Local band delivers quality EP, plays Roctober Fest

I From Bondage Deliver I Lexus Jumps

Hardcore guitars mixed…

I From Bondage Deliver I Lexus Jumps

Hardcore guitars mixed with an eerie melodic voice pours from the speakers of the stereo as “The End,” the opening track of the new EP, I From Bondage Deliver I, slowly takes a leap into another dimension. Suddenly, it sounds like a different band: The melody transforms into a blood-curdling scream and the guitars get heavier.

The eerie melodies and the blood curdling screams both come from the same person, Deb Cohen, the lead singer of Lexus Jumps. At first, Cohen sings with a beautiful sound similar to Gwen Stefani’s, but in the blink of an eye she belts out a deep, piercing scream that makes it hard to tell it’s the same woman.

With the mix of a hardcore sound and groovy melodies, local group Lexus Jumps attracts listeners of all different genres, from metal, punk, emo and alternative. This mix of sound is clearly present in the title track, “I From Bondage Deliver I,” where halfway through the heavy, throaty song, the guitars and drums switch gears into a swing jazz beat, the heavy vocals switch to a jazz scat sound, and then, just as quickly, returns to the heavy rock it once was.

Lexus Jumps is different than most heavy bands; the band’s songs tend to be rather long, averaging five minutes a song, whereas most heavy bands only play two- or three-minute songs. It works for Lexus Jumps because they have several changes in moods and style.

With a previously released full length album, Meaningless, Lexus Jumps brings its unclassifiable sound to the new EP, with the heavy rhythm section led by drummer Josh Cohen, who is influenced by a wide variety of music and plays with a style that is influenced by jazz and heavy metal. On the EP, Jim Watson recorded the bass tracks and one of the guitar tracks. Watson is taking a hiatus from the group while he attends Berkeley’s school of music. Original guitarist Chris Smith also contributes to the mix of heavy guitars and jazzy bass licks, bringing the circle of diverse musical interests to a final product that will make any listener a fan.

The band’s new bass player, Chris Repko, and new guitarist, Lewis Stanfield, did not contribute to the album but will perform with the band when it joins a slew of other local and independent bands – P.U.M.A., harod, HDP and the Booginz – at Roctober Fest tomorrow on the William Pitt Union porch Saturday.

Roctober Fest takes place tomorrow on the William Pitt Union porch unless bad weather forces the bands into the Union’s lower lounge. Performances start at 6 p.m. and are free.

*Editor’s note: Josh Cohen is a senior staff writer for the A’E section of The Pitt News.