On her newest single “Messiah” Los Angeles rock revivalist Lauren Ruth Ward explodes onto the scene with all the fanfare of a second coming. “When they come she lets them into her fire / Warm aura feel good supplier,” she howls against the blistering strut of riffs and jittery drums. At the center of “Messiah” zealous soul is an unabashed rage against the notion that “rock is dead” and a rallying cry to the very altar of that rapturous genre.
Shrieking guitars and Ward’s own beatific cries signal that such apathetic notions miss the point. Because if rock really is six feet under, then how the hell is Ward — and the many other musicians cutting their teeth in East Los Angeles — examples of its thriving endurance? On “Messiah” she minces no words and subdues no emotion in trying to ignite something in the hearts of her listeners.
With multiple albums already under her belt, Ward is far from a newcomer. Appropriately dubbed the “Queen of Echo Park” by her friend and folk singer Alicia Blue, Ward has long been a supportive figure in the community. And with the recent release of her album Vol. II she started to tap into some sublime psychedelic textures.
Listen to Lauren Ruth Ward’s new single “Messiah” below!
Lauren Ruth Ward will be playing The Troubadour in Los Angeles on June 5. Visit Lauren Ruth Ward’s website, Twitter, and Instagram to stay updated on new releases and tour announcements.
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