Lawrence Arabia looks rather European and dapper in his portrait, and for some reason the polished, neat aesthetic suits his laid-back Cali-pop songwriting. All this and James Milne, the man behind the moniker, is actually from New Zealand. Go figure.
Don't take our word for it, check out "Apple Pie Bed", a delightful compendium of silly lyrics, pop and harmony from Lawrence Arabia's debut record
Chant Darling, out now on Bella-Union. The record was recorded in a studio in Stockholm, three flats in London, a garden shed in Port Chalmers, a car club in Wellington and a studio in Auckland. So basically everywhere except the kitchen sink (although who knows, they may have banged on one in the background).
If you like what you hear, catch Lawrence sailing around the US this summer, opening for the legendary Crowded House. Lawrence Arabia is playing New York City's Bowery Ballroom on July 19-21 -
joe puglisi
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MP3: "Apple Pie Bed"
Lawrence Arabia on Myspace 