Funeral Lakes are an alternative indie/folk two-piece from Toronto made up of Sam Mishos and Chris Hemer. Formed in 2018 in Vancouver, they released their eponymous eight-track debut album in 2019 – a record inspired by topics that ranged from environmental destruction and generational malaise, through to crooked politicians. Unfortunately, as you’ll no doubt be aware, not much has changed in the world in the last year (global pandemic notwithstanding, obviously) except for the rich getting richer (here’s looking at you, Bezos), the poor getting poorer, and the global warming crisis creeping ever-closer to full blown apocalypse territory. Anyway, it’s in this climate that Funeral Lakes return with a new three-track EP, Golden Season, that again mixes politically and socially charged lyrics with their brand of anthemic indie folk. Whereas Funeral Lakes primarily came from a place of frustration, defeat, and dejection, the music on its follow-up is charged, energetic, and the work of a band ready for the fight.

Listening to the opening track, Eternal Return, the first thing that jumps out is the duo’s ear for melody combined with a knack for biting, poetic lyrics. Described by the band as being about “toxic masculinity and the scourge of petro-nationalism, along with the misery fueled by the false promises of politicians”, it breezes past fuelled by a driving beat and acoustic guitar. Of particular note are the vocals, with Mishos backing Hemer’s lead with a higher octave, as well as the interesting shift in tone between the verses and the chorus. There’s no denying the track has similarities to their compatriots Arcade Fire in its execution too – something I’m sure the band must be sick of hearing – but, regardless, Eternal Return is entirely their own, and by the time it swerves abruptly and reaches its vitriolic peak you’re powerless to resist:

“We are the warriors / Bullshit! / We are the chosen ones / Bullshit! / Watching TV / Gonna make you sick! / Try to raise a child here / Gonna make you sick! / It goes on and on and on / And on it goes / On and on and on / And on it goes… / Eternal return, eternal return”.

Earth Falls is just as direct; this time focusing on “the alarming realities of the world we’re now living in, sitting precariously on the edge of collapse, and what it means to be grappling with the fear of it all”. Again underpinned by an acoustic guitar, as well as some great interplay between the two vocalists, it also boasts the kind of grandiose synth lines that wouldn’t seem out of place on the first couple of Killers records. They’re big and brash, and give the song an added sense of urgency. As with the opener, the juxtaposition of bleak imagery with rousing melody feels like a call to arms. Take, for example, the chorus of:

“Earth falls and then begins again / Our home is all on fire again / Earth falls and then begins again / Our home is all we ever had”.

The final track on the EP, Power Trip, might just be the best of the lot. Far more trashy and rough around the edges, it has a raucous, confrontational energy coursing through it that gives the impression that it could come off the rails at any moment. In the nicest possible way, it kind of sounds like it’s in a race to catch up with itself. The guitars are at their loudest (and messiest) of the three tracks here, and it’s a welcome change of pace to close the set. Rallying against “the heteropatriarchy and domination that permeate society”, there’s something rather Pixies-esque about the bursts of frenetic noise that punctuate the song – as well as in the sound of Mishos’ vocals in the verses, and the energy that flows through the chorus’ cries of “Erase me! Berate me! Berate me! Erase me!” 

All in all, Golden Season is a strong piece of work. Musically and lyrically, Funeral Lakes have got a lot going for them. They stand for something too, and that’s increasingly rare in a musical landscape dominated by lowest common denominator laziness, and conveyor belt indie churned out largely by focus groups and market research. Having not heard of them before now, I found myself drawn to their debut full-length on the strength of the material here. In many ways these three songs feel like a continuation of the LP – albeit with one eye fixed on the future – so, if you dig this, I can guarantee you’ll love that too. Anyway, I’m sure you get the gist by now – I like this one very much.

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