I was in Atlanta.Family-run businessThe New York-based, brother-led soul, funk and pop band Lawrence“Family Business” AlbumBut last Friday, June 21st, Lawrence's long-awaited album finally dropped, and I only have two questions: Where else can I see the band live, and how can I convince them to add Pittsburgh to the tour?
I've been a Lawrence fan for years, ever since I discovered their discography in the basement of an old friend and former musical partner's house in 2019. Their first album, 2016's “breakfastI loved the horns, the vibe and the unbridled talent of lead singers Gracie and Clyde Lawrence.
Luckily, a friend assured me that “Do You Wanna Do Nothing With Me?” was just a small part of the story, and that it was also included in “Alibi” and “Shot” from the same album, as well as the 2018 album “living room“Around that time, 'Casualty' was released and I was hooked and have been playing their music both publicly and privately for the past 5 years. As a singer and musician, I can only wish I had even a fraction of the talent in their little fingers.
Their talent and musical proficiency was evident on their 2021 album, Hotel TV, and continues to shine on Family Business. Gracie Lawrence's jazzy soprano prominence and Clyde's deeper, sensual tones are certainly amplified with each song. But Family Business also makes an effort to highlight their incredible bandmates, including bassist Michael Kirsch's vibey riffs and the naughty additions of Sumner Becker, Jordan Cohen and Mark Langer to the brass lineup. There's something for everyone on this album.
The album opens with “Whatcha Want,” which showcases Gracie Lawrence's incredible vibrato and talent, showing that this brother-led band means business. The good vibes and sexy interlude continue into “Hip Replacement,” a personal favorite with a catchy chorus and great instrumentals. As someone who has seen Lawrence live twice, I already know this song will be otherworldly live.
It's clear that this album is meant to be heard live, as Lawrence sounds great when listening through headphones or car speakers – having seen them on stage twice, I found that it's there where Lawrence's talents really shine.
On my first listen, I was disappointed by the repeated choruses to make the song longer. I was hoping for more lyrics and witty songwriting. However, after my first listen, I was scrolling through their Instagram and stumbled across a video of Lawrence's favorite stage trick. The now-expired Instagram Story video showed Clyde Lawrence circling around guitarist Johnny Coe playing guitar, while Coe circling around Karsh playing bass guitar while Karsh played keyboards in front of him. This band is talented in the studio, but live it's truly on another level, and “Family Business” is definitely an album to hear live. While many of their new songs lack lyrical flair, I'm sure the band will make up for it live and turn the somewhat mundane moments that sound like they're coming from a phone speaker into something completely amazing on stage. I can only imagine the chaos that will ensue during these repetitions. I'm dreaming of extended versions of “The Weather” and “Funeral” but don't mind sacrificing long-winded songs for great live moments..
It's easy to imagine Gracie Lawrence twirling onstage to “Guy I Used To Be” and “I'm Confident That I'm Insecure,” but nothing beats seeing her sing “Death of Me” and “Funeral” live. Lawrence is known for her funky, sexy songs, but her ballads and so-called “sad songs” are some of my favorites, both live and on record. The ballad “Death of Me” is a showstopper and a must-have on any tour setlist. Like “The Weather” from “Hotel TV,” “Funeral” hits home with its lyrics about the regrets and feelings you have while sitting at your own funeral.
One of the highlights of the album is that rather than each brother taking a solo lead on each song, the brothers share many of the songs – there are a number of songs where Clyde takes the lead and others where Gracie takes the lead, but many of the album's highlights come from this powerhouse duo taking turns singing, like on the third track, “Do,” or showcasing how effortlessly their voices can harmonize, like on the title track, “Family Business.”
“Family Business” is definitely the album of the summer for me. A new addition to their discography, it's vocally interesting, musically complex, and most importantly, it's going to be amazing live. I was lucky enough to see “23” live before the song hits streaming services, and it's clear that Lawrence has truly crafted an album that celebrates the band's talent and further highlights how great their teamwork is. It really is family business.
I’ve been screaming and singing along to “I’m Confident That I’m Insecure,” “23,” and “Guy I Used to Be” for months now, and I’m so pleased that “Family Business” caps it all off and has become my favorite album of theirs to date.
Lawrence, if you are reading this, please come visit us in Pittsburgh!
