. While the album doesn’t break out into rock frenzy it holds a certain space of melancholic beauty that is powerful and emotive. I thoroughly enjoyed The Air Inside Our Lungs. It’ll be an album to come back to for more introspective times when rock is still required, but you want it to be a rock for one.